Columnists

We can all claim to be this or that but I never thought that I’d ever claim to be a marathoner.On Nov. 9, 2016, I became a marathoner along with six fellow members of the Morgan Hill Planning Commission and several city staff members.On Nov. 8, the voters of Morgan Hill had overwhelmingly approved Measure S, which meant that the Planning Commission had to immediately get to work crafting a competition manual representing the values and desires of the Morgan Hill community.This competition manual would be the document developers and builders of residential developments will use to indicate where they will build, what desirable amenities they will include, and how much they are willing to donate to worthy needs in the community. Points are available for things like creating open space and being environmentally prudent with our resources as well as making our new developments look nice and be comfortable places to live.Each competitor can commit to their version of what is best for Morgan Hill and. An objective system will be in place to determine which ones are the best by a points score. More desirable commitments equals more points you get, and that score could win you allocations (permission to build a single dwelling unit).This isn’t the first time this community would benefit from the residential development control system (RDCS) competition. We have benefitted from decades of this kind of development regulation. Each previous iteration of the RDCS competition manual was refined to reflect the values of the community at that time, and this one is no different.The new competition manual takes the voter-approved Measure S and embodies what the voters indicated they wanted. Things like a lower number of dwelling units allowed to be built and eliminating spikes in construction, like we’ve been seeing the past few years.The commission met 20 times to create the competition manual basically from scratch. The goal would be to create a new manual, not just a refinement of the last one, and streamline it to make it simpler.Over those 20 meetings we discussed and debated how the needs and wants of the community would be met. We debated and then debated again, sometimes to the point of frustration, yet we always kept our goal in mind and cooperated to the end.We got into the weeds. Repeatedly. But in those weeds were the details which now make up the new RDCS Competition Manual.So we didn’t get simpler, but I think we got a pretty good document that should achieve its goal of getting great projects for Morgan Hill.   The City Council will soon decide whether or not the new competition manual is ready for prime time but it’ll be in this fall’s competition that we’ll see if the first goal of the manual works in deciding who gets allocations.But the final test will be in the following years when we see if we get the kind of projects that this community wants. My money is on getting that great community.John McKay is president of the Morgan Hill Downtown Association, city planning commissioner and co-founder of the Morgan Hill Tourism Alliance. He can be reached at [email protected].

Next week will be the culmination of months of work for a wonderful and committed group of volunteers. All this hard work will bear fruit April 23 to 29 in the Morgan Hill Downtown Association’s Wine & Food Week and the Wine Stroll.Most of you, hopefully, will recognize the Wine & Food Week as a week where wine and food take center stage, and the Wine Stroll as a fun way to taste some great local wines, shop, dine, and socialize—all in the wonderful setting that is our downtown.The Wine Stroll is a fundraiser for the Downtown Association and like so many other fundraisers, in our community known for giving, you get the benefit of helping a good cause while having fun.The Wine & Food Week and Wine Stroll are special to me because not only are they “fun-raisers,” but they’re also aimed at exposing more people to our restaurants and shops downtown, as well as the Santa Clara Valley wine region.We get to make the events all about our downtown, community and region and the lucky ticket holders are immersed in it.I’d like to provide a little insight into the Wine Stroll that I bet most of you never think about—why do our businesses and the wineries participate?For some, it’s obvious—exposure. People being in a great mood puts a different lens on their day, and the hope is these same people will see something they’ll want to revisit later, maybe come back to the downtown and wineries to re-create fun memories.Some of our downtown businesses actually lose money for the day because their regular customers will avoid the crowds. Most of these businesses are pragmatic and see the overall benefit that this kind of exposure brings to the downtown. Some of this is done just to support the Downtown Association.The wineries are the featured guests and are compensated for the wine they pour. But in most cases, the compensation doesn’t really cover their costs. Many of these wineries also look at the Wine Stroll as a marketing opportunity and want the exposure, but many do not feel that this exposure benefits them.Wineries would like their guests to pause, taste their wine and engage in conversation. Seeing close to 1,000 customers doesn’t leave a lot of opportunity to do any of those things. So a good number of the wineries are doing something that we greatly appreciate: they are participating in the Wine Stroll out of community spirit, a belief that we can all work together to make not only Morgan Hill but the region a destination for wine, food and shopping.And thus, besides the Wine Stroll on Saturday, April 29, we have a week of wine and food related events starting April 23.During Wine & Food Week you’ll find no corkage fees on local wines at many local restaurants, special food and wine pairings and complete winemaker dinners (wines specially paired with each unique course of the dinner).This is the week that the businesses and wineries really enjoy because of the personal contact and manageable customer numbers.  Please come out and have a good time and support your downtown all next week. For more information about these events, visit morganhilldowntown.org/.John McKay is a Morgan Hill resident, president of the Morgan Hill Downtown Association and co-founder of the Morgan Hill Tourism Alliance. He can be reached at [email protected].

I’m writing this from my makeshift office, located on the lower level of our home where we’re holed up during a remodel project.About every 10 years or so I steel myself and plunge headlong into a project that holds the potential to make me very happy or very frustrated. Twenty years ago we remodeled the kitchen in our first home. It was a fixer upper in a pleasant neighborhood that would become more desirable by the time we finished.That first kitchen put the finishing touch on a home that would become the springboard to a home in Morgan Hill. The draw to move to Morgan Hill was so strong that we never lived in that home when it was truly complete. Some form of construction was underway until we moved out and it went on the market.That remodel, laden with sweat equity and increased neighborhood desirability, made us very happy as it not only resulted in a great yield on investment but it got us here.The second remodel was actually one I did for my parents in their home in Mountain View 10 years later. We used a contractor that I had known for many years and had done most of the work on that first kitchen remodel which went reasonably well. But my mother’s remodel was fraught with strain from the beginning and it went very badly. We had to enlist an attorney to get the project finished after it was abandoned.Thinking back, there were signs that this relationship wasn’t going right even before we started. It was a reminder that if things aren’t going well while trying to get the job under contract, it probably isn’t going to get any better once you’re on the hook.So we found another house that was a borderline fixer-upper about three years back. We knew we would have to replace the kitchen and the extensive decking at the time. We finally made the commitment to do it now, another 10 years after that last miserable project.A huge part of any construction project is the team you put together; this was reinforced by my parent’s remodel. For some this is the hardest part of a project, but it is key to success.I recently retired from commercial construction. Even with that background, I find it tough to find a good contractor. Good news is that we have a few right here in Morgan Hill and the surrounding area.We knew one local contractor who we felt very good about and our beliefs were verified by checking the online reviews and talking to others.It took some time to get it all the details just right but we are now happily sequestered on our lower level listening to the sounds of progress above. We are still picking out the stuff like tile and faucets and sinks and such and we are happy knowing that we have a plan that we are really enthusiastic about.There is no moral to the story except spend the time to get the details worked out before you start, pick the right contractor and, of course, use a local contractor.John McKay is a Morgan Hill resident, city planning commissioner and president of the Morgan Hill Downtown Association. He can be reached at [email protected].

It’s that time of the year again, when we start to see the events on the horizon that many in the region look forward to year after year: the Spring Passport Weekend, Wine Stroll, Mushroom Mardi Gras and more…I have to suppose that most people have no idea how much advance planning and time goes into making sure we have the types of events that will bring people back every year.As an example, work on the Wine Stroll and the Wine and Food Week events starts about four months before the events, with weekly meetings on the schedule until the event happen.If the planning is successful, it should appear these events were a breeze to put together and there will be smiles all around as you enjoy the festivities.The first big event that I usually attend in the Wineries of Santa Clara Valley Spring Passport Weekend. This celebration is planned to kick off Friday, March 17, with a special night of fine wine tasting, and then continue on through the weekend.The Friday Night Passport kickoff is one of my favorite events at the Community and Cultural Center in Morgan Hill. It is an invitation only event for those that have a ticket for the entire Passport Weekend (don’t worry—you can purchase the Weekend Passes at the door).This year, 16 wineries will pour tastings Friday night, all in one location. Most of the people pouring will be the winemakers themselves. One of the main reasons for the creation of this event was to provide some of the wineries unable to participate in the entire weekend an opportunity to pour samplings of their hard work. Now this event is attracting other wineries who love the thought of being able to show off the fruits of their labor in the festive atmosphere that pervades this night.I can’t think of a better way for this Irishman to enjoy Saint Patrick’s Day than to spend it with about 200 friends enjoying fine wine.The rest of the weekend can be spent sampling wines at 23 different wineries throughout the Santa Clara Valley AVA. The AVA part stands for American Viticultural Area which means that perfect conditions for the growing of grapes and wines made from this fruit are unique to the Santa Clara Valley. And our local wineries take full advantage of these conditions. Their many awards over the years are only one testament to this.When you’re out on this Passport Weekend I hope you fully appreciate more than just the award winning wines. Stop and meet the people whose passion is not only to make great wines, but to provide you with fun and memorable experiences. Most every winemaker I’ve met has a unique story to tell. They love to tell those stories and talk about just about anything related to wine, including how a curry flavored chocolate pairs well with a red wine.This is a great way to kick off a new season of events in the South Valley, now get out and enjoy yourself.For more information about the Spring Passport Event, visit santaclarawines.com/passport.html.John McKay is president of the Morgan Hill Downtown Association, city planning commissioner and co-founder of the Morgan Hill Tourism Alliance. This is a special edition of “Our Town,” timed to give extra notice for the upcoming Spring Passport Weekend, which takes place in South Santa Clara Valley March 17-19. The column will return March 24.

It seems that everyone is angry these days. For many, politics—from the national down to the local level—took on a more substantial and even dire note this last year.Selecting a president from two candidates who couldn’t be more different and the local residential growth control and City Council races fostered some uncomfortable discourse. Hostility became routine on the national level. We saw some of that creep into the local scene, which is unusual for us.I don’t have to say anything more about national politics—just go to any digital news outlet and you can see for yourself. In this case, I feel I must say digital because there is something happening virtually every few hours. If you are intently following the goings-on in Washington, a lot can happen before that morning newspaper shows up.At the local level, I have to say that starting last year, with the happenings of the Morgan Hill Unified School District Board of Trustees, we have been exposed to new lows in our treatment of each other. Activities of some on the school board was almost like a preview of what we’re seeing in the White House right now. Threats of impeachment, news media exposure of comments made, attempts at censuring, public outcry, denials, obfuscation, shifting of blame, retractions, apologies, etc… Wow, that was unpleasant.I don’t know if it will be ongoing, but we have seen some of the unpleasant behaviors continue locally to this day.I was recently at a city council meeting where a respected member of the community chastised city staff and loudly pronounced that either they were lying or didn’t know who to contact on an issue that had generated some passionate feelings. I don’t remember seeing this kind of behavior before.I don’t think that kind of behavior belongs in Morgan Hill. This is not the Morgan Hill way, and I hope we all actively work to curb this kind of behavior in the public place.Last weekend, I got into it with a neighbor of mine. I was working in the driveway late Sunday when I heard a terrible blood curdling cry for help, which turned to a whimper and then a moan into oblivion. Of course I grabbed a flashlight and went to see what happened in my backyard. Through the trees I saw two sets of eyes and heard a loud guttural response. Not to be deterred, I focused the flashlight right on the eyes and let them know that I heard what had just happened. That was when a loud yell in my direction really got my attention and I started the scramble in the other direction.That loud yell was the snarl of a mature mountain lion, and I think I disturbed its dinner.Being the polite neighbor that I try to be, I promptly backed away and tried to allow him to eat in peace, until we went to get the video camera...Whether it’s paid staff, City Council, a commission, grocer, neighbor or mountain lion, let’s remember that we are all in this community together, and it is us who set and maintain the tone of behavior that is acceptable. There is no police enforcement of civility; that’s up to us. And remember to let your neighbors finish their meal before disturbing them.John McKay is president of the Morgan Hill Downtown Association, city planning commissioner and co-founder of the Morgan Hill Tourism Alliance. 

I was an early adopter of technology at one time.

Sometimes things don’t work out but sometimes they do. Something happened recently that could’ve gone all wrong but it went all right.

In my last column I mentioned that I should turn my focus away from food and more towards bicycling, so here we go...Most of us think about bicycling seasonally, but there is a group of local residents who think about it year-round. This group is the community based Bicycling and Pedestrian Advisory Group (BPAG). They’ve been working on all things bicycling and pedestrian oriented and have been providing direct feedback to the city’s Parks and Recreation Commission. This group was resurrected last year just in time to be helpful in the Bikeways, Trails, Parks and Recreation Master Plan update that’s underway right now, so their impact was felt immediately.The BPAG’s goal is to make Morgan Hill the most bicycle and pedestrian friendly community it can be. They are helping to plan more and better amenities in town for those who want to recreate outdoors; but just as importantly, they also want to better identify and promote what we already have.One example is to focus on getting bicyclists from the Coyote Creek Parkway to the core of the city. The Coyote Creek Parkway is like one of those trails you’d expect to see in a place where there is a pervasive focus on active lifestyles like Boulder, Colorado or Portland, Oregon. But this trail is right here, and it meanders 15 miles through beautiful scenery from San Jose to Morgan Hill. Many ride the trail from San Jose to where it ends at Anderson Lake County Park and head back, never knowing how close they were to so many wonderful destinations in Morgan Hill.The BPAG has been working on identifying the best and safest routes from the Coyote Creek Parkway to our downtown. It’s more complicated than you might think when you take into account all the different types of riders, but the common denominator should be that it’s safe for families. Our community needs more safe recreation opportunities for families, and this should be one of them.City staff and crews have been working on many bicycling and pedestrian related efforts. One of these is the installation of trailhead signage on the Madrone Channel Trail which could also tie into the trail from Coyote Creek Parkway.This wonderful trail, next to the percolation ponds and most visible from U.S. 101, is one of the routes between the Parkway and downtown. However, it is little used. This improved gravel trail, which is protected from city streets, is a wonderful place for families to get outside to walk or ride their mountain bikes together. Let’s get people out using this trail.I hear Specialized Bicycles and the city’s Recreation Department are working to resurrect their lunch rides. Sounds like they’re moving the ride from Monday to Thursday to accommodate the many who are overwhelmed on Mondays, so look for an even better turnout. Watch for these fun rides.I’m going to try and dodge the storms and start getting my rides in. I need to be ready for a summer full of riding.John McKay is president of the Morgan Hill Downtown Association, a city planning commissioner and co-founder of the Morgan Hill Tourism Alliance.

It looks like I survived the holidays and I’m sitting here with a cherubic smile on my face—definitely more cherubic looking than before the holidays.

It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of local wines and I plan on enjoying them a lot this holiday season.My guess is that many of you who enjoy wine may not be all that familiar with our local wineries and the fact that there are over 30 of them right in our backyard. I sit in on the Wineries of Santa Clara Valley wine association’s marketing meetings and that’s not lost on them. There has been good progress made promoting the local wine region with events like the WSCV Passport Weekend and the installation of the Wine Trail signage. But it has always felt like more could be done.The WSCV is now stepping up their game and brought in a top notch wine marketing consultant to match their goals. This firm is out of the winemaking mecca of Napa, and at first blush I was thinking, “Uh oh, are we going to be molded into something else and be like some other place?” Well, I needn’t worry because the marketing consultant gave a wonderful seminar that emphasized our local wineries should continue doing what they do best: making great wines and being personable and approachable.That marketing consultant really clicked with me because he was saying that winery visitors were looking to have a good time and not get an undergraduate degree in winemaking. Traditionally many wineries seemingly wanted to impress you with talk about things like brix readings, the effect of fermenting or barrel ageing in oak (must always ask if it is French), stirring the lees and malolactic fermentation. All the stuff I want to learn about but not feel obligated to do so.Now, instead of encouraging the wineries to talk about how many months the wine spent ageing in an oak barrel, etc., the winemakers have been encouraged to just talk about what they like to eat with a particular wine or maybe tell you a funny or touching story about how a wine or their winery came about, and maybe talk about their dog. Halleluiah.This was comforting to me since I was always a little self-conscious about my wine knowledge and I can only imagine others felt that way too. So often I’ve walked into a winery and felt like I had to earn a sample by proving I was worthy. I felt like I should taste a hint of this or that and was disappointed if I couldn’t.It turns out that I never should have felt that way in our local wineries. No one was ever testing me—that was my own preconceived notion. Many of our local wineries were already practicing the fun approach to winery visits and they just wanted to see me enjoying their wine.Our local wineries are mostly small and family operated. They love the personal touch of sharing their stories and just talking about wine. And for those wine aficionados who want to get technical, most of these folks are still wine geeks at heart so chat it up.So in between the shopping, gatherings with family and friends, and generally celebrating the holidays head out to a winery for a local wine experience that’ll make you feel right at home.John McKay is president of the Morgan Hill Downtown Association, a city planning commissioner and co-founder of the Morgan Hill Tourism Alliance.