Saratoga News

Letters

Kudos to commission for Park Place ideas

I would like to thank the members of the Saratoga Planning Commission for the thoughtful and difficult decisions they made concerning proposed construction on the old Winslow property, located at 20379 Park Place. The property has historical significance for many reasons. It is adjacent to the Foothill Club, a beautiful representation of Julia Morgan architecture, and is graced by a magnificent oak tree.

Park Place, a one-block street, is equally unique as the repository of five exquisitely maintained craftsman cottages. It is the only street in Saratoga where visitors and neighbors can step back in time to enjoy the ambiance of graceful homes and sweeping lawns, created 85 years ago.

In the face of sophisticated opposition, the Planning Commission wisely decided to preserve the oak tree, the privacy of the Foothill Club and the integrity of the neighborhood by insisting that the houses be moved to the back of the property and reduced in size more in keeping with the heritage nature of the street.

Kathleen Lynch
Saratoga

Restaurant brings home the Far East

For the past two or three years, since returning from Thailand, we have tried various Thai restaurants throughout the valley and were very pleased to find one near home that is the best so far in duplicating our newfound pleasures in the Far East.

Not only do we enjoy dining at the Old Siam Restaurant in Quito Village, but our back yard now reflects our personal gardening habits with Thai peppers of varying heat, color, size and shape. Your dining story did it for us.

Marcia Chamberlain
Quito Oaks Way

Miller Avenue was meant for traffic

On Sept. 22, I had the distinct pleasure of watching a deputy sheriff slide through the stop sign at Miller Avenue and Melinda Circle and stop guiltily about two car lengths beyond the stop line when he saw me watching. I was ticketed for the same infraction at a different location on Miller on June 27 and have since been keenly observant of the traffic on Miller when I take my daily walks. About 10 percent of the vehicles actually stop, about 80 percent slide through, and another 10 percent ignore the stop signs entirely.

Miller Avenue has always been the connector between Cox Avenue and Prospect Road, and it should have been apparent to anyone who bought on Miller that there was going to be a relatively heavy volume of traffic. It is the only way that residents of the many cul-de-sacs and cross streets have to get out of Pride's Crossing. The Miller Avenue residents have always tried to limit the traffic load. In fact, two of my kids were given tickets in a crackdown in the late '60s for riding their bikes through a stop sign while coming home from the grade school. Nothing that has been done has limited or slowed the traffic.

The stop signs on Miller should be removed. They are only an annoyance and nearly everyone, including the deputies, ignores them. Replacing them with yield signs would probably be appropriate.

John Allport
Candy Ct.

The council should take school stand

It was apparent at the joint meeting between the City Council and the elementary and high school districts that many Saratoga residents are angry and frustrated that their council has taken no public position regarding Saratoga's children being able to attend Saratoga district schools.

I urge councilmembers to publicly express their support in at least a minimal way for a unified Saratoga School District and/or all Saratogans being able to attend schools within Saratoga's district.

I suggest the following: "We support the concept of all Saratoga children being able to attend Saratoga schools, especially if the information gleaned from the current studies determines that such a policy is feasible."

The above statement, or a similar one, does not commit the council to any specific actions. However, making such a benign statement is considerably better than continuing the silence that has heretofore been typical of the City Council regarding this issue.

The council represents all residents of the city of Saratoga and is in a leadership position. Other groups in leadership and policy positions look to city councils and other representative bodies for guidance. By saying nothing, the Saratoga City Council suggests it is not concerned with the issue or that it agrees with whatever policy decisions others will make for Saratoga residents.

Of course the issue of school boundaries is an emotional one, but it is also one that needs to be considered with an eye to feasibility, both financially and educationally. Certainly, councilmembers should obtain as much information as is available. However, I agree with Councilman Don Wolfe that it is quite likely that the consultant hired by LGSUHSD and SUSD will arrive at conclusions and provide recommendations that his clients will support. I am not confident that a truly independent study will be forthcoming from that source.

The majority of Saratoga residents want the council to support the concept of Saratoga schools for all Saratoga residents. Since most councilmembers expressed personal opinions supporting that idea, why not make those opinions public? Such an action assures us that our City Council truly represents us.

Marcia Fariss
Saratoga

Corrections

A story about new school administrators in the Sept. 17 issue of the Saratoga News incorrectly identified the former employment of Chuck Krause, a new vice principal at Saratoga High School. He previously was an assistant principal at Cupertino High School.

The story about National Realty Trust's acquisition of Cornish & Carey in the Sept. 17 issue of the Saratoga News inadvertedly suggested that the acquisition leaves only two real estate firms in the city which are not owned by NRT Inc. The story should have indicated that companies not a part of NRT Inc., in addition to Seville and Alain Pinel, are Remax Silicon Valley at 12124 S. Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road, and several other independents.

The story about Celebrate Saratoga! in the Sept. 24 issue of the Saratoga News incorrectly stated how the participating restaurants' share of the event's profits is calculated. The story should have said that each restaurant keeps 72 percent of what it takes in at its food booth.

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