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Judge Rejects
Lawsuits over Coyote Valley Corporate Campus October 19, 2001 --- San Jose, CA. Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Leslie C.
Nichols today rejected three remaining lawsuits that challenged the City
of San Jose’s environmental approval of the Coyote Valley Research
Park, LLC (CVRP) Project. San
Jose approved the corporate campus plan in October 2000.
The
City of Salinas, Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments (AMBAG),
County of Santa Cruz, and Loma Prieta Chapter of the Sierra Club and
Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society subsequently filed suit under the
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
The City of San Jose and CVRP recently settled out of court with
the City of Salinas.
In a 40-page written ruling, Judge Nichols
said “the court denies the petitions and claims and requests for
relief in their entirety”. "This
decision is good for the people of San Jose and our long-term plans to
ensure economic prosperity in our region," said San Jose Mayor Ron
Gonzales. "The result will allow an excellent project to move
forward and provide the benefits and opportunities for our residents and
businesses." “The
Judge reaffirmed what we have said all along, that the EIR not only met
but exceeded both the letter and sprit of CEQA,” said San Jose City
Attorney, Richard Doyle. “The EIR was thorough, exhaustive and
complete, and was subjected to unprecedented public scrutiny.
The Judge refused the petitioners’ invitation to create new
law,” he added. “The
ruling was thoughtful, clear and decisive,” said Steve Speno,
spokesman for Coyote Valley Research Park, LLC, Cisco’s development
partners. "Throughout
the entire process of community review we have always preferred
collaboration over litigation, as reflected by the agreements we
have reached with the City of Salinas, the Greenbelt Alliance, and the
Open Space Authority of Santa Clara County. We have demonstrated
our commitment to work together and find productive solutions.” "North
Coyote Valley is vital to the future of San Jose and this region,”
noted Ellen Jamason, Cisco’s Director of Real Estate.
“This ruling helps unlock the long-term benefits for the City
of San Jose and its residents." Contacts:
City
of San Jose, Office of Mayor Ron Gonzales, David Vossbrink, 408-277-3515 Coyote
Valley Research Park, LLC, (CVRP), Steve Speno, 408-278-2386 Cisco
Systems, Steve Langdon, 408-525-1499
San
Jose City Hall 801 N. First St., San Jose,
CA 95110
tel
(408) 277-5131 fax ( 408) 277-3131
www.ci.san-jose.ca.us |
