The Campbell Reporter

News

Three new supply wells on old San Jose Water site to be drilled

By Koren Temple

Campbell is moving closer to developing an affordable housing project on the former site of the San Jose Water Co. at the corner of San Tomas Expressway and Campbell Avenue.

Before construction of the 40 single-family homes can begin, the Santa Clara County Water District, which now owns and operates the site, will construct three new water-supply wells before selling the land to the city. The wells are estimated to cost $5.2 million. The Campbell Public Works Department will oversee the project.

"We are acting as the project manager for them to expedite the well project so that the housing project can move forward," said Campbell Public Works Director Bob Kass, whose department got the green light from the city council to proceed on Dec. 11.

In February 2005 the Campbell Redevelopment Agency entered into an agreement with the Santa Clara County Water District to purchase the 3 acres. The land would be developed by the nonprofit organization Charities Housing into an affordable housing complex.

The $4.5 million project includes $3.6 million from the redevelopment agency and $900,000 from Charities Housing.

When the lot was owned by the San Jose Water Company, it was used as a field office and for water storage. They sold the property to the water district in 2003.

After the sale, the Santa Clara County Water District determined it should construct new water wells, Campbell executive project manager Bill Helms said, because the wells on the site had not been used in 10 years and were unproductive.

Construction of the new wells will start in February, and residents living within a 500-foot radius-- particularly around Llewellyn Avenue--will receive notification of the construction timeline. Temporary barriers will be in place to shield drilling noise from nearby residents at that time.

The wells are expected to be completed by the fall, and will move the city into the next phase of the affordable housing project, with construction planned for spring 2008, Campbell Redevelopment Agency manager Kirk Heinrichs said.

Approximately 30 percent of the homes would be sold to people qualifying as low-income earners, and the balance of the homes would be sold to individuals earning between 100 percent and 120 percent of the median income. Median income for a family of four in Santa Clara County is $105,000 a year, according to Heinrichs.

The affordable housing project will include units for people of "very low" income, those who earn 50 percent or below the median. These homes will be priced below affordable housing market rates.

This project coincides with the city's long-range goals for developing affordable housing. Campbell belongs to the Association of Bay Area Governments, which requires that each city have a designated amount of affordable housing. The association consists of more than 560 regional planning agencies working to help alleviate problems in land use, housing, the environment and the economy.

For more information on the well construction, contact the Campbell Public Works Department at 408.866.2150.