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Atherton cops to crash at Watkins House pad By Barbara Wood Special to the Almanac
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therton police officers who need to catch some shut-eye between 12-hour shifts will soon have a pretty nice place to do just that: Holbrook-Palmer Park’s Watkins House, empty since the city manager declined the traditional offer of free housing. Police Chief Ed Flint said at the May 21 Atherton City Council meeting that the arrangement offers numerous benefits for the town. “We have a problem with the officers’ not getting enough rest,” Chief Flint said, explaining that officers work 12-hour shifts three or four days a week, and some live hours away. When an emergency arises, if officers are in Atherton when off-duty, “they’re not an hour and a half away” if needed, he said. “It also gets them off the road.” Chief Flint said the availability of a local place for officers to stay would also be “a good recruiting measure.” In addition, officers would be requested to stroll the park when there, adding some security benefits, he said. All four council members supported the plan. Atherton is currently short one council member, due to Jim Dobbie’s resignation in March.
Officers who live out of town will have a place to sleep between shifts “I think the town needs to maintain the house in the park” as a housing option for future city managers, said Councilman Bill Widmer. “We may not be able to get who we want if we don’t have the option to house them.” Councilman Rick DeGolia said the plan could also help the town recruit new police officers. “We need to find tools and carrots that we can use,” he said. “This is going to help.” Chief Flint said the Atherton Police Officers Association would be responsible for File photo by Michelle Le housekeeping, while the town The Watkins House in Holbrook-Palmer in Atherton has long been the home of the city manager. would continue to take care of maintenance and repairs at the house. Furniture would be town to give him six months An opinion by City Attor- also keep an eye on the park donated if needed, and locks to move into the Watkins ney William Conners seemed and provide some security would be added to bedroom House, and also received a to preclude renting out the qualifies because it benefits doors. $2,500 monthly allowance to home to a private individual the park, he said. The agreement would also offset his housing and com- or for some use not related to A few public speakers be immediately revocable if mute costs. He later told the the park. When the land and opposed letting police crash at the town needed the house for town that he would not be able buildings were donated to the the house. “This is an asset of another reason, such as a new to move to Atherton and asked town, the park was to be used the town and we need to make city manager who wanted to for a $30,000 raise instead. only as “a first-class recre- some money from it,” said live there. He got the raise, but lost the ational facility,” he said. Hav- resident Walter Sleeth. “That’s When George Rodericks monthly allowance, and the ing someone, such as the city better than having this be some was hired as city manager in town began looking into alter- manager or police officers, sort of a playhouse for some of October 2012, he asked the native uses for the house. live in the home who could our town employees.” A
Residents want right to build larger homes By Dave Boyce Almanac Staff Writer
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oodside Heights, though within the borders of Woodside, is a community apart: It sits east of Interstate 280 and it is adjacent to West Atherton, where market values tend to be higher by comparison. The landscaping resembles that of West Atherton: The homes are somewhat hidden from the street by the trunks and foliage of large heritage trees. Unlike Atherton, the floor area of primary houses in Woodside Heights is limited to 4,000 square feet. And there’s the rub, as recently presented in a 14-page proposal to the Wood-
side Town Council. Residents of Woodside Heights, represented by Greg Smith of Eleanor Drive, asked the council on May 13 to amend the zoning of their properties. The proposal, “Woodside Heights: Rethinking Our Zoning,” asks the council and town government to change the municipal code by taking 1,500 of the 15,000 square feet of permitted floor area on a oneacre lot and reallocating it to primary houses. Such a change would allow a primary house a maximum of 5,500 square feet. The proposal requests that this be done in three months’ time. Council members were sym-
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pathetic to the residents’ request, but reluctant to move as quickly or as significantly as requested. The chief concerns: a 37 percent increase in house size, and the unintended consequences — including a domino effect — if such a change were done without sufficient analysis of the impact on other neighborhoods. Mr. Smith didn’t buy it. “The council should not stop our proposal to pursue a hypothetical question,” he said. Eleanor Drive resident Bill Perrine said that “literally everybody that I’ve talked to has basi-
cally been in favor of it. It isn’t that much of a change.” The residents’ proposal includes a survey showing 95 percent support within the homeowners association. “I just want something that fits in the neighborhood and fits my family,” said Elizabeth Bellock, also of Eleanor Drive; she added that the change might make the area more attractive to younger families. Councilwoman Ann Kasten, whose council district includes Woodside Heights, supported the proposal, in part because it might discourage clusters — primary houses and accessory structures. “To me, that’s not
rural. It’s low end,” she said. The town’s design-review process is “pretty good” at managing what houses look like, she said, but added: “I understand the argument that if you do this, you open the door.” Fifteen hundred square feet is too much, said Councilman Dave Tanner. But with more people working from home, “I understand the need for more square footage,” he added. “There’s a certain balance that we must have. ... I think it needs to be studied, and I’m willing to take the time out to do that.” Councilman Tom Shanahan said he was concerned that larger homes would attract larger families and wondered See LARGER HOMES, page 8
May 28, 2014 N TheAlmanacOnline.com N The Almanac N 5