Parks, Trails, and Open Space in the Diridon Station Area
Handout Content
Who we are
The Department of Parks, Recreation, and Neighborhood Services is one of the largest departments of the City of San José. We manage 206 parks, 50 community centers, over 61 miles of trails, neighborhood services that help keep our communities safe, programs that keep seniors healthy, activities that keep youth engaged, and public life events that connect our communities.
Los Gatos Creek Master Plan
The Los Gatos Creek is a key natural feature that serves to increase access and connect residents to nature, helping to protect, preserve and promote San Jose’s outdoor spaces. Reach 5 of the Los Gatos Creek Master Plan, the section of the trail is planned between Auzerais Avenue and Santa Clara Street, is the last remaining unconstructed segment of the Los Gatos Creek Trail. Adopted in June 2008, the Los Gatos Creek Master Plan for Reach 5 establishes a recommended trail alignment, special construction consideration, implementation costs, and design guidelines for trail development. www.sanjoseca.gov/ DocumentCenter/View/9360
Aerial image of Los Gatos Creek Master Plan with an overlay explaining the plan visually
Activate SJ
Picture of Park Planning Community Engagement Meeting
ActivateSJ is the proposed 20-year strategic plan for the PRNS that will guide the future work of the department. Currently in draft form, the plan is scheduled to be considered by the San José City Council in 2019. For more information, visit: www. sanjoseca.gov/index.aspx?NID=6331
Vision
Healthy communities that inspire belonging
Mission
Connecting people through parks, recreation, and neighborhood services for an active San José
Guiding Principles
Stewardship: We take care of what we have and invest for the future.
Nature: We protect, preserve and promote outdoor spaces for all people.
Equity & Access: We embrace people of all ages, cultures and abilities.
Identity: We aim to be a premier parks, recreation and neighborhood services system.
Public Life: We promote community spaces for a safe, fun and healthy San José.
Amending the Parks, Trails, and Open Space Concepts in the Diridon Station Area Plan
As part of the process to amend the Diridon Station Area Plan (DSAP), the City is studying changes to the policies, strategies, and diagrams related to public parks, open space, plazas, and trails. Staff’s recommendations will draw upon the adopted DSAP, Los Gatos Creek Master Plan, Diridon Integrated Station Concept Plan (underway), Google’s proposed development project (Downtown West Mixed-use Plan), and community input. Working with its consultants, the City anticipates taking these steps:
Develop draft concepts for the DSAP
Get community input on these draft concepts (spring 2020)
Consider the input to recommend changes to the DSAP
Present the proposed DSAP amendments for additional feedback (summer 2020)
Finalize the DSAP amendments for City Council consideration (fall 2020)
Reviewing Google’s Proposed Development Project
Concurrently with the DSAP amendment process, the City is working with Google to identity public space investments and to develop park design principles, as part of their development project. As with all residential development, the Google project is subject to the City’s Park Impact and Parkland Dedication Ordinances. Parkland obligations can be fulfilled through a combination of: dedicating land for public recreation facilities (parks, trails, community centers); building public recreation facilities; providing private recreation space; and paying in lieu fees used to construct public recreation facilities.
Community Engagement
Previous and ongoing community engagement will inform both the Google project review and DSAP amendment processes. The 2018 process that culminated in the Diridon Station Area Civic Engagement Report (October 2018) explored community concerns and aspirations related to parks, creeks, trails, and public space. These Desired Outcomes (listed in the report) generally had strong agreement among community members:
Safe, visible, well-maintained, and accessible parks, open space, plazas, and trails.
Variety of public space types and scales, and opportunities for accessing nature.
Signature civic plaza near Diridon Station and Santa Clara Street that provides space for special programming and circulation.
Public spaces activated through temporary and permanent programming such as public art, pop-up retail, and events.
Partnerships with the business community and neighborhood groups to advance projects, implement programming, and maintain public spaces.
Interconnected open space and transportation network, incorporating and linking the Guadalupe River and Los Gatos Creek trail systems.
Daylight Los Gatos Creek at Park Avenue, with restored habitat and a continuous off-street trail.
Enhanced riparian habitat.
New development facing the creeks and other open spaces.
For more information visit: www.diridonsj.org/archive
Community Meeting Board Content
As part of the process to amend the Diridon Station Area Plan (DSAP), the City is studying changes to the policies, strategies, and diagrams related to public parks, open space, plazas, and trails. Staff’s recommendations will draw upon these adopted plans and ongoing projects, as well as previous and ongoing community engagement.
