The Del Monte Cannery, located at 801 Auzerais Ave., closed five years ago and sits on more than 12 acres, has remained unoccupied since the company decided to cease operation. During a community meeting on Aug. 16, KB Homes proposed a redevelopment plan to the public that would include 150 townhouses and 235 condominiums. The condominium portion of the project would include 80 one-bedroom condominiums, 123 two-bedroom and 32 three-bedroom units.

At the Aug. 16 community meeting, Guzzardo Partnership landscape architect Gary Layman, who is working with KB Homes, said that the developer wants to create a project with a "unique character" that gives each dwelling a sense of privacy and individuality.

He also said that the proposed development would include the widening of Auzerais Avenue to a 70-foot right of way in order to provide on-street parking, a 10-foot sidewalk and a bike lane.

Layman added, "The improvement of Auzerais Avenue will be a tremendous improvement to the community. There has been every effort to make it more pedestrian-friendly."

The Vasona Light Rail project, which is scheduled for completion in early 2005, would also be factored into the developer's plans. KB Homes wants to build a light-rail station at the northwest corner of the complex to accommodate the residents.

"I am excited about the prospect of a light rail," said Willow Glen Neighborhood Association member Larry Ames. "It would be nice if we could get rid of some cars and have an alternative form of transportation."

But some community members raised concern that the KB project might be too insular. North Willow Glen Neighborhood Association member Harvey Darnell said, "I feel very strongly about newer developments that are plopped down on top of existing structures. We need the development to be open and to provide an opportunity for the neighborhoods to mix."

However, whether the corporation can go through with the project rests in part on an environmental impact report conducted by San Jose.

Residents at the community meeting said they were worried about the width of the proposed riparian setback—the distance between the Los Gatos Creek and the development. KB Homes has proposed a 50-foot riparian setback, but city guidelines suggest a 100-foot setback. However, the city makes exceptions for new developments that are deemed to be at least as environmentally sound as the site's previous use. The city says these exempted projects must not be detrimental to area wildlife, must show no evidence of stream-bank erosion and must be approved by a qualified biologist. The development must also maintain a minimum setback of 30 feet.

"The goal was 100 feet," said Darnell. "This is not a magic number, but we should get as close to it as possible. We don't want to set a precedent. Developers can come in and say they want the same, and we will have a less spacious and attractive trail."

"The city should maximize the riparian setback as much as possible," Willow Glen Neighborhood Association member Hugh Graham said. "It might mean KB Homes loses some units. It's a tradeoff, and it should be looked at seriously."

In addition to environmental issues, the city is also in the process of deciding if some or all of Del Monte's structures should be considered historic landmarks. According to San Jose City Planning Implementation Director Joseph Horwedel, conclusive reports on these issues are still at the very least a couple more months away.

"The cannery is potentially a historical landmark," Horwedel said. "We've spent a long time looking at the site plan as if there was nothing there. There is a major effort under way to see how it is possible to put some or all of the old cannery buildings to new use."

Horwedel also said that if the city decides to preserve parts of the cannery, the project may not fit into the parameters of KB Homes, and a different development may be designed that better matches with the city's long-term goals. The General Plan also allows commercial development, which he said might better preserve historical buildings.

"We are spending a lot of time on the historical issue," he said. "We have taken a few lumps on projects in the past, and I'm not going to take another one."

Graham said he hopes the city seriously examines the historical value of the Del Monte site. "I think over time in San Jose there has been too much destruction of our heritage," he said. "People are going to have to live with this for 50 to 100 years or more."

Darnell also said he hopes the city and the developer strive to maintain the historic integrity of the property. "If you don't save the few historical buildings you have, you are destroying a chunk of history. I would want KB Homes to spend the extra money to conserve the remainders of history. But it's a tradeoff. You always have to find compromises."

He said that so far, KB Homes seems willing to make compromises with concerned residents. "It seems like KB Homes is trying to work with the neighborhoods. The neighborhoods wish for the sky, and it's costly. We're always trying to find a common ground."