12/04/1974 - Laserfiche WebLink

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CITYCOUNCILMINUTES - December 4, 1974 GENERAL ORDERS & UNFINISHED BUSINESS: d) cont'd: AYE: Councilman Helgesson, Mayor Grabowski NO: Councilman Cheney, Councilwoman Miller ABSENT: Councilman McReynolds 2. Consideration of Open Space Committee: Councilwoman Miller presented her recommendation to Council that an Ad Hoc Open Space Committee be formed for a period of not more than three months, for the purpose of studying possible open space acquisition and establishing a priority list for any future purchases. She suggested that if such a Committee is formed, the charges should be: 1) Research records to determine what open space is available for purchase; 2) Determine method by which land can be purchased; 3) Establish priority list. Councilwoman Miller felt this could be done without the expenditure of any Town's funds, and the Committee could come up with definite recommendations so that the Planning Commission and Council would have a solid plan for the acquisition of open space. OAV Speaking from the Floor: Mrs. T. Schick, Weston Road: "I strongly feel there isn't a need for an Open Space Committee on Los Altos Hills. I fought, and I will continue to fight, to retain the founding concepts of our Town. Los Altos Hills provided for open space by requiring one acre minimum, single family dwellings when it incorporated nineteen years ago next month. Open space provision has further been increased by our slope density zoning ordinance where the number of lots decrease according to the slope of the land. We were, and are willing to pay to maintain the minimum one acre requirement. Our Town presently owns 79+ acres of Byrne Preserve, the O'Keefe acreage, land on W. Edith and Fremont, and the recreation land on Purissima. "In 1970, before the Mid-Peninsual Regional Park District was formed, before the purchase by them of the Blair and Perhem acreage, 1800 residents of Los Altos Hills were surveyed by the Los Altos Hills Association. Two of the questions asked of them were: 'Do we have sufficient open land?' The majority of the replies were 'yes'. The second question asked was, 'Should we spend additional taxes to obtain more open space?' The majority of the replies were 'no'. "We are presently being taxed $.10 per $100 assessed valuation for the Mid- Peninsual Regional Park District. There is a limit to the load the taxpayer can bear. He has to buy, maintain, police, and then carry the open space which 46, pays no taxes. Let's set our goals in preserving our Town and not working to exclude people who want to live in a minimum one acre zoning, single family Town, like Los Altos Hills." -4-