In its latest set of plans, the San Jose Water Company proposes to demolish its facility on Reservoir Road and fill the resulting hole with either 8,000 or 4,000 cubic-yards of dirt. The dirt would be imported by trucks over a maximum of eight days.

In addition, the water company would provide uniformed off-duty police officers and flag people at key intersections, relocate an existing sewer line and upgrade a water line to increase available water volume to the area in case a fire breaks out. The water company has pledged to upgrade the water line regardless of how the council votes.

The new plans were to be discussed at last week's council meeting, but residents near the reservoir requested postponement of the hearing because the nearly 90-page staff report outlining the project was not available until the evening before Thanksgiving. This left inadequate time for a thorough review of the project, said residents and council members.

"The project has been exhaustively reviewed over the past 2 1/2 years. We feel the council has sufficient information to take final action on the 15th," said Eric Morley, a real estate adviser to San Jose Water Company.

In addition to meeting with representatives from the water company again during the extra two weeks, residents near the reservoir plan to meet with town staff and officials.

"We're headed in the right direction," said resident Suzanne Cochran. "The cooperation between the water company and residents has been a big improvement."

Nevertheless, Cochran said she still had requests that the water company tag trees slated for removal for easy identification and that it stop all trucking between 2 and 3:30 p.m. when students are being let out of Los Gatos High School. She's also looking for assurance that no additional filling activity or tree removal will occur once the project is approved.

The water company has proposed keeping trucks off the street between 2:15 and 2:45 p.m. and has agreed to cap filling operations at 8,000 cubic-yards.

The company is proposing two options for filling the reservoir hole. The first requires 8,000 cubic-yards of dirt in order to run a sewer line through the San Jose Water Company's property. The second option would require 4,000 cubic-yards of dirt, but the line would remain on the property of 10 Reservoir Road—contrary to the wishes of the West Valley Sanitation District, which owns the sewer line, and the property owner.

While the water company has said it will accept either plan, neighbors hope the town will go with the second plan, Cochran said.

Moreover, neighbors want the water company to remove the reservoir, fill the hole and wait for the land to return to its natural state before proceeding with plans to subdivide the land for future developments.

Residents also take issue with a traffic study conducted on non-consecutive dates in July, August and September. The study was meant to determine traffic impacts to Main Street, College Avenue and Reservoir Road due to the large trucks transporting dirt.

Since most of the studies were conducted over the summer, Cochran said she wants another study done to reflect the impacts when school is in session. According to the staff report, the water company plans to do its best to schedule trucking activity for the summer.

The Dec. 15 meeting will take place at the council chambers, 110 E. Main St., starting at 7 p.m.