Study Areas -- An Overview

OVERVIEW

The Santa Clara County Open Space Authority uses its Five-Year Plan to address the increasingly critical need within our region for preservation of diminishing Open Space, Agricultural Lands, Watershed, and Wildlife Habitat.

This overview of Study Areas is available to guide the Authority as it moves forward to meet this challenge on behalf of the public. The purpose of these Study Areas is two-fold.

The Study Areas in which the Authority operates are intended to be contiguous or shared with many other jurisdictions, making these preservation objectives regional and multi-agency in nature. The Authority is poised to accomplish much, but success is dependent on a cooperative effort among all neighboring cities, counties, agencies, as well as the public.

Each description outlines the resources within Study Area that the Board has determined are significant and which contribute to the criteria the Board may use to establish priorities for potential acquisitions. They are consistent with the resources and guidelines outlined in the Authority’s Acquisition Criteria, as shown in the Five Year Plan. They will also create a focused framework for gathering any additional information that the Board may find useful in developing its acquisition priorities for each Area.

Development of a Study Area description is intended for planning and information purposes only and does not signify a commitment to purchase any lands, nor does it commit how the lands may be used. While the descriptions may outline extensive areas desirable for preservation, not all lands may be acquired within any given Study Area. The following seeks to identify geographic areas of interest and the resource protection goals that would be achieved by seeking to preserve land in these areas.

Milpitas-Berryessa Study Area

Consisting of approximately 7,000 areas, this Area is adjacent to both Ed R. Levin County Park and watershed lands of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (PUC), draining into Calaveras Reservoir. The area itself includes the primary watershed for the Berryessa and Penitencia Creeks. Urban development as already made inroads nearby, and in face constitutes the western boarder of this Area.

Preservation of this Study Area will enhance Open Space and scenic values, especially in relation to the views from the adjoining County Park, the City of Milpitas, and the Berryessa Neighborhood of San Jose. Acquisitions in this Area will also protect the watershed and adjacent riparian corridors where Red-Legged Frog and Tiger Salamander, both protected species, have been observed. Preservation of key lands within the Milpitas-Berryessa Study Area will ensure that the habitat for these rare species, as well as many other species, is permanently protected. Trail connections could be made to Ed R. Levin County Park, thus creating a new trail network in this Area for public use.

Arroyo Aguague Study Area

The 5,400-acre Arroyo Aguague Area represents a key opportunity to protect the Alum Rock watershed, which drains into a number of waterways including Penitencia Creek. This Study Area adjoins Joseph D. Grant County Park to the south and Nature Conservancy protected lands to the east, while urban development makes up its western boundary.

Because of its close proximity to the urban interface, acquiring key lands in this Study Area could ultimately provide for easily accessible recreational trail connections, particularly to Joseph D. Grant County and Alum Rock City Parks, including views of the ridgeline from Alum Rock, Mt. Hamilton Road, and other neighborhoods in San Jose habitat protection is another benefit of Open Space Preservation in this Study Area, where deer, bobcat, mountain lion, and many other mammals are known to live.

Evergreen Study Area

The East San Jose Foothills comprise this 8,100-area Study Area, which is critical watershed for Silver Creek and its many small feeder and tributary creeks. This Area has enormous potential for regional trail connections, being bordered to this north by the proposed Arroyo Aguague Study Area, to the east by Joseph D. Grant County Park, and partially to the west by the proposed Coyote Ridge Study Area. With this much existing and proposed adjoining public land, significant new regional trail networks could be accommodated.

Urban development is encroaching to the west of this Area, making its protection a high priority. By acquiring strategic parcels here, views to the foothills from the Evergreen and Silver Creek neighborhoods of San Jose will be preserved, and residents will be afforded a balance between urban development and preservation of nearby Open Space. Preservation of this Area could provide a significant wildlife corridor for a great variety of species including deer and bobcat.

Coyote Ridge Study Area

This is a 10,000-acre Study Area that includes the East Coyote Foothills and lands to the east of Anderson Lake and is a significant contributor to both the Anderson Lake an Coyote Creek watersheds. Urban development is making inroads to the north, south, and west of this Study Area. It also adjoins the proposed Evergreen Study Area to the East, Coyote Creek County Park to the west, and Anderson Lake County Park to the south, and may give this area some potential for trails.

The protected Bay Checker Spot Butterfly and eight federally protected plant species have been documented in this unique serpentine Area making it a high priority for habitat protection. Despite the encroaching urban development, this Area is largely undisturbed. By acquiring essential parcels in this Study Area, the important ridgelines and view within it will be permanently preserved, as well as a special Santa Clara Valley treasure of serpentine endemics.

Upper Coyote Creek Study Area

At approximately 13,000 acres in size, this Study Area has high potential for maintaining uninterrupted habitat corridors and preserving significant riparian and watershed resources. Made up of the east Gilroy foothills, the Palassou Ridge, and Canada de los Osos, this Area is the primary watershed for the Pajaro Conservancy, to the east is Henry Coe State Park, to the south is Highway 152, and to the west are extensions of Coyote Lake County Park, as well as some urban development.

Preservation of key parcels in this Study Area will preserve steelhead trout habitat, as well as that of the Red-Legged Frog and California Tiger Salamander, both protected species. Trail connections to Henry Coe State Park and potentially to the Nature Conservancy lands could provide public access and a component of a future regional trail network. The very-visible 2,300-footridge top will also benefit from permanent protection.

Western Watershed Study Area

The 30,000-acre Western Watershed Study Area is bordered to the north by Almaden Quicksilver and Calero County Parks, and extends west and south to the Santa Clara County line. To the east is Coyote Valley and to the south is Uvas Reservoir. In addition to preserving the crucial benefit of continuous habitat and riparian corridors, acquiring strategic parcels within this Study Area could result in a regional trail network through the County Parks and into lands managed by Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District. Further, preservation of critical parts of this Study area will extend the ridgeline and view protection. This Area is rich in habitat for many varieties of mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and insects. Among the protected species that are predicted to occur are Western Pond Turtle, California Tiger Salamander, and Red-Legged Frog (observed).

The Authority’s Baylands Study Area consists of over 16,500 acres of shoreline hugging the San Francisco Bay north of Route 237 in north San Jose. This Area is part of the largest estuarial system in the western United States, and (like much of San Francisco Bay) has been significantly diminished by landfill, salt ponds and other disturbances. The remaining tidal wetlands and vernal pools, along with their sensitive habitats, are at great risk. This makes preservation efforts in this Area of paramount importance to the various organizations involved in Baylands protection. Adequate acquisition and preservation of lands in this Area will depend on the Authority working with the U.S. San Francisco Bay Wildlife Refuge and other agencies seeking to preserve incomparable natural resource.

Strategic acquisitions in this Area will preserve habitat for a number of endangered or threatened species including the California Clapper Rail, California Least Tern, Salt Marsh Harvest Mouse, and Western Snowy Plover.

Santa Teresa Ridge Study Area

This 1,500-acre Study Area adjoins a high level of urban development, and as such represents a compelling and urgent opportunity to preserve wildlife habitat, view shed, and recreational trail possibilities. To the southeast, this prominent ridge remains in its natural condition and abuts Santa Teresa County Park. This connection could, in effect, make it an Open Space ‘gateway’ to the County Park and thus create an interrelationship with the Authority’s Western Watershed Study Area further to the south. To the southwest, the Almaden Valley side of this ridge has been developed, while to the northeast the development of south San Jose is prevalent.

Existing fire roads and the Santa Clara Valley Water district canal service road provide the potential for trail opportunities in this Area. Trail connections could include links into Santa Teresa County Park and through that into the Western Watershed Study Area, Calero and Almaden Quicksilver County Parks, and ultimately to Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District lands.

Acquisitions in this Area could preserve the ridge’s view shed, ensuring that the scenic backdrop to the surrounding areas will remain. Further, protection of this area will help to prevent the further reduction of wildlife habitat for several varieties of mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and insects.

South Coyote Valley Greenbelt Study Area

This 3,300acre area is located just north of the City of Morgan Hill. The City of San Jose’s General Plan shows this area being located between Palm Avenue and Madrone Avenue on the west side of Monterey Highway and between the Morgan Hill City Limit line and Metcalf Avenue on the east side. In addition, the General Plans of Santa Clara County and Morgan Hill also indicate this general area as greenbelt or urban buffer. The San Jose General Plan calls for this Greenbelt to be a “permanent non-urban buffer between San Jose and Morgan Hill.” In addition, the General Plans of the County and Morgan Hill also indicate this general area as a greenbelt or urban buffer. Already, 840 acres are in public ownership. The remaining land consists of parcels that range in size from five to 100 acres.

The Authority’s 5 Year Plan calls for valley floor preservation, development of regionally significant trails, agricultural preservation and segments of a greenbelt between cities. The Coyote Valley area offers a unique opportunity to meet these Authority goals.

By recognizing the importance of the Coyote Valley Greenbelt Study Area, the Authority may participate in refining the vision for this area. Essential parcels in this area may be acquired to help preserve the look and feel of this remaining greenbelt buffer.

South County Agricultural Area

The Santa Clara Valley area has historically grown a variety of fruit, row, field, floral and nursery crops. But over the last 20 years, agricultural crop acreage has generally declined and the remaining land is under pressure from urban and non-urban uses.

The Authority’s 5-Year Plan and enabling legislation calls for preservation of agricultural land.

The Santa Clara County Agricultural Conservation Easement Task Force, a collaborative effort of property owners, public agencies and interest individuals and organizations from throughout the county, recently published the “Agricultural Conservations Easement Program in Santa Clara County”. This report outlines significant agricultural lands in the southern part of the county. It also highlights several action items that could be taken to preserve agriculture and assigns many of these tasks to the Authority.

Acquisition of Conservation Easements in these prime agricultural lands is one way the Authority could help preserve these remaining parcels and help support the concept of “sustainable cities”.