After months of debate, long council hearings and public outcry on both sides, the city council finally voted to amend the Central Core Redevelopment Plan to grant eminent-domain powers to the city for the next eight years.

There were no protestors, no speeches about the stealing of property rights and no talk of imminent plans—for eminent-domain uses when the council voted on its last general business item of the Jan. 6 council meeting.

As a condition of the amendment, the powers are limited to uses involving the transfer of business property from one owner to another, in order to alleviate blight in the downtown area.

Nova Vista Young Artist Competition

The Nova Vista Symphony will hold its annual Young Artist Concerto Competition in Appreciation Hall at Foothill College in Los Altos Hills on Feb. 15, beginning at 1 p.m.

First prize will be $300 and the opportunity to solo with the Nova Vista Symphony in a concert at Foothill College on Saturday, April 17. Second prize will be $200 and third prize $100.

The competition will be open to performers of all string, woodwind and brass instruments and piano who are not more than 22 years old on April 17. Applications must be postmarked by Feb. 1.

To obtain an application form, contact Mary Jane Beck at 650.941.3284 or mjbeck@earthlink.net.