Dear Editor:
I would like to respond to Joel and JoAnne Lesser’s letter with regard to traffic on Stone Valley Road. While I understand their frustration with change, they state, “Why does the high school not install bike racks? Right now, there are almost none on campus! The inconvenience to the entire community far outweighs the perceived need for the students to drive to school.”
I am sure the Lessers do not realize that the Monte Vista student body well exceeds 2,200 students coming from as far as Shadow Creek and Blackhawk. This is not a perceived need for students to drive to school, it is a necessity. Certainly my child would not walk or ride a bike 10 miles with a backpack that weighs in excess of 25 pounds carrying a huge project. My son does drive himself and my younger son to Monte Vista. Last year he left our home at 6:20 a.m. to be able to find a parking space in order to attend a 7:30 class. He has already been in an accident in front of Monte Vista at 6:40 in the morning while making a U-turn to “grab” a parking spot. This year my son will be driving two other students as well as himself. We are in hopes he will receive a senior parking space, however, I understand there may be more seniors than spaces.
I would like to ask the Lessers to consider everyone’s safety. We need additional parking so there isn’t a fatal accident. The addition of a stoplight will not only be an advantage to our students but to homeowners accessing Stone Valley Road as well.
Sue Beck
Danville
Not willing to compromise
Dear Editor:
I am writing to express my doubt of the sincerity of school district Trustee Joan Buchanan. A major issue now under debate is the huge parking lot that is being proposed by her and the San Ramon Valley Unified School District. She was quoted in your newspaper as being open to compromises with the neighbors of Monte Vista High School. Your paper quoted her in saying that the neighbors should contact the Division of the State Architect (www.dsa.dgs.ca.gov/) in order to establish a dialogue. Ms. Buchanan is either grossly misinformed or particularly devious. The State Architect has no authority to convene meetings, to establish a dialogue, to approve projects or to make policy decisions, nor does that office hold or attend public hearings. It is simply a service organization to provide regulatory checking of plans for entities like the high school. If someone wanted to check the energy usage of her plan, the DSA would be perfect but it has no role in policy decisions or design decisions.
Ms. Buchanan spoke at the last County Planning Commission meeting where she again stated her desire to find a compromise position. In previous meetings convened to discuss compromise with the school’s neighbors, Ms. Buchanan’s position stated that this is the plan and there can be no discussion of a compromise. In fact after Ms. Buchanan spoke at last month’s County Planning Commission meeting, offering to find a compromise, Mr. Jay Lewis of the Monte Sereno Neighborhood Alliance spoke and welcomed her gesture. While he was speaking, Ms. Buchanan noisily rose and walked out of the meeting. Her intentions were obviously insincere.
Larry Levit
Monte Sereno Drive, Alamo
