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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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…)

In The September District 10 Newsletter, Johnny Khamis has a nice quote about the value of parks. “Another thing I appreciated about Copenhagen, is the increased community outreach in the planning of parks and other public destinations. This helps them achieve highly activated public spaces. I was especially impressed with the Read more…

If you missed the first ever Mayoral Forum on Parks issues you can watch the entire event at the below link. The San Jose Parks Advocates are grateful to the many community members who attended our forum on Monday, April 21. We are especially appreciative of Santa Clara County Open Space Authority, Committee Read more…