Coyote Valley

Coyote Valley from Santa Teresa County Park, April 1, 2006

Coyote Valley is a large expanse of farmland, orchards and homes, approximately 7,200 acres (29 km²) in size, located in the most southern part of San Jose, California. The Coyote Valley is targeted for urban development and is currently undergoing the State of California Specific Plan process in which master planning of the site has commenced, and the feasibility of bringing new development to the area is being analyzed by planners, environmentalists, engineers, and the general public. Much controversy surrounds the proposal to build in this valley, which is considered by many to be the last remaining "untouched" open area within San Jose, and an open space buffer between the urban City of San Jose and the northward expanding City of Morgan Hill. [1] Currently, Coyote Valley is home to large areas of orchards and farms, although that scene has been expected to change for decades. The Dahlin Group, based in San Ramon, California, has been chosen by the City of San Jose to create a master plan for the area. Dahlin Group's Conceptual Plan calls for at least 50,000 jobs and 25,000 homes, an international garden, a 54 acre (220,000 m²) central lake, a hub and spoke Bus Rapid Transit system, and a Greenbelt between the new town and Morgan Hill.

Fiscal Analysis

The Draft Fiscal Analysis for Coyote Valley development [2] concludes that San Jose will make more money in tax revenues from development than it will spend on providing government services. It reaches this conclusion by assuming that residential property values and resulting taxes will increase 3% above inflation every year for 57 years. The Committee for Green Foothills disputes this analysis, arguing that because household income has only increased 1% above inflation annually in San Jose, it is impossible for the cost of housing to continuously increase faster than the means to pay for housing costs.[3] The Committee also argues the Draft Analysis overestimates income by failing to account for tax revenues "cannibalized" by businesses moving from other parts of San Jose to Coyote Valley.

See also

• Metcalf Energy Center A 600 megawatt power plant located in the Northern section of Coyote Valley.

External links

• Coyote Valley Specific Plan Homepage
• Save the Coyote Valley Homepage
• Dahlin Group Urban Design Homepage
• Committee for Green Foothills articles on Coyote Valley
• Save Coyote Valley!
• Coyote Valley Letter