Concerns Regarding the North San Jose Development Plan As residents of North San Jose, we are concerned regarding the plans to redevelop the area into high-density commercial and residential. We feel that certain key components of highly-desirable communities are not addressed by the ad-hoc planning currently occurring, and that the long-term viability of North San Jose is at risk before development has even begun. Traffic and Access * The proposed 3,900 new units translates to approx. 24,000 more daily trips on our roads. * San Jose has lowered the acceptable Level Of Service standard to E/F (failing) for nearby intersections. This is lower than their normal standards allow! -> Traffic must be limited on side streets like River Oaks Parkway. -> An updated comprehensive Environmental Impact Report is necessary to guarantee future needs are met. Education * Thousands of residents currently living in the North San Jose area have no local access to a school. This forces many young families to move out as their children grow up. * The projected increase in population is 50,000 but San Jose currently has no plans to add additional schools. This is unacceptable. -> We demand adequate local schools for the projected population. Parks and Open Space * The current parkland (none) is insufficient for current population, but 20 acres of parkland was promised when River Oaks Village was built. * Any new development will require additional parkland. -> 20 new acres are required now for the current residents. -> New allocations are required for any future developments. Height and Density Buffers * The interface between existing developments and new structures needs to take into account the existing community aesthetic. Would you want to live next to an 11 story building -> Density and height buffers need to be placed around the lower density communities. Trees and Beautification * Trees unify our neighborhood visually and promotes a highly walkable public pedestrian route. -> San Jose strongly prohibits removal of existing trees. Any new developments should preserve these trees as part of our community heritage Retail Opportunities * The few existing commercial strips are insufficient for the current population. -> A large increase in population demands a well thought out retail development plan. In Closing The current proposals are poorly planned, and not designed for the long term sustainability of the area. Ad-hoc hodgepodge development can ruin our wonderful community! To join our email list and for more information: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northsanjose