Residents in one South Bay neighborhood are fighting plans for a new housing development they fear will change the charm of the community. The problem is the planned seven-story high-rise in San Jose’s Willow Glen neighborhood is not a good fit for that location, residents say. The lot on Wi llow Street and Kotenberg Avenue currently houses a liquor store and fitness business. The development calls for a seven-story apartment building with nearly 130 units, commercial space and 135 parking spaces. Neighbors say it doesn’t fit with the mostly single-family homes in the area, some of which were built nearly a century ago. Plus, the location is zoned only for below-market housing. San Jose did not submit and receive state approval for a housing plan within California’s parameters, so now the city is subject to the state’s 2023 Builder’s Remedy Law. The law allows developers to bypass local zoning laws for projects with a certain number of low- and middle-income units. The head of the Willow Glen Neighborhood Association says the development will tax the infrastructure. “Parking is going to be horrendous if this is built,” association president Maren Sederquist said. “I’m worried about other infrastructure too: storm drains, electricity, internet providers. It’s going to be a lot of stress.” While San Jose is now in compliance with the state in terms of its housing plan, the city still is limited with how much it can push back against developments approved under builders remedy. ...read more read less