Valley on way to a new Town Center Valley on way to a new Town Center (March 03, 2004)

The Portola Valley Town Council certainly did the right thing when members made the momentous decision to vacate and demolish the earthquake-threatened complex of buildings at Town Center, a decision that was made excruciatingly difficult by residents who wanted to save them.

The council made the decision based on strong evidence that traces of the San Andreas Fault run beneath some of the buildings, making it difficult to justify either renovating or rebuilding on that exact location. The move already has the firm support of at least one Portola Valley couple who, according to town officials, have agreed to donate $1 million toward building a new Town Center.

The decision was the culmination of an evaluation process that began about seven years ago, but that moved firmly ahead last year when a 37-member ad hoc committee volunteered to assess the present site and evaluate other potential sites. Based on the committee's work, which has been made available but not shared widely with the public, the Town Council decided to abandon the existing buildings and build a new complex at the back of the present site. The 1950s-era buildings would be replaced by open recreation facilities, presumably the soccer field and tennis courts that would be lost to the new Town Center buildings.

The council made its decision based on how members of the ad hoc committee responded to a 22-question survey to gauge their feelings on various issues, including cost and location of a new town complex. And although at least a few members of the committee would prefer that more consideration be given alternative sites, the council decided to hold a design charrette this summer to develop a master plan for the new Town Center site.

Some have questioned whether the council needs to move the process forward so rapidly. Why not give residents an opportunity to fully debate the alternative sites identified by the ad hoc committee? For while it is doubtful that a consensus could form behind any of the options, which have various shortcomings ranging from cost to distance from the existing Town Center, each is entitled to at least a short day in court.

Portola Valley is noted for having an inclusive governmental process, with resident volunteers performing many town functions -- from trail-keeping to pruning. To take the momentous step of forever changing the Town Center site without the widest possible debate strikes at the heart of the Portola Valley's famous deliberative process.

Before conducting a design charrette attached to the back strip of land on the current site, the council should open the door to a discussion of the alternative plans presented by the ad hoc committee. Even if these ideas are shot down, as we suspect they would be, the process would provide everyone a fair hearing before moving on to designing a master plan for a new complex.

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