Neighboring Community Associations,

DeJa Vu. Oakridge is rushing a new design to planning on 6/13, then to city council before the July recess. VEP first learned of a change approx Mon 6/4 and visited with Westfield on 6/5. We received site diagrams and general info at that meeting and we were fairly satisfied with Westfield's spirit of cooperation with us. Westfield has committed to meeting with VEP regularly during the design and construction of the project so we can influence the detail design and construction logistics.

On Sat 6/9 we received a copy of the revised EIR, whereupon we learned that Westfield plans to remove the bowling alley and transfer that square footage to the mall expansion. The bowling alley will become a parking lot that satifies mall parking requirements (it's so far away that it's extremes are barely within the 1000 foot noticing distance of the project!). Technically there is no net change in the project scope. (I call that fuzzy math.)

Sorry I forgot to pass the word to neighboring associations sooner, though we weren't aware of the bowling alley surprise until Saturday eve. Below are links to the Planning Commission agenda for 6/13/01 and the planning staff report on the revised project. The planning staff report is very well written and summarizes the EIR fairly accurately (and takes several hours less to read).

Planning agenda 6/13/01:
http://www.ci.san-jose.ca.us/planning/sjplan/2001agendas/pc06-13.html

Staff report for Oakridge Mall expansion:
http://www.ci.san-jose.ca.us/planning/sjplan/pdf/pchearings/reports/PD C00-09-088.pdf

VEP will speak at the planning commission hearing. Meeting starts at 6:00 and this item is close to the end of the agenda. I'm told the meeting could last very late since it is one of the last planning commission hearings before City Council's July recess.

VEP plans to remain essentially neutral on the changes, while expressing concern about traffic, pedestrian safety and the like. The new plan moves all of the mall additions (except for Macy's expansion), the 20 theaters, and parking structures to the front of the mall with a modern "pedestrian" face. All in all, it looks like a nicer project than the one proposed last year.

Dave Noel
President, VEP Community Association