4/29/2021

CNPS, Santa Clara Valley Chapter and Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society urge you to help stop the Urban Confluence Light Tower project.

 

What is happening:

The San Jose Light Tower Corporation (AKA Urban Confluence Silicon Valley) selected a 20-story tall illuminated structure made out of hundreds of long white rods to be “gifted” to San Jose and placed in Arena Green in downtown San Jose. This 150 million dollar unfunded structure, intended to be an icon, will:

• create devastating amounts of light pollution,
• spill light into the riparian corridor
• disrupt plant life cycles,
• draw birds to their death, and
• distract pilots landing at the airport

all at the confluence of the Guadalupe River and Los Gatos Creek. San Jose leaders crave the recognition that iconic structures can bring, but should our City become famous for environmental degradation, bird deaths and light pollution?

Why is this important:

Light pollution is no trivial matter. It disrupts biological functions in all living things, including people, plants, insects, birds and mammals.  It harms ecosystems, wildlife and human health.

This 200 foot tall illuminated structure will shine light across the City, spill light into the confluence of waterways on the valley floor, and will be visible all the way to Mt. Hamilton and Mt. Umunhum. This light will keep residents up at night, disorient and harm birds and wildlife, and pollute our view of the night sky. It could interfere with the research function of the world-famous Lick Observatory. It could distract pilots as they land at the nearby airport.

For more information, see Opinion Letters:

• Mercury News: Shani Kleinhaus and Katja Irvin - Why San Jose Should Reconsider Urban Confluence Project
• San Jose Spotlight: Ada Marquez - Thanks but no thanks to the ‘gift’ of light pollution

What Can You Do?

San Jose City Council Member Dev Davis of District 6 is collecting feedback about the project. Respond to the survey (closed)

Please Call or write to Mayor Liccardo and the San Jose City Council and tell them that you are a San Jose resident who is opposed to the light tower project (see contacts and links at the bottom).  Or call or write as a Bay Area resident who opposes the light pollution or who uses the San Jose airport

• The wrong structure - An imposing 20 story tall, massive, illuminated structure will generate too much light pollution. This structure generates light pollution intentionally, by design, making it impossible to shield and protect residents, the riparian corridor, waterways and the dark sky from harm.
• In the wrong place - Arena Green is at the confluence of two important waterways, and two riparian corridors. It is also an important community gathering place. This Project would dominate our public space and harm our riparian ecosystems, plants, birds, fish, beavers, and other wildlife by lighting up this sensitive environment.
• At the wrong time - As the human and economic losses of the pandemic continue to haunt our community, San Jose should encourage investment in what people need and want - not in top-down projects.
• The wrong symbol for San Jose - The illuminated, 20-story tall rods of this structure are intended by the designers to represent Silicon Valley Tech companies. Our diverse community and culture is not represented in this monolithic white structure that can harm us with light pollution. The promoters showed little interest in diversity, equity or inclusion.
• Let’s help our community instead - The City should instead direct philanthropy to an environmentally sensitive project that improves our lives and celebrates San Jose’s rich culture, diverse history and distinctive communities.

A phone call takes 2 minutes. Find your district and contact your Mayor and Councilmember:

Mayor Sam Liccardo  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  408-535-4800

District 1:  Vice-Mayor Chappie Jones  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  408-535-4901

District 2:  Sergio Jimenez  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  408-535-4902

District 3:  Raul Peralez  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  408-535-4903

District 4:  David Cohen This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  408-535-4904

District 5:  Magdalena Carrasco  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  408-535-4905

District 6:  Dev Davis  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  408-535-4906

District 7:  Maya Esparza  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  408-535-4907

District 8:  Sylvia Arenas  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  408-535-4908

District 9:  Pam Foley  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  408-535-4909

District 10:  Matt Mahan  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  408-535-4910