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Published on 03/08/1999 All articles from this issue

Sherwood: Traffic study OK'd, density lowered

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By Joanne Griffith Domingue

Town Crier Staff Writer

Business and property owners at the Sherwood Triangle entrance to Los Altos are getting what they have asked of the city for years: a comprehensive traffic study.

And residents worried about high density housing in the Sherwood area went home smiling. The Los Altos City Council voted unanimously to change the current general plan density of 38 units per acre to 16, for the 2.3-acre site of Los Altos Garden Supply at El Camino Real and Sherwood Lane.

Both of these actions came during a March 2 council study session on the Sherwood Gateway Specific Plan. The session was a "noticed meeting" so that the council could take action.

Dozens of residents, including members of the Los Altos Homeowners League, young couples concerned about traffic and a large group of Sherwood business and property owners, packed Room A at the Hillview Center.

The plan came from the Sherwood Gateway task force that spent months in 1998 brainstorming and creating a concept for economic revitalization of the neighborhood, a triangular section bounded by San Antonio Road, El Camino Real and Sherwood Lane. The area also includes the Los Altos Garden Supply.

At the end of the task force process, one item drew attention and polarized residents: a recommendation to have a housing density of 7 units per acre vs. the 38 on the general plan.

The planning commission supported leaving the zoning at 38 units per acre to maintain state-mandated zoning for low-income housing possibilities.

But Los Altos resident Mark Starr said, "The pain of low-cost housing should be throughout the city," not focused in one area.

Dennis Young, chairman of the Sherwood task force, wanted to leave the zoning at 38 units per acre.

"There's an imbalance of jobs and housing," Young said. "It's unreasonable to keep asking our neighbors to provide our housing, while we're not doing our share."

With a change to 16 units per acre, the general plan will not need to be amended, said Larry Tong, Los Altos Planning Director, because the density range was already 16-38. City staff advised the council that with a zoning at 16, there would still be enough sites to meet the state's goals for Los Altos for low income housing.

Sherwood business leaders and property owners told the council that they have wanted help with traffic issues and economic development for years. In fact, their continuous requests of the city council finally led to formation of the task force. But they wanted the focus off housing and back onto business issues.

Larry Chu, owner of the popular restaurant at the corner of El Camino Real and San Antonio Road, talked of concerns about parking, safety and beautification.

"It's not a golden triangle, but it's definitely a gateway to Los Altos. The housing (issue) is confusing, and it slows down the whole process."

Ralph Doerr, owner of ZYT Galerie on San Antonio Road, agreed with Chu.

"Since the land's not for sale, why not put a sock in the housing issue and get back on target with parking, traffic and economic issues," Doerr said.

Hyman Mitchner, a major property owner in the Sherwood area, said "the approach to the whole gateway is incorrect. Provide an economic incentive for people to do something."

The traffic study will consider current conditions as well as planned land uses. The council also will call a meeting of business and property owners to review the parking issue and discuss possible solutions.