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Published on 10/09/1995 All articles from this issue

Planning commision takes steps to ease some office restrictions

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By Jan Shaw

Special to the Town Crier

The Los Altos Planning Commission last week recommended that the town ease restrictions in a strip of commercial space in the southern areas of Second and Third streets in downtown triangle.

The town's policy has been to discourage office use and encourage retail on the properties just south of the south parking plazas, where businesses such as McWhorter's Stationers and the office building at 280 Second Street are located.

Under the commission's recommendations, restrictions would be eased so that offices, financial institutions and other non-retail uses could more easily lease available space.

Business people in the area have complained that the town's restrictions are an economic hardship and they should be set aside or made less restrictive.

The affected properties are 280 Second St., McWhorter's, Bank of the West, Akane restaurant, and the property being developed by Bandera's restaurant at the former Los Altos Stationers site.

Four of the five commissioners in attendance leaned toward lifting all restrictions. Commissioners Richard Abdalah, Chet Frankenfield, Honor Spitz and Michael Schneider said that could support such a move.

Commissioner Gloria Bauer said she preferred to retain modified restrictions.

The Los Altos City Council indicated previously that it wasn't quite ready to "give up on the retail potential" of what is known as the fringe area of downtown, but was interested in easing restrictions, James Mackenzie, Los Altos senior planner, told the commissioners.

The planning commissioners divided on whether to require property owners to pay for street beautification when non-retail tenants want to renew their leases.

"It amounts to extorting additional improvements" for the betterment of the town, Schneider said.

"Who would pay for the improvements?" Bauer responded. Bauer argued that the requirements were legitimate and that a number of other municipalities have similar requirements.

Commissioner Honor Spitz, who first used the term "extortion" when property owners are required to pay a lump sum for vague, future street improvements, said the street beautification mandates appeared similar.

On a unanimous vote, the commissioners finally recommended a cost cap on street improvements.

Only two people were in the audience at the public hearing last Thursday. Neither addressed the commissioners.