Cuesta Park Annex to stay open space Cuesta Park Annex to stay open space (October 28, 2005)

Neighborhood residents lobby council to leave site untouched

By Jon Wiener

The 12-acre woodland plot known as Cuesta Park Annex appears poised to remain public open space well into the future, though what type of open space is less clear.

The city council unanimously ruled out any visions of commercial and residential development for the site, located along Cuesta Drive, at a study session Tuesday. Some of the ideas left on the table included everything from leaving the area wild to building playing fields for youth sports or even erecting a small cultural museum on part of the site.

"It sounds like we're all going to trip over each other saying we want open space," said council member Greg Perry. "The question is what kind of open space it's going to be."

More than twenty residents of the Cuesta Park neighborhood spoke at the meeting, with the majority in favor of leaving the site mostly untouched. All stressed the lack of large parcels of open space in the city.

The council cannot take action or take formal votes at study sessions, but city staff watches the discussions carefully for clues about the proposals it should bring forward in the future. Audience members seemed pleased with the outcome of Tuesday's discussion, nodding throughout and clapping sporadically.

"This is a wonderful opportunity for the entire city," former parks commissioner Ronit Bryant told the council. "A lot that size just doesn't come up in a city that's built up."

The city purchased three and a half acres of the land in 1973, using money from the general fund. Neighbors were protesting a developer's plans to build housing on the site, and in response the city stepped in after the foundations had already been poured.

In 1988, when the city purchased the remaining nine acres from the Mountain View School District, it was with the intention of replacing the space in Shoreline Park that would be lost to the planned conference center. But the conference center never was built, and the city was not sure what to do with its new property.

Seven years ago, the council decided to put off any decision on Cuesta Park Annex. The city will now move ahead with the process of developing a master plan, potentially including various public workshops.

Citing the use of general fund monies to buy the land, council members stressed the importance of getting input from residents of the entire city, particularly those who live in areas with little parkland. Council member Mike Kasperzak noted that all but one audience member lived south of El Camino Real, in neighborhoods that benefit from strong park systems.

Council member Matt Pear opposed the master plan process, citing costs of between $50,000 and $100,000.

"That [money] could be better used to put in a water main for a heritage orchard or a garden," said Pear.

Council member Nick Galiotto drew laughs from the audience by starting off his comments by saying that he supported "no more than 30 units per acre."

E-mail Jon Wiener at jwiener@mv-voice.com

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