April, 2005

June, 2005

LANN and the Single-Story Overlay Experience:

How it Helped bring Traffic Calming to Los Altos
Kathy Putman, LANN Housing Chair

Have you ever wondered if LANN is making a difference in the community? Conventional wisdom says we are, in small ways, having a positive impact. I was asked by the LANN Board to recount how our experience with the single story overlay helped serve as a model for the Neighborhood Traffic Management Program(NTMP)

In January 2003, before there was a Traffic Commission, I was asked by Maria Murphy Lonergan of Hawthorne Dr. to speak before the Neighborhood Traffic Task Force, an ad hoc committee designed to suggest how to come to terms with traffic issues in our town. The question was: How many votes should be required in a neighborhood to approve a traffic management program? I suggested that the Traffic task force adopt a two-thirds majority for passage, just like that of the Overlay. Sounds like a no brainer, right?

But the Traffic Task Force was thinking that all property owners must vote "yes" or "no," and that those who failed to vote should have their vote counted as a "no" vote. By that standard, with a two-thirds vote required for passage, traffic calming would have been a dead issue.

Happily, the Task Force agreed and recommended that voting standards for traffic calming should mirror those of the Overlay, which was a two-thirds majority. The Council concurred, and suddenly traffic calming was within reach.

Time passed, the Traffic Task Force was disbanded and a Traffic Commission put in place by March 2004. A year later, again drawing on the Overlay experience, LANN members addressed the Council on the issue of the $ 3030.00 service fee to be charged at the beginning of the NTMP process. Although the money would help pay for the NTMP solution, it was "still too high," we said, and some money should be refunded to neighbors (as in the Overlay) should the vote fail to pass. High, nonrefundable costs would discourage NTMP requests. This was not what we wanted to do as a city.

Each year LANN asks for membership feedback. Traffic has always been one of our top four issues, but this year it reached #1! We presented this information to Council using the same graph that appeared in our December newsletter. That information, confirming the importance off traffic as an issue, strengthened our case and complemented the presentation of residents who spoke that evening.

Your feedback really helped LANN make a difference. The Council dramatically lowered the fees, the voting threshold was further reduced to 55% of those voting, and an important piece of the Hawthorne traffic calming project, just approved by the Council, will be considered in this year's budgeting process.

Let’s hear it for all those residents who have been struggling with the low priority given to traffic in the City budget process...One big Yipee!!!!!!

The Los Altos Youth Commission

Todd Lorell, LANN Contributor

For any teenager in Los Altos who is looking to make an impact on their community, learn about city government, or just meet new people, I would strongly recommend the Los Altos Youth Commission. The Commission is made up of twelve teenagers ranging from seventh graders to seniors along with a liaison from the Recreation Department and the Teen Program Coordinator. Commissioners must apply through the Recreation Department and be approved by the City Council. Once appointed, Commissioners can serve for a maximum of four years or until they graduate. Meetings are usually held twice a month at the Hillview Community Center, and the staff is kind enough to provide food, which comes out of the Commission's

budget. I served on the Commission for two years and found it to be a very educational and enjoyable experience. Some of the projects accomplished while I served on the Commission included starting the development of a Los Altos skate park, putting on several band nights and dances, holding a casino night, and coordinating a basketball tournament for the city picnic. The City Council would frequently come to us with requests and advice on programs for teens and they were always very open to all of our ideas. I believe that serving on the Commission was a very valuable experience for me as it gave me an appreciation for what has to happen in a city government as well as instilling a sense of responsibility and accomplishment.

New Applications for Two-Story Homes
Kathy Putman, LANN Housing Chair

1. 05-SC-27-- K. and H. Lancaster -- 1445 McKenzie Avenue. Consideration of design review for a new two-story home.

2. 05-SC- 28 -- J. Makkat/ E. and S. Ramans -- 2039 Crist Drive. Consideration of design review for a two-story addition.

3. 05-SC- 30 -- A Williamson/ L. and B. Baxley -- 217 Valley Street. Consideration of design review for a new two-story home.

4. 05-SC-29 -- M. and Z. Gadzo -- 255 Marich Way. Consideration of design review for a new two-story home.

5. 05-SC-31 -- W. and G. McLain -- 1185 St. Charles Court. Consideration of design review for a second story addition to an existing single-story home.

The Neighborhood Traffic Management Plan

Bill Crook, LANN Traffic Chair

The City of Los Altos created a task force in the late 1990s to focus on neighborhood traffic problems. The outcome of this effort was the creation of the Neighborhood Traffic Management Plan (NTMP), approved by Council in November 1999.

The NTMP applies only to local roads within Los Altos. Excluded from NTMP consideration are arterials (San Antonio Road, El Monte between I-280 and Foothill Expressway, Homestead Road) and collector roads (El Monte, Springer, Miramonte, Grant, Fremont, Cuesta, Almond). For example, the traffic calming slated for El Monte (a collector) at S. Clark is outside of the NTMP (and is being funded by grant monies).

To date, the NTMP has generated 14 neighborhood requests (petitions) for traffic calming. Seven projects have been completed, four are currently in progress, and three are on hold pending completion of other projects currently under way. Of the seven completions, two have resulted in approved traffic calming plans.

In May 2003 Council modified the voting threshold for initiating and approving a NTMP traffic study. Last summer, after five years of experience, staff began a major overhaul to the NTMP.

Council has now approved a revised NTMP. There are some significant changes to the plan, including:

An improved process flow

Two $300 service fees:

The first payable when a neighborhood submits a petition for traffic calming from 30% of the residents in the affected area.

The second payable when a neighborhood decides to proceed with a neighborhood vote on a staff recommended traffic calming plan for the neighborhood.

A changed the threshold for neighborhood approval of a NTMP (from 66 2/3% of those voting to 55%).

Consistent guidelines for how a neighborhood is defined for voting purposes (depending upon the traffic calming solution).

The 50-50 split (between the neighborhood and the City) of the cost for implementing approved plan remains unchanged. Where some cities have the revenue flows to fund 100% of such plans, Los Altos does not. In fact, if a neighborhood chooses to install temporary traffic calming devices to test the effectiveness of said devices, the neighborhood pays 100% of the cost for installing and removing the temporary devices.

An online version of the revised NTMP should be available on the City’s web site by the end of June.

LANN Board Members

Co-President Mike Abrams

Co-President Dianne Edmonds

Vice President Ken Lorell

Treasurer David Jaques

Secretary Kathy Wright

Editor Vickie Clements

Housing Chair Kathy Putman

Membership Chair Leslie Lodestro

Traffic Chair Bill Crook

Schools Chair David Luskin

Contributor Karen Greguras

Webmaster Jerry Wright

Advisors Tom Anderson

Lou Becker

David Casas