Commissioners may approve a 29-unit condo development
By Moryt Milo
After reviewing plans for a proposed 29-unit condominium development at the former site of the Campbell Trailer Court, business owners along Gilman Avenue told the Campbell Planning Commission during a March 26 meeting that they had serious concerns about safety and parking.
The property, located at 117 Gilman Ave., on the northwest corner of Gilman Avenue and Sam Cava Lane, has been vacant since August 2000. Since that time, the 1.28 acres of land have changed hands twice, and are presently owned by Core Development, the same developer who built the Orchard Grove complex across from the Campbell Public Library on Harrison Avenue.
Business owners on Gilman Avenue are concerned the units are too high for the site.
The commission will vote on the project April 23 during its regularly scheduled meeting at 7:30 p.m., at the Campbell City Council chambers, 70 N. First St.
"Since the sale of the park, the surrounding area has changed," Campbell Community Development Director Sharon Fierro said. "The downtown has grown and light rail is planned. These changes affect how the property is developed."
The property is part of what the city has designated as the south of Campbell Avenue special study area and is subject to specific guidelines under the city's General Plan. The area requires a mixed use of commercial and residential land, and no longer permits new industry.
When the developer first proposed 11 single detached family homes--similar to the homes on Harrison Avenue--the surrounding business owners were comfortable with the design. But to conform to the area requirements, the city told the developer to redesign the project at a higher density.
The revised project, with prices for each unit ranging from $350,000 to $400,000, generated an outcry of disapproval from neighboring business owners.
Sunstone Construction Owner Bill Robowski, whose business is directly across from the park, asked the commission how the project became so large.
He was concerned about the narrow streets and the dangerous curve on the corner of Sam Cava Lane supporting residential traffic entering and leaving the complex.
"I've driven a truck for 17 years and there are safety issues to be considered with the number of large trucks that drive down the street," he said. "I think [the commission] is making a big mistake and ignoring the truth about the dangers."
Other business owners shared Robowski's concern and told the commission that the proposed driveway at the corner of Gilman Avenue and Sam Cava Lane is considered a blind spot, with cars and trucks often crossing traffic lines as they round the corner.
"What about the safety of children playing out there?" Etching Media Corporation co-owner Julie Belanger said. Belanger's business is adjacent to the proposed development. "This is a big issue, as large trucks continually come through the neighborhood."
Other business owners told the commission that current traffic is not representative of the past because the economy is soft.
"My company typically runs three shifts," Haig Precision Mfg. Corp. co-owner Dawn Sarkisian said. "Currently we are down to one."
Sarkisian was also concerned that the city had not conducted an environmental impact report or traffic-control study on the effects of the proposed project.
Fierro told the commission that this was the first time the project had come before the commission and that an environmental impact report was done when the city's General Plan was developed.
Adequate parking was the other major issue brought before the commissioners, with business owners anticipating that condominium parking will spill onto the streets--58 total parking spaces are planned, with five spaces allocated for visitor parking.
On a daily basis, Gilman Avenue and Sam Cava Lane are lined with parked cars from businesses and individuals using the Campbell Public Park.
The commissioners were also concerned about parking, but Fierro said that prior to the proposed development there were 32 recreational vehicles located on the premises, which were considered housing units.
"But the previous tenants were low-income people living in auto-style trailers, which was a very different situation from the proposed condo development," said Steve Belanger co-owner of Etching Media. "The trailer park was dramatically underpopulated."
After hearing public testimony, the commissioners were not comfortable approving the project without a study session, which was held April 8.
Planning Commissioner Tom Francois told The Campbell Reporter that some of the emotions at the meeting were volatile. "We understand their safety issue concerns and we need to address everything before we can approve anything," he said.
During the session, the commission reviewed the architectural design with project developers David and Chris Neale. Several commissioners asked the developer if the project could be scaled back.
"We had 11 detached homes and the city came back and asked us to make it more dense," David said. "This project is either one way or the other."
When the commission brought up safety and parking issues, Campbell Police Department Chief Dave Gullo said he had discussed the problem with Haig Precision Mfg. co-owner Daniel Sarkisian, who has three locations in the area, and told him he needed to start getting his deliveries and employees to park on business property. A change in owner thinking about deliveries and parking would make a significant difference in traffic, Gullo told the commissioners. But Sarkisian said his employees park on site.
Commissioner Joseph Hernandez also suggested creating a street permit parking system to help solve the parking problem.
The safety issue was reviewed in conjunction with traffic control, which the commission thought could be achieved through more officers patrolling the area.
Campbell, California
