LPNA Community Projects 2018

Posted on by Greg Peck

The Los Paseo Neighborhood Association has multiple projects in Los Paseo Park this year. These projects are primarily funded by a BeautifySJ grant from the City, submitted by LPNA. LPNA members have initiated these projects with Parks, Recreation & Neighborhood Services (PRNS) to beautify and enhance our Park.

  • Planting of 10 new shade trees (Catalpa speciosa) in the Park. Purpose was to provide shade to the sun-exposed, non-reserve picnic area, and add additional shade trees in the Park. LPNA worked with Our City Forest (OCF) and Americorps volunteers with support from PRNS to get the job done. PRNS established a hose coupling nearby to water trees if needed during the hot summer months until they are established. (BeautifySJ funds) Complete!
  • Repair and painting of the restroom building in the Park. Also, we will be repairing the decomposed granite (DG) surface in the picnic area near the bathroom. This is a continuing effort by LPNA member Herb Bowen to keep the reserve picnic area looking great. LPNA has teamed with PRNS to accomplish this project. This renovation will happen at 10:00 am on April 29th. The community and Bernal Church volunteers will be involved in this effort. If interested in helping, please join us.
  • Installation of two new park benches between the tennis courts and the restroom building. Current status, park bench types have been identified. Project target date is July. (BeautifySJ funds).
  • Upgrade to the lighting inside and outside the restroom building, installing new LED lighting. This project was initiated to address the poor, outdated lighting in and around the building, for purposes of increased visibility within the restrooms, and increased illumination around the building at night. Complete!

Note: Herb Bowen is the LPNA contact person working with the city planners on Los Paseos Park projects. City planners and Parks personnel will meet with and update the community at the LPNA meeting on May 19th, 7:00 p.m. at Santa Teresa Library. If you have any questions concerning these projects, please contact Herb though the LPNA website “Contact Us” page

PB Round 2 Update

Posted on by Greg Peck

Many of our neighbors have inquired about the status of the PB projects. While LPNA is not managing all the PB projects (this is the City’s responsibility), some of its members have personal interest to ensure the success of their own projects championed through the PB process. As a result, those involved in managing their own projects have better insight to the status vs others within the community. Information is always available through the City’s District 2 website. The Parks Upgrade information below is more up to date with thanks to Parks Upgrade member Herb Bowen managing that group’s projects.

 Participatory Budget (PB) projects, ROUND 2 winners

Money for Our Local Schools – Complete!

Beautification on Santa Teresa (A): Landscaping and Neighborhood Signs —

Landscape side strips, place neighborhood entrance signs, paint the sound walls between Chantilly and Bayliss Dr.

  • Status:

a) Sound walls painted (some wall sections still need completion, and are being addressed)
b) wood repaired neighborhood entrance sign locations established
c) tree planting locations have been established by the City arborist and the PB Project Delegate, and planting will begin soon.

Parks Upgrade 1 (B): Shade Playgrounds at 2 Parks —

Shade structures for playground at Metcalf Park and Los Paseos Park.

  • Status: City parks planners are using multiple vendors for procuring equipment and contractors to install the structures. Could be in the middle of the summer.

Parks Upgrade 1 (C): Solar Lights for Los Paseos Park —

Solar lighting from tennis courts to the parking lot.

  •  Status: City parks planners are in the process of ordering the solar lights. PB funded 5 lights, city added 3 more for a total of 8 solar lights for the pathway.

Paseos Lighting  — Complete!

Upgrade three paseos’ lighting with LED lights, brighter than existing lights.

  • Status: All 3 paseos’ lights have been retrofitted. Complete!
    1. Avenida Rotella à Tennis courts
    2. Avenida Espana à Cheltenham Way
    3. Avenida Espana à Bayliss

Note: Herb Bowen is the LPNA contact person working with the city planners on Los Paseos Park projects. City planners and Parks personnel will meet with and update the community at the LPNA meeting on May 19th, 7:00 p.m. at Santa Teresa Library. If you have any questions concerning these projects, please contact Herb though the LPNA website “Contact Us” page

 

Community Improvement to Los Paseos Park

Posted on by Greg Peck

During the PB process, we noted that the entrance to the parking lot for Los Paseos Park was poorly marked. Through the persistence of Herb Bowen and the Los Paseos Neighborhood Association, a new sign marking the entrance has just been installed. Thanks also go to Shawn Moresco at the City’s Dept. of Transportation.

 

Barbara Canup

Los Paseos Neighborhood Association

Muriel Wright Center Update

Posted on by Greg Peck

Questions have been raised concerning how the Muriel Wright Center located in Santa Teresa County Park will operate when it re-opens in March of 2018. County Supervisor Wasserman addressed these questions and others at the end of the Measure A Bond meeting held February 22, 2018 at the South Side Community Center organized by San Jose Residents for Housing Solutions

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJUtOidjO9g?rel=0]

The URLs referenced near the end of the Q&A have not been posted as of yet. We will update this post as that information becomes available.

Video of Community Meeting regarding Measure A Bond for Housing

Posted on by Greg Peck

On February 22, 2018, a local community group, San Jose Residents for Housing Solutions, held a meeting at Southside Community Center to have Supervisor Wasserman discuss government division of jurisdictions and how Measure A bond funds are being used to provide affordable housing in Santa Clara County. If you were unable to attend this meeting, you can view this informative discussion via the embedded video below.

To learn more about the issues regarding housing solutions, go to their website for San Jose Residents for Housing Solutions

Video of LPNA meeting Feb 15 2018

Posted on by Greg Peck

For those unable to attend the Thursday night Q1 meeting for LPNA, the contents of the meeting were recorded on video. The topic covered at this meeting was the Evergreen Senior Homes Initiative with presentations from both project advocates as well as project opponents. This initiative will appear on the June ballot so it is imperative for the community to learn about this issue to make an informed decision at the polls.

If after viewing these videos, you wish to attend another public meeting on this issue to voice your concerns, STBNA will hold a public meeting on this same issue:

Location: Santa Teresa Public Library – Community Meeting Room
Date: February 26
Time: 7:00pm-9:00pm

First LPNA General Meeting of 2018

Posted on by Greg Peck

February 15th, 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.

Santa Teresa Library, 290 International Cir, San Jose, CA 95119

All are welcome to learn about this controversial initiative for a development project in Evergreen. Why should you care about a development project in Evergreen? Because this initiative could have long-term and far-reaching implications for future development in San Jose, including Coyote Valley.

Both proponents and opponents will be presenting. Come and learn so that you can make an informed decision at the polls in June.

Hosted by the Los Paseos Neighborhood Association

LPNA 2017 Year in Review

Posted on by Greg Peck

LPNA 2017 Year in Review

We started the year on a high note by winning a District 2 Community Honoree Award at the State of the City Address in February.

In April, LPNA partnered with Bernal Bible Church to spruce up Los Paseos Park by replacing the dirt area under the new picnic tables with stabilized decomposed granite (DG).  More work to follow…

 

In June, LPNA hosted a community meeting regarding the status of the vacant Nob Hill store, attended by about 80 neighbors.  Los Paseos residents heard from Amber Wright as a representative of the property manager/owner, ROIC.  She explained some of the issues and roadblocks to filling the vacant space.

We held our first LPNA mixer in June, attended by about 35 people from the Cheltenham area of the neighborhood.  More mixers to come.

In August, LPNA hosted our third annual NATIONAL NIGHT OUT, bigger and better than 2016.  Over 400 people attended, including our District Council Member, Sergio Jimenez and Mayor Liccardo.  We provided hot dogs and ice creams, a jumpy house and chalk art contest for the kids, and a live blues band.  We plan to make 2018 even more fun and exciting.

LPNA hosted a Los Paseos Dumpster day in December, giving neighbors the opportunity to get rid of 20 tons (40,000 pounds) of unwanted junk.

On December 3rd, LPNA partnered with Frank Mata, a Los Paseos neighbor, and the Los Paseos Homeowners Association, to host a fun Christmas event at the Los Paseos Pool Clubhouse.

We held regular General Meetings in alternate months throughout the year to provide opportunities for the Los Paseos neighbors to learn about and discuss a variety of issues and topics:

  • We heard a presentation by High Speed Rail Authority (HSRA) representatives. The neighborhood expressed concerns, especially regarding a viaduct along Monterey Road, possible blight and impacts to property values.
  • County Supervisor Mike Wasserman talked about the County’s services, including clinics and hospitals, County expressways and roadways, social services (particularly on housing and homelessness), elections, and parks and libraries.
  • A Fire Marshall discussed efforts on illegal fireworks.
  • We heard updates on North Coyote Valley and the Peninsula Open Space Authority (POST) purchase of property that had been proposed for development. POST recently purchased an additional 60+ acres. These purchases will forever allow those areas to be open space.
  • The Santa Clara Valley Water District discussed Water Issues and Flood Control.
  • More than one meeting focused on homelessness issues: Over 40 people attended a discussion of the controversial Bridge Housing project with the City of San Jose Housing Department. SPUR, a leading civic planning organization respected for their independent research and holistic approach, talked about Affordable Housing and homelessness.

 

LPNA has helped focus attention and shift the discussions on significant issues. LPNA will continue to engage with organizations and politicians at the City, County, and State levels, providing opportunities to get information, to learn about and to discuss issues that are relevant to our area, and to work on projects that benefit the community.  More on our plans for 2018 in a future post.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!

Greg Peck, President

Los Paseos Neighborhood Association

LPNA website: www.lospaseosneighbors.com

Facebook page: Los Paseos Neighborhood Association

Dumpster Day Success on 12/9/2017

Posted on by Greg Peck

Hello, neighbors.

Glad you were able to dispose of your unwanted materials last Saturday. The 5 dumpsters that were hauled away contained about 4 tons per dumpster (per the person who picked them up). That’s a total of ~20 tons or ~40,000 pounds.

They were hauled to a recycle center where they are sorted to different materials. Approximately 95% of the material will be recycled. It’s amazing! All the different types of materials get either shredded (clothes, mattresses), composted, ground, melted to make ready for another round of products.

Going forward, you can schedule free large item pickups, scheduled for pickup on your regular pickup day. You would place the large item per their guidelines at the garbage and trash can locations on your street. Get information and make arrangements at (408) 213-7800. See a flyer of the service, attached here. It shows the Holiday schedule, and a free Christmas tree pickup.

Thanks to the volunteers who pitched in to help make for a smooth operation, and thanks to the D2 office, for the outreach from Vanessa Sandoval and Laura Nguyen to LPNA, enabling this event to be held in the Los Paseos neighborhood. The volunteers were ebullient and happy to help as they worked throughout the day.

Check out some of our ambitious and hardworking neighbors who volunteered, and some who hauled by handcart some junk to be thrown away.

Regards,
Greg Peck
LPNA