Opposition to developments mounts

Residents express their concerns about traffic and parking during meeting with councilman

SANJOSE » In a contentious debate that mirrors others taking place across the city, residents on the western edge of San Jose are pushing back against a series of proposed developments they worry will make their beloved neighborhood more crowded and less liv- able

Wedged between Cupertino to the north and west, and Saratoga to the south, most of the buildings along the San Jose stretch of S. De Anza Blvd. are low- slung shops and restaurants. To the east are quiet, tree-lined residential neighborhoods where some people have lived for more than half a century.

But now, as in other parts of the city, developers have proposed new construction — two tall hotels and an apartment complex within a several block stretch. The news has been met with concerns about traffic and overcrowding from locals.

“Things are changing and some of it is unavoidable,” said Sergio Zarantonello, who has lived in the area for 32 years, “but there are things that raise a flag and get us concerned.”

Yet even as opposition mounts, developers have argued hotels could bring in badly needed tax revenue for the city and cater to growing demand for lodging near Apple’s new “spaceship” campus just a fewmiles away in Cupertino.

The developers for the two hotel proposals and the planned apartment complex did not respond to requests for comment for this story.

Councilman Chappie Jones, who represents the neighborhood, would like to delay the new developments until plans for a broader “urban village” in the area are outlined. The sprawling city’s general plan calls for a series of walkable mixed-use villages and Jones wants

to see a plan in place for a village along S. De Anza before the hotels and apartments go in.

But that could take years and, for now, residents find themselves in what could become an uphill battle.

A four-story, 90-roomhotel planned for 1090 S. De Anza Blvd. — currently occupied by a gas station and car wash— is set to include just 50 parking spaces.

“Parking is already hopeless,” said June Oberdorfer, a resident of Via Vico, the cross street closest to the planned hotel and the proposed location for the hotel entrance and exit.

About a quarter mile to the south at Bark Lane, a five- story, 125- room hotel is in the works on an empty lot once home to a restaurant. There are also plans to tear down an adjacent two- story deteriorating apartment complex and rebuild a new one that could house twice as many people.

“This is just not right,” said Catherine Wong, a retired nurse who has lived in the neighborhood for 50 years and is organizing a new neighborhood group to oppose the plans.

Wong and others think the hotels would benefit Cupertino while saddling San Jose with the traffic and parking woes.

“Developers create problems in neighbor- hoods, but live elsewhere, and the neighbors are left with the resulting problems,” said resident Joy Walsh, who would like to see more green park space instead.

Yet in this neighborhood where city borders are nebulous and residents can easily live in one city but spend the bulk of their days in another, it’s not so clear cut. Many residents, Wong included, said they chose this neighborhood in part for its schools, which are rated well in part because they pull students from beyond San Jose, from Cupertino and elsewhere. Tensions are high when it comes to development, though, because cities operate independently.

The new neighborhood group — which goes by the name South DeAnza Neighborhood Community — has met several times with Jones and launched a petition opposing the hotels signed by more than 160 people.

Jones, who met with Wong and other members of the community group Wednesday evening, hears their concerns. Cupertino got Apple’s tax revenue and San Jose got its traffic and housing demands, he acknowledged. As the current Silicon Valley boom makes its way south, Jones, who used to work for Apple, added, “we’re kind of the last ones to get the benefits.”

If the hotels and apartment complex go up before the urban village is de- signed, they’ll be an obstacle to work around in the future, he said. But the developers could push back at such a delay and the City Council could vote on approving the first hotel in the next several months. If that happens, Jones promised residents, he’ll make sure they get enough time to try to persuade the City Councilmembers to oppose the project, and, at the very least, he’ll push for more parking so cars from hotel guests don’t spill into side streets.

Residents insist they’re not opposed to development in general. If he had his way, Bark Lane resident Shelley Giles would like to see low-volume office buildings or even a fast food joint thatwould keep trafficmov- ing.

“I’d just like to see a safe, reasonable development,” Giles said.

Oberdorfer agrees, and is even open to a smaller two- story hotel. With the current plans, though, she said, “they’re really re-characterizing De Anza Blvd.”

For now, the residents say, they’ll continue meeting with Jones and reaching out to other council members. Zarantonello has even spoken with a lawyer about the group’s legal options for opposing the new developments.

“The project is not taking into account our concerns,” Zarantonello said. “We’re frustrated.”