Monday, January 30, 2006

UPDATE: MEETING WITH CITY COUNCILMEMBER NORA CAMPOS


The meeting with Nora Campos went well. She promised to "work with us" and take our recommendations to a meeting she has with the seller and developer next week. She said a "pocket park" could make sense on this lot. Essentially that means the developer would design and build a green area with equipment to meet the neighbors' desires, and the city would maintain it. We recommended no more than 8 homes and various remedies to decrease speed and increase safety:

-reducing the speed limit on Fleming Avenue from 35 to 30 mph
-adding electronic speed monitoring signs, such as those recently installed on Kirk
-adding more speed enforcement
-improving city/county/neighborhood communication and outreach on proposed developments


We hope to learn more after this meeting between the seller, buyer and Nora. So far we haven't heard if either side is willing to compromise.

After our neighborhood and Planning Commission meetings, it has become clear that Fleming needs some added attention. It is now getting that attention.

Thanks to Nora and her assisant Todd Rufo for their concern and helping us work through this issue. And thanks to all the neighbors who's attention and action have fueled this effort. A special thanks to Tony Alexander and Mrs. Priccolo for attending the meeting with us. We need to keep up the pressure to get what our neighborhood needs!

PLEASE ADD YOUR OWN CONCERNS/SUGGESTIONS IN THE COMMENTS AREA OF THIS POSTING BELOW!

Wednesday, January 11, 2006

FLEMING NEIGHBORS AN OVERWHELMING FORCE:PROJECT DELAYED FOR 90 DAYS!

Citing an "unbearable" traffic situation on Fleming Avenue, as well as potentially dangerous fire protection issues, the San Jose Planning Commission put the Fleming development proposal on hold for 90 days to give our neighborhood and the developer time to come up with a lower density plan.
At least 30 Fleming area neighbors came to City Hall, held signs and spoke to the planning commission with passionate but thoughtful arguments against the proposal to build 18 homes on a 2 1/2 acre lot now occupied by The Lord's Baptist Church.
Neighbors brought up traffic and pedestrian safety issues, the number of recent car crashes, the cumulative effect of several recent home developments in the area, as well as appealing to the commissioner's sense of doing what's right, not just what may be legally allowed by city codes.
Noting photos showing a 1/4 mile long morning traffic jam, Commission Member Xavier Campos disputed a San Jose Planning Department staff report saying that Fleming has a relatively minor "C" traffic condition. "The reality is, there is an "F" condition on Fleming," he said.
But the one issue that seemed to doom the plan, at least for the short term, is the fact that the San Jose Fire Department recommended against the proposal, due to inadequate space for fire trucks to operate in the proposed cul-de-sac. The fire department's memo against the project was buried in the pages of a 6 month old staff report, but brought to light by Julie Ramirez who studied the document diligently in the weeks prior to the meeting.
"I can't imagine this committee approving this project with the comments made by the fire department" said Commission Member Jay James. "Without the Fire Department's approval, it is not a complete project," he added.
According to developer Jim Sullivan, there are at least two possible next steps for Braddock and Logan: negotiating with the property owner to lower the selling price enabling a lower density project to move forward, or walking away from the deal. Sullivan noted that the 90 day delay crushes the land owner's desire to close escrow by February 1st.
There will most likely be another meeting with neighbors, the developer, the property owner and City Councilmember Nora Campos to decide how to proceed from here.
But one thing is certain, the commission's action to delay this proposal was a stunning setback for the developer, and an incremental victory for the neighborhood.

Sunday, January 08, 2006

ATTEND PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING THIS WEDNESDAY

Please plan to attend the San Jose Planning Commission meeting scheduled for this Wednesday, January 11th, at 6:30 pm in the City Council chambers at the NEW San Jose City Hall. This is a crucial meeting for us, since the planning commission is the body that will recommend action to the San Jose City Council. We need to turn out in force and make our case in a compelling, fact-based manner.
The facts ARE on our side:
--This plan is too dense for our neighborhood
--This plan is dangerous because it creates a new hazard at an intersection that has been the scene several car crashes in 2005 (see list of car crashes and photos below)
--This plan would worsen traffic on a street never designed to carry the traffic it has now
--This plan is one of 5 high-density projects from the same developer Braddock and Logan w/in a 1 mile radius. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

We need to let the city know that we can do better.
WHAT WOULD WORK?
Use this forum to post your own comments and ideas!
One idea that came out of our December 1st neighborhood meeting would be to allow up to 8 homes on the lot, with the developer building-in a small green open space for neighborhood kids to throw a ball or a small playground. Let's go for high quality, not high density!

The new City Hall is located at the intersection of E. Santa Clara and 4th Street in downtown San Jose. Parking is available in the underground parking garage.
ANYONE WHO NEEDS A RIDE OR WANTS TO CARPOOL/CARAVAN contact Julie at
julcoram@aol.com
SEE YOU THERE!!

Wednesday, January 04, 2006

SJ POLICE CAR CRASH AT FLEMING/MAHONEY



An on-duty San Jose Police Officer was involved in a serious injury accident on Fleming Avenue at Mahoney in our neighborhood. Preliminary information is that the officer -- a canine unit with a dog in the back seat -- was the victim of a high speed hit and run. The officer may have suffered a concussion from the impact which threw his car sideways at the Mahoney stop sign. The police dog apparently escaped injury. According to witnesses, the driver of the other car may have veered into the officer's lane and forced the police car off the road.
More details to follow.