The Loma Prietan
November 2001
Chapter Loses Lawsuit as Cisco Scales Back Development
Judge Leslie Nichols ruled against the Sierra Club and Audubon Society in the lawsuit challenging the City of San Jose’s environmental analysis of the Cisco project. In the 40-page ruling, the judge surprisingly asserted that the growth-inducing impacts that would result from full build-out of Coyote Valley do not have to be thoroughly analyzed in the Environmental Impact Report, even though the subsequent development would occur only if the Cisco project moves forward.
For example, the Cisco/CVRP project includes substantial infrastructure that by design would lead to further development in Coyote Valley. Further, the occupying of employees at the Cisco site would ‘trigger’ the housing development in mid-Coyote. This and other sections of the Judge’s ruling will be considered when the Chapter decides whether or not to appeal.
Meanwhile, Cisco Systems announced that it will be scaling back its planned development due to the down-turn in the economy. This raises the question as to what might be developed in place of part of Cisco’s originally planned campus? Will the City wise up and consider mixed use development with housing and retail services, along with greater preservation of open spaces? Or will they continue their plans to create more and more sprawling developments that can lead to even greater sprawl to the south?
Given the current economic conditions, building in Coyote Valley might lead to a very expensive ghost town. Wouldn’t it be better to use public resources to revitilize the existing urbanized areas of San Jose and serve the people who already live there?