by Ryan Lion
Article originally published in Medium.com June 2015

I am a resident, taxpayer, and a voter in the town of Los Altos, California and the 4th generation in my family to live in this town. I have proudly voted in every election since I turned 18 in the summer of 2009. I offer a voice for the millennial generation on the bond that would establish a 55,000 square foot civic center and 3-pool complex at Hillview Park, and I am writing to express my disapproval of such a bond measure.

Firstly, there is no concrete plan for how this community center will be used. So much information is floating around about the process, while the city council admits that there is not a full plan in place for how the space will be utilized by stakeholders in the community. Given the lack of strategic outline, it seems senseless to ask the taxpayer to fund an 87 million dollar endeavor while so much remains unclear in the process.

The development of three new pools seem fiscally irresponsible and morally questionable in the context of our state’s drought, which has lead some California cities to ban the building of any pools. There is also a question as to who really benefits from the pools, particularly, since the schedule in the Environmental Impact Report shows approximately only two hours available for recreational swim, that happen to be in the middle of a normal work day. Don’t we have underused pools, like at Los Altos High School that we can tap into? Is the demand for pools so large that we really need three? Is the demand for space so great that we require 55,000 square feet of space larger than our new Safeway?

Throughout this whole process, the city council has seemed to ignore the attitudes of my generation. As millennials, we value innovation, collaboration, technology, sustainable development, and dissemination of knowledge. National trends show that our generation fuels the economic growth, public image, and development of cities across this country. Disregarding what attracts us to a city as well as what our generation cares about could be detrimental to the growth and perception of Los Altos.

With this bond measure and the looming threat of many more to come (As this bond does nothing to improve the facilities of the library, police station, or city hall), the property taxes in this city will continue to rise for the next 30 years. As a fourth generation resident of this town, I hoped to one day start my own family in this community that gave me so much. But the frivolous, unstructured spending portrays an image of irresponsibility and unaccountability in the city government. Starting my own family in this town now seems like a financially risky decision. Evident on social media (Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, etc), this economic and political context is unattractive to others in my generation as we seek out communities to establish our own roots.

Let’s be creative, innovative, and strategic. Let’s use what we have instead of reaching more into the taxpayers’ pockets. It’s time to go back to the drawing board and develop a sensible, cost-efficient strategy that benefits all citizens rather than special interests groups.

Read more at: www.LosAltosNeighbors.com

1.    This project and funding is not tied to a Master Civic Plan or any comprehensive plan for the 18 acre civic parcel. This is fast-tracked, parcel project for the Hillview Community Center and does NOT include any improvements to the Library, Police HQ, Theater, City Hall, or Open Space.  This proposed project is fixed to southwest residential corridor of the Civic property with planned traffic and access from residential streets.

2.     The ill-defined cost model and project specify a rebuilt, super-sized Community Center and Multiple Swimming Pool aquatic center, underground parking and relocation of sports fields, at the expense of Parks and Open space land use.  This is the single largest proposed construction for a Civic or Community center project in Los Altos, or any Bay Area city.

3.    The project will be partially funded through Measure A,  costing homeowners $134 Million through property tax increases over 30 years to payback the $65 Million Bond issue.   The annual property tax assessment is NOT FIXED, and will vary based on interest rates, bond timing and assessed home values. In 2018/2019 the City already estimates property tax rate to be $33.11 per $100,000---or $497 for a $1.5M home---per year to pay for this project. This tax will be levied whether or not you ever rent or use the Hillview Community Center. ( This is in contrast to the "estimated" "average" over the life of the bond touted by bond measure proponents of $19.36 per $100,000)

4.    Additional taxpayer funding of $25 Million dollars will be paid from City Reserves already allocated, or in lieu of necessary city-wide capital improvements, identified and unfunded projects, downtown parking, storm drain repair, emergency response, etc. or other higher priority citywide needs.

5.     Operating costs are unknown and not yet analyzed or budgeted and will have to be paid by other tax dollars from residents.   The current cost model also does not include furnishing, fees, subsidies, insurance, staffing to support these facilities.  The multi-pool swim facility makes a claim that it will be "self-supporting," yet there is no financial analysis of how this will be accomplished.

6.     The Community Center Plan is scoped to build over Park space, and needed green outdoor community elements.  This plan excludes or eliminates unstructured (non-sports field) lawn areas, fitness and play areas, picnic and community gathering space, and residential green buffer zones.  (There is 1,276 sq feet currently set aside for micro play areas in the conceptual plan.)No consideration was given to how the green areas at Hillview Park are currently used ---to walk dogs, exercise, run, play, stroll, picnic, host outdoor concerts or gather with friends and family ---outside of a walled building or fenced sports area.  Concrete, fences, and buildings aren't Park elements, period! 

7.     The proposed size of the 2-story Community Center building is 55,600 square feet– larger than the new Safeway Building footprint on First Street, and 20% larger than the 45,000 sq ft Hewlett Packard Foundation building.   Comparables from City planning were never completed in the development of this plan.   As a result, this proposed center is MORE THAN THREE TIMES LARGER THAN COMMUNITY CENTERS in demographically comparable cities like Saratoga,  which has a single 16,503 square foot Community Center and combined Senior Center/Adult Care facility. (Note: No city Pool in Saratoga) 

8.     The project fixes in an unwarranted Swim Aquatic Center with multiple pools (2 separate swim team and training pools and 1 wading pool as planned in approved Environmental Report), competitive team bleachers and separate building, concreting in 38,000+ square feet of hardscape and fencing over Hillview Park. About the same size as a downtown city block.

9.     The proposed plan for Hillview Community Center ignores the approved Design Guidelines or use any  Community Survey data collected to prioritize or guide the decisions for this plan.   As part of Master Civic planning, the community developed Design Guidelines that were approved by the City.  All of the directives were ignored in this proposed plan including connecting the Downtown to these facilities, expanding Parks and Greenspace, integrating facilities and traffic flow with surrounding neighborhoods, and consideration of bringing the Community Center structure together with other high demand city services for cost efficiencies. (Think about a combined Library and Community Center building---with a plaza) See how it matches to the original Guidelines here)  

Citywide Community Survey data results to prioritize important facilities and expenditures continually put Library, Parks, Open Space, Safety/Police, and other City services at the Top of the List.  What was at the bottom of the list, and considered NOT A PRIORITY or important for the community ----Swimming Pools.  And yet they are fixed to this location and Hillview Community Center project. 

10. The scale and size of these facilities scope them for Rentals, conferences, team usage, daily use fees –leading to unaddressed revenue expectations, costs, and traffic in Los Altos.  And will require marketing for use as rentals by residents outside of Los Altos.  As an example from the current City proposal and plan, the draft Multi-Pool Swim schedule for "a self-supporting model" prioritizes competitive team use and training over recreational swim–showing 2 hours of proposed recreational swim per day. The Community Center, without visitor analysis of the existing center proposes expanded facilities for undetermined multi-generational needs.   Dedicated senior facilities are only appropriated 1000 square feet in this proposed conceptual design, with other space to be filled by unknown programming, stakeholder meetings and rentals.

We all want a revitalized, right-sized replacement for the Community Center on the Civic property ---and welcome new ideas for places and spaces, both outdoor and indoor,  where the Community come together.   This proposal however is far beyond the size, needs, costs and priorities for Los Altos residents, neighbors and our community---and burdens every resident with increased taxes and unknown future costs.


VOTE NO ON MEASURE A
Stop Wasteful, Irresponsible City Planning