Special to the Town Crier
The Los Altos Hills Town Council will vote Jan. 6, 1999, on a proposed ordinance to change its meetings to the first and third Thursday of each month. The council has traditionally met on Wednesday evenings.
Council members Toni Casey and Steve Finn initiated the request for consideration of changing the monthly meeting dates at the council's Dec. 2 meeting. The change would better accommodate their schedules, they said. Both travel extensively for their businesses.
Meetings would continue to begin at 6 p.m., with presentations from the public scheduled for 7 p.m.
On Dec. 2, the council unanimously agreed to continue review of the draft Circulation and Scenic Roadways Element of the general plan to the Jan. 6 meeting. Update of the general plan element, which covers such issues as ownership and maintenance of private and public roads, driveway standards and roadway right-of-way and standards, is a high priority of the council's 1997-98 goals and objectives. Since January, a council-appointed committee has been working with town staff and consultant Crawford Multari & Clark Associates on the update.
The draft, praised by Mayor Bob Johnson for its high quality, is the result of that work, which included an informational meeting and public hearings before the Los Altos Hills Planning Commission.
Planning Director Curtis Williams emphasized at the Dec. 2 council meeting that the circulation element "is a policy document, it doesn't address specific roads." The council and staff have grappled this year with sorting out the complexities of which town streets are public and which are private. Lack of records or variations in recording standards have created confusion for the town and its residents.
The council, on Dec. 2, agreed to accept language stating that: "The policies and implementation measures should result in the dedication of private roadways to public ownership when requested by affected property owners, when they have been upgraded to current town standards and where all necessary dedications have been offered by adjacent property owners."
"I was told at the first meeting with staff that public roads would be the most difficult issue," said Chris Clark of Crawford Multari & Clark Associates.
Residents' comments at all public meetings on this element, including those on Dec. 2, have focused on private vs. public roads.