May 14, 2002

FR:  Robert L. Hughes

SUBJECT:   Sports Complex on McKean Road

As you are aware, the Almaden Youth Association (AYA) is proposing to invest a minimum of 2 million dollars to install a "sports complex" on vacant San Jose Unified School District property located within the South Almaden Valley Urban Reserve on McKean Road. As a local resident near this proposed building site, I am forwarding some of my concerns regarding this plan:

1. A sports complex, potentially used by hundreds of adults and children on a daily basis, is not at all compatible with the existing rural nature of this section of Santa Clara County. I will grant that municipal expansion is probably inevitable, but this plan which negates the objectives and purposes of the Urban Reserve, as this proposal suggests, into our neighborhood without any thought as to the probable consequence is something that I cannot agree to. It is unfortunate that the AYA didn't bother to communicate their plan with the local residents as they developed it with the San Jose Unified School District and the San Jose City Government. Had we been involved from the beginning, perhaps our concerns could have been addressed.

2. Two-lane McKean Road is already overloaded during commute hours. Speeding and passing over the double yellow line are commonly observed by local residents. The considerable additional traffic brought in by the proposed complex will only serve to exacerbate an already unsafe and dangerous situation for our neighborhood.

3. Exterior lighting and sound systems supporting a "sports complex" (or whatever it turns out to be) operating day by day and into the evening hours are totally inconsistent with the existing rural nature of our neighborhood.

4. The Urban Reserve has certain "triggers" for expanded development. This sports complex does not fit a trigger category. In fact, it is stated that the 2 million dollar investment for this complex is an "initial" investment. It seems to me that this proposal has the capability to destroy the whole concept of the Urban Reserve development and objectives as other developers take the position that "now anything goes".

5. With regard to the 2 million dollar AYA "initial" investment, this certainly is a "money talks" situation. I note that the City of San Jose is throwing in an additional half million dollars. In addition, the San Jose Unified School District is apparently so flush with taxpayer money that it can afford to give away prime Almaden Valley real estate acreage for a dollar a year for 20 years.

6. If the AYA were to be allowed to construct the proposed sports complex as they see it, my opinion is that the AYA temptation to accept a potential revenue stream by renting the complex for all manner of uses (sports, concerts, or otherwise) would be overwhelming, further damaging the Urban Reserve concept and our rural neighborhood.

7. Residing in the county in this particular (South Almaden Valley Urban Reserve) location presents some unusual problems. Basically, while we pay property taxes, we don't have seemingly effective local governmental representation. That may sound strange, but Santa Clara County Government has pretty much adjusted to ceding this region to the City of San Jose. But, on the other hand, we don't live within San Jose City limits and therefore have no representation to that body of government. This puts us pretty much in a dead zone wherein organizations such as AYA can call their own shots.

I would appreciate your response to my concerns as soon as possible.

Sincerely,