March 10, 2006

LETTERS2theEDITOR

EEHVS Environmental Impact Report conflicts with project’s vision

Editor,
The Evergreen-East Hills Vision Strategy (EEHVS) Project Environmental Impact Report (EIR) on the proposed Evergreen build-out contains many project outcomes that result in negative “significant unavoidable impact” to various aspects of the community. These outcomes are in obvious apparent conflict with several of the points defined in the project’s Vision and Outcomes statement, approved by the City Council on June 21, 2005. The EIR is currently subject to a public comment period, ending March 20, 2006.

A negative “significant unavoidable impact,” which means a deterioration of a given condition despite mitigation measures (if any are feasible), appears repeatedly throughout the EIR. Potential impacts and possible mitigations are nicely summarized in Table S-4 of the report summary document. Some, but by no means all, of the items that will be unavoidably, negatively impacted include: Intersections and Freeways traffic congestion, Increase in Regional Pollutants, Consistency with Clean Air Planning, Blockage of Scenic Views, and Effect on Jobs/Housing Balance (i.e., loss of jobs near housing).

Contrast this with some of the goals contained within the EEHVS Vision statement:

“Improved quality of life”: One has to ask “for whom,” with all the obvious negative outcomes that will occur.

“Maintain a delicate balance” between development, transportation and amenities: Where is the balance when transportation (and therefore amenities, if they become more difficult to access) degrades, while development escalates?

“Explore opportunities to increase workplace density on existing industrially zoned land”: It seems to me that exactly the opposite will occur, particularly since this project will abolish the 1980 General Plan amendment for the Berg/IDS and Legacy Partners properties, the amendment having been enacted for the purpose of “reducing environmental impacts by locating jobs near housing.”

To all Evergreen residents: Read the EIR and read the Vision statements.

With all the expected negative impacts, and the inconsistencies of these with the project Vision, how in the world can this project be justified?

Jeffrey Frisbie
Long-time Evergreen Resident

Task Force recommendation will change Evergreen quality of life

Editor,
Life as we know it in Evergreen will change by the end of June.

Why? Because in June, the City Council is scheduled to vote on the recommendation from the Evergreen East Hills Visioning Strategy task force. Soon after, the main development of up to 5,700 homes on 500 acres in District 8 will begin. That’s only three months away!

Since August 2003, about 30 of your neighbors have been involved in the EEHVS Task Force by attending meetings, workshops and community information sessions. Many more have participated as interested community members, providing feedback and their perspective on how Evergreen and the surrounding communities should be developed in the decades to come.

Well, the process has come full circle, and we are about to get down to the issues that really matter: Units counts, Traffic and School impacts, Commercial and Industrial development, Parks, Affordable housing and Amenities financing.  If this seems like a lot to deal with, it is!  

Here is where you come in: we need your support for the proposals that will deliver the best traffic relief, education opportunities and amenities, with the least impact on our community’s quality of life. On February 25th a very critical workshop was held where the community, task force and City staff came together to outline the areas and concerns most important to the residential and developer/landowners alike. At the end of the day surveys were distributed separately to both the task force and the public, then tallied. The results were very revealing, and are posted on the City’s Planning web site for your review.

Upon reviewing the survey results and investigating the source of some of the votes, it became very clear to me that while some developers say they are concerned about community issues, this is far from the truth for many. The survey results lead me to believe that a core constituency of the developer community on the Task Force does not share the community’s concern about traffic, schools, amenities, commercial integration, or anything else to do with our community’s quality of life. It’s clear their only concern is to build as many homes as they can.  

Certain developer task force members didn’t cast a single vote for schools, commercial integration, traffic abatement, sports fields, affordable housing, trails and open space, or any other items our community sees as critical to our quality of life. Most task force members representing the community or other City departments understand, and value the need to balance their priorities across a broad range of issues and concerns.

Therefore, many of us voted for a wide range of issues to show our preferences. I have to wonder about those who did not, as to what their priorities are, and ultimately what their concern is for the overall impact on the quality of life in our communities.  Unfortunately, it is too easy to be narrow-minded when one does not have to live with the results of their decisions.

So I am asking you to get involved any way you can. Attend the upcoming meetings and be heard. For more information on these upcoming meetings please visit the announcements page of the EEHVS website:

http://www.sanjoseca.gov/planning/evergreen/announcements.asp or the Outreach Calendar:

http://www.sanjoseca.gov/planning/evergreen/outreach.asp. Be seen and be heard!

The next EEHVS Task Force Meeting is:

Wednesday, March 15th at 6:30 p.m., at New City Hall Committee

Rooms W118 through 120.

Please remember, we are not just talking about today or tomorrow, but your future and the future of your children and grandchildren. These projects will affect our community for at least the next 50 years.

Jim Zito
EEHVS Task Force Member

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