Letters

Azule neighbors opposed to fields

The Azule Park Neighborhood Association, APNA, has been formed to express our strong opposition to the proposed development of soccer fields at Blue Hills School and Azule Park.

Our association encompasses the neighborhoods around Blue Hills School on the west side of the freeway. We represent the overwhelming majority of residents who live in proximity to the site. Some of our members are volunteer coaches and referees with AYSO. Many of our members have children attending Blue Hills School and are active in youth soccer.

The effect of traffic in our neighborhood will be devastating. We will have a significant increase in the number of cars on our narrow, curved residential streets. Our estimate is over 1,400 cars to or from the fields on a Saturday of regular play (based on eight games per fields per day). This increase in traffic will be all weekend while CYSA and AYSO play their games and tournaments, as well as for after-school practices.

Games and practices may be conducted 12 months a year per city consultant, J. Beals. This neighborhood, like most in Saratoga, was laid out to be a quiet neighborhood built around a school. It was not designed for the kind of traffic that would come with the proposal.

APNA views this proposed expansion as a threat to our neighborhood.

With such an increase in visitors to our neighborhood many other problems arise. The safety of a quiet residential street, as well as the elementary school community, would be severely compromised. The noise from traffic and games will be considerably higher for our entire weekends.

There are many issues with the proposed development at the Blue Hills-Azule site. We suggest the city consider looking at alternate sites that would not impact neighborhood safety. The Park Development Fund money should go to develop worthy projects that would benefit all the residents of Saratoga without damaging existing neighborhoods.

Katie Alexander
APNA Chairperson, Goleta Avenue

Sally Johnson
President Greenbriar Homeowners and Taxpayers Association, Seagull Way

City's letter to county speaks for residents

The March 31 issue of the Saratoga News reported on a letter written by Mayor Jim Shaw to the Santa Clara County Planning Commission regarding the activities at the Mountain Winery. He stated that traffic and noise are troubling to Saratoga residents.

The Cooper-Garrod Winery owner Bill Cooper and Bill Cooper of Bella Saratoga and Sheila Arthur of the Chamber of Commerce seemed to defend any and all activities at the Mountain Winery, assuming any commercialization at the (non) winery was good for their business, and whatever is good for them is good for all.

These three entrepreneurs need to be reminded of a few things:

* In 1980, Saratogans passed Measure A which seeks to preserve the rural character of the northwest hillsides and Pierce Road, in particular;

* In 1996, Saratogans passed Measure G which seeks to control growth;

* Saratogans have voted in a City Council which ran on controlled growth and traffic issues;

* Numerous articles and letters to the editor appear in the Saratoga News decrying traffic on Highway 85, the interchanges, Saratoga Avenue, around the schools and the development of certain sports fields'

* In addition to the residents at the top of Pierce Road, there are another 200 who live here who are affected by the noisy polluting engines of the cars and trucks constantly driving to and from the commercial activities at the Mountain Winery.

Virginia Miller-Lohr
Friends of Pierce Road

Missing link in tree arguments

It's the middle of the night, and I cannot sleep. I returned from the April 6 school board meeting with the unsettling feeling that there was a piece missing from the information-gathering process to help decide the fate of the 111-year-old eucalyptus trees.

I have supported saving the trees for the very good reasons offered in their defense. They are life and, as such, should be respected and treasured. They provide a massive amount of shade to cool the play yard, the buildings and the children, as well as providing protection for the children from the harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun. They offer historic value to the community at large--they are massive and grand and beautiful.

However, I also heard the reports against this particular type of tree and I am concerned when I hear people speak of the children's safety. At tonight's meeting there were some very compelling and articulate arguments for the removal of the trees, most focusing on the dangers of falling limbs. One parent stated that she saw a 3-foot limb fall down last fall, and people shared the recent news photo featuring a fallen limb on a police car.

I know for a fact that everyone who wants to save the trees also wants the children to be safe. And that was my dilemma. And then, as it usually happens in the silent middle of the night, the missing piece came to me. There is one very important and obvious fact that negates all the arguments for these trees to be removed due to safety issues. And that fact is: the children were playing under those trees today and they played under them yesterday and they will play under them again tomorrow. There are children playing under those trees daily, and there are classrooms meeting every day in prefabricated buildings under and around the side row of trees that have blacktop poured right up to their trunks and covering their roots. And all this happens with the approval of the administration, teachers, PTA and the parents. Most of the parents who spoke tonight against the trees probably allow their children to play under them every day.

And why does everyone let this happen? Probably for the same reason I allow my son to play under those trees. Because, deep in my heart, I don't believe those trees are any more dangerous than anything else in the play area.

Prior to the construction issue, there had never been any action to secure the safety of the children by removing the trees.

Three arborists have evaluated the trees and reported that they do not have to be removed.

And so, if the trees are safe and there is an architect's plan to save the trees, have a level and large playing area with good drainage and a possible cost reduction, what reasons would there be for choosing anything else?

A big hats off to Superintendent Mary Gardner, all the board members, Principal Zorrio, all the committee members and parents who have spent countless hours researching and discussing all the components to this massive reconstruction project. Their goal of creating a stimulating, safe and beautiful learning environment is about to be realized.

Maureen Barton
Montalvo Road

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