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Letters
New playfields will increase traffic
I have been referred to as being a "NIMBY" (Not In My Back Yard), as being an uncaring parent of my children, and now I'm a snob who doesn't want any more children in my neighborhood. All this because I want to preserve what is left of our quiet and safe neighborhood.
The proposed playfields for Marshall Lane School is the cause. Since I have been involved with my neighbors in this issue, all I have heard is how we don't care about the children, both our own and the community's--this could be no further from the truth. As I read the related articles in the papers I see that the real issue does not surface. The main reason for my opposition is the related traffic and parking issues that come with organized sports leagues.
Marshall Lane School is located on a dead-end street. All access to the school is on Marilyn Avenue, which is fed by Ravenwood Drive and Marshall Lane. These narrow streets with no sidewalks are dangerous for anybody walking on them during normal school hours. The addition of organized sports fields will increase the traffic during the week and extend it into the weekend.
At a recent Parks and Recreation meeting it was estimated that the traffic load on Saturdays could be anywhere from 200 to 400 cars traveling back and forth to either park or to drop off children for the games. The school has parking for approximately 70 cars. The only access to the parking lot is through a single gate that is just wide enough for two cars to pass through at the same time.
After the first 70 cars arrive, where will the remaining cars go? And what will happen when these cars leave? The Quito Road intersections at Ravenwood Drive and Marshall Lane will be lined with cars to Marilyn Avenue. And since there is no parking along the school grounds on Sobey Road, this will probably become the "drop point" for a lot of the kids. Now we have four streets that will be adversely affected. It is difficult to get out of my driveway now; I do not need this on the weekends also.
This poses a major safety problem for the residents on these four streets and for the additional foot traffic going to and from the sports fields. With our narrow streets and no sidewalks, children, including mine, have to walk or ride their bicycles in the street. This creates a very dangerous situation for the children.
I agree that the grass field is in pretty bad shape. I have no problem if the city wants to repair or replace the grass area. This would be great for the kids attending the school and the "general public" who use it after school hours. I do not want to sacrifice my neighborhood for organized sports groups.
John Bellicitti
Marshall Lane
Historical group against tree cutting
The Board of Trustees of the Saratoga Historical Foundation wishes to advise the Saratoga Union School District Board of Trustees that in action taken at our board meeting Nov. 19, 1998, we voted to support the retention and care of the magnificent historical eucalyptus trees located on the campus of Saratoga Grammar School on Oak Street. So many students have enjoyed them for so many years.
They, we know, are not natives but they represent a traditional part of the California and Saratoga landscape, and were at one time widely planted. According to an article in the Saratoga Star in 1922, the issue of removing these same trees was considered when the current school was constructed (I was a first-grader at that school) and at that time, as it should now, the school board voted to spare them.
We urge that you will see fit to retain this part of Saratoga's rapidly disappearing heritage.
Louise G. Cooper
President, Saratoga Historical Foundation
The City Council keeps promises
During the past week, I've had a wonderful feeling that things are finally right in the world--at least in Saratoga! Please allow me to point out some historic perspective.
In 1996, Measure G--validating the worth of planning contained in the general plan--was passed by a large margin of votes. The citizens said, "We have moved here for a particular reason. Stop changing our zoning without giving us a voice in the matter."
Later that year, Jim Shaw and Stan Bogosian ran for City Council, espousing the tenets of Measure G and publicly voicing their support to find a solution to the proven pollution of Saratoga Creek, thus ending the litigation that was the result of previous staff, and some councilmembers' refusal to acknowledge that a problem existed.
Shaw and Bogosian won by a healthy margin. They were, however, a minority voice on the council, especially regarding Saratoga Creek. They patiently suffered caustic comments from other councilmembers about their reasons for solving the creek problem.
Bear in mind that the only reason the litigation was initiated was that Don Whetstone, who had reported the problem several years before, wanted only to have creeks in which Saratoga kids could play safely. That was his sole motive.
In 1998, Evan Baker and John Mehaffey, both of whom espoused the Measure G guidelines and the settlement of the creek litigation, were elected to the council. Nick Streit, prior to his election, said that he would support cleaning up all creeks in conjunction with all appropriate parties in a fiscally responsible manner.
Streit, to his credit, worked with Vice Mayor Bogosian on a creek litigation task force, and on Feb. 17, Mayor Shaw announced [a likely] settlement of the Saratoga Creek lawsuit. Now efforts can finally begin to determine the source of pollution and start cleanup procedures--after only six years! Obviously, the warm and fuzzy feeling I've had all week was from knowing that we finally have councilmembers who are actually doing what they promised they would do.
Dora Grens
Old Oak Way
Traffic a mess around Oak Street
Of course there is going to be increased traffic in and around Saratoga School! What kind of fool would believe there wouldn't be? And who are these consultants hired by the school district (independent?) who have purported to have provided these "No environmental impact" results? Obviously, they need to go back to the drawing board.
It would be most unconscionable on the part of the Saratoga Union School District to accept the results of this consulting group without further independent study. All one has to do is try to get through Komina or Oak Street during peak school hours to understand the current traffic situation. It is preposterous to think that this situation will stay the same and not increase traffic/safety concerns.
Not only do people (parents?) block traffic and speed, but they double park, which prevents through traffic on a public street. Additionally, the employees of the SUSD are the worst offenders--just clock their speed as they are going to and from work, barreling up Aloha Avenue and around Forest Hills Drive.
Audrey J. Chapman
Aloha Avenue
District has worked hard to reach decision
Traffic congestion around Saratoga schools has been increasing for some time as student enrollment has been increasing. To provide some historical perspective on student population levels, note that the overall student population for SUSD schools was 3,400 in 1972, 1,431 in 1986, and is now 2,370.
With the decline of student population as well as financial revenue in the 1980s, it is understandable why school district administrators and governing boards sold land and discontinued expensive student bus transportation.
The school district is now expanding its facilities at four school sites, including Saratoga School, to accommodate this increasing student enrollment. Each school facilities plan includes measures to reduce traffic congestion.
There are, however, space and financial constraints that limit the options available for dealing with traffic congestion. The limited space available, for example, at Saratoga School, forces undesirable compromise planning choices on the architect and facilities planning committee. This school, whose campus size is about one half of what it should be for its student population, must allocate its limited space between buildings, playground areas, off-street drop-off/pick-up areas, parking and historic trees.
With the "usable-playground-area-versus-historic-trees" decision, the Saratoga School facilities planning committee, as part of its year-long work, decided to allocate more space for usable playground area, sacrificing trees considered historic by some to do so.
Other issues, such as student safety and continual clean-up and tree trimming costs, also probably contributed to the decision. I am a member of another school facilities planning committee (Redwood) and we have had to make similar allocation decisions for Redwood. I urge the Saratoga community to acknowledge the extensive work being performed by these planning committees, the school district administration, and the school board, and to recognize the decision choice limitations under which they are operating. With regard to the removal of the non-native but historic trees in the playground area of Saratoga School, let's support the recommendation of the planning committee to remove the trees and replace them with new and more trees better located and suited to the limited space available. Saratoga School is primarily a school, not a public park.
Bruce Euler
Miller Avenue
Burglary threats real in Saratoga
As a new resident of Saratoga and California, I was unaware of the need to be so diligent about locking our home and vehicles. Having moved from the New York City area, we were experts in home security--motion detectors, alarm systems, security lights and the like. However, I recently realized that even this sleepy little town is not immune to the negative aspects of our society--burglary.
On a recent early morning, a cell phone and garage door opener were taken from our vehicle parked in our driveway. The garage door was also opened and some items were taken from inside the garage, all while we were asleep in our Saratoga home.
I reported the incident to the police and was told that there was a recent trend of this type of crime in both Cupertino and Saratoga.
A week after our theft, two of our neighbors were hit. Same time of day, same small items taken from their vehicles.
What I would like to know is that if this is happening so frequently, isn't it the job of the police to notify their citizens? Shouldn't we be informed of the trend and given some helpful suggestions as to avoid being hit?
Since this has not happened, I'd like to offer some suggestions to my fellow neighbors--lock your vehicles, even when they're inside your garage (one of the thefts occurred with a garaged vehicle).
Also, remove your garage opener from your vehicle, and do not keep any valuables in your vehicles. The obvious things about keeping your homes' doors and windows locked goes without saying.
I do hope that with any future crime trends, citizens are notified so that they may activate their neighborhood watch programs and heighten their sensitivity to any unusual activity.
Sigita Clark
Malcom Avenue
Settlement story raises questions
Your article on the creek lawsuit in the Feb. 24 issue of the Saratoga News raises several questions.
It says the terms of the settlement were not disclosed. But after the mayor's announcement, Don Whetstone, a member of the group suing Saratoga, described the part the fire department would play as part of the settlement, and Jeff Schwartz, another member of the group suing Saratoga, compared the settlement to what he thinks their group would have agreed to when it first sued Saratoga.
Perhaps your reporter could interview those suing Saratoga, who seem very well informed on the city's closed-session discussions, to find the terms of the settlement?
Once the friends of the plaintiffs got a 4-1 majority on the council last November, why did it still take three months for them to carry out their campaign platform?
Settling, instead of winning, is one thing, but does anyone actually know how to make a recreational park out of the creek? Has the Water District's Urban Creek Assessment Project committee, formerly chaired by Mr. Schwartz, I believe, ever made an official report on just how we might clean up the creek?
The upgrade plan announced last fall by the West Valley Sanitation District, and the septic abandonment ordinance finally passed by the council sound good, but it would be nice to know the millions of dollars to be spent by taxpayers, and by the 700 Saratoga residents currently on septic systems, will produce a commensurate benefit.
Once the creek meets "recreational water" standards, what are the plans for bringing its environs up to recreational park standards? And what about the other creeks in Saratoga?
Tom Moran
Farwell Avenue
The Saratoga News will report the terms of the agreement once the document is approved by all parties involved.--Editor
Correction
In the March 3 issue of the Saratoga News, we reported that the Red Cross would be seeking $27,000 from the city of Saratoga to help fund its Safe Rides program. That figure was offered to the city on a sample budget. According to Pete Gonda, staff liasion to the city's Public Safety Commission, the amount sought from the city to cover gasoline and advertising expenses will likely be much less.
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Saratoga, California Since 1975
