Los Altos council candidates take stands in debate setting

By Lauren McSherry, Town Crier Staff Writer

Unlike the vague answers of the previous night’s election forum, city council candidates took positions at the Oct. 18 forum hosted by two Los Altos business groups.

The first issue the four candidates handled was the stalled hotel project planned near the corner of First and Main streets.

Three of the candidates - Kurt Colehower, Randall Hull and Val Carpenter - said they supported the sale of the city-owned property to a private developer, calling the hotel an “anchor” building that would attract more foot traffic downtown.

Chris Croudace, motivated to run for council out of opposition to the 5100 El Camino Real housing project, spoke against the hotel because it would increase traffic congestion at the Main Street-San Antonio Road intersection.

“We don’t want to disturb the village atmosphere of the downtown,” he said.

None of the candidates shared common ground on how the proceeds of a sale might be spent. Colehower said they should be used for priority issues such as traffic calming and parks and recreation programs. Hull proposed putting them into an economic development fund to benefit all Los Altos business districts. Carpenter said proceeds should be put into a fund dedicated solely to traffic calming, and Croudace wanted them used for capital improvements.

Those same three candidates who agreed on the sale were also aligned on the 5100 El Camino Real issue. Hull, who is serving as a planning commissioner and voted for the project, said the project was approved because of a state affordable-housing requirement. If it hadn’t been approved, he said, a similar project “could have ended up someplace less desirable like near Main Street.”

Carpenter, also a planning commissioner, said a better process might have avoided garnering intense opposition from neighbors.

“We can do better as other properties are developed,” she said.

Croudace called the project “a bad idea” and said setback regulations weren’t enforced by the city.

Other questions posed to candidates dealt with the city’s role in revitalizing the downtown triangle where empty storefronts have become more common.

“The city must have a leadership role in economic development,” Colehower said on improving the downtown. “We need to steal shamelessly from the processes of other cities.”

Hull supported a partnership between the city and businesses and faulted the scope of the “small city-business model” being used for the current situation in the city center. Croudace opposed any city-business partnership, saying taxpayer money should only be spent on maintaining city-owned infrastructure such as downtown plantings and sidewalks. He said expanding the retail district could ruin the downtown character.

In contrast, Carpenter advocated using Los Gatos as a model for the downtown. Bigger stores and upscale chain stores like Chico’s should be allowed in the retail district to compete with Stanford Shopping Center and keep local dollars in the downtown, she said. Current zoning has contributed to vacant stores such as the former Bank of the West building and a change is needed rather than “living for years with empty shells of buildings.”

Colehower favored expanded retail beyond Main and State streets, but only if the “small-town feel” of the downtown is preserved. Hull spoke in favor of larger stores, but only if restricted to certain areas.

The Los Altos Chamber of Commerce and Los Altos Village Association hosted the event.