Coyote Creek Parkway Plan Spotlights Habitat Management
San Jose – County supervisors have approved a plan to keep Coyote Creek Parkway beautiful while meeting the increasing demands of bicyclists, rollerbladers, horseback riders and hikers.
The parkway is located between San Jose and Morgan Hill and contains 15 miles of scenic stretches along Coyote Creek. The north portion of the parkway features a paved multi-use trail. An equestrian trail parallels the paved trail south of Metcalf Road.
The Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan and Master Plan outlines how the parkway can be managed, where recreational facilities can be built and how habitat resources can be enhanced during the next 20 years.
The 150-page master plan includes several projects expected to cost between $36 million and $46 million and be finished in 20 years.
Supervisors have already approved $2.3 million to build a new visitor center at Anderson Lake County Park – at the southern end of the parkway – and repave the bike path between Silicon Valley Boulevard and Metcalf Road.
Redistricting Initiative Begins Circulation
A citizen-driven petition to qualify a ballot measure seeking to amend how California draws its political districts entered circulation on Wednesday, according the California Secretary of State.
The initiative seeks to amend the process for redistricting California’s legislature, board of equalization and U.S. House of Representative districts. It would establish an independent Citizens Redistricting Commission comprised of 11 registered voters formed by the Secretary of State. The commission would be required to submit a redistricting plan, consistent with specified criteria, after each national census. The commission would be required to hold public hearings before finalizing the plan.
The petition has until Sept. 17 to gather 8 percent of the total votes cast for governor in the 2006 gubernatorial election – or 694,354 signatures.
Solara Energy Defaults On Lease
The City of Morgan Hill has given Solara Energy the boot after the company failed to pay some $15,000 rent plus penalties and interest on a 6,080-square-foot space it had leased adjacent to the police station on Vineyard Boulevard.
Solara, a solar energy company, originally leased the city-owned property in 2005.
Last November, after the company failed to pay rent for several months, the Morgan Hill City Council amended the lease to allow Solara to defer lease payments plus penalties and interest until Jan. 15. The company failed to bring payments up to date and the city issued a 30-day default notice. No additional payments were made after the notice was issued. It expired March 19.
Senior city officials now say it’s too late for Solara to bring its rent and utilities current “as Solara has not shown the capacity to perform as initially promised,” according to a March 28 written report to the Morgan Hill City Council.
City Attorney Janet Kern said the city is in the process of legally repossessing the space so it can begin seeking a new tenant. If Solara doesn’t pay, Kern said the city could sue for past-due rent as well as future rent, since the company did sign a lease for a given period of time.
City Observes Earth Day
City residents are invited to celebrate Earth Day with the City of Morgan Hill at its fourth annual Earth Day Art and Science Fair 12-4pm Sunday at the Morgan Hill Community and Cultural Center. U.S. Rep. Jerry McNerney, D-Pleasanton, is expected to attend.
Dozens of local student created projects that promote clean creeks or the recycling, reduction or reuse of drink containers such as soda cans. The students’ work will be available during the celebration.
Also on display will be the finalists for Morgan Hill’s ninth annual Poster Design Contest. The public is encouraged to vote for their favorite posters in each of three grade categories, and winners will receive cash prizes and recognition from the mayor and city council.
The Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce will also present environmental friendly awards to several local businesses.
