.. but not on Westridge!
On October 8, 2003 the planning commission meeting adjourned with the City, Lexus, and the neighborhood satisfied with the compromise that was reached. Lexus, choosing to be a good, long-term neighbor agreed to leave the house on Westridge Avenue in place. A portion of the Westridge Avenue property will be rezoned commercial. This will still leave the house on a residential lot over 8,000 square feet in size, which is typical for our neighborhood.At the end of that meeting several neighbors met in the lobby to express their concern about the continuing possibility of commercial encroachment; as well as other issues unique to our annexed neighborhood.
In the beginning of 2004, the Bowman's on Tyler Avenue extended an invitation to meet at their home to the key people that had worked on the Lexus issue. Ten to fifteen people have met four times to discuss the formation of the South Of Forest Neighborhood Association.
We propose that the "South of Forest Neighborhood Association" or SOFNA be formed to enhance the quality of life for those in the neighborhood and to foster cooperation among its neighbors and with the extended community. The South of Forest neighborhood is the annexed neighborhood of Santa Clara that is encompassed by Forest Avenue, the BAREC property, Winchester Boulevard, Stevens Creek Boulevard, and the San Tomas Expressway.
As summer approaches, we will be organizing a large neighborhood meeting so that the whole neighborhood may attend and offer their support and input.
The Save BAREC organization is still fighting to preserve the 17 acres of open space that we are fortunate to have right next door. They do have concrete proposals for ways to save the land. They believe that a vocal citizenry can still have a major impact on an undecided City Council. Our victory with Lexus is a good example of how you can make a difference in local politics. Send letters to the City Council, participate at meetings, and talk to your neighbors. For more details on what you can do, call 408 292-9595 or log on to www.savebarec.org.
We have talked about the continuing issues with our commercial neighbors, the quality of our streets, traffic issues, code enforcement, neighborhood socials, emergency preparedness training, Neighborhood Watch, and more; and we want know what is important to you. Please direct email to Debra Bowman at dlsb@ix.netcom.com. You may also mail your comments or drop them off to Debra at 161 Tyler Avenue, San Jose, CA 95117.
The Scouts of Troop 390, sponsored by St. Martin of Tours Church, will assist those with special challenges (elderly, handicapped, etc.) with clean-up and moving items to the street for pick up. Call Sean O'Halloran at 260-0124 for more information.
Our weekly recycling pick up now takes more materials for recycling. Not sure if you can put it out on the curb? To find out, call 615-2063 for more information.
Have an old car you want to get rid of? If it is running or repairable, call your favorite charity to make a tax-deductible donation. If it is not, call the City to find out about their vehicle removal program at 615-4867.
Have you ever thought: How can I get ready for a major disaster? What can I do to prepare myself and my family, friends, and neighbors to survive the first 72 hours of a disaster? The answers to these questions can be provided by signing up for Santa Clara's H.E.A.T. (Home Emergency Assistance Teams) training program. The program is designed to help citizens be self-sufficient after a major disaster by developing multi-functional teams that are cross-trained in basic emergency skills by highly qualified instructors from the Santa Clara Fire Department. These skills are easy to learn and can be used for many types of emergencies, including the threat of a terrorist attack.
Classes are offered monthly. In April the class will be offered on 3 Tuesday evenings on 4/6, 4/13, and 4/20; or one all-day session on Saturday 4/24 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call 615-4940.
The print version of the SOFNA Newsletter
distributed to each home in the neighborhood
is generously sponsored by