Letters

Winery hasn't complied with permit conditions

While it was refreshing to see some information on the status of the Mountain Winery's compliance with their conditional-use permit, the Saratoga News missed the point. It is true that the winery has missed virtually all of the filing deadlines for compliance and the county has finally acknowledged that point (for the first six months of the permit, the county refused to admit that the winery had failed to even file documents in a timely fashion). But here is the real issue: the winery has not complied with the conditions of its permit--and doing that is not merely about filing reports; the conditions require that work be done in order to comply.

Here are two (of more than a dozen) examples:

* The winery was supposed to replace the globe lights located in its parking lot by Dec. 13, 2000. Condition No. 10 of the architectural and site approval of the permit states that within 120 days (by Dec. 13, 2000) the winery is to "replace the globe pole light in the parking lot." The existing lights are highly visible from off site and are a violation of the county zoning ordinance, which is why the board of supervisors imposed this specific condition. The winery filed a document claiming to have complied, but the lights have not been replaced and are still visible from off site. The county has taken no action to enforce this condition.

* The winery took almost one year to file a seismic report on its buildings. The report was supposed to be completed within four months. The report, while still incomplete, indicates that the buildings need work to meet seismic safety standards. Yet no strengthening work has been done. The purpose of the condition was not merely to file a report--the purpose of the condition was to ensure that the buildings, which are occupied by the public, meet minimum seismic safety standards.

While the head of the county planning department seems quite content to offer remarks to the Saratoga News that the county wants to "work with applicants to gain compliance, rather than punish applicants for noncompliance," the statements do not ring true to other permit holders who have been the subject of immediate and harsh enforcement procedures for non-compliance.

The citizens of Saratoga are entitled to the protections afforded within the conditions of the conditional-use permit granted over a year ago and still unimplemented.

James Baron
Via Escuela

Fire district officials have wasted money

After having strongly supported the fire station bond issue, I am very disappointed that Saratoga Fire District officials have wasted several hundred thousand dollars of the bond money and 18 months in producing a grossly out-of-compliance and completely unacceptable design. Fire district officials claimed, falsely, that they were exempt from the city's authority and made other false assertions that led city officials astray until very late in the design review process. Ultimately the city council saw the facts clearly and acted correctly in rejecting a design that would have required what might have been the most extreme set of variances from the city's zoning regulations that anyone has ever asked for.

In a recent undated and unsigned letter to residents, fire district officials grossly misrepresented the city's position and the facts.

For the safety of residents and our firefighters, it is extremely important in the November election to elect new fire commissioners that will have the new station properly designed and built as soon as possible. I believe that David Dolloff and Barry Ford are the candidates to do that. Mr. Dolloff, Mr. Ford and the other members of FACT, the Firefighters and Citizen's Task force, have already done the community a great service by generating the public pressure that resulted in the "boundary drop" agreement and other major improvements in our fire protection services. I applaud their willingness to take on this crucial new task.

Don Whetstone
Vickery Avenue

Local Sikhs condemn recent violent acts

On behalf of more than 1 million North Americans of the Sikh faith, we wish to express our deep sorrow and outrage at the terrorist attack in the United States. Sikh Americans strongly condemn the senseless violence and aggression that has taken so many lives and shaken so many more.

Sadly, the violence continues. More than 200 innocent Sikh American men, women and children have been attacked in the aftermath of the World Trade Center tragedy on Sep. 11. On Sep. 15, in Mesa, Ariz., a gunman shot and killed the owner of a gas station, presumably because he wore the religious Sikh turban and beard. The gunman associated the victim with terrorists who are of an unrelated religion.

At a time when Sikh Americans most need to support those affected by the tragedy, they are burdened with additional concern for the safety of their children and themselves.

This kind of misplaced racial and ethnic victimization of Sikhs, Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists and indeed people of all faiths and colors, must not be allowed. The Sikh-American community invites all Americans to join them in bringing about mutual understanding and deep respect for the many ways in which humanity expresses its faith and individuality.

Sikhs worldwide stand together with the American people in deploring the terrible events of Sep. 11. We open our places of worship and our community centers across the nation to anyone seeking solace in this time of penetrating sorrow.

Bhupi Singh
Bellwood Drive

Terrorist acts create a state of vigilance

Life in America as we have known it will not be the same for perhaps a very long time, following the terrorist acts of Sept. 11.

How do you counter kamikaze consciousness in a world so filled with fanatics?

There is no absolute foolproof protection.

Military men on active duty accept the fact they are expendable and live in a state of uncertainty without respite as long as a war, or the threat of war continues.

Those who have never served in a war in uniform now know the feeling of those who do. Regrettably, this is the dominant fact of life for all of us today.

For as far as we are able to forsee, constant vigilance must and will be our guidemark.

An American essayist, Edwin P. Whipple, characterized fanaticism as "religion caricatured, and yet, with many, contempt of fanaticism is regarded as a sign of hostility to religion."

Accurate. But deservedly admonishing against the wholesale blame of any people of a different culture who may have madmen among them.

Vern Hansen
Campbell

When the rains come, site will become a pool

Has anyone asked you about what is going on, on Quito Road, north of Bucknell Road? There is a home that, at first (more than a year ago), looked like it was going through a major remodeling. Then the house was hoisted on stilts, and it looked like they were digging a basement under it. Now for the last six or eight months, the entire property has been excavated, and it looks like either a toxic cleanup site or an archaeological dig. What the heck is going on? It's been sitting like this since at least the beginning of the year. When the rains come this winter, it is going to be a major swimming pool.

Marcia Citta
Quito Road

Family thanks those who held fundraising event

Our family would like to express our gratitude to our Saratoga firefighters and police force for the wonderful barbecue and fundraising event they held at Saratoga High School on Sep. 22. This event provided our community with an opportunity to come together and honor the brave men and women who lost their lives while trying to save others in the recent terrorist attacks on our country.

The tribute and release of balloons was very moving and meaningful for our entire family and, I am sure, everyone present. The barbecue was a wonderful way to bring the community together and assist those who are so much in our thoughts and hearts these days.

Karen, Nick, Alex, Andy & Tristan Seroff
Seagull Way

New fire commissioners will help create center

Saratoga needs a new fire station in the village as well as keeping the West Valley Sheriff's Substation. The sheriff's office has outgrown the old post office and will not renew the lease. The city of Cupertino has land at the corner of Torre Avenue and Pacifica Drive dedicated for public safety. This land may be used to build a substation if the West Valley Sheriff's Substation is unable to find appropriate space in Saratoga.

The West Valley Sheriff's Substation is a vital part of this city. The city is investigating ways to keep the substation in Saratoga as well as replacing the fire station. The fire commissioners have threatened the city with legal action for trying to address this problem. For this reason we must elect Dave Dolloff and Barry Ford as fire commissioners. They will work with the city to create the needed public safety center to serve all of Saratoga. Elect Dave and Barry so they can make Measure F a reality.

Kevin Schott
Saratoga Glen Place

Recent survey by school district begs questions

The Sept. 12 issue of the Saratoga News reported the results of a survey sponsored by the Saratoga Union School District purporting to show that voters would likely approve a new bond measure to provide funds to build new classrooms. In that one of the express purposes of the $40 million Measure D passed in June 1997, and the only purpose involving new facilities that was disclosed before the election was to build additional classrooms, shouldn't these survey respondents and any likely voters be wondering why these new classrooms have not already been built? Perhaps voters should give consideration to the following questions:

* Hasn't the district spent Measure D money on new administration buildings, new multi-purpose buildings and the relocation of daycare facilities--purposes not authorized by Measure D as it was represented to the voters who approved it?

* Didn't the district become aware of a lack of funds in April 2000 when the state office of public school construction announced that all available matching funds had been exhausted and the district would not receive the $4.5 million it expected?

* Didn't the district proceed to demolish an entirely serviceable multi-purpose building at the Argonaut School in the summer of 2000 even though the district had ample reason to know it did not have the funds to replace it?

* After becoming aware of a lack of funds, rather than drop its plans to build the new facilities that were not authorized by Measure D, didn't the district instead drop its plans to build the new classrooms that were authorized by the measure?

* Would the district now need additional funds for new classrooms if it had not spent money on new facilities and the relocation of daycare facilities not authorized by Measure D rather than on the new classrooms that were authorized by the measure?

* Did the district proceed to build the facilities not authorized by Measure D rather than classrooms under the assumption that the voters would be more apt to approve additional funds for classrooms rather than for new administration buildings and multi-purpose buildings?

* What will it take to assure that the district administration will spend the funds from any new bond measure in the manner authorized by voter approval of the measure as it is represented to the voters by the district before the election?

In a recent letter in this column, I wondered how soon the district would be asking voters to approve additional funds to build classrooms. Little did I now when I wrote that letter that the district was already laying the groundwork for such an appeal.

Wesley Ferguson
Chateau Drive

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