South Bay residents split over approval of new West Valley Costco
After the San Jose City Council on Oct. 22 gave the green light for a new Costco location to be built in the Westgate West shopping center, residents are split over whether the store will be a positive addition to the surrounding area.
The store will be located at 5287 Prospect Road in San Jose, right off of the busy Lawrence Expressway that connects parts of Sunnyvale, Saratoga, Santa Clara and West San Jose. The project has received widespread pushback from community members who worried that a new Costco would bring more cars to an already heavily trafficked area, which is also close to residential areas and schools, including Prospect High School in Saratoga. But others are eager to have a new shopping space, and look favorably at the project because of the $2 million in sales tax revenues it is forecast to bring in annually to San Jose.
The roughly 165,000-square-foot warehouse store will rest on the site of several vacant Westgate stores, including the former Orchard Supply Hardware. The space will include 687 new parking spaces and feature tire sales and installation, a general grocery section, a retail store, pharmacy and bakery, among other services.
Though approving the development was up to San Jose officials, the Saratoga City Council voted in February to submit comments on the project's draft environmental impact report, saying it did not adequately evaluate the project's environmental, noise, land use and transportation impacts.
Some involved with Save West Valley, a group of residents and businesses that have advocated against the project, were relieved that Costco representatives agreed to up their contribution to improve bike and pedestrian safety to $2.5 million from the original $1 million it promised. But Saratoga Vice Mayor Belal Aftab said the changes that Costco made to the proposal don't go far enough to address the impact that the project will have in the city of Saratoga.
"I sincerely hope that I am wrong and that you are right, and that Costco has properly mitigated all of the safety impacts that will come from this location," Aftab said in an email to representatives from Costco. "But if anyone is hurt or injured in an accident, whether it be walking, biking or driving-related from increased traffic, I will hold you and Costco responsible for that. I might not have much legal recourse for it, but I want you to remember."
Aftab said that while San Jose will receive both the sales tax revenue from the new store and funds for traffic safety measures, Saratoga won't receive either but will still be heavily impacted by the project.
"We here in Saratoga are seeing none of the benefits, but all of the costs," he added.
But others in the area are looking forward to the new San Jose Costco, and say the store's arrival will decrease traffic and congestion at other locations. There are several South Bay Costcos, including in Sunnyvale, Santa Clara and Mountain View.
Sunnyvale resident John Gordon and his wife are regulars at the Sunnyvale Costco, which is close to where they live, as well as the Mountain View store. Gordon expects the Westgate store to become popular and eventually divert Costco-related traffic in his neighborhood. "It definitely would lighten the load at the Sunnyvale Costco," he said.
Gordon said he is also glad city leaders decided to replace Westgate's vacant spaces with a grocery store instead of a large housing development.
Like Gordon, Santa Clara resident Saira Lari said she is excited to see another Costco opening close to her home. Lari lives close to the Costcos in Sunnyvale and Santa Clara, but will often opt to shop at the Mountain View location because the store is less crowded and the parking lots are bigger.
Lari said she intends to visit the Westgate store when it opens, and maybe make it her new go-to shopping spot.
"I love Costco," she said. "Having more will help decrease congestion and traffic at the other Costco locations."
