Upfront
Local news, information and analysis
Maybell opponents accuse city of ‘fraud’ Critics of proposed housing development scrutinize developer’s and city’s applications by Gennady Sheyner HEN 0ALO !LTO OFFICIALS AGREED LAST WEEK TO SEND A CONTROVERSIAL HOUSING DE VELOPMENT ON -AYBELL !VENUE TO A .OVEMBER VOTE THEY URGED BOTH SIDES TO STICK TO THE FACTS AND TO BE RESPECTFUL OF ONE ANOTHER *UDGING BY THE COMMENTS MADE BY
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PROJECT OPPONENTS AT THE MEETING THAT REQUEST MAY BE A BIT MUCH TO ASK 3HORTLY BEFORE THE COUNCIL VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO SCHEDULE AN ELEC TION FOR THIS .OVEMBER ONE SPEAKER AFTER ANOTHER LEVIED ACCUSATIONS OF FRAUD AGAINST THE #ITY #OUNCIL AND THE 0ALO !LTO (OUSING #ORPORATION
THE NONPROFIT BEHIND -AYBELL !VE 4WO CHARGES WERE REPEATEDLY BROUGHT UP DURING THE MEETING &IRST THE CITY WAS PREMATURE IN RE PORTING TO THE STATE 4AX #REDIT !LLO CATION #OMMITTEE THAT THE -AYBELL PROJECT HAS RECEIVED A NEEDED ZONE CHANGE 3ECOND THE CITY HAD RE PEATEDLY REPORTED THAT IT HAD LOANED MILLION TO THE (OUSING #ORPO RATION FOR PURCHASE OF THE ACRE SITE 9ET A *UNE LETTER FROM CITY PLANNER 4IM 7ONG TO THE (OUSING
#ORPORATION STATES THAT THE COUNCIL hHAS APPROVED A FUNDING COMMIT MENT TOTALING v FOR THE DEVELOPMENT WHICH INCLUDES A UNIT COMPLEX FOR LOW INCOME SENIORS AND SINGLE FAMILY HOMES 4HE RHETORIC OVER THESE TWO IS SUES BECAME HEATED WITH NUMEROUS SPEAKERS CALLING FOR THE COUNCIL TO CORRECT THESE ERRORS AND NOT PROCEED WITH AN ELECTION THIS YEAR -ANY URGED THE COUNCIL TO DELAY THE ELEC TION UNTIL .OVEMBER IN ORDER TO
CLEAR UP THE PERCEIVED DISCREPANCIES !MONG THEM WAS 4IM 'RAY FORMER #ITY #OUNCIL CANDIDATE AND TREASURER OF A NEW GROUP 0ALO !LTANS TO 0RE SERVE .EIGHBORHOOD :ONING h4HIS IS FRAUDULENT INFORMATION THAT THE DEVELOPER HAS REPRESENTED TO THE STATE 4AX #REDIT !LLOCATION #OMMITTEE AND FAILURE TO IMMEDI ATELY CORRECT IT WITH A WRITTEN CORREC TION WILL MAKE YOU ALL CO CONSPIRA (continued on page 12)
NEIGHBORHOODS
Crescent Park gets ban on overnight parking Residents settle for ‘imperfect’ solution by Gennady Sheyner RESCENT 0ARK RESIDENTS SEEKING A CURE FOR THEIR PARKING PAINS RECEIVED A "AND !ID ON -ON DAY NIGHT !UG WHEN 0ALO !LTO OFFICIALS BANNED OVERNIGHT PARKING IN A PARTICULARLY CONGESTED SECTION OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD 4HE BAN WHICH THE #ITY #OUN CIL PASSED UNANIMOUSLY AIMS TO ADDRESS A FLOOD OF CARS FROM %AST 0ALO !LTO INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD %AST 0ALO !LTO RESIDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH THEIR OWN PARK ING SHORTAGES HAVE BEEN ROUTINELY CROSSING THE .EWELL 3TREET BRIDGE THAT STRADDLES THE TWO CITIES TO PARK 4HE PROBLEM HAS GOTTEN SO BAD THAT MANY #RESCENT 0ARK RESIDENTS RALLIED BEHIND A BAN THAT WOULD KEEP THEM FROM PARKING ON THEIR OWN STREETS UNLESS THEY BUY A PERMIT &OR MANY THAT WAS A WORTHY PRICE TO PAY FOR RELIEF 4HINGS HAVE BECOME PARTICULARLY CONGESTED OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS AS %QUITY 2ESIDENTIAL TOOK OVER THE APART MENT COMPLEXES FORMERLY OWNED BY 0AGE -ILL 0ROPERTIES AND BEGAN RENOVATING THE AGED BUILDINGS !S A RESULT OCCUPANCY HAS INCREASED FROM AROUND PERCENT TO THE MID S ACCORDING TO -ARTY -C+ENNA SPOKESMAN FOR %QUITY 0ALO !LTO RESIDENTS ON %DGEWOOD $RIVE AND NEARBY STREETS HAVE NOT ONLY SEEN THEIR BLOCKS FILL UP BUT DRIVERS HAVE PARKED BLOCKING THEIR DRIVEWAYS AND LEFT TRASH BEHIND RESIDENTS TOLD THE COUNCIL -ONDAY 3OME SAID CRIME HAS BEEN ON THE RISE $AN (ANSEN SAID HIS CAR HAD BEEN BROKEN INTO &RANK "RANSON SAID HIS HOME WAS BURGLARIZED IN *ULY AND HIS FAMILY NO LONGER FEELS SAFE "URGLARS HE SAID METHOD ICALLY WENT THROUGH THE HOUSE ROOM BY ROOM RANSACKING THE PLACE h/UR HOME WAS DAMAGED 0ER SONAL PROPERTY WAS STOLEN v "RANSON
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Christophe Haubursin
Safety in numbers Terman Middle School sixth-graders get a first glimpse of the locker rooms in the school’s gym while taking a tour of their new school on Aug. 15.
EDUCATION
Quinoa is in, corn dogs are out, on Palo Alto’s school-lunch menus After parent push for fresher fare, district moves cautiously on reform by Chris Kenrick RICES ARE UP BY A QUARTER OR TWO BUT FOOD WILL BE FRESHER IN SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAMS ACROSS 0ALO !LTO THIS FALL $ISHES SUCH AS QUINOA EDAMAME SALAD AND SUSHI ARE SET TO REPLACE OLD STANDBYS LIKE CORN DOGS AND h"OSCO 3TICKSv CHEESE WRAPPED IN DOUGH /FFICIALS HOPE THE HEALTHIER FOOD WILL BOOST PARTICIPATION IN THE LUNCH PROGRAM NOW USED BY ABOUT ONE IN FIVE 0ALO !LTO STUDENTS h4HE VEGETARIAN OPTIONS ARE EXCEL LENT v SAID 0RIYA !BANI $OKE MOTHER OF A SECOND GRADER AND A KINDERGART NER AT (OOVER %LEMENTARY 3CHOOL 3HE WAS AMONG PARENTS AND STUDENTS
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WHO SAMPLED PROSPECTIVE MENU ITEMS &RIDAY !UG AT A hTASTING DAYv AT *,3 -IDDLE 3CHOOL h) NEVER CONSIDERED BUYING A SCHOOL LUNCH BEFORE ) ALWAYS PACKED THE LUNCH BUT NOW WE LL TRY IT v 4HE LUNCH INITIATIVE IS A RESULT OF PERSISTENT LOBBYING BY PARENTS AND A CAUTIOUS POLL TESTED APPROACH BY THE 0ALO !LTO SCHOOL DISTRICT WHOSE LAST VENTURE INTO HEALTHIER LUNCHES IN LED TO BUDGET DEFICITS IN THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS "ACK THEN PARENTS ALSO HAD LOB BIED FOR FRESHER CHOICES 4HE DIS TRICT S FOOD SERVICE CONTRACTOR AT THAT TIME #HARTWELLS BLAMED FAIL
URE OF THE EFFORT ON THE HIGH COST OF PAYING THE DISTRICT S PLUS FOOD SERVICE STAFF MEMBERS WHICH IT SAID CONSUMED CENTS OUT OF EVERY DOL LAR IN PROGRAM REVENUE 3INCE THEN THE PROGRAM DEFICIT HAS BEEN WHITTLED DOWN TO BREAK EVEN AND A NEW CROP OF PARENTS IS SEEKING HEALTHIER MENUS h4HE LANDSCAPE AND EVEN THE MINDSET OF PARENTS ON WHAT THEY WANT THEIR KIDS TO EAT HAS CHANGED v SAID 2EBECCA 3CHOLL MOTHER OF FOUR 0ALO !LTO STUDENTS WHO HAS LED THE DRIVE FOR REFORM (continued on page 11)
SAID h7E FELT VIOLATED AND IT WAS AN EMOTIONALLY TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE TO GO THROUGH v 0ALO !LTO PLANNING OFFICIALS ON -ONDAY ATTRIBUTED THE PARKING PROBLEM TO A LARGE EXTENT ON %QUITY S INABILITY TO PROVIDE ITS TENANTS WITH ADEQUATE PARKING %ACH UNIT AT %QUI TY S PROPERTIES GETS ONE SPOT 7HILE !CTING 0LANNING $IRECTOR !ARON !KNIN SAID THE COMPANY HAD BEEN CHARGING RESIDENTS FOR ADDITIONAL PARKING SPOTS -C+ENNA SAID THIS IS NOT THE CASE 4HE NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES IS VERY LIMITED HE SAID AND %QUITY HASN T CHANGED ANY PARKING POLICIES h%VERYTHING IS THE SAME v -C+ ENNA TOLD THE 7EEKLY %QUITY HOPES TO OPEN TWO NEW LOTS TO ACCOMMODATE THE PARKING DE MAND HE SAID 4HE LOTS WOULD MAKE NEW SPOTS AVAILABLE THOUGH THE COMPANY PLANS TO CHARGE RESIDENTS WHO WISH TO USE THEM 5NDER 0ALO !LTO S NEW RESTRIC TION PARKING ON SELECTED BLOCKS WILL BE BANNED BETWEEN AND A M 4HE BAN AFFECTS %DGEWOOD $RIVE BETWEEN 3OUTHWOOD AND *EF FERSON DRIVES (AMILTON !VENUE BETWEEN )SLAND $RIVE AND -ADISON 7AY PARTS OF $ANA !VENUE NORTH AND SOUTH OF .EWELL AND .EW ELL BETWEEN $ANA AND %DGEWOOD 2ESIDENTS WHO WISH TO PARK ON THESE STREETS AT NIGHT WOULD BE ABLE TO BUY NIGHTLY PERMITS 4HE SOLUTION MANY AGREED FALLS FAR SHORT OF WHAT MOST RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN CLAMORING FOR SINCE LATE A RESIDENTIAL PERMIT PARKING PROGRAM OF THE SORT THAT EXISTS IN #OLLEGE 4ERRACE ! PERMIT PRO GRAM WOULD LIMIT THE TIME NON RESIDENTS CAN PARK IN THIS SECTION OF #RESCENT 0ARK 4HE CITY HAS DE (continued on page 9)
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