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Published on 10/02/1995 All articles from this issue

Residents sound off at town hall meeting

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By Joanne Griffith Domingue / Town Crier Staff Writer

Animals and traffic emerged last week as the two themes most on people's minds in Los Altos.

More than 60 residents attended the town hall meeting held Sept. 26 to share their concerns with city council members and the city staff.

"It was a chance to speak to the city council without having to 'agendize' it," said Dianne Gershuny, Los Altos city manager.

One resident said she came to hear what people had on their minds, that she didn't have any special issue that brought her.

But others did bring issues to discuss.

Dogs that roam without a leash and dogs that walk on a leash but "are fowling up our children's playgrounds" irritate residents.

Police Chief Lucy Carlton said the police would cite people who violate the leash law.

Gershuny said she didn't know if Los Altos had a pooper-scooper law.

Pigeon droppings and their infestation have ruffled the feathers of some.

"There's no pigeon policy yet," Gershuny said.

Wandering cats have raised the dander of others.

"As a community we take ourselves too seriously over small things," said Los Altos resident John Mandle.

In addition to animal issues, residents talked about their concerns over traffic - the increase in cars and speeding drivers.

"There's not an easy solution," said Councilman Dave Reeder, "because we don't have a lot more money to spend on police."

Carlton talked about the police department's speed control sign trailer that gives a print-out of the speed of the drivers.

"Sometimes there's a perception of speed when the car is only six to seven miles over the speed limit," Carlton said.

The city will be putting in a new traffic light at Grant Road and Oak Avenue in response to lobbying from parents worried about the safety of their children crossing Grant Road to go to school.

But Karl and Marilyn Zimmerman, parents of three, aren't happy because the light is going up in their front yard.

"How come we only found out about this a week ago?" Karl asked at the town hall gathering. "We've lived there 2 1/2 years and the first we heard was last week from a school mailing."

Gershuny told the crowd that the city does not have a policy or requirement for a hearing regarding the placement of stop signs or traffic lights, but that the mayor and city staff would be meeting with the Zimmermans.

At the end of the evening, Gershuny said that traffic seems to be the highest priority. The city staff passed around a sign-up sheet for people interested in a public meeting to discuss traffic.

Mayor Bob Gray smiled as he thought about the evening. "Just one word," he said. "Superb."