Coyote Valley Protection Makes State Bill

MORGAN HILL, CA -- Nestled between the fast-growing South Bay cities of San Jose and Morgan Hill, Coyote Valley is a unique natural and agricultural landscape that provides an essential corridor for wildlife moving between more than 15,000 acres of open space in the Santa Cruz Mountains and the Diablo Range. More than $3.5 billion has already been spent on keeping the pristine nature of the corridor, which is home to more than 200 species of birds.

California Assemblyman Ash Kalra, D-San Jose, along with the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority and other stakeholders, want to keep it that way amid mounting pressures to develop around Santa Clara County - one of the most expensive housing regions in the nation.

Kalra has introduced Assembly Bill 948 that would establish the Coyote Valley Conservation Program to be managed by the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority as a public, independent special district. The entity was created by the California State Legislature in 1993 at the urging of community leaders who saw the importance of maintaining the ecological integrity of the region. The authority conserves the natural environment, supports agriculture and connects people to nature by protecting open spaces, natural areas, working farms and ranches for future generations.

“I am proud to introduce AB 948, which would help preserve Coyote Valley as a remarkable place for people, wildlife and our natural environment for generations to come,” Kalra said. At the recent press conference, he was flanked by San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo.

The Coyote Valley bill passed out of the Assembly Local Government Committee Wednesday on an 8-0 vote. It now heads to the Appropriations Committee.

“Coyote Valley has been under the threat of development for over 40 years. Now is the time to protect this irreplaceable landscape for nature and people and acknowledge the important role Coyote Valley plays in the sustainability and resiliency of the greater South Bay region,” the authority's General Manager Andrea Mackenzie said. “We hope AB 948 will help guide future state resources to protection, restoration, and public enjoyment of this amazing place.”

Beyond the recreational and ecological benefits, Coyote Valley has an economic plus. Its mushroom, bell peppers and other agricultural crops represent a $30 million financial value to the region.

The state gesture builds on the passage of Measure T by the city of San Jose last November that establishes a $650 million infrastructure bond that including up to $50 million earmarked for land acquisition in Coyote Valley for natural flood control and environmental quality. The valley serves to protecting the aquifers for the city's drinking water supply because the open space's terrain absorbs stormwater runoff.

“Assemblymember Kalra’s proposal builds on the city’s extensive work with our environmental partners, particularly the Open Space Authority and Peninsula Open Space Trust, to preserve Coyote Valley for future generations,” Liccardo said. “Coupled with the $50 million in Measure T funds approved by voters last year, AB 948 can help us protect our water supply, preserve wildlife, and reduce flooding risk."

"Coyote Valley represents a rare opportunity to preserve an intact floodplain upstream of a major urban area. It is the prime example of nature as infrastructure, and its protection is essential for flood risk reduction, wildlife linkages and resilience to climate change," said John Laird, California Secretary for Natural Resources.