Saratoga under assault

We just dodged a bullet. The City Council majority (Howard Miller, Mary Lynne Bernald, Manny Cappelloproposed annexing the Mountain Winery and approving a 300 room hotel and other development there. Absurd but true. Traffic on Pierce Rd., evacuation in the event of wildfire and other obvious problems were ignored. Due to an amazing effort by hillside residents, including a number of our members, Howard Miller, the leading advocate for the proposal, changed his mind at the 23rd hour. The project was defeated 3-2. 

We lost at Quito Center. Instead of the supermarket and retail that was there, Peter Pau and Sand Hill Properties got approval for 90 condo units, including rental and affordable housing units. Total commercial space, less than 5000 ft.². The surrounding neighborhoods did not want high density condominiums but the city decided that SB35 gave no choice. The project did not go through our regular planning process. 

El Paseo de Saratoga: Peter Pau and Sand Hill properties have submitted plans to San Jose for 850 residential units and hundreds of thousands square feet of commercial space in 10 and 12 story towers at El Paseo and the property directly across Saratoga Avenue. It will be like driving into a concrete jungle. And Saratoga Avenue traffic is already the worst in the city. One can only imagine. The City Council has been asked repeatedly for months by our members to let Saratoga residents know about these plans so that we can attempt to influence the city of San Jose. They have ignored this.

RHNA: Every eight years ABAG (Bay Area Regional Government) decides how many new residential units should be built in every city and what percentage should qualifier as affordable housing. Now, there will be strong penalties for cities that do not comply. Next year Saratoga expects a RHNA target of 700 to 1000 new units, with 50% of those constituting “affordable housing”. In addition to the fact that without jobs and little public transportation, this scheme is an environmental disaster, just where in this built-out community are we to put these new residential units?

The Saratoga Retirement Community is already the most Peter Pau and Sand Hill properties have submitted plans to San Jose for 850 residential units and hundreds of thousands square feet of commercial space in 10 and 12 story towers at El Paseo and the property directly across Saratoga Avenue. It will be like driving into a concrete jungle. And Saratoga Avenue traffic is already the worst in the city. One can only imagine. The City Council has been asked repeatedly for months by our members to letSaratoga residents know about these plans so that we can attempt to influence the city of San Jose. They have ignored this.

That’s not all: SB 1120, alive and well in the Legislature, would allow duplexes or lot splits on almost any residential property. SB 902 essentially will eliminate single family only zoning. Both bills would override any local zoning ordinances or procedures.

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Saratoga is at a crossroads. We have done a much better job than surrounding cities of

maintaining the qualities that make our community special. Because of that, our land is

extremely valuable and there is intense pressure from developers and from regional and

state government to urbanize.

The City Council majority (Bernald, Miller, Cappello) supported the 300 room hotel at the

Mountain Winery and supported additional lanes on 85, increased height limits and more.

We need to change that.

Please help us preserve our community. Join Preserve Saratoga.