Concerns will be forwarded to SJ Task Force
Reacting to a northern neighbor hovering on the brink of a population and industrial explosion, the City Council will take steps Wednesday to sharpen its view of Coyote Valley development.
Council and the public will also be brought up-to-date on a Coyote Valley Specific Plan (CVSP) workshop held over the weekend, where three separate plans for the planned community were unveiled, and a Monday night meeting of the CVSP Task Force, which will choose among them.
Council will hone the list of common interests and concerns about the effects of an entirely new city, bigger than Morgan Hill and Gilroy combined, voiced by a consortium of South Valley agencies; and it will reserve some money to underwrite the effort. The estimated $15,000 would be found in city reserves.
The City of San Jose has expected Coyote Valley to be developed for more than 20 years but, only recently, has begun to make a formal plan. Trying to avoid massive, uncontrolled sprawl found in most cities, San Jose decided to tightly control land use by developing a community, planned in every detail.
However, the effects of 50,000 new jobs, 75,000-80,000 new residents and their 25,000 new homes showing up in a relatively short period, are expected to spill over into the cities of Morgan Hill and Gilroy and the Morgan Hill School and Gavilan Community College districts, both of which serve the Coyote Valley area.
The Council has long complained that no South Valley representative was given a seat on the planning board and, therefore, could have only limited participation in the process. In May the council convened a South Valley Summit of city, school district, Gilroy, Gavilan and water district interests and collected “interest and concerns” to be sent to the task force for consideration.
High on the list are traffic and transportation increases and their collective effect on city streets – both congestion and pot hole repairs are concern – and that of busing school children from their San Jose homes to San Jose schools.
Council also considers the housing numbers to be to little and likely too late to handle faster appearing jobs. The results could be a run on South Valley housing which would drive the cost higher, further reducing the chances of local residents succeeding in buying their own homes.
Schools are getting a lot of attention, given the troubles the district has had over building Barrett Elementary and Sobrato High School, and council wants to be sure Coyote Valley schools are ready when the students are so they don’t end up at El Toro, Burnett or P.A. Walsh.
Other concerns include the need for public facilities (parks), for a dedicated unbreakable greenbelt keeping the valley separate from Morgan Hill, air quality – since the prevailing winds bring any pollution hanging around south to Morgan Hill – and establishing proper communications between San Jose and the South Valley agencies.
The public will have a chance to speak to the council about their own Coyote Valley concerns.
City Council and/or the Redevelopment Agency meets at 7 p.m. Wednesday in City Hall Chambers, 17555 Peak Ave. Details: www.morganhill.ca.gov or 779-7271. Council meetings are broadcast live on cable access channel 17.
