The Guadalupe River Master Plan, once finalized, will seamlessly connect the Los Gatos Creek Trail to the Guadalupe River Trail, joining at the Arena Green and continuing on to Alviso.

To learn more about the plan's progress, 20 residents met on Aug. 27 with the Department of Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services trail system program manager Yves Zsutty, who was hired in March to focus on trail projects. The Santa Clara Valley Water District's project engineer Dennis Cheong was also at the meeting to discuss alternate designs and community concerns.

One option presented consisted of building a trail on the east bank, which floods throughout the year and would require the water district flood control project to be finished before trail construction could begin.

"It doesn't seem prudent," said Zsutty, about the completion of the east bank project. The flood project has been stalled by federal-funding cuts and is now slated for construction in 2005.

Instead, the city is leaning towards choosing the west bank site.

The local bond that funds the trail's creation, Measure P, was passed in 2000 and earmarked $2.2 million for parks. These funds will expire in 2010. If the bypass channel is completed by 2010, plans to add a trail on the east side could move forward, said Cheong.

"The community understands it's a decision ultimately made by the engineers," said Zsutty, about whether residents were partial to the east or west bank trail. "They just want the project to happen, and the quicker approach is favored."

Willow Glen resident Susan Kusters heard about the meeting "by chance" after attending a North Willow Glen Neighborhood Association meeting, at which flyers were handed out.

Kusters, who lives near the Guadalupe River, has been keenly interested in the project. But she said communication with residents could be improved by utilizing the neighborhood associations' email lists, through phone contact and by word of mouth.

During the meeting, Kusters said, some of the residents were concerned about the trail's impact on parking and the placement of trailheads. Kusters also asked about the graffiti and litter problems on the trail.

"One spot in particular near our house is a frequent target of tagging, because it is relatively hard to reach and hidden from public view," she said. But Kusters thinks that once the trail is developed, the secluded site may become less attractive for taggers.

In a Willow Glen Neighborhood Association survey of more than 600 people, parks, trees and bicycles ranked third, fourth, and fifth behind traffic and zoning.

"It's pretty amazing that bicycle trails beat out emergency services, airport noise, schools and graffiti," said Larry Ames, first vice president of the Willow Glen Neighborhood Association.

While the west bank plan will run by Hwy 87, which Ames called "grungy" for a bike trail, he added, "At least they're doing it in an environmentally sensitive manner and are working hard to make it look pretty."

But Ames is pleased with the overall trail design.

"Originally they had a Los Angeles canal-style plan, but the newer design allows spawning salmon to return to the river and birds and turtles to live there," he said.

The next meeting, scheduled for November, will be another chance for community interaction with the city. It is also an opportunity for residents to learn how the technical advisory committee reacted to previous input about trailheads and the Willow Street bridge and to further refine the project's plan.

Zsutty said he hopes more people will show up for the November meeting and blames previous low attendance on short notice and information sent only to homes located within 1,000 feet of the river.

The Guadalupe River Master Plan is slated to begin construction in March 2004, with completion by 2006.

For more information, call 408.794.1302 or contact Yves Zsutty at Yves. Zsutty@ci.sj.ca.us.