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Published on 11/17/1999 All articles from this issue

Los Altos residents share flood of concerns about Mtn. View reservoir expansion plans

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By Joanne Griffith Domingue

Special to the Town Crier

Los Altos residents and city councilmembers gave Mountain View city staff an earful about Mountain View's plans to expand its reservoir on Miramonte Avenue.

The 3-acre site, an island of land owned by the city of Mountain View, currently houses a 1-million gallon, partially-underground reservoir that was built in 1945. It is surrounded by Los Altos homes in "a jurisdictional anomaly," said Cathy Lazarus, director of public works for Mountain View.

Now Mountain View wants to add a 3-million gallon reservoir to the site, to "expand the capacity of water storage," Lazarus said.

Neighbors are not happy.

"We have safety concerns," said John Rossi at the Nov. 9 Los Altos City Council meeting. His Stanley Avenue home in Los Altos adjoins the site.

Lazarus came to the Nov. 9 council meeting "to hear your issues." She said Mountain View wants to work "collaboratively" with Los Altos. She said the project has been approved by the city, but it is in "the preliminary phase."

Before an additional 3-million gallon reservoir is added to the site, Rossi asked that Mountain View "bury the existing tank, make it comply with existing codes. And we need catch basins," he said.

His home is at the low point for the neighborhood. He and his neighbors are concerned about the reservoir's durability in an earthquake, citing horrific damage to homes that have been down-water when a reservoir has given way.

"The weight of the water in there could get moving and 'blow the lid off,' so to speak," said Los Altos Councilman John Moss.

Lazarus said that "state code deems this an essential service." Therefore it is subject to "rigorous codes, so it will be there after a catastrophe," she said.

Neighbors and councilmembers were not persuaded.

"What happens when a wall of water is unleashed on a neighborhood?" asked Los Altos Councilman Francis La Poll.

Lazarus said the Miramonte water would be for emergency use and for firefighting in the area that includes El Camino Hospital, Mountain View and St. Francis high schools.

She showed slides of some above-ground reservoirs in Los Altos. In contrast, the rectangular, reinforced concrete site at Miramonte "is partially buried and therefore not as visible as those in Los Altos," she said.

The proposed tank would be 11 feet in the ground and 7 feet above ground, with all setbacks complying with Los Altos ordinances for public utilities, she said.

"This is not in our jurisdiction," La Poll said. "But Los Altos residents have significant concerns."

Moss agreed. "There are a lot of pretty serious questions that need to be answered," he said.