A good addition to the ‘Village’

A very generous and community-minded couple want to reopen Foodland at 994 Los Altos Ave. as a small cafe and gathering place, yet Planning Commissioner Randall Hull says, “Because of parking and circulation problems, staff is not recommending it” (Sept. 26).

All the talk about keeping Los Altos a village seems to be contradictory if a new project such as this can be so summarily dismissed. The new owners of the property are planning on a business of a very small scale, many people could/would walk and bike there, and there are four parking spaces onsite as well as available street parking.

If we want to keep our town’s “village” atmosphere, what better way to do it than with such a spot? The amazing added bonus is that the Sullivans plan to give the profits to our schools.

I grew up in this town; my mother stills lives in the home she and my father bought in 1956, only blocks away from Foodland. When my sister and I were growing up, the market located there was called Mini-Mart. All the neighborhood kids walked or biked to the market, either for treats or to pick up something Mom forgot for dinner. My own children grew up being able to do the same while Foodland was in business. Nobody, to my knowledge, ever complained that there were too many cars parked there. Nor did anyone complain about the store’s operating hours, which were far longer than the modest ones proposed in this new project. Most residents were grateful for the convenience.

Why can’t we value traditions a little more in our community and, when given an opportunity to re-create one, even if in a slightly different fashion, embrace it with a positive attitude? To turn down the generosity of this offer seems insulting, foolish and shortsighted.

Paula Rini

Los Altos

Let me add my answer to the question, “What could be done to make Los Altos more beautiful?” (Sept. 26). Put all the power, telephone and CATV cables underground.

What could be done to make our and our visitors’ lives easier? Place a legible and visible street number on every residence and business.

Les Besser

Los Altos

Your summary headline of your Sept. 19 article on the dog park debate, “The city may love dogs but won’t unleash them,” caught my eye. I walk my small (9-pound) dog on a leash almost every morning and can tell you that at least 50 percent of the dogs we encounter are decidedly off-leash right now.

The area along University and Lincoln is a veritable dog park already, with as many as five dogs off-leash on some mornings. I see people who drive there from outside the neighborhood to unload their dogs for an off-leash romp. I also encounter dogs off-leash walking down University Avenue on the sidewalk, in Shoup Park and in Redwood Grove. Most mornings, one or more of these dogs will charge over once they notice my small dog.

This is a very serious problem for me. My dog has been repeatedly attacked by dogs off-leash. (It is pure luck that she has not been seriously hurt.) In virtually every case, the owner of the attacking dog (or dogs) says something like, “I can’t believe (fill in dog name) would do that; (he/she) is really very friendly and has never done that before.” This means, of course, that I never know what to expect when these unleashed dogs rush over.

I need to be on constant patrol for unleashed dogs and try to change my route or pick up and carry my dog. This is entirely unfair to me and my dog. It is illegal to have dogs off-leash for a reason, and I should be able to walk my dog without the stress created by dog owners who violate the law.

I recently decided to change my route, hoping to avoid dogs off-leash. Guess what? I encountered dogs off-leash in the playground park behind Santa Rita School. I even encountered a dog off-leash in front of Peet’s Coffee & Tea on State Street, when I tried that route. I again heard, “(He/she) is really friendly.”

I completely understand the desire of dog owners to have a place for their dogs to run unencumbered by a leash. But this should not be done against the law, in our parks or on our sidewalks. I am completely in favor of a dog park in Los Altos, or new rules that allow dogs off-leash at certain times of day. I would support that, because I would know where it is safe for us to walk and I could and would avoid the off-leash dogs. As it is currently, there is nowhere we can go to avoid this problem.

In the meantime, dog owners should comply with the law and keep their dogs on leash, and the Los Altos Police Department should do more to enforce the existing laws. This is basic fairness.

Those of us who comply with the law should not be subjected to the fear and distress caused by unleashed dogs.

Mary E. O’Byrne

Los Altos

As I complete my fourth week with the city of Los Altos as city manager, I want to express my thanks to all the members of the community who have been so warm and welcoming. Your kindness, thoughtfulness and good wishes have eased my transition and affirmed all that I had heard about this wonderful city. Thank you.

Doug Schmitz

City of Los Altos