Local News Roundup: April 23, 2018

This is the first of a (hopefully) regular series highlighting news stories of interest to College Terrace and the surrounding area.

Palo Alto’s Vin Vino Wine Sold to New Owners (April 13)
Vin Vino Wine, which has been on California Avenue for more than thirty years, has been sold to new owners who plan to renovate the space and expand the business.

Supervisors Set Aside $6M For Teacher Housing in Palo Alto (April 17)
The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to set aside $6 million in an affordable-housing fund toward the potential construction of a below-market-rate complex on Grant Ave. (near the California Ave. business district) for teachers and school staff.

Worried by Rail Redesign, Residents Seek to Save Their Homes (April 17)
Neighbors in Southgate (just across El Camino from College Terrace) and Old Palo Alto have created an alliance to influence the city’s decision on the railroad reconfiguration at Churchill and Alma. The group is concerned that some of the options the city is considering may involve seizing up to 36 residential properties through eminent domain.

“Workforce Housing” Project Scores a Victory (April 22)
On Thursday morning, Palo Alto’s Architectural Review Board (ARB) endorsed the 57-unit development proposed at 2755 El Camino Real: the corner of El Camino and Page Mill currently used as a VTA parking lot.

Mayor to Address CTRA Annual Meeting

Palo Alto Mayor Liz Kniss, who has represented the interests of our city in elected office for over three decades, will address our neighborhood at the annual meeting on Saturday, March 24, at 10am at University Lutheran Church. She has served one 4-year term on the Palo Alto School Board, two on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors sandwiched between five terms, including her current one, on the Palo Alto City Council. In January, she was elected mayor for the third time.

During her long career in public office, she has concurrently served on numerous county committees and regional regulatory authorities, including the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, which she chaired last year.

For the year, she has cited housing, and specifically senior housing, as one of her top priorities. Her prior career as a nurse, led naturally to her strong support over the years for initiatives related to public health. Between those two issues rests a wealth of experience and engagement in the major challenges facing our city and region.

Come early to personally greet and chat with Liz Kniss prior to the meeting, followed by the election of the CTRA Board, the president’s intro, and the mayor’s remarks.

Read the March 2018 CTRA newsletter, Views from the Terrace, which includes highlights from the past year, as well as information about the CTRA 2018-19 board nominees.

Save the Date: CTRA Annual Meeting on March 24

Mark your calendars! The CTRA’s annual meeting will be Saturday, March 24 at the University Lutheran Church sanctuary. The meeting will run from 10am until 11:30am, with the doors opening for mingling and chat at 9am.

What happens at the CTRA annual meeting? Residents vote on and elect new CTRA board members for the upcoming year, hear from the current CTRA president on the state of the neighborhood, and have the chance to meet with neighbors from throughout College Terrace. Looking forward to seeing you all there!

For those who can’t attend, but want to vote, you can download an absentee ballot for the board election.