San Jose Encouraged To Bend Rules For Soccer Stadium

"An international city without a soccer team? This does not compute. So next week, the San Jose City Council should keep alive the hope for a publicly owned stadium in Silicon Valley for the most popular sport in the world - even though it will mean stretching some generally very good city planning rules."

"Tuesday, the San Jose City Council should agree to extend the deadline to June 30 for developer Lew Wolff's proposal to build a stadium near the airport in exchange for a zoning change on a separate piece of land."

"Wolff's idea was unorthodox from the start because of the stadium financing plan, which will require the city to approve housing on 74 acres in Edenvale now planned for industry and retail."

"The extension adds another layer of controversy because it will require the council to break a rule it just passed: limiting general-plan changes to just one set of hearings a year, so the cumulative effects of the land-use decisions are clear."