Voting for Fairfield Residential?

Boy would I hate to be the city council tonight – here we go again having to show our true colors to the residents that vote for them.  Hopefully, they will know that we are not small children who need to be ‘guided’ and ‘convinced’ that what they are doing is a good thing for us – but they will hear the words of the residents that go something like this regarding the proposed project at 900 Kiely, Gallery on Central, fairfield residential project in Santa Clara;

The current project is;

Too Dense – too many units proposed for this site – as it currently stands 806 units amounts to 2% of the local Santa Clara population

Traffic concerns  – some of the local intersections have been deemed as failures by the vTA and this project will add more traffic to these interesection ans the surrounding streets

Trees – most of the trees at the current site will be cut down being replaced by saplings – how sad when those current trees add to the current feel of the area and blend in with what is already there.  why cut down mature trees when we already know so much about global warming?  Odd idea

Schools – do we have right numbers – it seems that we have conflicting reports on numbers – this is alarming. how can we get the right figures? is there some way to have this clarified.

Swim center – apparently there is mail out there from the developer attempting to have the local swim center swamp (excuse the pun) the meeting with supporters for the project.  But unfortunately for the developer he does not realize that some of those swim center emails went out residents who are not in favor of the project as it now stands.  Oxy Moron stuff don’t you think?

Also the developer has been talking to the chamber of commerce and local businesses attempting to have them speak in favor of the project because businesses need economic assistances and they are touting the idea that more residents will increase their business.  Yes maybe some truth to that but perhaps many of these business need to reassess what it is their business does and what their service is like.  Just a thought – rather than look to the potential new residents as ’saving grace’?

oh dear the list goes on and I pity the city council tonight – because I am sure like me in their heart of hearts they know that the project as it now stands is not ideal but we do need something there but not this.  This developer has only talked to people who seem to benefit from the project such as the swim pool center and the local stores, they have continously refused to listen to local residents who share streets with this new developer.  They have refused to be a part of the community but rather are waging a war of ‘hate’ behind the scenese by attempting to create a ‘us’ and ‘them’ attitude.  We are the old wiser parent who has done this many times before and we know what we are doing – but do they?

They are attempting to turn small Santa Clara with heart into a concrete jungle – just as was mentioned in the mission city lantern blog.  Hopefully the council will stand up to this giant corporate America and say ‘Yes we hear our residents’ and ‘come back with something that is more in keeping with the area and have your project blend in’.

This developer has turned this project into a political debate – how sad – had they worked with the locals and heard their requests for less density, more parking, more open space, fewer units, more amenities for the general public, it might have been an enjoyable working relationship.  However as it now stands we have disgruntled residents who look to their elected leaders for resolution.

Santa Clara Statistics tell a story

So it’s been a while since I posted here – I’ve been busy with traveling, illness, Obama elections, Christmas (yes I still like to use that word rather than Holidays), family etc.  I’ve had people ask me what is going on in Santa Clara regarding the old Kaiser site – the Fairfield Residential project or rather what’s the fancy name for it.  “Gallery on Kiely” I think that’s its official name – the 900 Kiely Boulevard project.

You know the one – the one where 806 units are slated to be built of which 536 are to be rental properties.  And ‘X’ amount of single family residents with those wonderful 10 x 12 backyards.  Yes everyone needs a cell block for a back yard don’t you agree?

Anyway forget my tongue in cheek attitude to the project, what annoys me more is the wonderful report that the Santa Clara weekly did on the project.  They made the project sound so glowing and so in line with what we need in this wonderful small city that hasn’t got enough housing to house the masses.  And the fact that the weekly has never taken the time to sit and talk to residents or if they do they tend to argue how the city is right and they know what is best for us.  I guess if I continually advertised in the Santa Clara weekly or had a stake in it they might hear my point of view, but I don’t so they continually show no understanding for the general public.  I think this is why Blogging is called ‘freedom of the press’.  Because it occurs to me that Freedom of the Press does not occur in the press.  In fact I would say that freedom of the press is dictated by who advertises in the press.  It’s like those special interest groups that ‘ear mark’ special projects.  Sigh…….

This being said brings me to the point of my update on the 900 Kiely site – right now in the city of Santa Clara there are 329 units/apartments/homes/condos/townhomes/single family residents with big/small back yards  FOR SALE at the time of writing this.

The average days on market for these properties are 112 days at the time of writing - that’s in effect three months worth of inventory.  Wait till that new block  town homes with the 10×12 backyards on Lawrence are on the market – and the ones by KB homes near the Scott. 

Why not sell these before the city permits more building any more? 

I don’t even know how many places are for rent in Santa Clara city but seems to me there is enough for sale.  It also seems to me that there is a down turn in the economy – the city needs to be thinking about bringing business back to it rather than building more cell block homes.

I cannot help but think of George Orwell – and reflect on some of his quotes

 

“Every generation imagines itself to be more intelligent than the one that went before it, and wiser than the one that comes after it. “Or this

“All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others. “Or this
” If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear. “

I believe it’s time to put a hold on building or at the very least start to listen to what the residents would like. Let’s clean up El Camino, bring back small businesses, focus less on building, and give us Hope! Listen to the average Joe resident please.