Willow Glen Resident

News

Spur trail advocates upset over sale of railroad land

By Emilie Crofton

Willow Glen residents say San Jose officials have lost their way, after they learned that Union Railroad had sold off a portion of an urban trail in their neighborhood to a developer.

The trail, known locally as the Willow Glen Spur Trail, fell victim to the city's lack of funds to buy the land and complete the project.

"What was promised to the citizens as a long linear park linking communities, parks, business districts and trails may instead become a bunch of housing developments and storage lots," said Willow Glen Neighborhood Association president Larry Ames, who was angered by the news.

For the past six years, the city had been negotiating with the Union Pacific Railroad, which owns the land, to purchase the parcels.

The proposed Willow Glen Spur Trail would have been 2.8-miles long and run through three council districts. The old rail lines had been removed previously and the track had become a walking trail. Now the opportunity to link it with other trails has been lost, according to residents and park advocates.

The developer who purchased a parcel on the west side of the trail wants to construct a 15-unit housing development.

"The city needs to be more aggressive," said Helen Chapman, former president of San Jose parks commission. "They need to go above and beyond what is normally done. Sooner or later we're going to run out of land."

Denelle Fedor, director of public policy for District 6, said Councilman Pierliugi Oliverio and the city will continue their efforts to make sure the trail is created.

"Councilman Oliverio is committed to seeing the trail become a reality," Fedor said. "The railroad company has been difficult to work with because they have a different set of goals in mind."

According to Fedor, the railroad company was more than keen on selling to developers instead of to the public, knowing the proceeds from the sale would be significantly higher.

However, even if the city does develop the urban trail, Oliverio said it would cost the city more than $20 million.

"We not only need money to buy the land, but to build on it and take care of the contaminated soil," Oliverio said.

But he is not abandoning the project. "I'm still working to make this happen," he said.

Nevertheless, Ames said some residents felt misled by city officials. Yves Zsutty, San Jose trail program manager, said the trail alignment was referred to in the city's Greenprint as a general vision and was never assured.

Greater Gardner Coalition chairman Harvey Darnell recommends a public and private partnership be formed to purchase the remaining parcel and turn the project into a reality.

"The city should do what they did with the arena. Call it the Google Trail, I don't care," Darnell said. "There has to be someone out there who can help."

Ames said the neighborhood association will fight to make the trail happen.

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and it should not be lost," he said.