Saratoga News

Letters

Signs are needed to draw customers

This is in response to the recent letter by Jack and Sue Mallory in which Jake's of Saratoga was named as one of Saratoga's businesses which uses "tacky promotion signs" in the Saratoga-Sunnyvale Gateway corridor. As longtime residents of Saratoga and the owners of Jake's, we understand the concern for beauty within our city; however, we feel that attacking the advertising and operating practices of small, family-owned businesses in an area zoned for business is unfair.

The city of Saratoga decided a long time ago to designate and zone this area for business purposes, which would contribute to the city's revenues, tax dollars and overall income. We have watched the beautiful oaks and creek bed of Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road and Prospect Avenue develop into condominiums and service centers. However, if the city wants business in areas like the Gateway Corridor and the Village, then let us see that these businesses are allowed to be successful and profitable for all concerned. In order to do this, the smaller, family-owned businesses may need to rely on signage instead of large advertising budgets and franchise dollars available to other larger businesses.

The "excessive" and "tacky" neon signs referred to in Jake's windows are our best way of letting people know that we are open as early as 11 a.m. until late into the evening. Mail carriers, UPS drivers, vendors delivering to downtown businesses and night-shift workers rely on the signage at night to know we are open to serve them. The signage also provides additional lighting on the front sidewalk to assist customers getting to and from their cars.

Frankly, we are offended by this complaint because we have always considered the needs of the community of Saratoga and its residents in our business practices. As far as the "decline in the exterior appearances," I must point out that our center has been painted twice, our sidewalks are always cleaned, our parking lot is cleaned on a regular basis, and our garbage is dumped regularly and kept well-concealed in the building's rear. Our landscaping has always been well maintained and beautifully flowered.

Please, Mr. and Mrs. Mallory, give us some credit. The city does not pay for these services; we do. We must be allowed to be seen and to be successful in order to uphold these services and standards.

We have enjoyed raising our family in Saratoga, and we are grateful for the support Jake's has received from many people in Saratoga. We do, however, really feel that the Mallorys' urgings to get rid of what they call "tacky" signage in this business corridor are excessive.

Bernard and Doris Tougas
Wardell Road

A sad day when the balloon died

It's a sad day in Saratoga when a few self-styled elitists can cause the removal of a temporary Halloween display balloon. They said it was tacky, ugly and obtrusive--my, my, how horrible! That a couple of phone calls by these disgruntled, self-centered residents could cause such a knee-jerk reaction by the city officials is equally disgusting.

Raymond Bareiss
Devon Avenue

What? A Starbucks in Saratoga Village?

What's this? First Home Depot, now Starbucks Coffee. What's next? McDonald's in Saratoga Village?

I thought that the passing of Measure G had put an end to this sort of intensive use of property. I understand that the proposed site is at Big Basin Way and Saratoga-Los Gatos Boulevard, what's now the Corinthian Flower Shop. If Starbucks occupies that site, our little village will be a traffic nightmare. Just imagine making a left turn from Big Basin Way onto Blaney with an endless line honking through the intersection for you to turn as dozens of cars create havoc under the traffic lights. How is it that this sort of intensification even becomes considered? What direction are we allowing our village to go to?

I do not believe that Starbucks is consistent with the small town, unique image we have in our village. Logically, the next business to follow will be Noah's Bagels, then Boulangerie and Pizza Hut. Where will all these people they bring park? There isn't enough parking even now. I believe we should follow Los Gatos in its decision not to allow Starbucks into its downtown. I must also disagree with the appropriateness of this location and encourage Starbucks to open another satellite location farther away from the heart of Saratoga.

John Scott
Verde Vista

Home Depot was briefly considered and rejected by city officials. --Editor

The library is not a community center

In response to the letter from Sarah Ruby, which appeared in the Oct. 23 issue, I must again remark that the Saratoga library is a library, not a community center. I am not alone in my beliefs on this subject.

The library is for perusal of books and study--not a community center. I am a property owner and pay taxes for a library, not a community center at that location. If this is to be changed, I will gladly subtract the library fees from my taxes.

Miss Ruby stated that the library has expanded its role from the traditional library to a community center. Who says that is the case? The students have their own teen center just around the corner from the library and, if they see the need for conviviality, they can go there.

Please, let's keep the library a library!

Gretchen Podd
Saratoga

Let us clear the air over smoking story

Your Oct. 23 cover story "Smoke Free: A Plan to Clear the Air" really hit a nerve with us. We understand more than most the problems of teenage smoking and associated behavior (loitering, littering, etc.). That's why we at Olympic Pizza were so disappointed in that you choose to mention us so prominently--and use us as a backdrop for your article. We have made a lot of progress in abating local teens from loitering in and about our restaurant area, to the point that, presently, the problem is practically non-existent.

We have gone out of our way to let it be known that we neither permit nor condone this activity in or around Olympic Pizza. You might also want to know that teenage smoking in public, in Saratoga, is not against the law. (We checked with the sheriff's substation in Saratoga.)

In your article, you quote Marilyn Ruth of the Tobacco Control Program of Santa Clara: "The way we see it, the kids are the victims." Well, after reading your article, we at Olympic Pizza feel that we are victims, too.

Dave Allen
Tricia Way
AllenAmj@aol.com

Developers: Just go

An open letter to "Outside Developers":

Please take your chainsaws, your bulldozers and your followers and go rape some other area. Hasn't Saratoga suffered enough?

Bert Martel
Saratoga