Saratoga News

NEWS BRIEFS

Aviation volunteer would advise city

The city needs a volunteer with a background in commercial aviation to join the Moffett Citizens' Group, which is intended to discourage the shifting of any commercial air-cargo flight operations from San Jose International Airport to Moffett Federal Airfield or at least ensure that noise abatement procedures are in place before such activity is allowed.

Before any such flights are allowed at Moffett Federal Airfield, nearby cities are insisting that NASA, the Air Freight Association and the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors set up an airport-noise advisory committee, noise-abatement procedures including a nighttime curfew, a system of noise recording instruments, a 24-hour phone number and recording service to receive public complaints, and regular public meetings to review noise violations.

The citizens' group will monitor developments on this matter and recommend actions to city officials. Anyone interested in being part of the group should contact Darlene Tenes at 867-3438, extension 252, for more information.

Residents invited to Town Hall meeting

Residents are invited to attend the next Town Hall meeting, to be held by the City Council on April 20 from 10 a.m. to noon in the senior wing of the community center, 19655 Allendale Ave. Topics to be discussed will include implementation of Measure G; the 1996-97 and 1997-98 city budgets; and plans concerning a proposed utility-users tax for the November ballot. The meeting series, which began in 1995, is intended to give community members an opportunity to express how city issues should be handled.

No longer a landmark

The City Council officially rescinded the landmark status of the Hannah McCarty Vineyard House at 20600 Lomita Ave. at its April 3 meeting. The house has been demolished except for a front porch and two walls left standing. The revocation will take effect on May 3.

Nelson Gardens gets open-space release

The City Council has taken the final step in clearing the way for the Nelson Gardens development. At its April 3 meeting, it approved the cancellation of the Williamson Act contract for the property.

Without this cancellation, no development on the property would have been allowed until 2001.

New traffic signal at Saratoga Avenue

A new traffic signal at Saratoga Avenue and Scotland Drive is right around the corner. The City Council has approved a design services proposal from CCS Inc. for the new signal and modifications to the Saratoga Avenue/Fruitvale Avenue intersection and traffic signal.

The new signal was recommended after a report on the traffic impact of Highway 85. In the Saratoga/Fruitvale area, there will be no free right turns allowed from Saratoga onto Fruitvale and the crosswalk will be moved to the southern end of the intersection to avoid conflict between students and traffic.

Wildwood Park dedication set

The Saratoga Parks and Recreation Commission has scheduled the Wildwood Park dedication ceremony for April 28, the same day as the annual barbecue in honor of parks and recreation staff and volunteers. The event will be from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The ceremony will celebrate the recent completion of $45,000 of improvements to the park's play area.

Volunteers needed for creek cleanup

Volunteers are needed to help remove trash and debris from Santa Clara County creeks, rivers and shoreline during a countywide creek cleanup on Earth Day, April 20 from 9 a.m. to noon.

The event is organized by the Creek Connections Action Group, a coalition of 10 public agencies and nonprofit groups.

Volunteers will form teams to remove litter and debris. Gloves and trash bags will be provided and volunteers will get a commemorative T-shirt and refreshments.

Santa Clara County has some 700 miles of creeks, ranging from mile-long Cow Creek to 42-mile-long Coyote Creek. The cleanup site in Saratoga will be Saratoga Creek at Wildwood Park. In nearby Cupertino, the site will be Stevens Creek Reservoir.

The creek cleanup is intended to remove trash and debris from Santa Clara County waterways and to focus the public's attention on the value of these resources, said County Supervisor Mike Honda.

To volunteer, call the Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation Department, 354-4902.

Appraisal day set at Villa Montalvo

Specialists from Butterfield & Butterfield, fine-art auctioneers and appraisers, will be on hand April 19 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Villa Montalvo to provide auction estimates on property in the following categories: fine paintings, Asian works of art, furniture and decorative pieces, jewelry and timepieces and rugs.

The appraisal day is presented by the Los Gatos and Saratoga branch offices of Bank of the West Trust and Investment Services. Appraisals are by appointment only. Call 998-6867 or (415) 861-7500, ext. 250.