A San Jose parking official is calling for the city to pause discussions on a controversial plan to hike parking rates, arguing it must first address longstanding concerns over the management of revenue from parking fees. In an open letter sent Friday to councilmembers and city administrators, Downtown Parking Board Vice Chair Tamiko Rast leveled...
Li: San Jose airport’s closure of vital bike route exposes hollow traffic safety pledge
San Jose touts its Vision Zero pledge to eliminate traffic fatalities. But instead of preserving safe commuter routes, airport and city officials are pushing forward with a permanent closure that will force cyclists into dangerous, high-speed traffic. Early this year in April, San Jose Mineta International Airport (SJC) posted 30-day notices announcing the permanent closure...
Santa Clara looks to ban recreational nitrous oxide sales
Santa Clara is preparing to ban recreational sales of nitrous oxide products, also known as whippets. But smoke shops within city limits have already started moving away from selling them. The City Council on Tuesday received an update on the proposed ban, which would prohibit the sale and distribution of nitrous oxide for recreational use...
Mountain View legal settlement protecting RVs expires soon
For years, Sylvia Garcia Cruz and her family have lived in a recreational vehicle on Terra Bella Avenue, one of roughly three dozen streets in Mountain View that does not prohibit the parking of RVs and trailers. Twice a week, Garcia Cruz pays someone to move her RV to a different spot on the street in...
Pending San Jose airport road closure poses risk to cyclists
San Jose residents and bicycle advocates are fighting to stop a looming obstacle in their path. Recreational cyclists and bike commuters traveling from San Jose to Santa Clara and Sunnyvale on Ewert Road have been horrified to learn of a planned Oct. 1 closure. The road, which borders the airport, is an essential conduit to...
Collins: Will AI replace your human real estate agent?
While many artificial tools can help with home searches, can artificial intelligence truly replace the personal judgment and local expertise of a human Realtor? Despite its endless capabilities, AI has clear boundaries. AI excels at delivering broad market data, but it falls short when analyzing specific micro-market nuances. Realtors, especially those who leverage AI tools,...
San Jose attempts phased increase for downtown parking rates
San Jose officials are preparing to roll out a revised proposal to increase downtown parking rates, after the original plan met opposition from the city’s business community. The new plan — set to go before the City Council on Tuesday — seeks to soften the financial blow to businesses and workers. It does this in part...
San Jose again tries to tighten controls on license plate readers
Facing public outcry over alleged misuse of San Jose’s automated license plate reader data, a group of elected leaders has unveiled new safeguards for the controversial technology. The safeguards, announced Wednesday, aim to make it harder for city employees to use personal devices to access sensitive law enforcement data, including that gathered by license plate...
Ex-Santa Clara officials’ confrontation leads to free speech lesson
A recent confrontation caught on video between two former Santa Clara councilmembers, with one running for mayor, led to the cops being called. But instead of anyone ending up in handcuffs, officers informed them of their First Amendment rights. At the city’s annual Art & Wine Festival on Saturday, Anthony Becker approached Kathy Watanabe at...
