Los Altos City Council members elected two new members to the planning commission and two new members to the parks and recreation commission at the March 23 council meeting.
The new commissioners all have something in common: none are longtime Los Altos residents.
Kate Disney, a three-year resident from the Sherwood area of north Los Altos, was elected to the planning commission.
In 1998 she served on the task force for the Sherwood Gateway Specific Plan Task Force. She holds a master's degree in electrical engineering and is on the engineering faculty of Mission College in Santa Clara.
Disney lobbied for the housing density to be reduced in the Sherwood area of town.
Katia Kamangar, a one-and-a-half year resident of Los Altos, is the second new member of the planning commission. She has an undergraduate degree in civil engineering and a master's degree in business administration.
In her application she said she can "fairly evaluate new development proposals while ensuring the unique qualities that make this a beautiful place to live."
David Casas, a father of two preschool children and a one-year resident of the city, was elected to the parks and recreation commission.
Casas is a business analyst with a bachelor's degree in business administration. "The quality of parks reflects the community," he said in his application.
When he held a neighborhood meeting last fall, he was startled by how many neighbors were meeting each other for the first time.
That led him to organize, with three others, a family-oriented neighborhood block party for this June, with 100-plus neighbors expected to attend.
Sarah Williams, a nine-year Los Altos resident, was also elected to the parks and recreation commission.
She holds a bachelor's degree from UC Berkeley, has volunteered at the Los Altos Arts & Wine Festival and is a member of the site council at Springer School.
Disney and Kamangar were elected from a slate of seven candidates.
They are filling spots on the planning commission left vacant by Jeff Warmoth, who completed a four-year term and did not seek reappointment; and Chet Frankenfield, who completed two four-year terms.
Casas and Williams were elected from a slate of six candidates. They are filling spots on the parks and recreation commission left vacant by Barbara Loebner and Tim McCrone, each of whom completed two four-year terms.