Almaden Resident

News

SJ to modify General Plan to prohibit sports center off McKean

By Monica Heger

The last glimmer of hope for supporters of a sports center off McKean Road is about to be extinguished.

San Jose officials plan to remove language that was added to the city's General Plan in December 2004 to make such a center possible at the site. This plan follows on the heels of the San Jose Unified School District board's announcement in September that it will not lease or sell its land off McKean Road for a sports center.

"Earlier this year, the school district decided to remove their property from being available, which has prompted the city to remove the language," said Stan Ketcham, a city planner with the project.

The proposed sports complex was the center of much controversy when the city council voted 10-1 in 2005 to certify the environmental impact report and change the General Plan to allow for the center, despite a 5-2 recommendation by the planning commission to deny it.

Members of the Almaden Valley Youth Soccer League supported the decision because their leagues have inadequate field space. Environmental groups and other concerned neighbors protested, saying the council approved a faulty EIR and overlooked the environmental impacts of the center. They were particularly concerned because the proposed complex was in the South Almaden Valley Urban Reserve, and they feared a sports center in the reserve would trigger further development.

The Committee for Green Foothills and the South Almaden Valley Urban Alliance filed a lawsuit against the city in January 2005, halting the progress of the sports center.

The lawsuit never moved forward since the city never pursued building the center, and the project remained in limbo until the school district's announcement that the land would not be available.

The decision to remove the language from the General Plan will be heard by the city council on Dec. 12.