The Sunnyvale Sun

News

San Miguel neighbors brace for growth and restoration

By Stephen Baxter

Residents of Duane Court in Sunnyvale can hear the whoosh of Lawrence Expressway through a soundwall at the end of the block. Still, it's a relatively quiet, narrow street lined with trees.

There's also an office park across from Duane Court. Taylor Woodrow Homes has secured a plan to build 304 three- and five-story townhomes and condominiums on that land.

The new houses, along with a separate 242-townhouse project a few blocks away, are expected to add hundreds of new residents and cars to the San Miguel neighborhood, which is southwest of Lawrence and Highway 101. The planning commission approved the Duane Court project on March 26.

Some San Miguel residents also met March 13 with city officials about sprucing up the neighborhood.

Dale Huber of the city's Neighborhood Preservation Division spoke at a San Miguel Neighborhood Association meeting about helping residents repaint houses, clear backyard trash and even install indoor grab bars for the elderly. The cleanup is not related to the proposed development, officials said, but is expected to focus on houses bounded by Duane Court, Ahwanee Avenue, Santa Ynez and San Rafael streets. It follows a similar project in the Lakewood neighborhood.

Carl Sandwick has lived near the corner of Duane Court and Duane Avenue--across from the proposed Taylor Woodrow homes--since 1983. He said he originally thought the cleanup was a way of "greasing" the neighborhood for an unpopular development, as members of 161 households signed a petition that opposed details of the project. But officials assured him it was a coincidence.

Sandwick, a 50-year-old electronics technician, agreed the city needs more houses so workers wouldn't have long commutes, but he objected to a five-story building across from one-level houses.

"I do think that our neighborhood will change dramatically--my parking availability and my quality of life will change," Sandwick said. Little things might disappear too, such as more of the apples that passersby pluck from the tree next door.

Trinity Van Scyoc, 28, rents a house on Duane Court. He said he would deal with the construction and the growth of the neighborhood.

"I guess the biggest concern is the traffic--it's pretty quiet right now," he said, standing in his driveway.

Representatives from Taylor Woodrow homes, the Duane Court project's developer, met with neighbors several times in the last 12 months, and scaled down parts of its plans.

Some building heights were reduced, though some roofs will top the Lawrence Expressway soundwall. New residents' cars are expected to enter the proposed development near the corner of Duane Court and Duane Avenue rather on a narrower part of the road. Residents said they liked how the plan intends to keep traffic off Duane Court.

Taylor Woodrow also offered to plant more large trees.

Residents such as Tara Martin-Milius, the San Miguel Neighborhood Association president, expressed concern that morning traffic would choke Duane Court and other streets where children walk to San Miguel Elementary School. Fender benders on the corner of Duane Court and Duane Avenue--such as one that happened last week--are often not reported.

In February, Martin-Milius helped lead the petition drive that opposed parts of the project, and she met with city planners last week. The new traffic flow plan calmed her somewhat.

"I think we have some possible solutions," she said.

Other neighbors said they thought more cars would inevitably park on Duane Court, and said they were bracing for construction noise and dust. Demolition and construction could start as early as July and last for about 18 months.

Sandwick said, "I'm preparing for the worst and hoping for the best."