Project Overview
The project proposes to construct a new animal shelter at 90
Highland Avenue, at the corner of Monterey Road and Highland Avenue in San
Martin, in the unincorporated area of Santa Clara County. The proposed animal
shelter will be at the south-eastern portion of the parcel and include a
one-story building, parking, livestock barn and pastures, and dog play yards
spanning approximately 4.5 acres. The 37,000 square foot one-story building
would house functions such as the adoption area, animal holding and housing
areas, spay and neuter clinic, veterinary medicine and support areas,
administrative areas, and a community multi-use center.
The existing County Animal Shelter is located at 12370 Murphy
Avenue, San Martin and functions will be relocated to this new animal shelter
once construction is completed. This relocation is needed because the existing
shelter is aging, outdated, and does not meet the County’s needs and goals.
Issues facing the center include inadequate space, limited natural light, and
poor ventilation. The proposed new animal services center would provide a
facility that can integrate the latest best practices for disease control, odor
control, and acoustics, promote health, reduce stress, and create a calming
environmental for both animals and people.
The current County Animal Shelter in San Martin was built 40
years ago, when shelters were designed to warehouse animals for a short period
through required holding periods. Euthanasia rates were high, and animal
welfare was a low priority. This has changed over the years, and new animal
services centers are designed with a different set of intended priorities; a
primary one of those is animal well-being.
A proposed mitigated negative declaration has been prepared in
compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) for your
review. The public review period begins October 23, 2018 and ends on November
13, 2018. Public Comments regarding the correctness, completeness, or adequacy
of this mitigated negative declaration are invited and must be received on
or before the end of the public review period. Such comments should be
based on environmental concerns.
Written comments should be addressed to David Rader by November
13, 2018 at David.Rader@pln.sccgov.org or County
of Santa Clara Planning Office, County Government Center, 70 W. Hedding Street,
7th Floor, East Wing, San Jose, CA 95110.
For additional information regarding this project, please
contact Emily Chen at 408-993-4635, Emily.F.Chen@faf.sccgov.org.
FOR YOUR REVIEW
In February 2013, Prodis Associate Architects prepared a
programming report for a new animal shelter campus to be located at the County
Center on Highland Avenue in San Martin. Funding for the design of this new
facility was approved as part of the Fiscal Year 2017 Capital Budget process.
On February 7, 2017, Board of Supervisors approved a
professional services agreement with Dreyfuss+Blackford Architecture to update
the 2013 programming requirements and complete the design documents.
On November 1, 2017, staff and consultants, and Supervisor
Wasserman (District 1) conducted a well-attended Community Outreach meeting in
San Martin and received feedback to help proceed with schematic design.
On February 27, 2018, Board of Supervisors approved the
Construction Manager at Risk (CMR) Method of project delivery and
pre-qualification package for the South County Animals Services Center project
and authorized the advertisement of the pre-qualification package.
With the first phase of program and concept design completed,
the next phase of project development for the Animal Services Center would be
completed through early 2019, and include design development, CEQA and
permitting approvals, Board of Supervisors consideration and approval.
On October 23, 2018, the County released the Proposed Mitigated
Negative Declaration for public review. The public review period began on
October 23, 2018 and will end on November 13, 2018.
The final phase of the project is construction of the project,
which the Administration anticipates would begin in Spring 2019, with a move in
date in approximately mid-year 2021.
For further Project information click on the Related Files