Browse archives: 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997 | 1996 | 1995

Published on 11/30/1998 All articles from this issue

Letters to the Editor

printer friendly version

Samaritans aplenty in Los Altos

In downtown Los Altos (in or near which we have lived for 40-plus years) we generally expect little interaction with other pedestrians, which I guess is the way most of us would prefer it.

But sometimes things are different, as was the case last Saturday when I stumbled on the Second Street sidewalk edge and bonked my forehead on the (thankfully) dirt border as my wife and I headed for the Coffee Shop.

Numerous passers-by responded quickly and helpfully: Did I need help? Was I dizzy? Could I get up and walk? Was my vision intact? Should we get some ice from the Los Altos Coffee Shop across the street? We accepted the latter suggestion as we were heading that way anyway, and soon we were seated and ordering lunch with an ice pack comfortably in place on my brow.

So I want to express my thanks to the several pedestrians who gathered round to offer help - one of them apparently an M.D., even. I've no idea if they were Los Altans, visitors, or a mixture, but in any case they did not hesitate to jump right in like good Samaritans.

Larry JohnsonLos Altos

Parade: What's at stake is fairness, courtesy

Thanks to everyone involved in the Festival of Lights parade for all of the hard work and dedication put forth for this sensational event. We have enjoyed the parade for many years, and, as our children grow up, it is one of their favorite parts of the holiday season and has become a family tradition.

As we arrived early to find a spot along the route this year, I did observe one thing that was more evident to me than in the past.

It seemed that the sidewalks were already full of "staked" out "reserved" spots with lawn chairs, blankets, and tarps, but that the "stakers" had all left their spots to go have dinner or the such.

Most people left their staked spots unattended and assumed when they arrived shortly before 7 p.m. that they could just sit down and watch the parade.

As other families began arriving around 5 to 5:30, there were no curbside spaces left, yet Main Street was still practically empty of people.

It seemed to knock out some of their holiday spirit. I even observed one family arriving at 5:30 taking over a staked out spot only to have the original stakers come back at 6:45.

They all argued in front of the children for 15 minutes and put a damper on the entire event, even for the people around them. Yes, there were some of us who followed the once sacred rule of staking and planting.

We arrived early, brought some food, and sat on the curb for a couple of hours "guarding" our spot and awaiting the event as the kids ran around on the street in front of us.

I used to do this at the Rose Festival parade in Portland and the Tournament of Roses parade in Pasadena. It was all part of the fun and excitement of the event.

Would it not seem more fair to limit any staking prospects to people who actually have to stay parked at their spot?

This may help keep the playing field level and certainly more democratic, and may prevent misunderstandings for the parade goers. Otherwise, I can just see the next several years taking shape.

Each year, people will be staking out a spot a half-hour earlier and soon lawn chairs will be planted on Saturday just to save a place for Sunday.

The Festival of Lights parade is a Los Altos tradition that brings on happy and festive spirits for the coming holiday. And yes, next year, I will be there early to stake and stay planted, because that seems to be the fair thing to do.

John Wendland(No address given)

High density question before city council

At 7:30 p.m. next Tuesday, the Los Altos City Council will vote on the specific plan for the Sherwood Gateway. The area boundaries are El Camino Real, San Antonio Road and the Los Altos Garden Supply.

We, the below, participated on a city advisory committee to draft a specific plan for this area. After six months of study, we recommended limited commercial growth in specific areas and low density housing (seven units per acre).

However, and this is our concern: the city staff then recommended 22 units per acre which has now been upped to 38 units per acre, with the Nov. 17 planning commission vote. Our plan specified that any development at this corner be at a minimum density based on the already congested traffic here and with consideration for the impact on already overcrowded schools. Levels of traffic are graded A through F. Currently, we are at level D, which is considered the cutoff of acceptable operations (see page II-7, Sherwood Gateway Specific Plan).

It is our hope that if residents state their opinions about high density housing and its impact on neighborhoods and schools the council will consider this issue important: Not just this time, but for other projects as well.

If you are concerned about overtaxing the resources of our town, please let our city council members know before the Tuesday meeting by mail or by phone or e-mail:

Louis Becker, Mayor, loubecker@aol.com, (408) 654-5600;

John Moss, john@moss.net, 857-3552;

Francis La Poll, francis@lapoll.com, 948-1491 ext. 204;

King Lear, king@los-altos.org, 967-8883;

Kris Casto, www@ci.los-altos.ca.us, 961-8922.

Jo Anne Estill

Kate Disney

Janet Freeland

Sherwood Gateway

Specific Plan members

Los Altos

Editor's note: The 38-unit density for the Sherwood area is per the city's general plan that was adopted in 1987.

The Los Altos planning commissioners voted 4-1 to recommend the 38-unit density to the city council instead of the advisory committee's recommendation of a seven-unit density. Commissioners said they were affirming the density in the general plan and did not want to recommend a revision of it.