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Published on 11/03/1999 All articles from this issue

News Briefs

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One-story overlay input reviewed

The Los Altos Residential Design Guidelines Task Force will meet at 5:30 p.m. today to consider input from the community meeting held Aug. 25 regarding one-story overlay zones.

More than 300 people attended, sharing concerns and input that focused mainly on pros and cons of allowing one-story overlay zones in Los Altos.

Today will be the task force's first meeting since the Aug. 25 community gathering.

Two-story additions and new construction continue to raise neighborhood concerns.

Residents have appealed to city council about at least two two-story projects in the past few weeks.

The meeting will be in Room 17, Hillview Community Center, 97 Hillview Ave., in Los Altos.

Tree Farm project returns to council

The 4.5-acre Tree Farm project on El Camino Real is scheduled to come before the Los Altos City Council at its meeting next Tuesday.

The city council will be looking at the project for the final phase of design review, considering exterior detail, landscaping and final site planning, said Planning Director Larry Tong.

The project includes a 95,000-square-foot three-story office building, a 130-room residence inn and eight low- income affordable rental condos.

New owners are taking the project forward after the former owners sued each other and the project fell into bankruptcy.

The new owners "have been responsive" to city concerns and have taken care of the 4-foot high weeds and graffiti on the white stucco walls surrounding the property, Tong said.

The new owners have asked for an excavation permit to dig two-stories down for parking. The permit has not yet been issued, Tong said.

The council will meet at 7 p.m., Tuesday in the Los Altos City Council chambers.

Mountain View reservoir on Los Altos agenda

Expansion plans for a reservoir on land owned by Mountain View but surrounded by Los Altos homes will be on the agenda of the Los Altos City Council for next Tuesday.

"It will be an information exchange," said Los Altos City Clerk Carol Scharz.

The city of Mountain View will make a presentation of its plans for the reservoir. Mountain View city officials will also be talking about concerns they have heard from the neighbors.

Residents will have a chance to speak at Tuesday's meeting, which begins at 7 p.m. in the city council chambers. The reservoir is on Miramonte Avenue near Stanley Avenue.

Cable TV workshops regarding city's needs

As the city of Los Altos moves ahead with negotiations for contract renewal for cable TV, it is seeking input from various interests in the community and has scheduled the following workshops, all in Los Altos:

Local government departments and agencies, 2 p.m., today, Room A, Hillview Community Center, 97 Hillview Ave.;

Non-profit and community service organizations and agencies, 7 p.m., today, Youth Center, located behind city hall, 1 N. San Antonio Road;

Arts, cultural and heritage groups, 12:30 p.m., Thursday, Library Program Room;

Education and libraries, 3:30 p.m., Thursday, Library Program Room;

Community residents and neighborhoods, 7 p.m., Thursday, Youth Center; and

Business and business organizations, noon, Friday, Room A, Hillview Community Center.

Anyone interested is encouraged to attend and share their expectations for cable TV.

Condos, Club Mirage at planning commission

The Los Altos Planning Commission will be holding public hearings for design review for some downtown condos and a use permit for the former Club Mirage on El Camino Real.

The condos, developed by Windy Hill Associates and to be located at 104 Second St., include four units. Developers want a variance to allow garages at grade level.

The owner of Club Mirage, which the council closed last August, is seeking a permit for a modified restaurant and cocktail lounge to open at the Club Mirage site at 4926 El Camino Real.

The Los Altos Planning Commission is scheduled to meet at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, in the city council chambers, 1 N. San Antonio Road.

Elena Road in LAH closed Nov. 8-19

A section of Elena Road located between Natoma and Purissima roads will be closed to traffic 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays, beginning next Monday through Nov. 19. The road closure is necessary to improve the storm drain system.

For more information, call the town of Los Altos Hills engineering department, 941-7222.

Local woman believed aboard crashed plane

According to news reports, an unidentified Los Altos woman and her parents are three of 217 passengers feared dead in the crash of EgyptAir Flight 990, which crashed in the Atlantic Ocean at 1:19 a.m. EST Sunday morning. The jetliner went down shortly after taking off from New York for Cairo, Egypt.

The reason for the crash is still unknown, and news sources say there was no distress call from the pilots. The twin-engine, wide-body Boeing 767-300ER carried 199 passengers and 18 crew members. Federal officials said radar showed the aircraft fell from 33,000 feet to 19,100 feet in 36 seconds.

It is believed that the Los Altos resident was traveling with her boyfriend, Kurt Schwenk, 39, a manager of Palm Computing in Santa Clara.

Authorities found one body and wreckage 60 miles south of Nantucket, a Massachusetts island. Survivors are unlikely, officials said.

- Joanne Griffith Domingue, Leslie K. Martin and Town Crier Staff Reports