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SNI proposal approved
Proposal focuses on area's needs for infrastructure
By Kate Carter
Neighbors in northern Willow Glen completed the initial planning stages of an infrastructure-oriented proposal to improve their neighborhoods when it was approved by the San Jose City Council last week. Now all that remains is the hard work of turning their plans into reality.
Residents of the Gardner, Atlanta and Gregory Plaza neighborhoods, otherwise known as the Greater Gardner area, have been participating in the city's Strong Neighborhoods Initiative for more than a year now, devising a plan to use city funds to make their home safer, more comfortable and more attractive. They, along with 19 other older and more dilapidated communities in San Jose, are in the process of presenting those plans to the council to receive the go-ahead to move into action.
Four members of the Gardner area's Neighborhood Advisory Committee, made up of active neighbors and members of three neighborhood associations--the Gardner Advisory Council, Gregory Plaza Neighborhood Association and the North Willow Glen Neighborhood Association--presented the priorities of their Greater Gardner Improvement Plan at the council's Jan. 22 hearing. The group consolidated its 28 action items--for improving the neighborhood's condition and maintenance, services such as street sweeping and strengthening neighborhood associations, security, including traffic calming, and maintaining open spaces into a "Top Ten" priority list.
"What we've brought to you is some of the less glamorous things," said Mary Pizzo, president of the Gregory Plaza Neighborhood Association, detailing the community's need to overcome traffic thoroughfares that divide their neighborhood. "We'd like to keep a sense of community. We look forward to seeing this enacted and seeing the improvements."
Reymundo Mendez, a member of the SNI Neighborhood Advisory Committee, spoke about the group's top priority of studying the area's soil problems and fixing broken streets, sidewalks and building foundations. He also discussed the need to improve the community's retail businesses, encouraging them to improve their appearances and reduce liquor sales.
Pizzo addressed the group's second priority of improving parking and circulation at the neighborhood's elementary school, Gardner Academy.
Alison England, president of the North Willow Glen Neighborhood Association, spoke about the community's need to improve its small open spaces, developing them into a "network" that could receive maintenance from the city, as well as improving code enforcement throughout the neighborhoods.
North Willow Glen Neighborhood Association member Dan Erceg addressed the area's need for traffic calming and increasing the pedestrian-friendliness of such major arteries as W. Virginia, Bird and Delmas avenues. He also said the group would like to add landscaping and lighting throughout the neighborhoods and create attractive "gateways" to the Greater Gardner area, to make their neighborhood more appealing.
In addition, earlier this month, the council approved a master plan for rebuilding the Gardner Community Center, a key focal point in the community, as well as future upgrades to parts of the adjacent Biebrach Park, including building a new gymnasium.
Neighbor Kevin Christman spoke in support of the plan, asking the council to approve the plan and see that it is accomplished.
"This improvement plan represents our dreams," Christman said. "They are all reasonable dreams. Let's move forward and show this neighborhood that something good and positive can happen."
The council members congratulated the group on its hard work and promised to see their plans through to completion.
"It's wonderful to see the pride that you have and the pride that you are regaining through your work," Mayor Ron Gonzales said. "We're just beginning this process. We will be there with you at the end."
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Willow Glen, California Since 1992
