AGENDA & MEETING MINUTES OF THE 6.4.22 MEETING
AGENDA FOR DISTRICT ONE LEADERSHIP GROUP MEETING ON 6.4.22 (ZOOM MEETING)
Networking from 8:45 to 9:00AM. General Business 9:00 to 9:20, Agenda & Minutes ((3.26.22 meeting)-5 minutes, Treasurer’s report-5 minutes, Commission reports-10 minutes. 9:20 to 10:00, District Council Office Update by Vice-Mayor Jones & Staff-40 minutes. 10:00 to 10:05, Brief review of long-term topics for D1 L.G.-5 minutes. 10:05 to 11:00, Neighborhood Association Roundtable-55 minutes. Adjourn at 11:00AM.
District One Leadership Group Meeting Minutes of the 6.4.22 Zoom Meeting
Steve opened the meeting at 9:05 am by welcoming everyone.
This meeting will replace our canceled May meeting. Steve urged people to vote by June 7th.
Minutes of 3.26.22 meeting were approved:
Betty K. moved to approve minutes, Gary C. seconded, and the minutes were approved.
Betty K. gave treasurer’s report: As of 5.18, total cash and fund balance was $4,010.65. The 2022/2023 UNSCC membership has been paid and the change of officers list was submitted to the UNSCC.
Gary C. gave the Neighborhood Commission report:
Our commissioner, Gary terms out on 6.30.22. Next NC meeting is in August. District 1 will have no commissioners for the August meeting. The NC has not been able to hold NC caucuses for the City’s odd numbered districts. NC commissioners are select by a neighborhood caucus process. The major neighborhood concerns regarding the El Paseo de Saratoga 10-acre project are the building height and the residential density. Currently 4 buildings with 6 towers are planned with 9 to 12 stories per tower. Adequate parking and recreational space are big concerns for the proposed 2,000 residents. Community outreach has not been good and there is no urban village plan for the 30-acre El Paseo site. Saratoga residents are circulating a petition that building heights should not exceed 8 stories, as they believe that proposed building density and heights are not appropriate for the area.
Daphna W. gave her report on the Park Commission: The Pueblo de Dios Park has been renamed the Payne Ave. Friendship Park. Construction on the park will start this year. The new Orchard Park with 2.5 acres will be an L-shaped park around the residences. It will have new bike and walking lanes, and a dog park with walking paths throughout the park.
Vice-Mayor Jones Report:
Mayor’s budget for 2022/2023 set the following priorities:
Homelessness & Affordable Housing, Public Safety, Battling Blight,
Climate & Seismic Resilience, Equitable Economic Recover, & Fiscal Sustainability.
These District One requests were accepted in the Mayor’s budget:
Camera/Gun Shot Detection in District One $72k), Expansion of Cert Training ($47k), & formalizing the Winchester Business Association so that it can receive NBD grants ($50k).
The Mayor’s 2022/2023 proposed budget includes ongoing funding of $821k & additional funding $430k for vehicle abatement and pavement marking.
On 4/28, Chappie hosted a homeless roundtable with Valley Water and CalTrans.
In partnership with the D1 Office, Catalyze SV held an educational meeting on the transportation impact caused by the El Paseo and Costco projects in West SJ.
The El Paseo de Saratoga project is coming to council on 6/14. Several city rezoning actions have been taken to make this project comply with the city’s general plan.
The Stevens Creek Corridor High Capacity Initiative is progressing.
The city has amended the contract for the West SJ MTIP. Estimated start date for the study project is late summer.
National Night Out will be held on 8/2. Registration with the SJPD must be done by 7/17. For questions, contact Grace Kolander at [email protected].
Several Flag Raisings have been held and will be held. Contact Grace Kolander for more information.
There will be no Senior Walk at Valley Fair this year. We’re looking for an alternate location. Plans are for one in 2023. Community leaders and the city are discussing issues involving the crosswalk on Johnson Ave.
Parking personnel are regularly driving around the city to remove abandoned cars.
Chappie said that the government and water agencies have taken several actions to mitigate water shortage, but no long-term plans have been specified. Chappie has focused on water recycling with the Water District. He said that there is plenty of water 35 miles away in the ocean. Desalination is the answer.
Roundtable Discussion Comments from NA representatives:
Steve: The D1 L.G. should be receiving crime stats from Capt. Shab regarding D1 Crime activity. We need to discuss park development issues over the next couple years.
Daphna Woolfe, WONA President: WONA has 50 active members. The NA has adopted the encampment area on the north side of I 280 where the Cypress pedestrian over crossing exists. Cal trans has helped a little. Landscaping is being put in. A mural will be put up. The NA received a SJ grant of $5k for the project. The NA is doing fine financially. It uses its website, twitter, Nextdoor and its email list to communicate.
Jerry Giles, Co-President of Lynhaven NA: Lynhaven is doing fine financially, but has had difficulty recruiting active members. It communicates primarily through its email member list. It will hold a board meeting soon to determine how to move forward.
Steve Ling, President of the Strawberry Park NA: The NA has held some small events like potluck driveway parties, Easter egg hunts, and a list of houses participating in Halloween. Its communication is through Nextdoor and it has discontinued its website.
Doris Livezey, President of Murdock NA: The NA has two board members. People are reluctant to take part in activities. It conducts an annual picnic with attendance of about 100 people, but will have none this year. It is unable to raise much money. It conducted a Dumpster Day last year and has a little money on hand. It uses Nextdoor and its email list for communication.
Betty Kabanek, President of the Eden NA: It has a full board of officers, and did a recent garage sale with 25 participants. It also held an Indian cultural event and an Easter egg hunt with 150 kids participating. It established a student-delivery service for NA newsletter distribution. It has applied for city grants and has a 500-member email list. It asks for member donations of $20 per year. To get volunteers, people must be asked in-person.
Amy Cody, President of the Moreland West NA: It is located in both SJ and Campbell. So, it has 2 VPs, and conducts online meetings 5 times a year. It will open a garden at the Moreland Middle School. It has also created pet waste stations throughout the NA that the school district will maintain and fund. It collects no annual dues. It has a 150-member email list. It has a website and doesn’t use Nextdoor.
Barbara Morrey, President of the Winchester NA: The NA has been inactive.
Bob Levy, President of the Easterbrook NA: It hasn’t done much in years, but is trying to do driveway parties.
Nellie Metovic, Treasurer of the Cadillac NA: It has had a very difficult year and is connected to SJ’s Project Hope gang prevention program. She manages properties in the neighborhood and tries to get property owners to take care of their property. She has purchased $2k of arts/crafts for neighborhood projects. Cadillac conducted a successful dumpster day, but neighborhood leaders have many disagreements with the SJ gang taskforce. It is unable to do National Night Out and they need their own space for meetings. It recently had a murder in one of the buildings she manages. The NA residents need more mental health services.
Ron Kuhns, President of the Baker West NA: Neighborhood residents are very concerned about the El Paseo de Saratoga project.
Ramona Synder, Represents the Hamann Park NA: President Ken Pyle’s departure has been a big loss. It is looking for new board members. It has a beautify grant and wants to do national night out, but it needs people to participate and become active.
Gary Cunningham, President of Strawberry Square HOA: SSHOA has 350 units and recently held a joint meeting with Moreland Meadows HOA (68 units). Both HOAs have had issues with the homeless and car break-ins. The joint HOA meeting was attended by D1 Council candidates Rosemary Kamai and Ramona Synder as well as SC Supervisor Ellenberg, and SJPD Capt Shab. An additional comment was made regarding NA activity and engagement. When NA issues stop or become resolved, then NA activity seems to stop. D1LG needs to look at ways to encourage NAs to get up and running again.
Amy Cody said that D10 has tech company participation in its NAs.
Amy Cody said that the SJ’s Housing Element is more concerned about housing density and equity than affordability. Housing Element is a state mandate for building housing.
Betty Kabanek asked why SJ isn’t more concerned about the imbalance of housing vs. jobs. It seems that SJ has already done its part.
July meeting will be the picnic. Betty made the motion to adjourn.
Doris 2nd for adjournment. Meeting adjourned at 10:50 am.
