The 4.5-acre Tree Farm land located at 4434 El Camino Real in Los Altos has new owners. A year ago, lawsuits and bankruptcy stopped plans that included a resident inn, a 100,000-square-foot office building and eight low-income rental condos.
Now, with new owners Sand Hill Properties, the project is back on track, according to city officials. Sand Hill Properties has filed for a permit to excavate, said Larry Tong, director of planning for the city of Los Altos.
The new owners have also applied for final design details, said Jim Mackenzie, senior planner with Los Altos. The plans will go to the city council for approval, Mackenzie said.
Council backs off on garage sale rules
Garage sales won't be regulated in Los Altos. The City Council backed off after giving a first reading to an ordinance that would have restricted garage sales to one two-day sale every three months.
"It was overly restrictive," said Councilman John Moss. "It was using a sledgehammer to swat a fly."
In response to a complaint from one resident who objected to a neighbor allegedly selling store merchandise in a series of garage sales, city staff drafted an eight-point ordinance that would have made violation a misdemeanor resulting in possible jail time.
After review, the council backed off from that and drafted a two-point ordinance with violation being an infraction.
Now there will be no ordinance at all.
"If someone is having regular sales, go out and regulate," Moss said.
Council OKs Miramonte facilitator
In a 3-2 vote, the Los Altos City Council agreed to spend $6,300 for a facilitator to work on remaining issues regarding neighbor concerns about the privately-owned Miramonte School's planned multipurpose gym.
Councilman John Moss voted for the expense, because "We owe it to the neighborhood to do everything to assure it is built as attractively as possible," he said.
Neighbors have protested the school's planned addition, citing concerns about noise, traffic and out-of-area use.
Councilmembers Kris Casto and King Lear voted against the expense. City "staff has the expertise," Casto said. "And if we need a facilitator, we can use LAMP (Los Altos Mediation Program)." The San Jose-based Beals Group, known for its work designing Rosita and Conner parks in Los Altos, will facilitate the remaining Miramonte issues.
Council takes no action regarding pool location
At its meeting Oct. 12, the Los Altos City Council took no action regarding hiring the San Jose-based Beals Group to work with the city on finding a location for a community pool.
Instead, the city's Parks and Recreation Commission will study possible sites, referring its top three choices to the Beals Group. Jay Beals will then re-bid the consulting job to work with the city regarding location and design of the pool.
His current bid of $25,670 included developing the list of potential sites.
One site proposed by the city that sparked strong opposition from neighbors was McKenzie Park on Fremont Avenue. Some consider this a reasonable choice since the park is bounded by commercial uses. Others object to losing two of the city's nine tennis courts in the spot where the pool would be built.
- Joanne Griffith Domingue