Many of these neighbors live in Saratoga. The Southwest YMCA across McCoy Avenue is in the city of San Jose.

Don Shipman, a longtime McCoy resident, said that when the YMCA was being built in the area, some redwood trees were removed. "They promised they would landscape the facility and make it look real beautiful. The plans looked nice. You could not see the parking lot from the street," said Shipman.

But the proposed landscaping was never completed. "When we complained, we were told that they had run out of money and they would be finishing it later," said Shipman. "We were naive and disorganized. We trusted them."

Shipman and the neighbors finally got together last year and started talking with the YMCA, though there had been some back and forth correspondence before.

It wasn't easy.

They had a laundry list of complaints. It ranged from the incomplete landscaping to signs displayed by the construction company working at the YMCA property. Some new air-conditioning units had not been screened properly. There were problems with equipment being stored outdoors. And the neighbors felt that the hours set forth in the permit were not being adhered to.

On Oct. 4, Maria Drake, the executive director of the Southwest YMCA, called a meeting with the neighbors to talk over the issues.

Jon Garliepp, a neighbor who has been trying to galvanize the neighbors over the last year, talked about his frustrations. "Unconscionable" and "dishonest" were two words he used over and over again to describe the actions of the Southwest YMCA over the years.

Some neighbors talked about traffic safety and parking issues around the YMCA, some about noise and bright lights.

The neighbors say they have complained to San Jose code enforcement officials. They have also been talking to the Saratoga city officials.

Drake is the person they have talked to most often. She has been working at this location for the last two years. She acknowledges that the landscaping and other work was not completed for years. "I will finish the work. We started talking in October last year," said Drake.

The trees, which were part of the landscaping, were planted in January. The neighbors say that according to the original landscaping plan, some more trees should be planted. "We are getting all the work done. I could not go any faster," said Drake.

Some of the work was to be completed by July 1 this year. Now, a date of Dec. 14 has been set for the completion of the remaining work.

A few neighbors are especially peeved that the local YMCA is trying to extend its opening time to 5:30 a.m. instead of 6 a.m.

"This is just unacceptable," said Garliepp.

For now, Drake says that she will try to go forward with trying to extend the hours of the YMCA to 5:30 a.m.

She said that until July of this year the YMCA had opened at 5:30 a.m. That is when the YMCA discovered that the permitted operating hours were from 6 a.m. to midnight.

"We have working parents that come here, people with extended hours. That half hour makes a huge difference," said Drake. "Fifteen years ago we did not know that Silicon Valley was going to blossom like this. We live in a busy, congested area."

Neighbors like Garliepp and Shipman say that there have been many verbal promises over the years. "But they have done nothing until they were forced by the city," said Brian Mulroe, another neighbor. "And traffic and noise have gotten progressively worse over the years."

"I am tired and exasperated of people blocking my driveway," said Garliepp, who is moving to another neighborhood but will keep his property on McCoy Avenue. Neighbors say that on many occasions YMCA members park in front of their mailbox, which prevents the mail from being delivered.

The neighbors have also sent a signed petition to Drake.

"The intent is to make it right. I have every intention of making it happen," said Drake.

The neighbors also want a traffic study done in the area to find out how traffic has changed in the area over the years. They say that the YMCA has admitted far more members than were projected in the original plan.

"We don't have any problems with the YMCA being here. But they should care about the neighborhood. They should share the neighborhood with other people," said Shipman.

Drake said the meeting was the first step toward the beginning of a dialogue. There are a few more scheduled for the future.

"We give jobs to neighbors, their children," said Drake. "Some of the older people in the neighborhood walk here to get their exercise in the pool. We have helped local teens with counseling here."

San Jose city officials at the code enforcement department are holding a public meeting on Oct. 13 to decide the opening hours of the Southwest YMCA.