By Dale Evans
Michael Burke, who led the opposition to the Los Gatos Christian Church expansion at the June 26 Planning Commission hearing, was correct in saying the town of Los Gatos eagerly petitioned his father to accept annexation back in 1967.
The reason was that Western Microwave Inc. wanted to build a facility along Hicks Road and join the likes of IBM, which had located its Advanced Research Center across Guadalupe Creek. Los Gatos was eager to be part of such a research park ... eager for the anticipated tax revenue, and eager for the prestige. Norman Burke agreed to the annexation, and Western Microwave built a facility at 16845 Hicks Road.
Alas, the vision of a research park was short-lived. IBM downgraded the status of its facility, and Western Microwave decided to abandon Los Gatos altogether by 1973. There was angst in the community and the specter of a big, empty building on Hicks Road.
Los Gatos Christian Church, which had outgrown its building on Daves Avenue in Monte Sereno, was interested and, with town approval, took over the property. Had the church done the town a favor? Most certainly. Indeed, it seemed like a good solution for everyone.
A new sanctuary was built in 1975, and permission was granted by the Town Council in 1978 for a new 28,800-square-foot gym. The double-digit inflation and high interest rates of the late '70s caused the project to be delayed. True, the property was rezoned from research park to hillside residential-single family in 1976, but the town assured the church that churches are allowed in any zoning. So the permit was allowed to expire because church leadership assumed the town would again approve construction of a gym.
In fact, the church applied for permission to build a gym, a small office building and a Sunday school building in 1982. After completion of the design review and assessment of environmental impact, town staff passed the project onto the Planning Commission with a recommendation for approval. The Fire Marshall had requested that the church be required to install fire hydrants along Hicks Road and that the installation be completed before any approvals were given.
The church complied with the request and also agreed to abandon a 1,000-gallon underground diesel storage tank, which had been installed legally but was not well-received by the neighbors.
The process then stalled at the Planning Commission hearing. Robert and Michael Burke had organized the neighbors in a vehement protest against any increase in traffic and complained bitterly about the existing traffic. In fact, church attendance peaked in 1984 at approximately 5,600 people attending four Sunday services. Today, Sunday attendance is approximately 1,600. The Planning Commission directed that the church and town staff (planners and traffic engineers) meet with the neighbors (represented by Robert and Michael Burke) to negotiate a solution to the traffic problem. Lengthy negotiations produced the following solution:
* The church would pay the city of San Jose for the installation of a traffic light at Camden Avenue and Hicks Road, widening Hicks Road to the Burke Road intersection, and installation of a narrow sidewalk along a portion of the north side of Hicks Road.
* The church would pay $67,800 for the reconfiguration of Burke Road to specifically address the concerns of the Burkes and their immediate neighbors.
* The church would pay for improvements to driveways B and C, by which the church property was entered off Hicks Road, in order to improve their appearance and the flow of traffic.
These improvements, in addition to the abandonment of the diesel storage tank and installation of the fire hydrants, were completed by the church at a total cost of more than $295,800.
Although the church actually completed these requirements stipulated by the town, the town did not give permission to expand the church facility in any manner.
That was an unprecedented action. All around Los Gatos and other municipalities, there have remained sections of unimproved street, road, sidewalk and a new Vasona Park entrance, which could only be improved when the adjoining land was developed. That has always been the custom. Improvements have always been made a condition of development and incorporated into the cost of development.
Los Gatos Christian Church and Los Gatos Christian School are now asking the town for permission to proceed with the development for which required improvements have already been made. The proposed development is modest: permission to increase the student enrollment from the current maximum of 540 to a new maximum of 770 over a five-year period; permission to install a few temporary buildings to accommodate the increase; and permission to build a 17,500-square-foot youth center.
Although traffic was made to seem like it was the principal reason for denial--based upon the individual comments of the members of the Planning Commission--commissioners voted to approve the "negative declaration" prepared by town staff and independent consultants retained by the town. Town staff had recommended approval, and the Planning Commission voted to approve that negative declaration for good reason--traffic was shown to not be a significant impact. Actually, all the significant events at the recreation center will occur when church and school are not in use--Saturdays, Christmas and Easter vacations and summer.
That means approval of the project depended upon whether it would result in a "community benefit." Can there be any doubt this project offers substantial community benefit? In a state so strapped for money that its public school system has dropped to the bottom of national rankings, is it not a benefit when a organization wants to improve the system? In a county that has not seen a new recreational facility for teenagers since 1985, isn't it a community benefit when an organization wants to build a new recreational facility for teenagers? Isn't structured physical activity the best way for young people to development strong, healthy bodies and a positive, robust constitution? Isn't structured physical activity the best way to avoid boredom and the teen problems that are the inevitable consequence of boredom?
Michael Burke told the Planning Commission that the town promised his father that his acceptance of annexation would mean no further development on Hicks and Shannon roads. That was 1967, about the same year my wife and I bought our house on San Benito Avenue for $31,500. Could anybody have foreseen the future? Who could have predicted that land would skyrocket in value, and Los Gatos would become the suburb for the new rich?
Since then, we have seen every one of our favorite views of Los Gatos disappear, and we struggle every day with traffic congestion and inadequate parking. We don't think the rights and pleasures of the residents on Hicks and Shannon are any more sacred then our own. Isn't it rather a situation where all of us in Los Gatos must share the responsibility, and the burden, of our new-found wealth, and of providing for our young people?
Los Gatos Christian Church and Los Gatos Christian School have won my allegiance with their sincere concern for the community, and their sincere concern for our young people. It is time for Los Gatos to respond in kind.
Dale Evans is a Los Gatos resident and has worked as a paid consultant to Los Gatos Christian Church on this project.
APPEAL ON AUG. 5
Los Gatos Christian Church appears before the Town Council Aug. 5 to appeal the Planning Commission denial of its application to expand its school and build a youth recreational facility. The meeting is at 7:30 p.m. in the Town Council Chambers, 110 E. Main St. Staff reports can be obtained from the Planning Department for a small fee. The reports will also be available for reading in the library. --Editor
This article appeared in the Los Gatos Weekly-Times, July 24, 1996.
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