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Neighbors not at fault

for city expenses

As the controversy over the proposed aquatic complex at Rosita Park continues, there remains some misleading and inaccurate information.

In Wednesday’s article about the City Council decision to fund the Environmental Impact Report, Councilman King Lear is quoted at the council meeting as saying that the Rosita Neighborhood Coalition is “costing the taxpayers $50,000 in attorney fees, $70,000 for the EIR … and lots of staff time that adds up to a whole lot of money …” Lear’s statement is a gross misrepresentation of the truth.

The Rosita Neighborhood Coalition went to tremendous lengths to avoid litigation by pointing out to the city council the inadequacies, inaccuracies and contradictions in the Mitigated Negative Declaration that was adopted, and even shared with the council the exact provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act that were being violated. But the council majority chose to ignore this information and proceeded with the process. So just who is costing the taxpayers a whole lot of money? Certainly not the RNC. In fact, it is my belief that Lear owes the neighborhood an apology.

The RNC is only doing what any self-respecting neighborhood would do when confronted with an action that would profoundly and irreversibly affect their environs. To portray our efforts as being wasteful of taxpayer money is offensive and irresponsible.

Karl Urban

Los Altos

Big difference

in pool locations

I am writing in response to Daniel J. Burns’ letter about the public pool in Mountain View in the July 2 issue of the Town Crier. Specifically, I would suggest that trying to draw a parallel between the Rengstorff pool and the proposed Rosita Aquatic Complex has the following difficulties.

First, the Rengstorff pool is located on a major four-lane through street (Rengstorff) which ensures easy access for a large number of users, not a residential two-lane dead-end (Rosita) which makes high-volume access difficult and more intrusive on the neighborhood.

Second, the Rengstorff pool is located a significant distance from any homes due to its location in the large Rengstorff Park, not within 50 feet of homes as is the proposed Rosita Aquatic Complex.

Third, the city of Mountain View has two one-pool facilities that split the burden on the neighborhoods that house them, not a single multi-pool complex that unfairly overburdens one neighborhood.

The city of Los Altos would be better served by either creating two single-pool sites, similar to the two gyms created with the Los Altos School District, or finding a location similar to Rengstorff Park (like the Hillview Community Center or some of the other land around city hall) for a single aquatic complex.

Eric Lutkin

Los Altos

Appreciation for

McCallum’s story

What a wonderful article by Taylor McCallum (June 25)! She so eloquently expressed the depth of memories experienced in revisiting the house she took her first steps in. What a multilayered memory that is, and her words were a joy to read. Okay, so I’m biased. I’m Justin Buzzard’s mom and very much excited to welcome Taylor into our family, but it was great anyway.

Joan Buzzard

Elk Grove

Stop insulting

the French

I am mad as hell, and I am not going to take it any more! Now it is a commercial for Carl’s Jr. that bashes the French. Since the beginning of the year, insults have been hurled at my birth country — and after six months of it, I am ready to scream.

Who do you think gets hurt by these “below the belt” tactics — not French people in France, but American citizens like me who were born and raised in France. I have never felt so hurt and, yes, so betrayed. Is this the new American spirit?

I have led a life based on honesty, justice and respect for my fellow man. These values were passed on to me by my parents, and guess what, they were French. Politics are politics. Let’s keep it that way and stop insulting a whole nation. It’s not funny any more.

A. Mills

Los Altos

Casto’s remark was

uncalled for

I attended last week’s Los Altos City Council meeting to be informed on the council’s hearing and decision on the matter concerning the 1710 Granger Ave. rebuild of the present structure to a 5,400-square-foot, two-story home.

The appeal to change or deny the construction was presented to the council in a very informative manner by a neighbor who will lose his privacy in his back yard and also his long-range view of the hills.

The council voted 5-0 to deny the appeal, which is their prerogative.

This was followed by a remark by Mayor Kris Casto to the effect that the neighbors making the appeal were fortunate to have lived in their homes for 35 to 40 years with the privacy they enjoyed.

I think this remark from the mayor was in poor taste and she should make a formal apology at the next council and in writing to the neighbors who were appealing the reconstruction.

I have lived on Granger Avenue since 1953 and have a deep interest in what transpires along the avenue.

The character of the Los Altos neighborhood is changing dramatically with all the two-story architecture that is being permitted by the planning commission.

Mario Bonicelli

Los Altos