Saratoga News

Letters

We need Starbucks to survive as a village

After reading numerous articles about the famous Starbucks coffee house coming to Saratoga, I, too, have formulated an opinion. Several points: Saratoga needs Starbucks to survive as a quaint little village. There are few people on the street. Starbucks adds to the character of a village--Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Willow Glen, to name a few. They seldom change the look of the architecture or facade of a building.

Starbucks makes for cleaner neighborhoods. They pick up after themselves, unlike some Saratogans. They bring out the locals and do not call upon outsiders for business. They raise taxes for village improvements. Starbucks does not undo the current businesses. Palo Alto, Menlo Park and Willow Glen have at least two coffeehouses as neighbors in each location. By the way, they are embraced by their "Mom and Papa" type coffeehouses previously on location.

If Saratogans wish to remain so exclusive in their points of view, then they must realize that merchants in Saratoga will ultimately fail and the quaint little village will be buried, unlike forward-looking communities like Menlo-Atherton, Los Altos Hills and Palo Alto.

Move forward with Starucks helping rekindle the wonderful Village of Saratoga. I am 73 years young and would like some progress.

Howard Hinman
Fiddlers Green

Time to put forth the effort to reunite city

As chairman of the annual Good Government Group holiday party to honor past and present City Council and commission members, I looked forward to chatting with our two new councilmembers. Their absence was very noticeable when all other current councilmembers were introduced. It seems to me that a good start for our new council would be for new councilmembers to put forth the effort to unite our city.

I realize that their hesitation to be associated with GGG may be based on the belief that it is a PAC. What most people do not understand is that the founding fathers of Saratoga are the same people who founded the Good Government Group on the basis that this city's unique atmosphere must be maintained. It is time to put our differences aside. We all moved to Saratoga because we believed in the lifestyle and character of the community. The last thing that any of us want is to destroy our city's environment! As our New Year's resolution, I suggest we learn to work together for a better Saratoga.

Jane Dennis
Vineyard Lane

Time's running out for Claravale Dairy

Without swift action from area residents, our community is in imminent danger of losing another historical treasure. Kenneth Peake has operated the Claravale Dairy on Bicknell Road, at the border of Monte Sereno and Los Gatos, since 1931. Mr. Peake is 89 years old and has sold the dairy operations to Ron Garthwaite, who has been operating it in much the same way as has been done for the past 65 years. However, for the dairy to survive, the underlying land must be purchased, or it will be quickly snatched up by developers waiting on the doorstep. Last spring, concerned residents of Saratoga, Monte Sereno and Los Gatos formed the Claravale Dairy Preservation Foundation, obtained an option on the property and have been working to collect $232,000 to exercise the option to purchase the land. We must raise $95,000 by Jan. 10, 1997, or this unique resource will be bulldozed for three more homes.

The dairy has been, and will continue to be, a place where children can come to see the entire milking process in a 1930s environment. School field trips have been an ongoing activity for many years. Teenage work programs and weekend family activities are also planned. Mr. Peake will remain in his home on the land for as long as he wishes, and the old buildings will be preserved, with necessary safety and handicapped modifications. Other farm activities are planned, which will be further examples of the rural, agricultural history of the area. The dairy will continue to be a real-life profitable business enterprise, which is also a living history museum.

Time is of the essence! We have fewer than 30 days left to make the down payment. Please be part of the effort to preserve the dairy by giving generously. If you would like further information, please call 535-0331.

Contributions are tax-deductible. Checks should be made payable as follows: Los Gatos Community Foundation for Claravale Dairy Preservation, P.O. Box 1089, Los Gatos 95031. There will never be another opportunity in our neighborhood to preserve a unique resource like the Claravale Dairy, a living example of the history of Santa Clara County.

Betty Peschke
El Quito Way

Impersonal coffee goes near the freeway

Perhaps I am mistaken, but I believe we already have several small coffee shops in Saratoga. Why on earth would we want to add a Starbucks? The great thing about small villages, such as Saratoga, is they are different from big cities. Within a village, a person is able to mingle with and get to know the proprietors of each unique shop. There is a strong sense of community here in Saratoga that is not found in neighboring cities.

I really don't think Starbucks and like chains should be allowed to come into small towns where they completely bulldoze over the already existing little guys. I think Starbucks has a place in our society; however, that place is inside big strip malls or perhaps on the side of freeways, where people feel the need to gulp down a quick, impersonal cup of coffee on their way to someplace else. But they do not belong in communities. Communities are made of people, not corporations.

I hope anybody who reads this letter will understand the irrevocable consequence of allowing a chain into our town. Once Starbucks is here, they are not likely to leave, and undoubtably other chains will follow in Starbucks' footsteps. By allowing a chain store into our town, we will soon see our precious Saratoga turned into a vestige of what once was a small, charming village.

Janet Lewis
Esterlee Avenue

A loophole for more coffeehouses

Your Nov. 6 article titled "Is Saratoga ready for valet parking?," provoked me. In the past few years, Saratogans have spent large sums of money to improve and construct several parking lots within the village. These lots would more than provide for the added business growth and traffic to our fair city. New business applicants were approved or disapproved based on a very critical question: How many cars will their businesses generate, and how many parking places can it provide?

Must I assume that this is no longer a criteria? Is there no longer a limit to the number of cars a business might attract? Right! We'll wait in line, pay our five bucks, and someone will move our car over to the local school parking lot; we'll enlarge those later.

It seems to me this idea will provide just the loophole needed to invite lots more coffeehouses to Saratoga. Look out, Starbucks!

Sandra Politi
Deer Canyon Lane