Having been a resident of Los Altos for 34 years and a former partner in a thriving bar and grill in the late 1980s, I believe that I have a good feel for living near the epicenter of downtown and Hillview Community Center. Over the years, I have given a tremendous amount of thought to a number of solutions to make Los Altos an outstanding place to live and visit.

When we talk about allocating community funding for recreational facilities, we often talk about dividing up a pie. But in Los Altos and Los Altos Hills, we have a different problem. As someone noted a few weeks ago at a community meeting regarding the Hillview Community Center project, “Los Altos always seems to do things piecemeal.” Our problem is that we seem to plan separately for one piece of the funding pie at a time.

“Wild Kingdom” is where our friends from Palo Alto think we live.

Every summer since 2001 the Santa Clara Valley Water District has undertaken a five-month-long effort to maintain and improve stream conditions so that they can safely carry water during winter storms. From June to October, our crews trek into streams to remove sediment, manage vegetation, clear trash and debris, and stabilize banks that have been eroded.

During heavy storms, unruly vegetation and sediment washed down from areas upstream can restrict the flow of water and, in some areas, cause a backup, increasing the risk of flooding. Managing vegetation is an important part of stream maintenance. Removing invasive vegetation, weeds and dry brush improves habitat for wildlife and a healthy stream ecosystem, contributes to improved flows in creeks and even reduces the risk of fire hazards.

 I haven’t been in Los Altos very long, but I’ve been here long enough to love it.

Enrollment growth is a long-term issue that warrants a lasting, thorough solution to benefit current and future generations of Los Altos School District (LASD) students. It takes trust and patience, but our students and residents are worthy of a comprehensive resolution that serves our community well for decades to come. Let’s not jump at the quickest or easiest answer, but work together toward the best one.

At the end of the day, this decision is about what is best for our children and our children’s children. Our students need a place to continue thriving under the fantastic conditions that have long supported our community. Research has shown that smaller schools strongly support the academic, social and emotional growth of children. Smaller schools also help mitigate traffic issues that larger schools foster. For these reasons, we encourage the district to continue diligently seeking a 10th school site, as it is our best opportunity to protect our award-winning model in the long term.