Willow Glen Resident
News
Neighborhood targeted for annexation
could end up zoned for higher density
By Tiffany Carney
One Willow Glen neighborhood could become more dense after San Jose takes over jurisdiction of it.
The 15-block area--bounded by S. Leigh and McBain, Hurst Avenue to Willowhurst Avenue and Meridian Avenue to Dry Creek Road--is among 60 unincorporated neighborhood pockets scattered throughout San Jose that the city is in the early stages of annexing. Santa Clara County currently has jurisdiction over the neighborhood and is responsible for providing public services to residents.
On April 1, San Jose planners requested approval for the pre-zoning of the Willow Glen neighborhood as an initial step in the annexation process.
City planner Justin Fried said the area will likely be zoned R-1-5, which means the city will allow a maximum of five dwelling units per acre, with a minimum of 8,000 square feet per unit.
"But that is not finalized yet," Fried added.
According to Mark Connolly, Santa Clara County planner, the land is currently zoned for R-1-10, which permits up to four homes per acre, with a 10,000-square-foot minimum for each unit.
"This is a bigger lot area than you would get under the city's jurisdiction," said Connolly. City zoning usually allows for more density.
The new city zoning, if approved, would allow a property owner to build more homes on less square footage than the current county zoning.
Prezoning will likely go to council around August, Fried said.
The change from county to city will allow residents to receive San Jose's public services and vote in city elections. "There won't be drastic changes," Fried said.
After the new zoning takes affect, the property cannot be rezoned for two years.
If all remains on schedule, annexation will occur by October or November of this year, Fried said.
Some residents in the neighborhood say they would rather remain unincorporated or be a part of the city of Campbell, than part of San Jose.
"This doesn't make sense for us to join San Jose when we are less than a mile away from the Campbell city hall," said Jerry Bleeg, who lives on the corner of Campbell and Leigh avenues. Bleeg's neighbors across the street live in Campbell.
Bleeg circulated a petition in his neighborhood and hopes to get 100 percent of his neighbors on board before going to Campbell and San Jose city councils to request annexation into Campbell.
The battle to remain outside of San Jose's jurisdiction doesn't end in Bleeg's neighborhood. Residents in the next scheduled annexation area, north of Camden and west of S. Bascom Avenue, are also protesting, and hope to become part of Campbell.
"It is a possibility," Fried said. The proposed action would involve policy changes, and both San Jose and Campbell would have to approve the suggested boundaries.
If San Jose City Council orders the annexation, it will be much harder, Fried said.
For more information on San Jose's planned annexations, visit www.sanjoseca.gov/planning/annex.
