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Photograph by George Sakkestad
As residents and organized-sports enthusiasts battled over proposed renovations in neighborhood playfields, Councilman Nick Streit proposed study of a city "hub," a centralized sports and community complex. At one point, there was talk of putting the hub on the site of the Heritage Orchard.
1999 Year in Review
Land-use issues are still kicking around
In the final year of the century, land use continued to be an issue in Saratoga--even though many believed that the hard-won battle for Measure G had put the likelihood of contentious fights over property development to rest.
One battle that started at the beginning of the year and continued until recently was over efforts by the Parks and Recreation Department to improve playfields badly in need of repair and renovation. And for a change, money wasn't the problem.
The problem was that neighbors objected to improvements that would increase the use of the fields at the four sites being considered. Traffic, noise and congestion would result, went the argument. The battle was often waged between neighbors and supporters of organized youth sports teams who complained that there were not enough playfields for the city's burgeoning youth population.
Councilman Nick Streit resurrected the idea of a city "hub"--a centralized sports and community complex--which was introduced in 1996.
The schools could verify the increasing student population: Tractors, caterpillars, hammers and saws worked at expanding and improving facilities at Saratoga High School and at schools in the Saratoga Union School District, thanks to bond measures that passed in 1998.
The Saratoga Community Library also responded to growth in the city by publicizing the need for a new library and then finally going ahead with plans to ask voters in 2000 to support a bond measure for a major expansion of the cramped facilities.
While land use wasn't supposed to be a big issue in Saratoga, the appointment of four new planning commissioners--replacing three veterans who sought reappointment--suggested that land use was, at the very least, bubbling beneath the surface.
When Bill Hirschman and his group bought the Mountain Winery and sought a conditional-use permit for the 40-year-old entertainment venue, some officials began to talk about annexing the property from the county.
Many residents were surprised when the City Council hired a San Francisco attorney to be the new city attorney. To compensate for Richard Taylor's limited experience with city issues, the city also hired Jonathan Wittwer of Santa Cruz. At the time, Mayor Jim Shaw said that Taylor's expertise in land-use issues, such as the possible annexation of the Mountain Winery, influenced the council's decision. Taylor had also played a key role in drafting Measure G for the Save Our Neighborhoods Initiative Committee.
When Mayor Jim Shaw lost his year-long battle with cancer, Stan Bogosian was named mayor pro tem to complete Shaw's term. Bogosian became mayor this month, and he immediately announced his concern that Saratoga's limited amount of commercially zoned land needed protection from conversion to residential property; he said he believes that the city should revisit Measure G to find this protection.
The city apparently had that concern in mind when, just two weeks ago, a proposed renovation of Azule Crossing that seemed to have won universal support--including approval by the Planning Commission--was called up for review by the City Council and defeated by three council members.
--Dale Bryant
1999: The Year in Review
January - March 1999
April - June 1999
July - September 1999
October - December 1999
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Saratoga, California Since 1955
