The Cupertino Courier

News

Photograph by Jacqueline Ramseyer

The council voted to change the land use designation for The De Anza 85 Shopping Center. The designation will change from 'general commercial' to 'medium/high density residential,' but the plan will still include some retail.

Housing OK'd for SJ 'island'

By HUGH BIGGAR

The San Jose City Council unanimously approved an amendment to the city's General Plan that would allow for a residential development on an island of land in West San Jose surrounded by the city of Cupertino.

At its April 18 meeting, the council voted to change the land use designation for the De Anza 85 Shopping Center from general commercial to medium/high-density residential. The 3.2-acre site bordered by Kentwood Avenue, De Anza Boulevard and Highway 85 is a rare slice of San Jose that is within the coveted Monta Vista High School attendance boundaries.

"It is a good project," said Linda LeZotte, councilwoman for District 1 in San Jose. "It's well-designed, provides homes that are needed and is near bus lines and freeways."

The change in land-use designation paves the way for San Jose to change the zoning at the site. Developers Braddock and Logan of Danville bought the land and hope to construct townhouses there. The proposed homes would be sold at the market rate of about $1 million each.

According to LeZotte, Braddock and Logan's original application for 80 townhouses was altered after neighbors asked for some retail to be included in the project. The new number of proposed residences has not yet been determined.

Jim Cogan, LeZotte's chief of staff, said about an acre of the site would remain retail. He also said Braddock and Logan would provide existing retail tenants with moving assistance.

The addition of the homes comes at a time when many in nearby Cupertino are concerned about rapid residential development and an influx of students into the schools. There are nine planned or approved residential projects in the city. Collectively, the projects would add about 1,000 residents.

Even so, LeZotte said no one spoke against the proposed De Anza 85 project April 18. San Jose also held a community meeting on the issue Dec. 19.

"There has not been a great outpouring of communication from Cupertino other than a planning commissioner who asked for retail to be included," LeZotte said.

Cupertino residents will have a chance to voice their opinions when the San Jose City Council votes on De Anza 85's zoning. The date of that meeting has not been determined.