Rose Garden Resident

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Winchestester Blvd. pool building could be rezoned as commercial

By Lisa Sibley

The familiar A-framed building with the swimming pool, now used as a cell phone store, at the corner of Williams Road and Winchester Boulevard could become transformed into a new commercial property.

Ronnie Berry owns the property and the adjacent parcel, where a vacant little red house currently sits. The two parcels total about a third of an acre.

The Winchester Neighborhood Action Coalition recently met and discussed the owner's proposal to amend the city's General Plan from residential medium-low density to general commercial.

"We are really at the beginning of what we hope will be a successful journey," said Eugene Sakai, a principal with Studio S Squared Architecture.

City staff told residents that they have completed a preliminary review of the project, but no hearing date has been set for the rezoning of the property. However, Sakai did present neighbors with one of three schemes favored by city planners.

After reviewing the design, residents voiced concerns about the configuration of one of the driveways, which opens on to Williams Road. They worried it was a safety hazard for children walking to school. The residents also questioned how the proposed plan would impact the redevelopment of the curbs and gutters at the intersection. In addition, they voiced concerns about the height of the building once the property is rezoned.

Sakai assured residents that the developer had no intention of constructing a "50-foot-tall building," which could be built on the site if the city approved the rezoning to general commercial.

Sakai said the property owner is looking to construct a one-story building designed to accommodate about 20 parking spaces, but he reiterated that the entire design is still in the planning stages.

"As far as what it's going to look like, we don't really know yet," he said.

He did tell the residents that the site would not be developed as a restaurant.

Residents will have an opportunity to voice their concerns or opinions to the planning commission at a public hearing.

For more information contact project manager Licinia McMorrow at 408.535.7814 or licinia.mcmorrow@sanjosecagov.