Big plans for Sacred Heart schools. Page 7 THE HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER FOR MENLO PARK, ATHERTON, PORTOLA VALLEY AND WOODSIDE JULY 28, 2010 | VOL. 45 NO. 48 WWW.THEALMANACONLINE.COM The end A fire hastens Nancy Kiesling’s decision of the to close the Book Rack after 22 years party [SECTION 2] apr.com Go to open.apr.com for the Bay Area’s only complete online open home guide. ATHERTON Unique contemporary home custom built on a gorgeous 1.3+/- acre lot. Extensively remodeled since 2007: painted inside and out, fabulous new kitchen and appliances, new window coverings, new air conditioning units, new roof and skylights. Detached 4-car garage. Park like setting with pool. Oak-Knoll/ Hillview schools. $7,800,000 WOODSIDE Completely rebuilt and expanded in 2008, this elegant old world style home is nestled in the very unique town of Woodside. This is a 1.4+/- acre horse property with a barn. Main residence is 4,400+/-sf and has 3bd/3.5ba, office, and billiard room. Guest cottage with kitchen and bath. $2,999,999 MENLO PARK Vintage cottage fabulously maintained. 2bd/1ba with high ceilings, gleaming hardwood floors and tall windows, some dual pane. Detached office with built-ins. Deep garage. Las Lomitas Schools. $799,000 MENLO PARK OFFICE 1550 EL CAMINO REAL, SUITE 100 650.462.1111 WOODSIDE OFFICE 2930 WOODSIDE ROAD 650.529.1111 APR COUNTIES | Santa Clara | San Mateo | San Fracisco | Marin | Sonoma | Alameda | Contra Costa | Monterey | Santa Cruz 2 N The Almanac NJuly 28, 2010 UPFRONT Council begrudgingly approves legal settlement involving El Camino project By Renee Batti tion also protects their privacy and costs. The developer must Almanac News Editor as members of a group, making also pay “for all city costs and the filing of this type of lawsuit fees associated with processing hey were peeved and frus- by anonymous members of a the project and fees related to the trated in doing so, but group legal. lawsuit and settlement,” accord- TMenlo Park City Council The settlement terms were ing to the staff report. members on July 20 gritted their worked out by the developer The lawsuit was filed using teeth and unanimously support- and the Concerned Citizens’ the private attorney general ed a settlement agreement with attorney. Jeff Warmoth of the statute, which allows private Concerned Citizens of Menlo development firm, who said citizens acting as representa- Park, a group of anonymous he didn’t know the names of tives of the public interest to members who in November individual plaintiffs during bring lawsuits against govern- 2009 sued the city and would-be negotiations with the group’s ment entities. developers of the property at lawyer, said the lawsuit had “no It challenged the EIR done for 1300 El Camino Real on envi- basis in fact,” but he urged the the project on grounds that it ronmental review issues. council to approve the settle- failed to evaluate the project’s The settlement agreement ment. “It’s not something we’re air pollution impacts, and failed scales back the size of a planned happy about,” but the company to follow required procedures grocery store on the site. The wants to move ahead and build in evaluating the project’s traf- only person to emerge as being the project, he said. fic, land-use, and greenhouse a member of the Concerned The plaintiffs agreed not gas impacts. The settlement Citizens group as the settlement to oppose future housing the agreement did not address these was made public two weeks ago is company may want to add to environmental issues. CUSTOM SOLUTIONS FOR EVERY Tony Alexander of San Jose, the The law firm representing STYLE AND EVERY BUDGET political director of the United the Concerned Citizens, Lippe Food and Commercial Workers The settlement agreement Gaffney Wagner of San Fran- Union, which represents employ- cisco, is a public interest firm ees of grocery stores including did not address the “protecting the natural envi- Draeger’s and Safeway. environmental issues ronment and public access to Mr. Alexander has not government records,” accord- returned numerous phone calls that were the purported ing to its website. from The Almanac. purpose of the lawsuit. Keith Wagner of the firm The lawsuit, which chal- wouldn’t say how many people lenged the city’s approval of the belong to the plaintiff group. environmental impact review the retail development, Mr. When asked to comment on for the planned project at the Warmoth said. Councilman Boyle’s concern that site — the former home of the Councilman John Boyle not- an anonymous member of the now defunct Cadillac dealer- ed that, given the anonymity of group could challenge the project ship — named the city and the individual plaintiffs, it would again when a housing compo- developer: Peter Pau, president be difficult to know whether nent is added, he asserted such of Sand Hill Property Manage- one of them files another legal a challenge wouldn’t happen. ment; and SHP Los Altos LLC. action against the developer “Why would they?” he asked. The original project called for once a housing plan is brought In 2008, when details of the 110,000 square feet of office and to the city for approval. planned development of the site retail space, including about Before voting to approve the began emerging, Whole Foods 51,000 square feet devoted to a agreement, Councilman Hey- specialty grocery was said to grocery store. The agreement ward Robinson said that, “as dis- be interested in moving there, approved by the council and tasteful as it may be,” approval is which raised concerns by sev- the developer doesn’t reduce the right thing to do. eral business owners. Among the size of the overall project, Mayor Rich Cline said: “I them was Richard Draeger, but limits the grocery store size really have a problem with it. ... whose family owns Draeger’s to 32,000 square feet. It also It sets a real wicked precedent. market. When the lawsuit was prohibits the “self-checkout of If I had my druthers, I would filed, Mr. Draeger said his store alcohol sales” by any retail busi- get in the ring” and fight the was not involved. ness on the site. lawsuit. But the developer, he Mr. Warmoth said passers-by The anonymity of the plain- added, “has been up here too may see some action at the site $500 tiff was a sore point for council many times.” this week. PG&E is scheduled ——— OFF ——— members. But City Attorney The agreement requires the to disconnect utilities, and MUST ACT BEFORE 9-30-10 Bill McClure said the law pro- developer to pay the Concerned building demolition should tecting citizens’ right of associa- Citizens $38,000 in attorney fees begin soon after, he said. A MINIMUM $5,000 PURCHASE. SOME RESTRICTIONS APPLY. CALLING ON THE ALMANAC OUR PENINSULA SHOWROOMS HAVE CONSOLIDATED. The Almanac newsroom is at 3525 Alameda de las Pulgas, Menlo Park, CA 94025. THE ALMANAC (ISSN 1097-3095 and USPS 459370) VISIT US AT OUR NEWLY EXPANDED AND RENOVATED is published every Wednesday by Embarcadero Media, Classified ads: 854-0858 N E-mail news, information, obituaries 3525 Alameda de las Pulgas, Menlo Park, CA 94025- CAMPBELL SHOWROOM. THE BAY AREA’S LARGEST! Newsroom: 854-2690 and photos (with captions) to: 6558. Periodicals Postage Paid at Menlo Park, CA and [email protected] CERTIFIED GREEN Newsroom fax: 854-0677 at additional mailing offices. Adjudicated a newspaper of general circulation for San Mateo County, The Almanac is N E-mail letters to the editor to: Advertising: 854-2626 delivered free to homes in Menlo Park, Atherton, Portola CAMPBELL SHOWROOM 1190 DELL AVENUE [email protected] Advertising fax: 854-3650 Valley and Woodside. Subscriptions for $60 per year or WWW.VALETCUSTOM.COM 408.370.1041 $100 per 2 years are welcome. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the Almanac, 3525 Alameda de las FORMERLY EURODESIGN Pulgas, Menlo Park, CA 94025-6558. Copyright ©2010 To request free delivery, or stop delivery, of The Almanac in zip code 94025, 94027, by Embarcadero Media, All rights reserved. Reproduction HOME OFFICES MEDIA CENTERS 94028 and the Woodside portion of 94062, call 854-2626. without permission is strictly prohibited. WALL BEDS CLOSETS GARAGES July 28, 2010 N The Almanac N3 Final two weeks: world-class jazz nightly! TOWN OF WOODSIDE 2955 Woodside Road STANFORD JAZZ Wodside, CA 94062 FESTIVAL ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING SPECIAL MEETING TICKETS ON SALE NOW! www.stanfordjazz.org August 4, 2010 3:00 PM JULY PUBLIC HEARING 07/28 100 Years of Django with WED. 7/28: 100 YEARS OF DJANGO WITH JULIAN LAGE, VICTOR LIN & JORGE ROEDER Julian Lage, Victor Lin & 1. State Highway 84 public right-of-way (Caltrans). Joint Pole Jorge Roeder Association (JPA) power pole (members include AT&T, PG&E and Pacific Bell). 07/29 Visions: The Stevie Wonder CUSE#2010-0003 Songbook In the vicinity of 2750 Woodside Road at Hobart Heights 07/31 Rebecca Martin featuring Request to renew a Conditional Use Permit (formerly CUP 00-006) for Larry Grenadier, Steve a wireless facility at Woodside Road and Hobart Heights that requires Cardenas & Larry Goldings renewal after five years. No changes to the facility are proposed. AUGUST SAT. 7/31: SUN. 8/1: MON. 8/2: 2. Town of Woodside public right-of-way. Joint Pole Association REBECCA MARTIN DAVE DOUGLAS QUINTET PLUS GEORGE CABLES TRIO 08/01 Dave Douglas Quintet Plus (JPA) 08/02 George Cables Trio Power pole (members include AT&T, PG&E and Pacific Bell) CUSE#2010-0004 08/03 Nicholas Payton with In the vicinity of 1600 Canada Road at La Questa Way the Taylor Eigsti Trio Request to renew a Conditional Use Permit (formerly CUP 99-017) for 08/04 Joshua Redman Trio a wireless facility at Woodside Road and Hobart Heights that requires renewal after five years.