STATE OF THE Los Altos HERITAGE ORCHARD - July 2024

BACKGROUND: What's at Stake
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The City's Los Altos Heritage Orchard at the Civic Center was planted and operational as a working orchard beginning in 1901 by J.Gilbert Smith, and has become been the iconic historic heart of our community.  

This scenic and community treasure is recorded at the City, County and State, and the City of Los Altos is mandated to protect and preserve this important asset.

This historic resource is a preserved working historic orchard that includes agricultural operations and orchards across the Civic Center, including protected lands, groves, tree sites and apricot trees and the City is responsible for its stewardship and care.  A portion of the historic resource has been designated a 1991 City landmark, and the Heritage Orchard provides an important historic context and shared history with the J.Gilbert Smith House at the Los Altos History Museum. 

There are with numerous City preservation ordinances and requirements as a Certified Local Government to perform before any changes, alterations, contemplations or development or tree removal takes place.

A portion of the Heritage Orchard was granted landmark status in 1987 and reconfirmed in 1991,  and the entire heritage orchard resource has been recorded in City and County since 1962.

The Heritage Orchard historic record is best represented in the 2011 State of California Dept of Parks Record as a historic resource HR#15 describing the property and its operating status as an agricultural orchard to reflect the City and the region's rich agricultural history. . 

The City as a Certified Local Government has made a commitment historic preservation with requirements consistent with US Department of Interior standards and expectations to preserve, educate and promote the land's history and its status as an agricultural orchard to reflect our area's rich agricultural history.

TODAY, this irreplaceable icon of our city's past, present and future continues to be threatened by City planning, development and is no longer compliant with adherence to Preservation Ordinances, Public Code, CEQA and EIR accountability, as well as resourcing and appointment and use of qualified staff for its planning and maintenance. 

In the last 6-10 years, more damage has been done to the Heritage Orchard than any other time in its history.  The City is removing trees and questioning boundaries, lacks qualified staff at a City stewardship, and through negligence depletes this resource without qualified planning, stewardship, funding or public transparency.
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In June 2024, we initiated a "Save Our Orchard" petition to bring attention to the City's damaging actions on the Los Altos Heritage Orchard, and work toward a full restoration of this valuable City, County and State resource.  We hope you'll join us to sign the petition click here: 
"Save Our Heritage Orchard Petition
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