Willow Glen Resident

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Neighborhoods Commission worked feverishly to meet review deadline

By Eli Segall

The Neighborhoods Commission Workgroup is moving at a fast pace to create a commission that oversees quality of life issues in San Jose. The commission's charter has undergone six revisions since August, two of which came in a five-day period in late February.

The charter has to be completed by June, at which time it will be presented to the San Jose City Council. But the recent rush toward completion was in anticipation of the March 8 hearing where the council's Neighborhood Services and Education Committee will review its charter. The committee, headed by Councilwoman Judy Chirco, must approve the document before the full council reviews it.

"We're moving quickly," said group member Don Gagliardi. "We need to vet this thing."

The commission, a brainchild of the Strong Neighborhoods Initiative Project Advisory Committee, will advise the city council on quality of life issues such as traffic and code enforcement. It will be composed of three representatives from each of the 10 city council districts, and commissioners will be voted in through neighborhood caucuses.

The SNI PAC members are the guiding force in bringing the commission to life. The group, however, ends in June, and PAC members originally viewed the commission as an SNI PAC extension.

City leaders have expressed enthusiasm over its creation, but one criticism levied against it is that it's too SNI-centric. The first version of the charter retained one-third of the seats for SNI residents; due to the concerns of non-SNI group members, that clause was removed last month, Gagliardi said.

To show residents the commission is "a voice for everyone in San Jose, not just SNI," the commission recently changed its name from the Strong Neighborhoods Commission to the San Jose Neighborhoods Commission, said chairwoman Beth Shafran-Mukai. There will be another round of citywide community input on March 24 at San Jose City Hall. A previous forum was held in January.

Currently, the group is fine-tuning the commission's sphere of influence and identifying areas of overlap with other city commissions. Ernest Guzman, chairman of the SNI PAC and a group member, said various council members and commissioners have raised concerns over blurred jurisdictional borders. The commission would address a broad range of topics, such as development, parks and libraries, all of which have their own commissions.

However, Guzman noted that some areas it hopes to address do not have a commission, such as neighborhood beautification and revitalization.

"There is a misperception that this will take away authority from both groups," Guzman said of the council and the commissions. "That's not the case."

Nora Campos is one council member who has expressed concern over the neighborhood commission's scope and duties. Campos is "very excited" about the commission, but agreed the issue of blurred borders must still be addressed.

Mayor Chuck Reed's office is also uncertain of the commission's responsibilities.

"We're curious as to what its mission will be, and how it will interact with other commissions," said Pete Furman, Reed's chief of staff.