American Mall Properties held a meeting last Thursday night to address community anxieties over the Silicon Valley WAVE project, the name given to the planned revitalization and addition to the downtown mall.
A primary concern for the nearly 125 residents in attendance was the expected traffic increase that a larger mall and entertainment complex would create. According to traffic studies included in the Environmental Impact Report, the increase in mall-generated traffic would be significant enough at the four intersections surrounding the mall to require four additional turn lanes.
Community member Werner Gans said he "doesn't buy" the additional traffic lane mitigations. "That's been the answer to all the traffic problems caused by new developments around here," he said, "and as a result, the entire valley is congested."
Other issues included increased noise, not enough parking, and rumors that the developers planned to remove the 70-year-old redwood trees in the center of the mall. Ken McGee, the general manager of the mall, plainly stated that the trees will remain.
The meeting fell one week before the end of the public comment period on the EIR for the project, which was released in January and must be approved by the City Council in order for the WAVE project to move forward. Citizens have until Feb. 26 to lodge reactions to the EIR, and by law the council is obliged to respond to criticisms in writing. The Planning Commission will review the document on March 1 and submit its recommendation to the City Council.
American Mall Properties representatives distributed 500 flyers announcing the meeting and mailed them out to "the sphere of immediate influence around the mall," McGee said.
Charles Wallin, a resident of the Heritage Housing District, conceded that he felt "a little bit" more informed after the meeting, but added that the structure of the gathering didn't allow residents to fully express their worries.
"I think there are a lot of disappointed people here tonight. We came here for the facts, to find out what's being done when, the mitigations involved, and to learn more about any problems," Wallin said. "I came here for some cold facts and don't think I got any."
AMP brought in renderings, members of their national staff, and an internationally acclaimed artist, Hiro Yamagata, who is a potential candidate for designing the mall's centerpiece fountain.
Immediately after AMP representatives' remarks, meeting organizers broke the group down into smaller discussion sections, without allowing community members to ask questions in front of the panel and the entire audience. Instead, AMP representatives circled the room and answered questions individually.
"We felt that if we allowed an open forum, if would make it more difficult to get the message across to people," McGee said.
Sunnyvale, California Since 1994
