Praise for outdoor dining downtown
We remember when all we could do was complain about whether there would be enough downtown parking.
At last week’s Council Candidates’ Forum, a question during “Know Your Audience” revealed over 80% attendees raising their hands to “Do you enjoy the outdoor dining downtown?”
Hats off to city council and city staff for capitalizing on several of the issues resulting from the pandemic. They proficiently created and evolved the downtown outdoor dining solutions to the benefit of residents, retailers and visitors to our downtown.
The current solution, as recently implemented by our downtown restaurants maintaining parklets, is attractive and enhances the safety of street dining.
We too raise our hands to the question: “Do you enjoy the outdoor dining downtown”?
Robin Abrams, Kim Cranston, Bill Sheppard, Marie Young
Los Altos Community Voices (LACV) Steering Committee
Shaming isn’t path to electrification
According to last week’s news story (“‘Bold’ questions remain after Los Altos suspends reach codes,” Sept. 25) the city council is looking for “bold” ideas to help drive electrification in Los Altos. Their comments imply that homeowners are selfishly attached to their sauté pans. The main reason why many homeowners are holding onto gas isn’t gourmet cooking – it’s the fact that our electricity infrastructure has proven to be unreliable. My home’s power goes out multiple times a year, and it was out for a three-day stretch two years ago following a storm. Being able to prepare food and shower with warm water, even when the power is out, is worth a lot. What if the city focused on that problem, and invested in making solar power installation with battery backups affordable for every homeowner in Los Altos? The council could help negotiate volume discounts, fund low interest loans, provide rebates, etc. That would have a more exciting and sustainable environmental impact than shaming and surcharging homeowners. We would sign up!
Catherine Duran Los Altos
City council, get back to the basics
My observation is the city government of Los Altos is not paying attention to its citizens whom they are supposed to be serving.
I, those I talk to and those I read comments from in the Town Crier, would like more parking in downtown, keeping the parking spaces at the library, keeping and improving the dog park we have, and keeping the apricot trees we have in the Heritage Orchard.
Over the years we’ve neglected important infrastructure. Our city hall is way inadequate, the police station and emergency response facilities are seriously outdated and in need of repair, and we need our library rebuilt to at least twice its size.
It seems the city council is attracted by new and bright things like a theater in one of the downtown parking areas and affordable housing in other of our parking areas.
In reading over what the city council candidates posted in the Town Crier, for the first time of my voting in this town in 48 years, I can’t vote for any of them as they are not paying attention to the basics, which aren’t glamorous enough?
Betty Byrne
Los Altos
LWV says vote yes on Prop 5
The League of Women Voters strongly supports Proposition 5. Prop. 5 asks voters to amend the state constitution to allow local bonds for affordable housing and infrastructure to pass with 55% of the vote rather than today’s 66.7%, or applying the same 55% requirement as for school bonds.
California, especially the Bay Area, is experiencing an unprecedented housing crisis, with the lack of housing pushing community members into homelessness or out of the area. Prop. 5 empowers local communities to address their own housing and infrastructure needs, giving them greater ability to fund projects that will directly benefit their residents.
Los Altos has committed to building much-needed affordable housing in its recently adopted Housing Element, but the city has not accumulated affordable housing funds to help finance such housing. Santa Clara County’s last housing bond, Measure A, has nearly been fully used and the regional bond has been delayed. By passing Prop. 5, we can ensure that our cities have additional ways to fund affordable housing and infrastructure for our local needs.
With strict accountability measures in place, including independent audits and oversight committees, Prop. 5 ensures that every dollar is spent efficiently.
We urge you to vote YES on Prop. 5.
Ellen Wheeler
Vice-President-Action
League of Women Voters Los Altos-Mountain View Area
Fate of redwood tree hangs in the balance
Will a 100-year-old Redwood live or be killed? Mountain View’s Parks and Recreation Commission votes Oct. 9 (tonight).
The city gave a property owner permission to kill it. I filed an appeal.
Redwood trees are the best air filters that exist. Scientists from Beijing, London, Rome and Los Altos (former home of Sempervirens) taught me that. Their needles repel particulate matter and reduce ground level ozone.
The American Lung Assoc. grades counties. Santa Clara earned an F. Air pollution does not stay close to a fire; it comes here. The majestic tree gives humans oxygen, slows stress, provides inspiration.
Children are impressed by the tree’s size and beauty; they develop a relationship with nature.
The owner bought the property in 2019. He knew there is a heritage tree in his backyard. It’s impossible to miss it.
Civic values collide: private property and public health. The tree protects humans from deadly lung diseases. Particulate matter is invisible, but it goes directly to lungs.
Mountain View’s law has specific rules about heritage trees. This tree fulfills them all. Support the redwood, a treasured icon of California. Send a letter of support to [email protected].
See the tree: From the northeast corner of Pettis and Snow, walk east on Snow along a brick wall, look UP to your left.
Leslie Friedman
Mountain View
