October 27, 2006

The Honorable Ron Gonzales, Mayor

City of San Jose

200 E. Santa Clara Street

San Jose, CA 95113

Re: Brokaw and Old Oakland Mixed Use General Plan Amendment

Dear Mayor and Council:

We recently learned that the Council is evaluating a general plan amendment to rezone the Brokaw and Oakland Road site for retail/residential mixed-use. On behalf of the Loma Prieta Chapter of the Sierra Club, I am writing to express our support to the proposed general plan amendment.

As you are aware, land-use decisions have a tremendous impact on community and environmental quality.  Transit-oriented infill, preferably mixed-use with residential serving commercial, provides an essential strategy for reducing sprawl and traffic congestion. The jobs/housing imbalance throughout the peninsula generates tremendous pressure for poor development in distant areas such as Morgan Hill and Dublin. This in turn generates automobile traffic with its concurrent air and water quality degradation.  These pressures create a vicious circle with increased pressure for automobile infrastructure.  By one recent study, fifty percent of the land in San Jose is allocated to automobiles in roads and parking.  Furthermore, recent EPA studies have shown that good infill can reduce traffic by putting housing near jobs.

The Sierra Club supports the proposed general plan amendment for the Brokaw and Oakland Road site to mixed-use retail/residential. We urge the Council to consider the environment benefit of creating a mixed-use neighborhood that is in close proximity to jobs and transits. The Sierra Club looks forward to becoming more engaged in the process that will determine the ultimate reuse of the Brokaw and Old Oakland site.

Sincerely,

Stephanie Schaaf

Chair, Sustainable Land Use Committee

Sierra Club, Loma Prieta Chapter