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Published on 05/19/1999 All articles from this issue

News Briefs

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Non-solicitation law for day workers

The same evening the Los Altos City Council discussed authorizing a non-solicitation ordinance for day workers, council members in Mountain View considered the same item.

"They want to work with the center to find a new site before enacting an ordinance," said Layne Long, assistant to the Los Altos city manager.

"We should go forward regardless of what they do," said Mayor Lou Becker.

The council voted to draft a no-solicitation ordinance to address the day worker issue of men standing on street corners waiting for work. The council also confirmed its intent to continue coordination of efforts with Mountain View.

John Rinaldi, a Mountain View resident, asked that an ordinance be enforced against employers who stop on corners to hire workers as well as against the workers who hang out.

The St. Joseph the Worker Center currently is located on El Camino Real in Los Altos. It has outgrown its location and is looking for a new site in Mountain View.

General plan change and Four Seasons

The Los Altos City Council, at its May 11 meeting, authorized a study of a potential general plan amendment and rezoning for the Four Seasons motel on El Camino Real.

Developers have come to the city with plans for a 196-room Marriott Courtyard motel for the location, but the city's general plan calls for affordable housing to go on the site.

The city rezoned the area in 1995 to affordable housing.

"I'm concerned about changing the zoning after just five years," said resident Carol Malnick. "If we said we'd put affordable housing there five years ago, I don't want us backing out of that."

Councilwoman Kris Casto shared Malnick's concerns. "How would we recoup affordable housing?" Casto asked.

"If all we're going to do is a study, I'm OK with that," said Councilman Francis La Poll. "It's good to look at the El Camino corridor."

Councilman King Lear said, "Developers are wanting to change an eyesore. If developers want to do this, good."

Almond station remodel OK'd

The city-owned Almond Fire Station will become the second Los Altos fire station to get a remodel in the past 12 months.

City officials said work is nearly complete on the Loyola station, and construction will begin soon at the Almond Station, on Almond Avenue at San Antonio Road.

At a May 11 meeting, Los Altos City Council members authorized $422,000 for seismic upgrades and building renovations to the 31-year-old station.

About $154,000 of the funds will come from a state grant for the seismic work. In the remodeling, the sleeping and restroom facilities will be re-done to accommodate both male and female firefighters, said Bruce Bane, Los Altos director of public works, in a staff report.

- Joanne Griffith Domingue