Morgan Hill is considering establishing an Urban Limit Line, a second line that shows where long-term growth will occur outside of the current Urban Growth Boundary. As stated in our comment letter reproduced below, City staff isn’t taking seriously the environmental effects of losing the farmland. We hope the City Council decides differently. -Brian (one...
Category: News
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Let the Sun Shine In – Improving Disclosure Requirements
The Mercury News has a series on the need for better disclosure of government operations in San Jose. They asked for reader comment, and we sent in the email below. -Brian —– Dear Mercury News editors: I’m very glad to see this effort by your newspaper to increase disclosure and “sunshine” in government operations. In...
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Stanford’s Sidewalk Proposal, and Our Response
Stanford’s proposal to expand the Alpine Road sidewalk is out, and can be viewed here. No big surprises, but plenty of hints remain that the “poison pill” that Stanford inserted, giving it control over San Mateo County’s review of alternative trail locations, will be firmly enforced. Welcome to Stanford’s concept of environmental review. Actually, giving...
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Lois Crozier Hogle
I just came back from attending the memorial service for Lois Crozier Hogle, a founder of the Committee for Green Foothills. The Palo Alto Weekly wrote about her here, and we will have our own article in our forthcoming newsletter. The service was moving, and the large Presbyterian church in Portola Valley was packed. What...
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The CGF family Takes Wing
Some great news about people associated with us here at Committee for Green Foothills: Zoe Kerstenn-Tucker, CGF Board Member and former Executive Director, has been appointed to the San Mateo County Transit District Board, where she will do a great job of protecting the public and advocating for smart growth. Meanwhile, Velma Gentzsch, CGF’s former...
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More Golf Course Trouble in Morgan Hill
Apparently, the private, illegally-constructed golf course in Morgan Hill is raising additional controveries. (Background on the golf course is here.) The golf course is now being promoted as a potential PGA tournament location. The Institute Golf Course is not permitted to have tournaments, and the parking issues would likely conflict with the area’s agriculture. The...
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Some Good Coyote Valley News
From the Mercury News: mayoral candidates “stressed that the city cannot build housing there before finding businesses to put jobs into the northern section of the valley. Otherwise, in their view, the city will worsen its tax revenue shortage by having too many houses and too few jobs.” An Op-Ed from Audubon’s departing advocate Juliana...
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Happy World Wetlands Day!
Well, I didn’t know it was World Wetlands Day either, but time to celebrate it nonetheless. The Ramsar treaty provides international support for wetlands protection, part of a growing recognition of their importance. One way we can act locally to recognize their importance globally is to protect our wetlands. Santa Clara County refuses to protect...
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Waiting for A Fix-Up of Coyote Valley Planning
San Jose City Council met last night to discuss Coyote Valley, and CGF has sent out an Action Alert asking for true mitigation for the proposed loss of farmland, for a replacement person to fill the vacant environmental position at the Coyote Valley Task Force, and for disclosure of any secret deals made over Coyote...
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Car Dealerships Dominating Palo Alto Baylands?
Palo Alto has made car dealerships a permitted use on East Bayshore Road, the side road that runs between Highway 101 and the Baylands. While the use will likely occur only upon already-developed land, this decision raises the possibility of giant, gaudy, overlit dealerships creating visual impacts on what is currently a mostly-natural viewpoint enjoyed...