We urge that the San Jose City Council deny the proposal to rezone property located at 270 Sunol Court (PDC08-034) and maintain the commercial zoning of this site. In addition, we do not support dividing the components of the project (retail/housing) because this will not solve the underlying problem of maintaining employment lands.
The proposed project does not comply with the economic development goals in the Midtown Specific Plan (adopted by Council December 1992, the Burbank/Del Monte Neighborhood Advisory Committee plan (adopted by Council May 21, 2002), the West San Carlos Street Bascom Avenue Economic Development Strategy (adopted by Council 09/23/03) or the City of San Jose’s Framework for Preservation of Employment Lands (adopted 10/23/07).
The project has not received support from any school district and is opposed by over 90% of the adjacent property owners. Business interests, residents and neighborhood organizations all oppose this project.
The project will not immediately provide jobs or housing as there is no intention to break ground in the near future.
Although we appreciate the applicant’s willingness to make changes to the Sunol Court Plan, as a community we must look at the “bigger picture”. There is already a significant amount of completed and pipeline (proposed, permitted or under construction) affordable housing projects in the immediate area and specifically along the West San Carlos corridor. You can’t compromise out of a fundamental fact: We need to protect our Commercial/Industrial Land to take advantage of fiscal opportunities that support plans being formulated for the Diridon area and implemented for the Downtown and Midtown areas.
We support Councilmember Pierluigi Oliverio’s statement that in this case, it is best to just say “No”.
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