For over four years, a 37-member Task Force met to discuss changes to the 2020 General Plan that resulted in Envision 2040.
Among the issues San Jose will be facing in the coming decades are:
- An aging population: by 2020, Santa Clara County’s population of adults over 65 will nearly double, reaching close to 300,000.
- In the next 25 years, the Bay Area will grow by 1.7 million. Much of that growth will be directed into existing cities and towns, near public transit.
- Rising fuel costs will require the creation of communities where mobility by foot, bike and transit is safe, convenient and appealing.
- Climate change also means designing cities that use land more efficiently and reduce dependency on cars.
Greenbelt Alliance had a seat on the General Plan Task Force and used this opportunity to advocate for compact, walkable neighborhoods instead of building on open space.
