News Briefs News Briefs (November 12, 2004)

Realtors aid Dreams and Futures

The Mountain View Police Department received a boost on Tuesday in the form of a $2,855 check from Coldwell Banker in Los Altos. Real estate agents raised the money through raffle prizes at their annual office picnic.

The donation will be used on the police's Dreams and Futures program, which tries to redirect children at risk of getting involved in gangs.

City sending letters to historic property owners

People whose properties spent the last two and a half years on the city's register of historic resources can now sign up to be removed from the list. City staff sent letters to those property owners this week, inviting them to either remove themselves or participate in the city's new voluntary historic ordinance.

The ordinance provides for a six-month "opt-out" period for the 93 properties on the list. Those that remain on the list and others that are added -- after an application by the owner -- must be preserved.

In exchange, the participating property owners will be eligible for various incentives, including tax rebates and zoning flexibility. The next opt-out period is in ten years, at which point owners removing their properties from the list would have to repay all of their tax rebates with interest.

Caltrain reports ridership increase

Bay Area residents have been taking Caltrain in ever increasing numbers since the implementation of its baby bullet service in early June, according to results of ticket sales. The agency reported ticket sales showing an increase in ridership for four consecutive months.

Results of a more exact head count, which will record statistics by station, are due by early January.

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