After four years of work by the city and consultants, a plan aimed at some day attracting high-tech businesses to an industrial part of the city has been scrapped by the Campbell City Council.

The city drafted an “area plan” to guide future growth for the 112-acre Dell Avenue area. The city believes the industrial area could be an attractive landing spot for high-tech businesses. The proposed plan provided guidelines for high-tech office buildings, employee housing units, open spaces, pathways to a nearby light rail station and improvements to streets and existing structures. The plan was released on June 22, 2015, with a draft impact report.

The area is currently home to the American Legion Post 99, Renovo Motors, several engineering and industrial businesses, and Kaiser medical offices.

“The goal of the original project was to retain and attract high-tech businesses to Dell Avenue,” Bruce Brubaker, a project consultant with Place Works, told the council. “This is one place in Campbell where some of these businesses could expand and thrive and existing businesses that are looking to expand would have a place to do so in Campbell.”

However the council decided on Dec. 6 to discontinue the plan after conclusions from the impact showed it could increase traffic in the area and reduce air quality around nearby neighborhoods, the percolation ponds and the Los Gatos Creek Trail.

The council also decided to nix the plan after hearing residents’ concerns. The council felt the high-density housing and office space that would come with the plan would not be appropriate for an area near single-family neighborhoods. Additionally, the council was concerned that existing businesses might be pushed out by developers.

The council voted to have all Dell Avenue plan documents, such as the environmental impact review and a draft plan by Place Works, given to the General Plan consultant. The city’s General Plan advisory committee, made up of residents, is discussing updates to the city’s main document for providing guidelines for long-term growth and development

Vice Mayor Liz Gibbons suggested to her council colleagues that all Dell Avenue documentation should be given over to the General Plan consultant for informational purposes.

The council’s unanimous decision was met with applause from residents.

“The Dell Avenue Area Plan has had an ill-fated birth and a troubled childhood so far,” Peter Kiehtreiber told the council. “By all means tell the General Plan people all that we’ve learned and give them all the information.”