Campbell warehouse approved after resident appeal falls flat

A Campbell warehouse project is moving forward in a small industrial section of the city, despite neighbors’ insistence that it will create an eyesore in their backyards.

The Campbell City Council last Tuesday voted 3-2 to deny an appeal for revisions to the development from residents living behind the proposed site, located at 940-946 S. McGlincy Lane. Vice Mayor Sergio Lopez and Councilmembers Anne Bybee and Elliot Scozzola voted in favor, with Mayor Susan Landry and Councilmember Dan Furtado voting against, saying they wanted to allow the appellants the opportunity to voice their opinions. No one opposing the warehouse attended the meeting.

The development sits on a .56-acre lot and includes plans for a more than 10,000-square-foot, approximately 22-foot-tall warehouse for multiple tenants. It’s expected to be completed in roughly 14 months, according to Mountain View-based architectural firm, Kozba 2, Inc.

South McGlincy Lane is primarily industrial space. Once built, the warehouse’s direct neighbors will include Van Briggle Floors and Blue Arc Electric, Inc.

Dallas Drive residents, whose backyards will face the warehouse, filed a Feb. 1 appeal to the Campbell Planning Commission and listed concerns including the building’s height, the 10-foot setback from their fences, the shadow it could cast over their backyards and noise from future tenants — who can operate between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m., per city rules. The highest parapet of the building will be 26 feet tall.

Resident David Riggio, who filed the appeal and whose family has owned a house on Dallas Drive since 1971, said the neighborhood would have appreciated more communication from the developer and is concerned that once the warehouse is built, the city won’t enforce its rules for noise levels and operating hours on tenants.

“It’s going to disturb our normal daily lives. Who wants to be in their backyard and hear this (possible) grinding of something, or a tow truck backing up, or a mechanic shop or a forklift moving around?” he told San José Spotlight.

Richard Pasek, whose family is adding the warehouse, said they have owned the property since the 1970s, when it was purchased as part of his lumber and building materials business. Pasek said he wants to make the best use of the property, while trying to be unobtrusive to Dallas Drive residents. According to city zoning policy, the building’s height could go up to 45 feet.

“When you buy a house… next to an industrial area, you’re not going to have a house next to you, you’re going to have an industrial site,” Pasek told San José Spotlight.

The warehouse is in the construction planning stage and still needs to acquire a building permit from the city.

The development adds to the county’s growing industrial space. Last year, San Jose expanded its industrial footprint, solidifying plans for three massive warehouses on 45 acres of land.

Councilmember Dan Furtado voted against denying the appeal, hoping to hold off for two weeks to allow residents time to advocate for their appeal. He said since the warehouse is going forward, he hopes future tenants will be respectful of residents.

“We have to be able to tolerate this development. We may not be able to mitigate all the concerns of neighbors,” he told San José Spotlight. “It’s just kind of an unfortunate thing that an industrial area butts up against a residential area.”

If noise from the businesses is too loud early in the morning or late at night, residents can alert Community Development Director Rob Eastwood to adjust business hours. If issues persist, residents can notify the planning commission, which can modify the requirements.

Resident Kevin Shannon has lived on Dallas Drive for 27 years. He said he’s concerned workers will park on his street because there won’t be enough parking for employees. There are 14 parking spots planned.

“It’s just disappointing to have this big, concrete structure popping up behind your backyard,” he told San José Spotlight.

Contact Annalise Freimarck at [email protected] or follow @annalise_ellen on X, formerly known as Twitter.