Save Open Spaces Coalition In North San Jose

Dale Warner has been professionally active with land use and planning issues in North San Jose since April 2004. He was selected that month to be the secretary of a nonprofit coalition of families and groups in North San Jose named Save Open Spaces Coalition In North San Jose.

The coalition does research and pro-community lobbying on a variety of land use and planning issues in North San Jose from Alviso, River Oaks Village, and North First Street in the west all the way to the Milpitas border and Alum Rock Park in the east.

High Density Housing Projects & Parklands

One of the most interesting community design standards advocated by the coalition is that all high density housing projects in North San Jose must include required parkland on the site of the high density housing project (rather than pay an in lieu fee).

Under city rules, a high density housing project is one with over 11 homes per acre. Another city rule requires that three acres of parkland be dedicated for every 1,000 new residents.

This community design standard would ameliorate the impact of the city's high density housing projects along North Capitol Avenue and North First Avenue, and around the future Berryessa BART station by materially enhancing the quality of life for the residents of the new high density housing projects.

Community Fit

The second general community design standard advanced by SOS is called "community fit" and it means community participation in the design of new housing projects and continuous attention paid to ensuring that a new housing project fits into the existing housing stock in the area. This is a well-accepted design standard under both Smart Growth and Wise Growth concepts, but in San Jose it is ignored and disrespected.