V I E W P O I N T
State housing rules cripple local cities By Henry Riggs
as re-zoning for high-density housing according to assigned First of two parts quotas (a Housing Element). here is a “new order” The laws have been passed; coming to our cities and Palo Alto must accommodate towns. Not the evolu- about 3,000 additional condos tionary changes that time inev- in the next six years, Menlo itably brings, but changes that Park about 2,000, and so on. Mark Luce, president of well- respected, well-meaning ABAG — the government organizations arranged in Sacauthors of the plan ramento to force on — says this is only our towns while we our “fair share” of are busy with the rest dense housing. I don’t of life. recall having a share, This “One Bay but I do know that an Area” plan — quite existing single-family like China’s famous house in a quiet area state planning — is of Union City, 20 forcing square pegs GUEST minutes across the into round holes for OPINION Dumbarton bridge, a supposedly better is about one-third lifestyle in townhousthe cost of a similar es and condominiums all along El Camino Real from Daly Menlo Park home, even if built City to San Jose. The related in tenement blocks. And sorry “Grand Boulevard Plan” seeks if this isn’t politically correct. to restrict cars to two lanes on There is no “right” to live in El Camino so Parisian cafes Palo Alto or Atherton instead can dot the sidewalks for all of Union City. Indeed, that 52 miles (honest, Parisian city and Fremont both told cafes). According to a Menlo local leaders that they would Park traffic study, displaced welcome new housing projects. auto traffic will just move to If market forces put housing Middlefield and the Alameda there, can we rationally build de las Pulgas. Does that make it here? Many of us support the sense to anyone? A little background: this concept of dense housing as plan took many years to sell. an option for downsizing, a First the respected Sierra Club, walkable lifestyle, more active wielding clout as our his- surroundings, but having dentoric defender of wildlife and sity forced on us by central nature, persuaded Sacramento planners risks the attractive that people should be urged qualities of our towns that to give up cars so nature can makes our homes valuable. City attorneys are telling all flourish, then argued the state the city councils that they must must tell cities and towns it will withhold road repair abide by state law. OK, but how funding if they don’t at least did 21 cities and towns sit by support this plan; and final- and let such regulations be ly, they defined “support” passed? Perhaps they did not
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L ET T ER S Our readers write
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the passage of one this evening and it takes about 45 seconds to go from barely audible to barely audible with about 25 seconds being quite loud. I don’t have a decibel meter but my own feeling is that the noise level is about the same as a Surf Air flight. The Almanac’s article I quote says, “Others spoke of not being
understand the consequences, but is that the end of it? There is a jobs/housing issue in the region —- but it’s not an “imbalance” and it’s not a quota issue. It’s about connections. It’s a transportation issue, and it’s not getting half the attention it should. I agree with one principle of this supposed plan — it’s time for Bay Area cities and towns to act together. But far from rubber-stamping this disaster, they need to conference-call Sacramento and terminate the force-feeding of high densityhousing on the Peninsula. Councils of the peninsula, its time to move this discussion to making our transportation work. Henry Riggs is a member of the Menlo Park Planning Commission
able to be outside their homes because of the noise.” Huh? It’s not like the PC-12s are lined up from here to Santa Barbara. I realize we are talking Atherton, where the residents can’t have double yellow lines on their roads. Maybe I am more tolerant than others. I have gotten used to the commercial jets (I kind of like them), and I would hope that, over time, Surf Air would become white noise. Steve Wallace Sterling Avenue Menlo Park
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