I decided it would be much more effective if I blog my observations concerning the development of the Winchester/Stevens Creek corridor for the city of San Jose. I have lived here for over 23 years and have lived in Silicon Valley for 54 years. I remember Town & Country when there was still farmland being used behind the stores located there. Back then San Jose was a different city, that city will never return and I understand that. But the rapid development of the Winchester/Stevens Creek corridor is causing great disruption to the current residents and the established neighborhoods in the area. The city Council seems to have no concern over this development and the effect it has had on traffic, congestion, noise, parking problems, effective response of EMS, and a myriad of other concerns. City Council staff dutifully listens to phone calls, email, faxes, public testimony, and other avenues of communication but they do not really hear us.

There is absolutely no plan to mitigate traffic concerns in this area other than, potentially adding more bus routes, to alleviating the congestion. It is actually the position of the planning department to allow the congestion to continue so that people change the way they travel. I have listened too many of the planning commission, rules and open government, and other relevant meetings at the city level. It is clear that the city will build high density housing in this corridor. Under the leadership of Sam Liccardo that will not change or deviant. Developers in San Jose have a great deal of pull in the political process because they have money. That too will not change in the political realm money buys influence and always will.

I have been a citizen of two cities San Jose and Santa Clara. Each of these cities is experiencing rapid high density development which has caused a great deal of consternation to the established communities within development areas. In each city developers have had an overwhelming input into the political process via political contributions, super PACs, and lobbyists. Citizens can go to city Council meetings, commission meetings, and other public forums. From my personal experience they will not be heard at all. The developer has far more access to the political machine than the average citizen even if the citizens are coordinated. It takes a great deal of political pressure to force city Council members to do something about the rapid development within their boundaries.

I have decided to start this blog to try to provide resources where we, the citizens of district 1/6 can speak to the issues of the rapid development of Santana row.