Park Conditions
Park Conditions Presentation 2016 2016 Park Condition Assessment Scores by Council District
City Parks Need More LOVE – “Show me the money”
Fed up with broken sprinkers? Plugged up water fountains? Vandalized play equipment? Tired of hearing “We have no money.” Now is the time to make a difference. It’s budget season when money is allocated for next year. First step: Register for the Mayor’s Budget Prior setting session on Feb 20. Read more…
San Jose’s Shell Game with Park Money is Wrong
Let your council member know what you think. The hearing is Tuesday November 10, 2015 Item 5.2. http://www.mercurynews.com/opinion/ci_29070996/jean-dresden-san-joses-shell-game-park-money Jean Dresden: San Jose’s shell game with park money is wrong By Jean DresdenSpecial to the Mercury News POSTED: 11/04/2015 12:45:39 PM PST0 COMMENTS UPDATED: 11/04/2015 03:34:15 PM PST What’s a city Read more…
Economic Benefit of Parks
When we visit our San Jose Parks, we often focus on the beauty or the fun that the parks provide. Yet, San Jose City Parks also provide extraordinary economic benefit. The Trust for Public Land has been analyzing the economic impact of parks for many cities across the contract, including Read more…
Street Parks: Spaces Between Places
Ever experience the serendipity of discovering a tiny space in San Francisco–all covered with plants, or a bench and trees, or a small community garden? These eye-catching beauties are “spaces between places” and are part of the Street Park program. San Francisco’s Public Works Department partners with San Francisco Park Read more…
Grants: How Local Groups Can Partner with PRNS
Many times Community Groups and residents find grants to support the Parks and Recreation Programs that they love. Yet, some experience the City’s process for approval as a “black box” that acts as a barrier. In June 1014, San Jose Parks Advocates sat with three PRNS officials and outlined the process for partnering Read more…
Where Do Parks Come From?
How San Jose Buys Parks San Jose residents often ask, “How can our neighborhood get a park?” At present, there are three sources of new parks in San Jose—all depend on being near new housing developments. One method: a developer of new housing will provide land for a new park. Read more…
Park Trust Fund FAQ
Critical Money for San Jose Parks San Jose’s Park Trust fund is an important source of money for San Jose’s parks. It pays for land acquisition and capital repairs. Without the Park Trust Fund, there would be no new parks. The rules are complicated and there are many misconceptions. This Read more…
Park Trust Fund
San Jose has a new proposal to divert $11M in Park Trust Fund fees to operations and maintenances of the three big downtown parks from long-planned land acquisitions, major improvements and necessary infrastructure renovations and repairs. With no public outreach, the proposal is scheduled for a December 2 hearing. This Read more…
Parks Should be a Priority in San Jose
by Helen Chapman
With all of the new worries we’ve had in San Jose in recent years…the police exodus, the rise in crime, the poor relationships between city employees and their bosses…it’s easy to lose sight of other “quality of life” issues that are really just as important. In fact, some of the issues that are getting left on the back burner, cold and unattended, are the reason so many people love San Jose and strive to make their home here, and we need to heat those issues up once again.
Someone asked me the other day – “We were promised a park in our neighborhood years ago, why is it taking so long to get a park built?” I wish there was an easy answer. As usual, it comes down to funding and priorities. The primary funding mechanism to build parks, trails and adding capital improvement to existing parks is from the Parkland Dedication Ordinance (PDO). The Ordinance requires developers of new residential sub-divisions to provide land or pay a parkland fee in lieu of land or do both, to acquire, develop or renovate neighborhood and community serving parks to serve the new residents of the sub division(s). The PDO was enacted by the City in 1988 and is consistent with the State’s Quimby Act. The fees paid in lieu of land dedication are deposited into the Park Trust Fund. (more…)