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With a crucial vote on a proposed sports complex in Almaden Valley's urban reserve set for Tuesday, Dec. 7, the city of San Jose at 3:25 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 3, posted its amended agenda for the meeting. And it contained some surprises:
Although the meeting was billed as a vote on the General Plan amendment required to build in the urban reserve and to hear appeals of the environmental impact report, the new agenda contains details of a memorandum of understanding between the city and the Almaden Youth Association that permits the AYA to operate and maintain the complex.
An additional memorandum of understanding appropriates $739,000 in District 10 funds to the AYA for use in the initial stages of developing five acres of natural turf fields.
For additional information, see Item 5.2 in the City Council Agenda for Dec. 7, at http://www.sanjoseca.gov/clerk/agenda.htm and click on the blue links.
Coyote Valley Update
Opponents of the Almaden Sports Complex, including Santa Clara County, have suggested that the city consider Coyote Valley as a preferable location for a sports complex.
But no one from the city or the AYA has publicly acknowledged that the city is already planning a 17-field dedicated youth soccer complex with California Youth Soccer Association District 2, with which the Almaden Valley Youth Soccer League (AVYSL) is affiliated. The CYSA is currently soliciting construction bids on its complex and expects the fields to open in 2006. That complex will also be able to tap city infrastructure, such as water supply, which the Almaden sports complex won't.
AVYSL pays membership dues for each of its players to the CYSA, and also belongs to the AYA. According to minutes of CYSA meetings held since May 11, at least one AYA board member has attended several of those meetings.
It's clear that District 10 City Councilwoman Pat Dando is aware of this plan, as she's a member of the Coyote Valley Specific Plan Task Force that has discussed the project.
At public meetings, when the subject of Coyote Valley fields has been suggested, AYA supporters have repeatedly insisted that they want the sports complex within the boundaries of the 95120 zip code.
For information about this project—which is already soliciting construction bids—see http://www.cysadistrict2.org/
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