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Letters to the Editor

Consider flood risk in North Bayshore

Editor:

As a co-author of a chapter of the Environmental Sustainability Task Force (ESTF) report, I was pleased to read of Google's embrace of the ESTF's recommendations in its quest for more development in North Bayshore ("Google pressures city over plan for North Bayshore," Feb. 19).

The portion of the ESTF report that I was involved with examined the increased risk of flooding in the city as a consequence of anticipated sea level rise. Much of the North Bayshore area is already in the 100-year flood zone, and those risks will increase significantly with sea level rise anticipated in the coming years. The report included specific recommendations to the city to strengthen its policies to mitigate the increased risks from flooding, especially for possible future residential development in North Bayshore.

I hope that Google is embracing those ESTF recommendations, as well as those that are more closely in line with their development plans, and that the city will incorporate those recommendations into its policies.

Jeff Segall

California Street

A note to council on Deer Hollow

Editor:

Dear council members,

In a presentation to my Leadership Mountain View class, a slide was presented showing a butcher shop. The comment was made that when this slide was shown to high school students, they had no idea what they were looking at because the meat was not packaged in Styrofoam.

I do not believe that Deer Hollow Farm can be considered "non-essential," because if we are not properly educating our children, there's really no point.

Silicon Valley may provide the "gee whiz," but biology and ecology are more fundamental.

Bill Michel

Ortega Avenue

Thank you for telling Lizzy's story

Editor:

Thank you for Kelsey Mesher's piece about our daughter Lizzy celebrating the 25th anniversary of her heart transplant surgery in 1984 ("Nothing slows her down," Feb. 12). Mesher captured the essence of "Lizzy Craze 2010" to a T.

Our family is forever grateful to Stanford University Medical Center and the excellent team of brilliant, skilled and caring people who work together to make life-saving medical miracles happen for Lizzy, her brother Andy, as well as so many others. Every day is a gift as our children continue to enjoy healthy constructive lives.

I believe Mesher's piece will not only give hope to other families, should they ever face the medical issues that our family faced, but it will also increase awareness of the great need for donor organs.

Susan and Charlie Craze

Redwood City