A proposed Morgan Hill mansion is the target of a complaint claiming its construction will obstruct ridgeline views—something the county’s decades-old General Plan says should be avoided. “The whole idea is that ridgelines are the most aesthetically sensitive parts of the county, because everyone can see it,” said Brian Schmidt, advocacy director for environmental organization Green...
How San Jose mayor’s ally helped Bloom Energy skirt a natural gas ban
Two weeks before San Jose passed a landmark ban on natural gas for new commercial buildings, city officials introduced an exemption that benefited a local energy company, Bloom Energy, whose vice president is a personal friend to the mayor. And the way they did it shows the stark difference in access granted to political insiders...
Higher water bills coming to San Jose residents
Higher water bills could hit San Jose residents by summer, but water policy reps say it’s for a good cause: Preventing disaster amid the state’s second drought in four years. The Santa Clara Valley Water District, or Valley Water, presented its plans to the City Council Tuesday for rate hikes and an expansion to the region’s...
San Jose pumps the brakes on Valley Water water-recycling plan
In an effort to address drought and increase local groundwater supply, the Santa Clara Valley Water District is fast-tracking a plan to purify and recycle more water in San Jose. But city elected leaders — concerned for the environment and limited staff resources due to COVID-19 — are pumping the brakes and want more time...
Supervisors seek to protect Coyote Valley from development
Santa Clara County lawmakers this week moved to preserve open space, flood plains and wildlife corridors in the Coyote Valley but stopped short of adopting a development ban, despite pleas by environmentalists. Although more than 1,000 acres are protected from development in North Coyote Valley, the middle and southern sections remain threatened. Based on a...
Santa Clara County’s long-awaited sustainability plan prioritizes economy, environment and equity
Santa Clara County is doubling down on addressing climate change as an emergency, rather than a far-off threat. At its last meeting, the Board of Supervisors approved the county’s master plan for sustainability, which has been about five years in the making. The plan commits to lowering greenhouse gas emissions, electrifying more buildings and planting...
Valley Water directors move ahead with Pacheco Pass dam as price skyrockets
Valley Water leaders are moving forward with developing a new dam at Pacheco Pass in south Santa Clara County, despite recently learning that the price tag had doubled since 2019. “It seems to me that the directors of the water district need to take every extreme measure we can find to continue this project, moving...
San Jose bans natural gas in new commercial buildings
San Jose became the largest city in the country to ban natural gas in commercial buildings, but its plan to keep businesses running during a power outage was criticized by activists and lawmakers. The City Council voted 8-3 on Dec. 1 to approve the ban but in the wake of a public health crisis and...
San Jose to vote on extending natural gas ban
Eyeing an all-electric future, the San Jose City Council will vote Dec. 1 on whether to expand its existing natural gas ban to include new commercial developments. San Jose’s current ordinance, passed by lawmakers last year, bans natural gas in new residential buildings including single-family homes, low-rise apartments and condos — but incoming office and...
Pavement conditions, safety concerns blamed for drop in trail use in San Jose
When Liz Sewell moved to the area, she said she marveled at the number of trails San Jose has close to downtown. Sewell, the city’s trail manager, came to the South Bay from Philadelphia, a city that’s quickly transformed itself into a bike-friendly community. But she said San Jose’s push to encourage more biking across the city, particularly for commuting, interested...