Opinion

Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyricist Tim Rice released an album in 1976 in London of a show-to-be called “Evita.” By early 1977, the album took the world by storm and by the time “Evita” premiered in London in June of '78, everyone was humming "Don't Cry For Me Argentina."

Having received, like everyone else in Morgan Hill, the official notice for drought water restrictions I was somewhat perturbed to hear the continued construction of a neighbor’s new pool. Yes we had signed off on it per home owner’s requirements but that was before the dire notice sent out by the city.When speaking to an official from the city I was told that they did know of the pool which was under construction but because a permit had been pulled prior to April 1 it was deemed a “hardship” if the pool would not be completed.Don’t get me wrong but water needed to grow food, to drink, and generally survive constitutes a hardship if we do not have it—not being unable to fill a pool and continually top it up throughout the summer.I think classifying a pool not being filled during a drought as a hardship is an affront to those of us who try and save water!Ashley DuncombeMorgan Hill

Santa Clara County is one of the fastest growing counties in the state and is projected to add more than 500,000 new residents in the next 25 years.What is the best way to accommodate this growth and build communities in ways that allow local governments to provide cost effective services while ensuring that valuable natural resources such as open space and agricultural lands are preserved?This is a major challenge for local government—and a core concern for the Local Agency Formation Commission of Santa Clara County, more commonly known as LAFCO.LAFCO is a state-mandated, independent local agency whose purpose is to discourage urban sprawl, preserve open space and agricultural lands and encourage efficient delivery of services.LAFCO fulfills these goals by regulating the boundaries of cities and special districts and by conducting studies to inform its regulatory duties.Santa Clara County’s LAFCO has seven members, including two county supervisors, one San Jose City Council member, one council member from any of the other 14 cities in the county, two special district board members and one public member selected by the other six. As LAFCO members, they must act on behalf of the countywide public interest, consistent with locally adopted LAFCO policies and the state mandate.In the 1950s, California experienced dramatic population growth and economic development. Demand for housing, jobs and services triggered rampant, unplanned, sprawling development that resulted in inefficient public service delivery systems and massive conversion of agricultural and open space to urban use. In response, the State Legislature created LAFCOs in 1963 and gave them responsibility for encouraging orderly growth and development in each county.Early in the 1970s, Santa Clara LAFCO, the 15 cities and the county jointly adopted policies that call for urban development to occur only within cities. Cities proposed urban service area boundaries that identified lands each intended to annex for future development. Those boundaries were adopted by LAFCO and future expansions became subject to its approval.Since urban service areas are key to where and when future growth will occur and services will be provided, LAFCO reviews each expansion request very carefully.One of LAFCO’s first considerations in reviewing an expansion proposal is whether there are infill development opportunities and whether the city has used or underused its existing supply of vacant land before seeking expansion.Among many other factors, LAFCO also will consider whether the expansion would result in conversion of agricultural or open space lands, whether the services and infrastructure needed to support the proposed growth can be financed and provided without negatively impacting current city services, and whether there is an adequate water supply available.  The creation of LAFCO and implementation of its policies has slowed the outward spread of urban development in Santa Clara County. This has, in turn, allowed for the preservation of an informal “greenbelt” around the urbanized area that consists of protected open space lands, farmlands and scenic hillsides. Consequently, despite experiencing significant growth over the years, our county remains a very desirable place to live and work.Today, LAFCO continues to play a vital role in promoting sustainable growth and good governance in Santa Clara County. Through its actions to curb sprawl and preserve open space and agricultural lands, LAFCO can play a key role in addressing emerging issues such as the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.Neelima Palacherla is Executive Officer of the Local Agency Formation Commission of Santa Clara County. For more information about LAFCO, visit,www.santaclaralafco.org.

Bicycling will be the big activity in Morgan Hill this weekend and you can follow up with a cool down ride on Monday too.This weekend will see the second annual “Bicycling” Spring Classic. This event is organized by “Bicycling” magazine, which just happens to be the world’s largest bicycling magazine. it is sponsored by our own Specialized Bicycle Components, one of the world’s largest premium bicycle manufacturers.The Spring Classic will be held Sunday, May 3. Make no mistake, the event isn’t a big bicycle industry show. Rather, it focuses on three rides around our beautiful countryside that Specialized employees use to test bikes and equipment and even as backdrops for their ads. They are now sharing this with you.The three rides promise to offer something for everyone: a 25-mile ride for new riders and families, a 60-mile route that will be faster paced but remain social, and a 90-mile loop where there can be an element of formal and informal competition. All rides end right where they began at the Specialized headquarters on Concord Circle in Morgan Hill.The returning riders will be greeted by a bike industry exposition and family friendly activities. A lunch will also be provided along with free massages and, get this, beer. Food trucks will be brought in and anyone can grab a quick bite and stroll the expo even if you didn’t participate in a ride. Hopefully the Specialized museum will also be open to the public as well as the wind tunnel like last year.This event serves to highlight that Morgan Hill is a bicycling destination. Last year one blogger called Morgan Hill a bicycling mecca. Speaking with those returning from last year’s rides I had the opportunity to chat it up with riders from Texas and Southern California. There must be something about Morgan Hill and the surrounding area to draw this kind of interest, and there is. We have a nice combination of hilly terrain and flat roads, and the natural beauty of the area as well as resources like Concept Cyclery and Sunshine Bicycles to service needs and of course, Starbucks and Peet’s which have become regular meeting places (keep an eye out, I hear you might see some world class cyclists at these locations).Whether or not you participate in a ride at the Spring Classic you should treat yourself to what is likely a well-deserved break at lunch on Monday.The first Monday of the month is the day that Specialized and the City of Morgan Hill (with a big dose of support from Concept Cyclery) put on the Lunch Time Bike rides. This event is growing as more and more riders decide that getting out and riding at lunch this one day a month is great for their health, spirit and outlook for the rest of the day. It doesn’t hurt that you’ll probably make a few new friends like I did.Like the Spring Classic rides there is a riding level for everyone. Typically there will be an easy ride (that’s me, folks), an intermediate, and one that is pretty much moving as fast as I can ever pedal the whole distance (I’ll pass).These rides are a lot of fun and you get to ride with Specialized staff who are always willing to talk about their work and passion—bikes and bicycling.Please get out this weekend and ride a bike or attend an event and pack a bag lunch and ride this coming Monday.We have what others will travel to enjoy so I hope you can enjoy what we have too.Bicycling Spring Classic:bicycling.com/ride-maps/featured-rides/2015-bicycling-spring-classicLunch Time Rides:morgan-hill.ca.gov/Calendar.aspx?EID=3699&month=5&year=2015&day=4&calType=0 andfacebook.com/events/1587060811537632/John McKay is a longtime Morgan Hill resident, city planning commissioner and member of the Morgan Hill Tourism Alliance.

The City of Morgan Hill is set on selling an option they own, “Depot Center/BookSmart,” to City Ventures, a developer from Southern California. The company has developed many great projects but this one will not be good for Morgan Hill. This project will be a net loss for the community. A small group has offered to match the offer from City Ventures for the option and keep Depot Center as it is. If this happens the owners of Depot Center have agreed to do major repairs to the property and do everything they can to keep the present tenants intact.Several years ago the city bought this option for about $1.7 million. Today they are offering that same option to a developer for $100,000 dollars. So the price is set at $100,000. What will the community get for $100,000? You will get some townhomes and a small amount of retail space. Here is how I see it:Morgan Hill will only get 8 to 10 percent more property tax from the new project than they are receiving now on the property.Sales tax will be far less than what the city is getting now because they are only building 3,000 square feet of retail space. The property currently holds about 25,000 square feet of retail space.Existing tenants draw many more people downtown than the proposed project.Occupants of the residential component of the project will be gone all day at work, so that is a loss to downtown.Very few retail businesses will be able to afford the rents that need to be charged for new construction.There are more employees working at the current site than what is being proposed.Seven or 8 long-time businesses, which have supported the downtown for more than 100 years collectively, will be displaced. The City of Morgan Hill will spend up to $1 million in relocation funds (already earmarked by the city council).The city has developed a relocation plan that may help some of the tenants but will be onerous for others.They have no plan to keep these businesses downtown during redevelopment or to bring them back after. The downtown needs businesses just as much as it needs housing (maybe more!).The City Ventures plan for the Depot Center property is very nearly the same type of project (townhouses and a little retail) that was denied last year for the property adjacent to Depot Center and the new parking garage. If this type of development is not right for one, why is it OK for the other?I appreciate that the city has a lot to do and in a short matter of time but they shouldn’t cave in and put a bad plan into action just because time is short.Contact your elected officials directly, not through social media. Directly speaking them to them pulls more weight than sniping on Facebook.Cities need to keep older buildings for the reason Jane Jacobs said in her book, “The Life and Death of Great American Cities.”The following is an excerpt from Jane Jacobs on old cities:“If a city area has only new buildings, the enterprises that can exist there are automatically limited to those that can support the high costs of new construction...Enterprises that support the cost of new construction must be capable of paying a relatively high overhead—high in comparison to that necessarily required by old buildings.”Brad Jones is co-owner of BookSmart, 80 East Second Street in downtown Morgan Hill.

We have a place here in Morgan Hill where more than 70 kids go when school gets out, where they can do their homework and get help if needed, where they can get exercise and “Play 60,” where they can do fun projects and socialize with other kids. It’s a place where they thrive and take great steps toward attaining their full potential. It is the Lori Escobar El Toro Clubhouse on Crest Avenue, and it needs your help!Last July, the Boys and Girls Club of Silicon Valley (BGC) took over the operation and oversight of the Clubhouse from Catholic Charities and revamped the programming by adding staff and proven BGC programs. Catholic Charities did a great job of keeping the old center going with minimal resources. BGC brings a much more comprehensive and a proven program, so it is a great, successful upgrade for the Clubhouse.  If you get a chance, please drop by some afternoon and witness the enthusiasm and positive spirit of the kids there. They will capture your heart.Boys and Girls Club took over the operation with the understanding that the Morgan Hill community would continue to support the Clubhouse financially. Amigos de El Toro is an organization of volunteers that do whatever is needed to support the Clubhouse, and fundraising is one of our basic missions.While the annual budget for the Clubhouse is well over $200,000, BGC asks that the Amigos raise about $100,000 locally. Almost $40,000 of that comes from identified, sustainable sources. So the Amigos need to raise a little more than $60,000 annually and are working hard to identify potential generous contributors and establish sustainable sources for that local share. We welcome ideas, suggestions and of course contributions to help us achieve it, for we may very well lose this precious asset if we are unable to do our share.Of course one way to raise funds is by having a fundraiser, and the Amigos put on an outstanding event that we hope you will support. Now in its fourth year, our “Building Futures” event will be at Mama Mia’s restaurant, 275 E. Dunne Ave., 6 to 9 p.m. May 15. The cost is only $15 with plenty of hors d’oeuvres and a no-host bar. We’ll have exciting raffle and auction items including a private dinner for eight served by the Pirate of Morgan Hill at his Cove. Also, we will have some very special art prepared by El Toro kids—and some of those kids will be on hand to tell you about what they do at the Clubhouse.It is a fun event where our great community comes out to support a very good cause and has a ball doing it.  Tickets are available from BookSmart, 80 E. Second Street, or from the event committee (Laura Gonzalez-Escoto, Melissa Santos, Cecelia Ponzini or Steve Tate) and will also be available at the door. I sure hope to see you there.Contact the mayor at (408) 621-7377 or [email protected].

After 220 columns about parks, preserves, and trails, I sometimes allow myself to think there are no surprises left. If I haven't been there, I surely must have heard of it. Right? Wrong...again.