Almaden Resident
News
ALMADEN VALLEY RESIDENTS GET CHANCE TO HAVE SAY ON GROWTH
By Emilie Crofton
Almaden Valley residents are going to have a say in the future of their community and city, thanks to the newly created San Jose Neighborhoods Commission with District 10 representation.
The two-year pilot program is made up of a 30-member all-volunteer team with three representatives from each of the 10 districts.
"I have no doubt that when neighborhood leaders across the city are brought together, they will generate innovative strategies for improving the city's service to residents as a whole," District 10 councilwoman Nancy Pyle said.
Representatives from each district will discuss quality-of-life issues that impact their neighbors, including traffic, trails and tree policies. The commission will offer recommendations to the city council and redevelopment agency.
"The idea of a neighborhood commission that deals with quality-of-life can be a good force to help city council make decisions," Almaden resident and Almaden Valley Community Association president Art Boudreault said.
Boudreault invited representatives from more than a dozen neighborhood and homeowners associations, including the VEP Community Association and the Almaden Winery Neighborhood Association, to the Almaden Valley Community Association's January meeting to discuss the concept of the neighborhood commission.
At the meeting, Beth Shafran-Nukai, president of the Naglee Park Campus Community Association, said, "The commission would support the growth of participatory democracy, increased community involvement and civic engagement for all neighborhoods throughout the city."
The commission will not duplicate the responsibilities or input of any existing commission, including planning or parks and recreation.
"It's a way to engage the community in a new process and connect them to city council, Mayor Reed and department heads," said Ernest Guzman, chair of the SNI PAC after the meeting. "It's exciting for us as community activists."
Commissioners will not be appointed by city council but elected through neighborhood caucuses in late April or early June. The neighborhood caucuses will work toward achieving diverse ethnic, economic and cultural interests of the caucus area. Once the individuals that make up the commission are chosen, the city council must approve its formation.
"There is a great deal of excitement about this proposal in the community," Pyle said. "It has inspired many groups to take a more active role in city government."
In addition to the three representatives from each district, two representatives will be selected as alternates. All the members must reside in San Jose.