Below is the text of a letter from the California Preservation Foundation to the National Trust indicating it's support of our legal action against the city of San Jose. CPF is located at
California Preservation Foundation
405 Fourteenth Street
Suite 1010
Oakland CA, 94612
510-763-0972
October 20, 1998
Elizabeth Goldstein
Executive Director
Western Regional Office
National Trust for Historic Preservation
One Sutter Street, Suite 707
San Francisco, CA 94102
Dear Elizabeth,
In response to a request from the Preservation Action Council of San Jose (PAC), the California Preservation Foundation has agreed to join with the National Trust as amicus curiae in support of PAC's challenge to the New Century Block Project in downtown San Jose. CPF supports the action for the following reasons, consistent with Board policy on legal intervention.
1. In California, CEQA is one of the major protections in place for historic resources. As the statewide organization, CPF has consistently supported the strong enforcement of the statute's procedural and substantive requirements. The specific CEQA issues involved in this case, namely the City's commitment to the project prior to initiating CEQA review, and the City's failure to adopt a feasible preservation alternative which would substantially achieve the project objectives, arise repeatedly in communities throughout the state, most recently in the Long Beach Naval Station matter.
2. There is strong local support for the case, and for CPF's involvement in the action. PAC devoted significant time and effort to developing a preservation alternative, conducting a media campaign and establishing a strong administrative record. Both the Historic Landmarks Commission and the Planning Commission supported the alternative, provifing further evidence of support within the San Jose community.
3. In addition to the CEQA implications, important preservation policies and programs are negatively affected by the City's action, including San Jose's status as a Certified Local Government, historic preservation policies contained in the City's General Plan and Downtown Strategy Plan, the protective function of local landmark designation, and the maintenance of a viable National Register historic district.
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Very truly yours,
Carolyn Douthat, Esq.
Vice President and Chair
Advocacy Committee