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Publication Date: Wednesday, October 19, 2005 LETTERS
LETTERS
(October 19, 2005)
Allied Arts no problem for this neighbor
Editor:
I want to make my voice heard as a neighbor in support of Allied Arts, and want to commend the Guild for being a good neighbor.
My family has lived within half a block of the Allied Arts entrance for over 13 years, and we have never had reason to complain. I'm grateful for the time and effort the Guild volunteers have offered to run an organization that supports the children's hospital, and for their vision in maintaining the structures of this beautiful, historical treasure.
Allied Arts was here well before I moved into the neighborhood. I have been a patron of Allied Arts for over 20 years, and I knew what to expect before choosing to live in this neighborhood. Co-workers and I have traveled from afar to meet up at Allied Arts for an annual holiday lunch. My son grew up strolling through the gardens, throwing pennies in the fountains, visiting the Easter Bunny, and selecting Christmas ornaments from the Traditional Shop. Allied Arts has made our neighborhood a special place.
I would like to thank the Guild for trying to meet the needs of the neighborhood, and can say that I am very pleased with the way they conduct business. I am saddened by the continued litigation, and wish to go on record saying that this group does not speak for this neighbor.
Debbie Gerow
Princeton Road, Menlo Park
Guild neighbors should get a fair shake
Editor:
I think the Almanac should consider giving the Allied Arts neighbors a fair shake. I have followed this affair pretty closely, and I think an objective recital of the facts shows that the troubles of the Woodside-Atherton Auxiliary were largely self-inflicted.
When the women of Woodside and Atherton first presented their proposal to transform the Allied Arts Guild site into an evening events center, the neighbors (and not just a "handful") made it plain that they regarded the proposal as an unwarranted assault on the nighttime peace and quiet of their homes. Given the Auxiliary's laudable support of the Lucile Packard children's hospital, the neighbors were generously prepared to accept unlimited daytime events. And the neighbors contributed many ideas that would surely have allowed the Auxiliary to reach its financial goals without hosting large parties in the evening. The neighbors were not litigious. They tried to be helpful. But they were simply ignored.
The Auxiliary was the first to hire a lawyer. The lawyer and his clients attempted to push a nearly unlimited rezoning and use permit through the Planning Commission. When abundant evidence was produced that the plan would disrupt the neighborhood, the Auxiliary abruptly and arrogantly demanded that the Planning Commission stop "meddling" with the project and vote so the process could move on to the City Council. The Planning Commission, which had been trying to broker a more reasonable plan, then voted 5-0 (plus one abstention) against the Auxiliary
Now the matter has worked itself all the way up to the Appellate Court of the State of California where a three-justice panel has unanimously ruled that the rights of the neighbors have been trampled upon and the protections afforded by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) ignored. Your October 12 editorial headline calls this "a sad ruling." Is it? I am one among many I know in the community, in many different neighborhoods, who hail the appellate court ruling as a defense of our neighborhoods. And the neighbors who persevered in defending themselves and the rest of the community deserve credit, not obloquy.
Peter Windhorst
Arbor Road, Menlo Park
EIR will answer questions on Guild
Editor:
I applaud the court decision to require an environmental impact report for the Allied Arts Guild's proposal to expand its operations into the evening.
Such a study will simply enforce California's environmental law (CEQA). If the neighbors will not be harmed by evening events, this study will prove just that. If the neighbors will be harmed, certainly all parties -- including the Guild -- would want to know.
Pamela Gullard
Bay Laurel Drive, Menlo Park
Grateful for those who patronized Kepler's
Editor:
Thank you, thank you, thank-you to all the persons who participated in any way to bring back Kepler's (our beloved bookstore), which is so vital to the culture of Menlo Park.
It is inspiring to be part of a community that cares enough to stand by their concerns and do something about it. Now it is up to all of us to support this effort and keep it vital.
Anita Dippery
Santa Rita Avenue, Menlo Park
Why a golf course at Bayfront Park now?
Editor:
It's a good thing that Menlo Park has a few attentive residents who are keeping track of the City Council's activities.
When former council member Steve Schmidt discovered that the October 25 council agenda listed an item regarding a proposal to choose a private company to build a golf course at Bayfront Park, he and former colleague Mary Jo Borak conducted their own public outreach (Almanac, October 12, 2005). The city has an obligation to conduct public outreach regarding a concept rejected four years ago due to public opposition, especially one that they know will be controversial.
The residents of the Menlo Park and the Midpeninsula deserve to know: How did this idea come to the brink of approval? After the 2002 rejection, who brought the golf course back to favor? Where are the memos? What was the motion and what was the vote?
Why is the meeting being held at a venue (the Onetta Harris Center in Belle Haven) that has no live TV capabilities? Who will benefit from this project? How does this concept square with the original agreements and environmental documents accompanying the transfer of the land from San Mateo County to the city some 20 years ago?
This appears to be a rush job. It is a disservice to the residents, the current park users and the developers who are going to the trouble of making the golf-specific proposals to the city. The concept of private use of a public facility has had no public airing at any time since 2002 that I'm aware of. The city should step back, send the golf course developers home, place the horse before the cart, and conduct an open and thorough discussion of the use of Bayfront Park.
Mitch Slomiak
Pope Street, Menlo Park
Bayfront Park is threatened
Editor
Bayfront Park in Menlo Park is once again being threatened with development.
Whether it is turned into a golf course, an amusement park, playing fields or car dealerships, it will no longer be open space. Any of these proposed uses will exclude some portion of our community.
Bayfront is available to everyone in our community and surrounding communities, unlike other cities that restrict open space usage to residents only. Please take a moment to help rescue Bayfront from development. Contact the Menlo Park City Council (city.council@menlopark.org) or the Parks and Recreation Dept. (rcline@vocecomm.com).
Pixie Couch
Almanor Avenue, Menlo Park
In defense of online library idea
Editor:
I initially wrote the Almanac to propose a potential better use of the town's funds for the utility of access to information. My proposal, however, was received with disdain from others, including that from one of the town's founding fathers. I did not know that social engineering is what is really on certain people's agenda.
I respect Bill Lane's personal and continuing contribution to Portola Valley. I disagree with his proposition, that the building and operation of the new Library/Town Center will bring people from their one-plus- acre, securely fenced and gated parcels, and magically foster human relationships among family members and non-family members alike. Will the library act as proxy for cementing family ties and proper parenting; and will a library transport us back to a less stressful, less technologically-oriented world?
Mr. Lane's vision, and those who feel likewise, is an attempt at social engineering, not for providing utility to services for Portola Valley residents.
My proposal would reimburse $800 to every Portola Valley household. I will let the reader calculate how much a resident will have to pay for a "modest" $20 million facility.
Nevertheless, if there are approximately 10-15 other residents who share Mr. Lane's vision, and have his same special level of largesse, the whole issue of building a $20 million Town Center becomes moot, indeed.
I hope the bidding and contributing is conducted with unbridled exuberance. Anything to spare me, and several other striving Valley residents, from paying for another government project; one that benefits the social engineers, and the likes of non-Portola Valley resident Dieter Hurni (Almanac Letters, October 12) who openly admits to using Portola Valley services, without having to pay for their availability.
Al Engen
Los Trancos Road, Portola Valley
Shocked at request for candidate's withdrawal
Editor:
I am shocked, but not surprised, at the self-serving attitude of the Menlo Park Firefighters' Association in asking Peter Carpenter, a current director, not to run for re-election.
In the corporate world the best boards are composed of a mix of 'inside' operating officers and 'outside' professionals with complementary expertise such as finance or strategic planning and proven business experience. The worst boards are composed solely of insiders with narrow company and industry perspective. Since the fire district has five directors, just one or two with careers in this field should be sufficient.
An applicable local example is the Town of Atherton. Eight to 10 years ago its finances were in disarray, the finance director was semi-competent and the annual audit was always late and with problems. A group of concerned residents recommended, staffed and chaired the first audit committee.
They were a retired corporate controller, a bank president, a CPA, a mutual fund partner and a former turnaround management partner. Similar professional qualifications have been perpetuated in their replacements. The results have proven the value of this action. The town hired a very qualified finance director and retained a very experienced public accounting firm.
For the first time in history, the town has had five consecutive unqualified (clean) audits produced in a timely manner. And the corrective financial management reports have declined rapidly. This is the type of benefit outside professionals must continue to bring to the Menlo Park Fire Protection District.
Bob Jenkins
Irving Avenue, Atherton
Support for restoring Sausal Creek
Editor:
After reading the recent heartfelt letter written by Matt Stoecker, one of our "homegrown" residents, I felt I had to voice my support for his arguments towards restoration of Sausal Creek at the Town Center project.
While Mr. Stoecker's findings are persuasive ecologically, I believe the benefit to the community aesthetically, as well as spiritually is also important. Many of us long-time residents are having a difficult time endorsing the need for a new community center based on the projected costs.
However, we might be more enthusiastic if the creek restoration was included in the project. One only needs to visit San Luis Obispo or Reno to appreciate the value of sitting by a babbling creek or rushing river, watching young children, mothers and even grandparents dipping in their toes.
New buildings, landscaping, and soccer fields might provide the basic needs, but a lovely creek feeds the soul. To delay the inclusion of the creek concept to a later date means the unlikely event of it ever being realized. Yes, there is a slight increase relative to the overall cost of the project, but we know it would be far greater if postponed several years. I urge others who feel similarly to write to or speak to our community leaders and endorse the Sausal Creek restoration.
Donna and Marty Mackowski
Los Charros Lane, Portola Valley
A gift of books for Louisiana
Editor:
In the midst of a very successful Menlo Park Book Fair 2005, four very talented volunteers, two former library commissioners and two representatives of the younger generation collaborated to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina.
Aldora Lee, longtime Friend, commissioner and charter member of the library foundation, recruited this talented group, including Anne McQueen, a former commissioner and current school librarian, and the granddaughters of outstanding volunteers and Friends, John and Joan Inglis, Jerusha and Kasey Inglis. In their own youthful volunteerism, they represented the kindergarten-eighth grade generation very well.
These four selected and set aside gently used, age-appropriate books during the bag sale at the Book Fair on September 18. The books then were packed, weighed and prepared for shipping. After inquiries, Aldora went on the Internet seeking a school library home for these books. On the same day, just hours after the message was sent, a request came from a K-8 school district that had been hit by Katrina and had lost their main warehouse; the district now had an alternate address in Baton Rouge, an indication that their recovery was going to take some time. They were starting from scratch.
Two days later the Friends of the Menlo Park Library mailed four boxes (120 pounds of youth books) to Baton Rouge. In so doing, the Friends joined the efforts of Corte Madera and Caesar Chavez Academy in working to help schoolchildren in that hurricane-devastated area
Aldora has received additional requests for help, and her wish is to help restore a valuable infrastructure. Perhaps a network like the group who helped Kepler's might develop locally for Katrina-impacted schools. The needs of even one school district seem a daunting challenge, but obviously many good people are willing to help.
Tim Goode
Friends of the Library
Why not use town's empty office spaces?
Editor:
Why is Portola Valley so ready to spend $20 million on 10 employees? There are empty office spaces in town that have been empty for a long time.
Or the employees could work from home. The few times any resident needs some paper work could be accomplished via fax or e-mail. The town should save the money for a real emergency -- like an earthquake.
Sharon Humphreys
Brookside Drive, Portola Valley
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