City Hall Diary
Open space is a very important quality-of-life issue. With so much development happening everywhere, we need to remember to include open space in our plans. I attended two outdoor events this week that reminded me about how important open space is, especially where there are trees. Both of the events were located in pristine areas.
It isn’t mandatory that I attend all events, but in these two cases I am glad I went. I was invited to attend “Best in the West,” which was the sixteenth annual SWAT Team competition held at the Sheriff’s firearms range south of Metcalf Power station in Coyote Valley. SWAT Teams from all over California competed in sniper exercises, the jungle course, and shotgun competitions among others. The event was hosted by Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith. This area is beautiful, with rolling hillsides, trees, etc. It is the area that I am thankful that former Mayor Susan Hammer set aside for the urban growth boundary.
I went to support the San Jose police SWAT team called MERGE. They did quite well. As we know, our SWAT team is not utilized on a daily basis (which is a good thing) but is called out for more life threatening crises, like a hostage situation. Watching the SWAT team in action gave me much admiration for the training that our San Jose Police officers do on a continual basis. I fully enjoyed seeing them in action and appreciate their service to our city.
The second event that I attended was the San Jose Water Company’s fifth annual Leadership BBQ. It was an evening event located in the Los Gatos Mountains off Bear Creek Road and Black Road. The San Jose Water Company owns several acres of land by the Sierra Azul Open Space in the Los Gatos Creek watershed. I felt like I was in Switzerland with the lush greenery and beautiful lake. Unfortunately, San Jose Water Company has discussed the idea of logging 1,002 acres of trees in the watershed to make way for a “future property owner.” I am not sure what the status of this issue is now, but I couldn’t imagine allowing for such a large amount of the trees to be cut. It is a picture-perfect venue that could not be recreated, even if one tried.
These events reminded me of how important it is to preserve and promote our open spaces in order to maintain our quality of life.
How ironic that Sheriff Smith hosted the event. She worked very hard spreading misinformation during last year’s Measure A campaign that would have protected much open space. She was a leader in opposing Measure A and must be quite pleased with herself that the measure lost (but by less than 2%).
She is no friend of open space.
How about we set aside a bunch of open space in North San Jose? I mean those areas that speculation says could very well be under water by 2100. Why not prevent disaster now while also curbing sprawl?
“I am not sure what the status of this issue is now, but I couldn’t imagine allowing for such a large amount of the trees to be cut.”
Uh, gee, PL—wouldn’t the barbecue have been a great time to ask San Jose Water Company Leadership about their plans?
Hey PO—You could have walked to my house from the SJWC picnic at Howell Lakes. I wish I would have known. But, SJWC owns far more than a few acres—they own thousands of acres. Who’d you talk to about the plan for their logging project?I’ve not heard that they’re logging for the benefit of a landowner—they’re logging thousands of acres, if their logging plan is approved, because the price of redwood and fir is BIG. Much money to be made. A well funded NIMBY group, NAIL, is opposing the plan, though thinning the timber is a great fire prevention plan.
As for open space, would you be amazed to know that the county considers the swath under power towers to be open space, that the San Jose Planners require “open space” in every multi-family housing project—and that my property, in my own redwood grove, is the open space for flatlanders who could never catch a glimpse of it through the smog—but still subject to a vast array of regulations to protect the urbanites’ “viewshed”. I’m glad no one has noticed that from my perch, on clear days, I can see downtown SJ. If they knew I’d be in some kind of trouble. George Green
Everybody likes a redwood deck but nobody wants to cut a tree, even when it is well planned thinning instead of clear cutting. With all of the teardowns and mini-mansions in WG, there is certainly a big demand for lumber. But I guess we can have our cake and eat it and nobody will notice.
Pier, I thought you were more grown up than that.
Many open spaces I’ve been
We need to keep them green
They really are serene
They must stay pristine
Let’s keep them clean
We can have a picnic with Maureen
Barbeque with Christine
Do you know what I mean?
Hike along the ravine
What a lovely scene
We could even show England’s queen
Yes, open space should be our routine
Pierluigie,
Thank You for your comments about preserving for the quality of our lives here in the Valley of Hearts Delight.
I am sure everyone that reads about some one cutting down a Redwood tree, has their own idea about what is left to contemlpate. San Jose Water Co. and I am no different.
I’d like to offer the water merchants this small site that will no doubt have an effect on their concience as it has many others.
Multiply San Jose Waters proposed cut by 1000 other cuts across the state and you get an acrage amount that when added up, deprives us and Gods little creatures with the water needs of long hot summers, as the one past.
On Yahoo type in,
afc news source+ fog masters
Print out as many copies as you have board of Directors and think about what you work to provide. Concience is a terrible thing to waste!
The Village Black Smith/ Gil
Correction,
The site is on yahoo is
acf news source + fog masters
Worth the extra effort. My apologies!
Gil Hernandez