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Published on 02/22/1999 All articles from this issue

City considers purchase of gas station property

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By Joanne Griffith Domingue / Town Crier Staff Writer

The Los Altos City Council held a closed session last night to consider acquiring the former gas station property at Fremont Avenue and Grant Road.

City officials declined to comment on the closed session that was scheduled to follow the regular council meeting.

The notice, which was posted after the regular meeting agenda had been released last Friday, said the meeting was for the city to confer "with its real property negotiator regarding potential acquisition of the property at 1287 Fremont Ave."

The city had denied the gas station a non-conforming use permit last summer and forced it to close. The owners demolished the station in December. The city rezoned the half-acre parcel for residential use.

Neighbors behind the station on Estate Drive had always hoped the city would buy the land and create open space or expand neighboring Marymeade Park.

"If that's the case now, I'd be happy," said Estate Drive resident Barbara Agnello.

But last fall city officials said the city did not have the money to do that because its funds were tied up with development of the city-owned land at 401 Rosita, which the city bought in 1996 for recreation use.