Los Gatos Weekly-Times

LG Boulevard could benefit from transit grant research

By Dale Bryant

A $100,000 research grant awarded to the Norman Y. Mineta International Institute for Surface Transportation Policy Studies could prove a boon to Los Gatos.

Scott Lefaver, executive director of the Institute for Metropolitan Studies at San Jose State University, wrote the grant proposal to study mixed-use developments built along transportation corridors. While the project focuses primarily on studies of existing transportation-oriented developments that are constructed with a public/private partnership, Los Gatos Boulevard has surfaced as an ideal spot to put the lessons learned from the research into practice.

Lefaver will talk about the grant April 30 when the Los Gatos Boulevard Community Alliance holds its general membership meeting at 5:30 p.m. at Swanson Ford, 16005 Los Gatos Blvd. The public is invited.

Lefaver told the Los Gatos Weekly-Times that Caltrans, which--along with the U.S. Department of Transportation--is funding the study, has excess land around freeway exchanges, including the Highway 85 and Highway 17 corridors. "They wonder how they can use these parcels to facilitate this type of development to accommodate varied types of transportation," he said.

According to Steve Boersma, executive pastor for administration at Calvary Church and chairman of the BCA, "Of utmost importance is finding a way to link the boulevard to downtown. Scott's study could show how to efficiently transport people to downtown without creating traffic problems."

Lefaver's interest in the boulevard grew from his friendship with BCA member Mark Brodsky and their mutual interest in transportation issues.

"When I got the grant, I called Mark because he has interesting ideas," Lefaver recalled. "Mark told me he was working on Los Gatos Boulevard, and I could see that it was a good place for policy design issues."

Lefaver has told BCA members that Los Gatos has the potential to serve as a model for other communities that are trying to maintain their own identity even when they are part of a larger trend toward greater urbanization. He also told the BCA they can expect to see some design work that will give Los Gatos a customized view of the boulevard as a transportation-oriented development.

Meanwhile, the General Plan Committee has been finalizing work on a draft Boulevard Streetscape Plan and has set a public forum to review the plan on May 28 from 7 to 9:30 p.m. in the Neighborhood Center, 208 E. Main St.

The town's Architectural Standards Committee has targeted Aug. 28 for completion of draft Boulevard Design Guidelines, which are intended to provide standards and guidelines for developers and architects interested in building on the boulevard.

Of the prospect that the boulevard might serve as a role model for applying the lessons of the transportation study, Los Gatos Planning Director Lee Bowman said: "Anything that gives us the opportunity to look at this in a new way would be welcome. A transportation link between the boulevard and downtown has been a recurring theme since we began talking about development along the boulevard."

In addition to the study, Boersma said the BCA general meeting will focus on recent talks between the BCA, the Town of Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce (affiliated with the Greater San Jose Chamber) and the Downtown Association about a possible partnership.