By Joan Garvin

The new Los Altos City Council held its first full meeting Dec. 9 and was met not only with a full agenda but a full house. With a new majority of the council, David Casas, Curtis Cole and Ron Packard, fresh from their installation Nov. 25, almost every agenda item brought public comments from residents prepared to present the position of their neighborhoods, frequently different from the proposed ordinance.

Hetch Hetchy

Gregory Gage represented an “area of north Los Altos the safety and peaceful nature of which appear to be in peril by a proposed extension of a new bicycle path on the San Francisco Water Department’s Hetch Hetchy right of way.” In contrast to the report representing no neighborhood opposition to the extension, Gage said the neighbors were not even given a chance to express their opinion.

Resident Todd Gamelin requested a full review at the next meeting.

City speed limits

A hearing on citywide speed limits brought forward 29 speakers.

Since traffic commissioners in Santa Clara County are not honoring tickets written in Los Altos, the police and public works departments proposed an increase in the speed limit of 5 mph to 10 mph on sections of El Monte, Miramonte and Fremont avenues and Springer and Grant roads to make enforcement more effective.

The alternative of leaving the speed limits as currently posted would preclude using radar; drivers could continue to speed without threat of a ticket, according to a city report.

Speakers encouraged a combination of speed control and traffic calming rather than the proposal. The council referred the issue to the Traffic Commission for review.

Wireless facility

Casas met an additional early challenge when Mayor John Moss had to recuse himself because he lived too close to a proposed wireless communication facility at the corner of Giffin Road and Fremont Avenue to participate in the debate.

Casas, as mayor pro tem, chaired the discussion.

After several residents objected to the construction on the basis of aesthetic and possible health issues, Casas cast the lone dissenting vote in a 3-1 approval to allow Verizon Wireless a use permit, design review and height and setback variances at the location.

In a 5-1 vote, council approved Cingular Wireless’ application for a similar installation at 1000 Fremont Ave.