The Merc has two new editorials on Coyote Valley, in advance of today's Coyote Valley Task Force meeting:
Triggering Coyote, and
Main Issues Must Be Solved Before Approval.
The Merc is right to insist on "triggers" that require job creation prior to Coyote Valley residential development. From CGF's perspective, this requirement shows the fallacy of developing Coyote Valley, since it will be years before the City needs to expand to that area.
The Merc is also right to insist on a greenbelt, although we are frankly cynical about whatever San Jose will ultimately propose. The City may try to ram a square peg of developed residences into the round hole of greenbelt purposes, and announce a perfect fit.
Where the Merc is wrong is supporting the current timetable for planning. It is right to support advanced planning rather than rushed, last-minute planning, but what we have here is rushed, last-minute advanced planning in order to accommodate Mayor Gonzales' term of office. People take over a year to design their dream home, but San Jose hopes to plan a city of 80,000 in the same amount of remaining time. If there's any reason for planning something that is so far away from being needed, at least it should not be rushed.
Nevertheless, the Merc appears to be listening to critics of Coyote Valley proposals. We'll keep working on them.
Monday, September 13, 2004
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CGF
ReplyDeleteNice note on Coyote Valley...will the Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP)protocol have any bearing on preventing this latest example of San Jose sprawl ?
The HCP almost certainly won't prevent Coyote Valley development, but it has the potential to alter development in order to lessen the impacts, and to require mitigation such as purchasing and preserving the nearby Coyote Ridge.
ReplyDeleteThe problem is that San Jose has delayed the HCP, so it's unclear whether these protections will actually happen.