Cambrian Park Plaza is one step closer to redevelopment with the release of its draft environmental report.

Located at the intersection of Union and Camden avenues in San Jose with its iconic carousel sign, the renovated single-story mall , dating from the 1950s, is a long way from being approved. An estimated completion date for the proposed urban village design is not expected until June 2026.

The project is complex and complicated. It requires the annexation of Santa Clara County to San José, which will begin review in mid-2022. This will place the development in District 9, represented by San José Councilwoman Pam Foley. The 18-acre development also requires an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) to address noise and air pollution, traffic, and impacts to land, vegetation, and wildlife. Residents have 45 days for public comment between November 12 and January 3.

The design will include 305 apartments, 48 single-family homes with 27 attached accessory housing units, and 25 townhouses. The town will also provide a 229-room hotel, senior living center, and four acres of open space. Foley has petitioned the developer to build affordable housing .

Alex Shoor, CEO of Catalyze SV, which advocates for sustainable, equitable and vibrant venues, said its members would like the village to include a sports facility, public Wi-Fi and more open spaces. Although the group appreciates the vitality it will bring, it strongly opposes the lack of affordable housing.

“Such a large, important project with so much land and so many different types of buildings absolutely needs and should have affordable housing on site,” Shoor told San Jose Spotlight.

The draft EIR found no “significant and unavoidable impacts” to the environment or utility systems from this project. It states that all impacts can be reduced to "less than significant" according to the standards of the California Environmental Quality Act by implementing appropriate mitigation measures.

Some residents remain skeptical. Marylyn Anderson, who has lived in the area for 38 years, said the complex will overwhelm the neighborhood and public services.

"Each unit requires more electricity and water," he said. "We don't have enough water now and we have constant blackouts."

Other residents in the area are concerned about the traffic and the general aesthetics of the neighborhood.

Peter Clarke, a member of Friends of Cambrian Park Plaza, said residents would like to see lower-rise buildings and are concerned about increased commuter traffic. He said that people who can afford to live in the village are unlikely to choose public transportation over driving. Clarke also disagrees with city plans to add a street through the proposed park.

“We would like families to be able to let children run without worrying about a speeding car approaching,” he said.

Monica Mallon, president of the Cambrian Community Council and transportation columnist for the San Jose Spotlight, said the planned retail and park will attract people in the surrounding areas, creating traffic problems. She said residents are also unhappy with the proposed height of the buildings and want them to be one or two stories.

"In Cambrian, there are not many tall buildings," he said. "I live in a two-story building and it stands out."

The purpose of the EIR is to have a conversation, Foley said. She will host a virtual town hall at 6:30 pm on December 13, and will be joined by city staff and project developers to provide information and answer questions.

"This is an opportunity to get feedback," Foley told the San Jose Spotlight. “It is important that we listen to our community and work with them on what they would like to see. We need to be thoughtful and listen to people's concerns. "

Cambrian Park Plaza has a new owner as Weingarten Realty was recently acquired by Kimco Realty Corp., but Kimco has hired Weingarten to continue the revitalization of the plaza.

Since 2019, Weingarten has worked closely with the Foley office to redesign the plaza based on feedback from residents, Foley said. This includes moving taller buildings to the corner, creating an underground parking lot for 1,000 cars to make the space more attractive, and preserving the beloved carousel sign.

Foley envisions the remodeled Cambrian Park Plaza as a walkable community gathering place.

"This is a wonderful opportunity to create housing and commercial uses in a landmark project," he said. "It's going to be the gateway to Cambrian."

Contact Lorraine Gabbert at [email protected]