Burrell Park Neighborhood Association
Future Projects
The BPNA is currently working on the following projects and looking for feedback from local residents on their ideas.
Street Lights
There are two streetlights on Burrell Court, more than the allotted 600 feet apart, leaving the middle of the street in complete darkness. This is especially dangerous because of the poor sidewalks and narrow street with an abundance of parked cars and increases the opportunities for vandals. After circulating and submitting a petition to the San Jose’s Department of Transportation in early 2024, the city assessed the situation and determined that three lights are needed that would cost between $270K to $290K.
Thanks to Councilman Mulcahey - he was able to add the street light installation to the City's 2025-2026 budget.
This was also due to YOUR involvement. Thanks to those who signed the petition asking for the additional street lights as well as the advocacy work of the Burrell Park Neighborhood Association.
Sidewalk Repair
Burrell Park was developed 100 years ago and some of our sidewalks are suffering with age creating safety hazards.
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As in many cities, San José’s Municipal Code, cites that all property owners are responsible for maintaining the sidewalk, park strip area, driveway approach, and curb and gutter adjacent to their property.
Conditions Requiring Repair
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• Vertical separation of more than one-half (1/2) inch
• Ramping: rise or depression of more than one (1) inch within eight (8)inches, in conjunction with a vertical separation
• Hole or opening in a break or construction joint of one (1) inches ormore
• Breaking away or spalling of concrete with a depth of more than onehalf (1/2) inch
The city will perform sidewalk inspections upon request by residents or concerned citizens.
To request an inspection, call 408-794-1901 or email TreesAndSidewalks@sanjoseca.gov.
If repair is needed, the property owner will be notified to make the necessary repairs in 60 days.
Fees
Property owners are financially responsible for the repair of the sidewalks, and permits for the work. Property owners may request financial hardship assistance if their household annual income is three times the federal poverty level or less. Approval of financial hardship is limited to available funding and may not be awarded to all qualified applicants. To request financial hardship assistance, email TreesAndSidewalks@sanjoseca.gov and ask for a financial hardship assistance application form.
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Click this link for more information.
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Budget cuts threaten an invaluable civic resource!
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PAC*SJ urges City Council to reconsider an alarming proposal in the City’s 2026-27 budget to close the Martin Luther King Library’s California Room and eliminate its three dedicated staff positions. Established in 1906 as the local history section of San Jose’s first public library, the California Room today has grown to become a vast and incomparable collection of books, photographs, maps, newspaper archives, city directories, building permits, personal papers, and historic ephemera illuminating more than 250 years of San José, Santa Clara Valley, and California history. Boasting more than 5,400 annual in-person visits and countless more online inquiries, the California Room is an incredibly important public resource supporting the efforts of students, educators, authors, historians, genealogists, property owners, developers, land-use consultants, and engaged citizens to explore, uncover, and share the rich and diverse histories of our shared home.
As San José prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday in 2027, the loss of its preeminent public history repository would represent a profound civic failure. The proposed closure would save the City a mere $388,000-- just 0.6% of the total library budget and only 0.007% of the total City budget! The proposal to close direct access to the California Room will set in motion a long term change that will be difficult for the Library Department to reverse. We urge you to reach out to Mayor Matt Mahan, City Manager Jennifer Maguire, City Librarian Jill Bourne, and your City Council representatives before Monday, May 11th at 9:30am, when Council holds its first and only Neighborhood Services Budget Study Session prior to a final budget vote on June 9th. Speak out now to save the California Room!
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We need your voice!
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SAMPLE EMAIL: COPY/PASTE OR PERSONALIZE!
To:
jennifer.maguire@sanjoseca.gov
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Subject: California Room - Library Department Budget
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​Message:
I urge you to maintain funding for the California Room at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library in the 2026–27 budget. For more than a century, the California Room and its dedicated librarians have preserved the history of San José and Santa Clara Valley through an irreplaceable collection of books, photographs, maps, archives, and historical records explored by thousands of students, educators, researchers, and community members every year. Closing this invaluable public resource to save just o.6% of the overall City Library budget would be a devastating and short-sighted decision, especially as San José prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary in 2027. I ask you to protect the California Room, preserve public access to our shared history, and demonstrate that San José values its cultural heritage and civic memory.
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Sincerely,
​[Your name and council district]
Other Suggested Projects
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Walking Group​
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Neighborhood Directory for Associate Members
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Film Night
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Neighborhood Beautification
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Neighborhood Sign on Traffic Island
Associate Member Winery Event
– RSVP required
A chance to enjoy an afternoon of wine tasting with neighbors on the grounds
of the vineyard started by the grandfather of the man who developed Burrell Park.
Sunday, July 12th
Memberships available for $25./household
Send your RSVP to: johogin@sonic.com
