SAN JOSE, KPIX – The Sierra Club is suing San Jose over a proposed new office building on the Guadalupe River.
The Boston Properties project would stand 17 stories high and include a million square feet of office space and street retail. There will also be three levels of underground parking that connect to Almaden Boulevard or Woz Way.
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Scott Knies (Executive Director of San Jose Downtown Association) stated that this project, as it is developed, will bring a lot of people, a lot of jobs, and a lot of activity to the downtown.
The Guadalupe River banks will be embraced by the west side. Environmental groups are concerned that the building will be too close the Guadalupe River and could cause harm to wildlife and the environment.
James Eggers, President, Sierra Clubs Loma Prieta Chapter, stated that the closer a development gets to a stream the more pollution it causes and the worse wildlife and water quality becomes.
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San Jose was sued by the Sierra Club, alleging that the city council violated its existing riparian waterway policy by approving the project.
The policy set backs for new construction along riverbanks.
We called the owners to inform them that there was a city ordinance that required setbacks. It wouldn’t pencil out. We said that the ordinance was not intended to help you pencil in. Eggers explained that the ordinance is to benefit the city, the people and the natural resources.
Project backers believe that the development could improve the river’s condition, which is already stressed by trash, traffic, and encampments.
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The city officials were not available for comment until the case was resolved.