Part 3: Losing Campbell

This is the final story in a mini-series on the annexation wars that began between Campbell and San Jose in 2006. Through this series, we've looked at not only the bureaucratic process of land changing hands but at the accompanying human drama of losing an identity. This saga will come to an end with a vote by the San Jose City Council tonight. 

Mourning the Loss of Their City

The residents of Cambrian 36 aren't ready to give up yet, but many say they realize it's probably a done deal—the San Jose City Council will vote to annex their neighborhood tonight, which is the final step in the process, sealing their fate.

Above and beyond the concerns over emergency services and amenities such as parks and recreation, many residents say it's a very emotional loss for them—the loss of their beloved city.

Residents say that when thinking about their geographical identity, it goes beyond just "America" and even "California"—Campbell is a big part of their identity, a part they are about to lose.

"On a personal level, I grew up here," says Louann Ford of Sydnor Drive. "I've always had a Campbell address."

Ford's family moved into her home in 1963, when she was in grade school. Her parents are gone now, and she has called the Sydnor Drive house her home for the past 15 years.

"We have always considered ourselves part of the Campbell community. It's definitely part of our identity, and there's a certain nostalgia to that." 

Ford, who attended the public annexation meetings, says many people spoke out.

"Many of them said they intentionally bought their homes here [in the Cambrian 36 neighborhood], because they wanted Campbell addresses," she says. "They were given no warning when they all bought homes here that there was ever a possibility of being annexed into San Jose." 

Ford says she likes the fact that Campbell is a smaller city. San Jose is so big, it's easy to get swallowed up.

"In San Jose, there's something like one representative to every 1 million residents," she says. "In Campbell, there's one representative to every 40,000. Plus, I've always appreciated how the Campbell mayor gives us a lot of personal attention. He has really tried to work with us and work with the San Jose City Council."

For Elmer Cseba of Cambrian Drive, it's a simple matter."I bought a house in Campbell; I want to live in Campbell," he says. "That pretty much sums it up for me."

Pam and Wade Brandon of Sydnor Drive are angry and say they may move if their neighborhood is annexed into San Jose.

"It would be devastating to me, to be a part of San Jose," says Pam. "We don't want to be a part of a bigger city, of the '10th largest City in America,' like they call themselves. We like a small-town feel, and that's what Campbell feels like to us—a small town."

Wade says he felt railroaded into being part of San Jose.

"A vote by the residents would have been a better way of going about this," he says. "I don't like the way they did things. I think they're lying to us."

It appears that all the residents of Cambrian 36 can do now is wait and hope. However, Campbell Planning Director Paul Kermoyan says, Campbell Mayor Evan Low has made one last effort to show that Campbell wants to annex Cambrian 36 if given the chance and that he believes more can be done to come to a reasonable compromise.

"The mayor sent Judy Chirco a letter, basically reminding San Jose that they need to make certain to get the facts right, and that these people really want to be in Campbell," says Kermoyan. "So Mayor Low is requesting that they go that route. So, to this day, that is what we're trying to convey to the city of San Jose. We want San Jose to abandon this idea and work together with the [Cambrian 36] neighbors to make them part of Campbell—because that's where they want to be."

The San Jose City Council meeting is tonight at 7 p.m., at 52 S. 4th St., San Jose.