Condominium approval is enterprise as regular at Los Gatos city corridor – The Mercury Information

It appears to be business as usual at town hall with the approval of Lyon Apartment Companies’ request to convert the Bay Tree Apartments into condominiums.

Most of our best development projects are accomplishments of locals who are more sensitive to the wishes of the community. We run the locals through the ringer but bend over for big, out-of-town developers. I have heard the adage, “Get out of the way if it’s Lyon,” and in this case it is certainly true.

A unanimous decision by the town council to approve a conversion of badly needed apartments into condos without adequate parking, open space and major rehabilitation for this 50-year-old complex is a disturbing dynamic of what we might have to look forward to if this is standard policy.

The evidence of our town council’s approval for more intensification in the downtown core have led to sky-high rents, lack of parking, street congestion and an exodus of small business. To now apply this policy to the neighborhoods is the antithesis of what everyone claims this town is about. To succumb to the pressure of out of town developers is not why we voted this current council in.

This application by Lyon to rape the Almond Grove district is a holdover from an out-of-control staff headed by a town manager whose goal was to remake Los Gatos into a San Jose neighborhood. Things have changed. We have a new town manager, and the makeup of town staff is changing. Let’s not have more glowing recommendations and pressure by staff for approval of projects that are not healthy for our small community.

Larry Justo Arzie

Los Gatos

Community comes through to support high school band

Thank you to our wonderful community! The Los Gatos High School marching band and color guard would like to thank everyone who supported our annual Christmas tree pick-up on Jan. 3. We worked past sundown and collected over 800 trees and more than $8,000 to support our marching band program.

Special thanks to West Valley Collection and Recycling for donating five Dumpsters; Los Gatos High School and the Los Gatos Union School District for use of their parking lots; and JJ Magoo’s for hosting our pizza lunch.

Mike Dufort and Dave Davis

Los Gatos

Mike Dufort and Dave Davis were the co-chairmen for the Christmas tree pick-up drive.

Super shopping spree story is in poor taste

When I looked at my Mercury News (on Feb. 3), the headline read: “Home Prices: bad to worse, 1 in 5 valley residences are now`underwater.’ ” At lunchtime I read your article about your wife’s shopping spree while you watched the Super Bowl (“Super Bowl Sunday leads to a super shopping spree,” by Dick Sparrer). With respect to those that are losing their homes, and/or jobs, or are worried about both, I thought this view of Super Bowl Sunday was in poor taste.

Debra Brender

Monte Sereno

Threat to new town library is an outrage

I am outraged! After several years of gathering public opinion (with positive results), even more years of planning and the involvement of many concerned Los Gatos citizens, the construction of a much-needed new Los Gatos Library is being threatened — again.

Steve Glickman must really dislike Los Gatos and Los Gatans to make such an effort to stand in the way of re-creating a public institution that benefits so many people, including, I might add, our young people of all ages who use the library every day, crowded though it is.

I have heard that Mr. Glickman is planning to move away from Los Gatos (perhaps he already has?); he is certainly leaving a negative legacy to mark his sojourn here. Shame on him.

Kathy Cusick

Los Gatos

Sponsor shares appreciation for Touch My HeART

To all of the supporters of the Touch My HeART event on Valentine’s Day and the day before — including those that have worked so diligently to bring about this worthwhile occasion benefiting so many — I wish to thank you all and the Los Gatos arts community for such a warm welcome to all of us at Arcadia Health Care.

It has been an extreme privilege to represent fellow proponents of the arts in Los Gatos — and the students benefiting from educational opportunities the Museums of Los Gatos provide in particular — as the 2009 Touch My HeART Premier Sponsor.

In today’s economic times, we need to be inspired; art is the perfect catalyst for fueling new ideas and insight, as well as reflection, both inwardly and outside of ourselves. We at Arcadia are proud to be affiliated with Touch My HeART, an organization that not only supports but embraces the arts.

At Arcadia Health Care, we, too, take our role as service providers in the community seriously. Every day we touch the hearts of our clients and their families, as a licensed, full-service, Bay Area Home Health Agency, by helping our clients live their lives within the comfort of their own homes, providing peace of mind as their trusted, home care agency.

Sponsoring Touch My HeART this year is a cause we at Arcadia Health Care believe in. It is a cause we can all believe in, as we are all here to celebrate life, love and creativity.

Creativity is ageless; it has no bounds. May we all continue to live our lives to the fullest, with good health, surrounded by those that touch our hearts.

Charles E. Symes, II

San Jose

Charles E. Symes, II is the affiliate owner and executive administrator for the Arcadia Health Care-San Francisco Group of Offices in San Jose.

Story about 100-year-old stirs memories

I want to congratulate you and particularly Judy Peterson for the wonderful article this week on the life of Mima Templeton Hardwicke (“Turning a Century: 100-year-old Mima Templeman Hardwicke was born and raised in Los Gatos,” Feb. 3). I came to Los Gatos in 1932, at the age of 12, and lots of her memories reawaken memories of mine. I didn’t live here too many years at that time, but I sure recall much of what she had to report.

J.D. Vanderlaan

Los Gatos

It’s the myopic vision of a non-visionary

Not sure if I was sad or disgusted to read of the recent brainac move afoot by [Steve] Glickman and his minions as organizers of a petition drive are asking Los Gatos voters to put a measure on the ballot.

With the recent divisiveness still in the rear-view mirror, wouldn’t a little community feel-good be appropriate?

Creating a movement to purchase books or helping the friends of the library with its goals?

No, Mr. Glickman finds polarizing to be his calling, apparently.

So instead of embracing the importance of a library, helping the community achieve the goals set forth for the new building, Mr. Glickman, Helen Cockrum and Anthony Caselli — who signed a Feb. 2 “notice of intent to circulate petitions” with the town clerk’s office — feel this is the best use of time and energy?

The quantifiable knee-jerk reaction of another petition drive for an initiative will be a taint on the town, with a cost of both time and money when both happen to be in short supply.

An initiative will need 1,871 registered voters to sign the petition for it to get on the ballot.

It is my hope to see those community members sign checks for potential donations to the Friends of the Library or the current Los Gatos Education Foundation drive to help save important programs within the local school district which face unprecedented budget cuts, and local nonprofits cutting staff and programs vs. a petition.

Please keep these issues in mind when confronted with the decision to sign a proposed Initiative.

Christine Currie

Los Gatos