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Editorial
LG should let resident keep his two canopies
There are two canopies in the driveway of the Medalie family home on Wedgewood Avenue in Los Gatos. The canopies are tasteful in their design and utilitarian in their purpose. But the town of Los Gatos wants them to come down since they are not allowed under the town's accessory building restrictions, so says Los Gatos Director of Community Development Bud Lortz.
Medalie has requested a variance because there are extenuating circumstances in his case. One canopy protects a restored 1956 Ford, the other the family car--not from the potential damage of sun and rain, but from the very real damage of golf balls raining in his front yard.
Are the neighbors across the street complaining about the sight of the canopies as they look out of their front window over their morning coffee? No, there are no neighbors across the street--just a line of pine trees and a cyclone fence that separates the La Rinconada Country Club driving range from Wedgewood Avenue.
So what's the problem? The way the town sees it, a rule has been broken so the canopies must go.
"We can't have a violation, out of fairness to all the other people who have been cooperative in abating violations," said Lortz to the Weekly Times.
Evidence of the problem was apparent on a peaceful Friday morning in the quiet neighborhood. The subtle whoosh of clubs striking golf balls told part of the story--the dimples that dotted the Medalies' metal garage door told the rest.
Since the Medalies moved into their home in 1988, golf balls have broken three of their car windshields, caused their vehicles to make six trips to the body shop and scarred their garage door to the point that it appears to be out of a war zone rather than a serene Los Gatos neighborhood.
La Rinconada has done its part and taken responsibility for the nearly $5,000 in repairs through the years. But that can't solve the problem.
Medalie paid more than $3,000 to install the canopies, and since that time, he says, that the number of claims has reduced drastically.
But the town's stance is that a regulation has been violated, so the canopies must go.
Lortz offers solutions to the Medalies' problems:
* Plant more trees to provide more density along the edge of the range, and install protective netting until the trees mature. That would take about10 years.
* Put up signs on the driving range to warn golfers to be more careful. Of course, if golfers could control their hooks and slices there would be little need for the driving range.
It was even suggested that Medalie park his cars in the garage to keep them safe. The truth is, Medalie has every right to park his cars wherever he likes with some expectation of safety from damage.
The canopies in the Medalie driveway are not the only canopies on Wedgewood. There are two others down the street. One covers a boat; the other covers a car. There are weed-covered properties, and in one yard there's a gazebo that has seen its better days.
Medalie's canopies are tasteful and serve a purpose. The town should uphold his request for a variance.
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Los Gatos, California Since 1881
