By Town Crier Staff Report

A Los Altos Hills group is moving forward with an initiative to leave Byrne Preserve and Westwind Barn lands as they currently are.

The group, Los Altos Hills Open Space, is hoping to bring an initiative before the voters next spring that would lock in approximately 70 acres of prime Los Altos Hills real estate as permanent open space.

The residents’ actions were prompted recently by a town council member’s suggestion and Finance Committee discussions that Westwind Barn be moved onto Byrne Preserve and that some land be sold to bolster the town’s budget.

Longtime environmental activist Nancy Couperus, who is leading the efforts, said the group is doing an assessment with an attorney and a professional polling to gauge the level of support among residents. Following that would be the writing of the initiative and the gathering of signatures.

Couperus said the group needs to get at least 800-900 signatures, or 10 percent to 15 percent of the town’s 5,500 registered voters, to validate the initiative. It can then be brought before the town council for adoption or placed on the ballot.

“The longer we wait, the more we put the (land) in jeopardy,” she said. “The council could actually adopt this and spare the (election) expense.”

Though the preserve is restricted as open space under the conditions of a 1975 deed by Dr. Albert Byrne and the Nature Conservancy, Couperus said the restrictions are not town restrictions. Countess Margit Bessenyey donated more than 13 acres the following year, and the town purchased Westwind Barn for $25,000 as part of the deal. The Packard Foundation purchased a hiking and wildlife corridor to connect the barn and preserve to Hidden Villa and Black Mountain. The town turned over management of Westwind Barn and Byrne Preserve to Friends of Westwind, Inc., for community use. Since 1978, Westwind Barn has operated a therapeutic horse riding program for disabled children.

Couperus said an initiative is needed because a formal council action will not work. “One council can’t tie the hands of another council,” she said, “but they can adopt an initiative once filed with the city clerk.”

She noted several town neighborhoods are coming together to support the cause, and even those outside the town are expressing interest, such as Huey Johnson, who was western regional director of the Nature Conservancy at the time Byrne Preserve was deeded to the town.

“We’re optimistic about (getting the initiative), but we need to find the people,” Couperus said.

For more information about the initiative, logon to www.lahopenspace.com.