Los Gatos Skatepark Opponents Speak Out

Update: Added Skatepark web site link

The following verbatim transcripts were taken from the town's online video archive of the Dec. 17 town council meeting during "verbal communications."

Phil Knopf

Phil
KNOPF

Phil Knopf, E. Vineland Ave. Seven or eight years ago, the Town of Los Gatos paid approximately $50,000 for a downtown parking survey. The result of that survey was to convert the recycling yard on Miles Ave. into a parking lot. The construction of this lot would help downtown parking and be more economical. The other option was to construct a parking structure downtown that would cost approx. $40 million. The town chose to build the Miles Ave parking lot. This lot is heavily used by employees of downtown merchants, which frees up the spaces around their businesses. Those using the creek trail are also very dependent on this parking lot, as is little league for the adjacent baseball field. This lot is also very important for special events, such as Jazz on the Plazz, Music in the Park, the Christmas Parade, and many walk-a-thon fundraisers originate at this location.

Recently, we did a check on the parking lot usage. On Thursday, Dec. 13, at 3:30 there were only four vacant spaces. On Friday, Dec. 14, at 1 o'clock in the afternoon, the lot wsa full. Dec. 15, Saturday, 12:30, the lot was full. Converting this valuable parking area to a skateboard facility just does not make sense.

On Feb 5, I urge everyone to vote no on Measure D. Down On Measure D .org.

"Citizen Ray" Davis

Citizen Ray
DAVIS

What you just heard is, in my opinion, nonsense. I have visited the parking lot down there and I can find at least 80 potentially legal parking spaces. I've done this sort of work before in my work as a condo conversion person. All you do is convert parallel parking to diagonal. That doubles the parking right there. There's all kinds of unused land all around that Miles Ave. area. It's unbelievable! I say there's at least 80 parking spaces that aren't even marked. So much for that nonsense from the guy ahead of me.

Tim Murphy

Tim
MURPHY

My name is Tim Murphy. I reside on Edelen Ave. here in Los Gatos. It is my intention this February to vote No on Measure D.

One of my real concerns is safety, and I'm not talking about the safety of the skateboarders getting to the park. I'm talking about the safety of the kids and the families that currently use Balzer Field for baseball and other activities. They currently park in the Miles Ave. parking lot. That's their primary source of parking. Under Measure D, the town is forced to close this facility. The plan to replace that, according to the Public Works staff, is to put in parallel parking along Miles Ave. in front of the field as well as the corporation yard and the other uses down there. So here we've got--those uses include the Public Works and Corporation Yard, the recycle center, PG&E substation and Asplundh landscaping. These are industrial uses and, unfortunately, Miles serves as an industrial right-of-way. The problem lies with the fact that the only paved section of that street that was installed in the last couple of years is approximately 32 feet wide. If you adjust that for the deduction that you need for the parking spaces, you're down in some cases to less than 20 feet, which is the minimum required for emergency access by the fire code. And [the town's] requirements for an additional street are greater than that.

Tim Murphy's photo showing pedestrian safety problem on Miles Ave.

Here's the problem. As you can see from this picture... This was taken on the day of the Christmas parade on Miles Ave. looking down towards the corporation yard. There are no curbs and gutters or sidewalks on Miles Ave. in that section. Therefore, when the baseball kids walk from the car back to the field, they're going to walk right down the middle of that street. I would suggest that you take that little compact car [in the photo] and replace that with the city street sweeper or with one of those big orange trucks that run around town doing the landscape maintainence, or a PG&E repair truck. That's where they have to be; there's no other place to go.

The town owns over 90% of the frontage along that street. For whatever reason, those improvements have never been made. Any other developer would have had to have done it. On this project, if we were a private developer, we would have to do it. I had a contractor look at it, and he thinks you're talking probably a half a million dollars. In this case, the town is the developer, because they own the land. Should we not add this $500,000 cost to the $2 million that is already required? I think not.

Steven Leonardis

Steven
LEONARDIS

Hi, I'm Steven Leonardis from the Los Gatos Skatepark Committee, here to remind everyone to vote Yes on Measure D February 5 for the kids, the youth of Los Gatos and Monte Sereno.

We have seen many people come out and give reasons that were refuted a long time ago by the town. We did an extensive study about the parking at 41 Miles Ave. There's just no basis for further concerns. There's plenty of other spots. Of course, if you take the day of the Christmas parade, the most crowded day in town of the whole year, a day when there will never be street sweepers going down that road, yes, you can make an argument to make it look unsafe, but I believe in the report that the town provided back in June of 2004. I also believe that, at that time, the Town of Los Gatos thought about the youth. I believe it was Diane McNutt [who] actually recommended that location (or had the vote that put that over the top), with this being the selected site for the skatepark. Which, incidentally, if you look at the lot, it's probably not good for much else other than...a skatepark. You can't put another baseball field there. You really can't put a tennis court there or a soccer field. Why not make some recreational use out of it?

Regarding the fundraising efforts: It's been challenging. We've had people from the Edelen Ave./Miles Ave. neighborhood solicit letters saying "Don't donate to the skatepark because our free public parking lot is being jeopardized." They view this lot as theirs, when in fact it is the Town of Los Gatos' property. It will always be the Town of Los Gatos' property; it's part of the Corporate Yard, whether there's a skatepark there or not. The town owns it. It is not the people of Miles Ave.'s skatepark, and does not belong to the employees that work downtown. They can all park in the free parking lots on Park Ave., Montebello, behind Safeway...they can ride the bus.

I understand there's a parking lot where the Chart House used to be back there [on Wilder Ave.] that's now being eliminated as well. I don't hear anyone complaining about that one.

So don't be confused, all the people out there watching on Ch. 15 [KCAT] tonight, by these arguments about parking being eliminated. This is strictly a "not in my backyard" thing. We want the children of Monte Sereno and Los Gatos to have a recreation facility, and we don't want it to be jeopardized by a bunch of people who feel they're entitled to a parking lot. Simple as that. Vote Yes on D for the kids. Thank you.

Christine Currie

Christine
CURRIE

My name is Christine Currie. I'm a mom. I reside here in Los Gatos at 117 Broadway. I have given money to the skatepark. I love the idea of a skatepark. I have two boys; they skateboard; I'm giving money. But, you know what? From a fiduciary standpoint--I'm not a bean counter, but I do know that my tax dollars and the general fund monies that we have available [are] for everybody. For the seniors, for the kids, for everybody, for all of us. That piece of pie will be cut into a little, tiny, smaller slice once we take those monies that we are being strong-armed, potentially, on this Feb. 5 ballot, and ask to pay for a very sort of small interest group project.

You know, I don't live in the Edelen Ave. area, but I am a taxpayer here, and I do have children, and I do support a skatepark. But I really have to say that the fact that we have a measure, this Measure D--

I'm saying, "Don't be duped." This is something that we need to be really aware of, that we're being strong-armed financially, folks. It's not fair. And from the standpoint of safety? Yeah, it's an issue. Parking? It's [less of] an issue. More importantly, it's financial. $50,000 a year, okay? We've got a million dollars for a piece of property, we've got another million dollars we're not going to be strong-armed into. That's the whole idea behind this--the impetus behind this being on the ballot. And then we've got $50,000 a year, folks. Forever. Forever and ever. So that's great--when my kids are done skating, and they're in college, we'll all be paying that, that extra 50 grand a year. That means that money doesn't go to soccer, doesn't go to anything else, okay?

So, as one of those Snack Shack moms, as one of the people who bakes the cupcakes, and does the car washes and--we rally as a community. I feel really, really sad that we're struggling to feel like we have to go from the kids. So, I'm saying, yeah, be for the kids, but just say no to Measure D. And don't be duped, this is a big financial--It's an expensive thing for a very few...kids. So, let's take that money and put it somewhere where it's going to help all of us and help all of our community, because it's a great community to be in. Thank you.

Tom Spilsbury

Tom
SPILSBURY

I'm Tom Spilsbury. I live on College, I'm a--I am the Town of Los Gatos. I live here; I've lived here all my life. I work here; I pay taxes here, and I trust my tax dollars to you fine folks up here to spend it wisely. To spend it fiscally responsibly. Measure D, to me, takes my tax dollars and benefits a few, instead of benefiting many. And I think we should... I would like my dollars to be spent benefiting many instead of a few.

There are a list of wants that this town has, and I think a skateboard park is a great thing, but libraries are an issue; street repair is an issue...I could go down a list and bore you all [to] tears, but the general feeling is, for me, as a taxpayer... I have two kids. I've done soccer, I've done baseball, who knows what we've all done as parents in this town to keep our kids active and viable in the community.

I have a tiddlywinks club that really wants some land somewhere that maybe we could do something with, too. So where in the...where do we stop? The youth of Los Gatos and Monte Sereno is very important to this town, but where is it most well-spent? How many kids play soccer compared to how many kids skateboard? How many play baseball? Those are very hard questions to weigh. My thought is--once again, as a taxpayer--I would like to see money benefit more than a few. And I think this Measure D just benefits a few. So I would recommend that we vote No on Measure D. Thank you for your time.

Gil Decker

Gil
DECKER

I'm Gil Decker, 45 Glenridge Ave. As you've heard, we're all going to be asked to vote on Feb. 5 on Measure D. I'd like to offer some facts and opinions...

Fact 1: The town of Los Gatos set aside a site on lower Miles Ave--the skateboard site. Commercial appraisal of the site, if it were commercial, is about $1 million, maybe more. Currently, it is devoted to parking for city and company employees and the public.

Fact 2: Los Gatos sponsored a study for the skatepark. Initial results proposed pre-fab, mobile ramps. Youth skateboarders rejected that design, indicating they would not skate on it. Indigo Associates, a skateboard design company, prepared an alternative design with permanent ramps. Their estimated cost for construction was $1 million.

Fact 3: After 3 years, a small special interest group has only raised about $17,000. They petitioned the ballot issue as Measure D on the Feb 5 election. The measure would require the town to pay $1 million construction cost and allocate $50,000 annually from public funds for maintenance and upkeep.

Fact 4: Youth soccer, baseball, basketball, and football are successful, self-sufficient programs, using private funding. In fact, they pay some to the town for use and maintenance of facilities.

Fact 5: Community activities like Jazz [on] the Plazz, Music in the Park, our Shakespeare company, and Los Gatos Museum are all funded with private funds.

Now some conclusions and opinons. The town was supportive of skateboarding, as witnessed by the set aside of valuable land and funding of the design study. There seems to be no groundswell of support for the skateboard park. Otherwise, construction dollars would have been raised in over three years of attempt.

First priority for public funds should provide essential activities that only our local government can provide, like public safety, fire and police, infrastructure--streets, roads, and traffic safety--and so forth. Second priority should be activities that benefit the greatest number of citizens. Libraries, senior citizen programs, broad-based youth programs and the like.

Parking is scarce in Los Gatos, for merchants, employees, residents, and visitors, shoppers from out of town. Removing parking in downtown Los Gatos--and then to be replaced later at much greater cost--is poor policy.

In summary, I am not opposed to skateboarding. It is a skilled athletic endeavor that requires dexterity and practice. I am only opposed to using public tax dollars to pay for it--in my opinion, a poor use of taxpayer monies. I encourage you to vote, whoever is listening, in the Feb. primary, and to vote No on Measure D. Thank you.

Related Sites

PRO: Los Gatos Skatepark

CON: Down On Measure D

Alastair and Peggy,

I normally don't react to individual opinions expressed, but the one written by "Steve" (12/22/07) is so misleading and contains so many "falsehoods" I felt obligated to do so. It must be frustrating to you as well to see things you know aren't true posted!

I copied/pasted what "Steve" said and wrote the truth below each line. Thanks...Mike Wasserman, Vice Mayor, Town of Los Gatos

steve 12/22/07 1:40 pm
in 2004 the town council voted 5-0 to build this park..now 3 of the members (wasserman, pirzinsky, mcnutt) who voted in favor are playing the poor card...and they are serving you a $50 million library without public vote...

Truth #1: It's Pirzynski, not "pirzinsky" (our Town's two time Mayor and 10 year public servant).
Truth #2: It's 3 members because one had to recuse herself due to proximity to the project.
Truth #3: We're not "playing the poor card" we're simply being financially responsible (which is why LG has a balanced budget).
Truth #4: The library we're considering (which is wholly unrelated to Measure D) has an estimated cost of $18 million and is to be paid for by using existing RDA funds. Our library currently serves 600+ people per day(men, women, children, Seniors). How does that compare to a skateboard facility?

they and their friends are telling you vote no on d when they were the ones who pushed the park 4 years ago at this location...why?

Truth #5: Simple answer: The skateboard community didn't want the park offered them 4 years ago (ironically it was similar to Campbell's park, like the one the little girl on their website is shown in!). They wanted a deluxe park costing $750,000 more and said they would raise the extra $$. After failing to do so, they are now trying to force taxpayers to pay for it.
Truth #6: P.S. In addition, 3 years of their fundraising has resulted in only $18,000 in donations. Call it what you want: "actions speak louder than words, "or "put your money where your mouth is," but the reality is the community doesn't support their idea, so they're trying to force taxpayers to pay for it with this Initiative. That's just not right.

if you take all the little leage basball players and soccer players in los gatos (700 + 1700) and monte sereno..and ask them what they do the other 9.5 months of the year...chances are they will include skatebaording in their answer...add another 2000-3000 kids and this is how many skateboarders we have here...

Truth #7: Again, unrelated to Measure D, but since "Steve" brought it up: Little League and soccer seasons last 9+ months (NOT 2.5 months). Little League goes from Feb to June (4+ months) then soccer goes from June to Nov. (5 months). These two sports have verifiable enrollment. Saying there's thousands more skateboarders is just plain silly.

so when the opponents try to spin this this as a special interest group pushing for a skatepark...their argument is unjustified..

that's why 3,100 registered town voters signed in favor of the initiative..they believe in the kids...

Truth #8: Again, not true. 3,100 people MAY have signed the petition (not the initiative) to put it on a ballot. This was NOT an approval of spending the $$, it was simply asking for it be voted on in February.

Truth #9: In addition, when the signatures were submitted for verification to the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters, it was learned 1,200 of those were INVALID signatures!

in addition, all the negative publicity is coming from one small special interest group in los gatos...members of the los gatos social club...see their mugs at http://losgatossocialclub.org/..

Truth #10: Those opposed to Measure D are wide spread and many. Read the verbatim transcripts above, or any of the last three weeks of the Los Gatos Weekly, or watch any of the last three Council meetings (on streaming video) or go to www.DownOnMeasureD.org

so don't be fooled or forced to vote no on measure d by politicians who have their hand in your back pockets while they act poor and drink their martinis

Truth #11: Don't be fooled by "falsehoods." The facts are simple: Measure D would require $1,000,000 of taxpayer money be spent on a deluxe skateboard facility and an additional $50,000 PER YEAR for maintenance and operation. Little League, soccer and everyone else, funds themselves. Public money should be spent where it does the most good, like Senior services, or public roads, or public safety, or the public library.

Below is a copt of an E-mail I wrote and sent to various residents and officals who live in and help to make our town as wonderful as it is, regarding the Skateboard park.

we must go back to the persons on the council and Staff, at the initial granting of the land offered, who in their compassion and wisdow at the time, hoped to provide for a need and place for the youth of our town to; exercise, develope talent, dexterity, sport activity, balance and a way to express them selves.

Obviously, the wisdow of the minds who initiated the verbal contract with the youth for the skateboard park, wanted to see this area happen for the youth of our Town.

Sadly, the area offered was not thoroughly looked at and now, some three+ years later we have an issue of being caught with short hairs attached to the deal. What to do?

The area of issue is in fact a very dangerous area for the passion and true sport of skateboarding. That is the major problem as I see it.

We should find a common ground and honor the commitment put out by the Town and yet, provide an alternate area for the Skatepark.

It can and will become an asset for the good of our Town. Step out of the Bias and see the bigger picture.

There are lots of towns and cities who have successful parks that have only positive results, all across the country. Remember, Skateboarding is becoming an Olympic event. Why would we deny the challange and opportunity for our youth?

All that being said, I do beleive the community in place for the raising of the additional funds to finish the Skatepark area does indeed need to continue raisng the funds needed, and as well, expand their responsibility to provide a business plan to manage and provide a means to maintaince and management of the area.

These are just my thoughts on the Skateboardpark issue.

As has been the practice for many years, now, and to my mind and witness, a sense of "I just do not like or want to deal with this issue", kind of response to issues of new beginnings from both sides of this issue, are beginning to waste time and energy due simply to to the initial lack of forethought and analysis of what was offered and accepted, with the initial aggreement.

Stop now, let the election show what the voters seem to understand about the issue, now that it has been included to the election time ballot. Mostly, I beleive they understand what they hear.
Then regroup to provide a positive result for the Skateboardpark.

Bottomline, the Skateboardpark will be a good thing!

Summary;

The idea was not thoroughly thought out in the beginning, and the initial area is inadequate!

We do want a Skateboardpark for our youth.

A more suitable area is required

Money still needs to be raised

Maintainance and management plans need to be written, "In Stone"!!!

In addition, this may and can provide a business/ management program for our youth in ways of community service and to expanded skills towards management and business skills for the youth of our town! Don't forget, Inline skates and Roller skates are included as well.

One more thing, this just happened today, I received a political solicitation from the yes on Measure D to my cell Phone. Now this kind of action is unacceptable and to tell the truth may sway me to not want to in anyway support the group of ADULTS who are heading this campain. Get real!!!

All this being said, I must say that in the present status of the Skateboard Park issue, I have to opt for a no on Measure D for now. .

Michael Silva
Inventor
Master Cosmetologist/ PHD

Mailing
P.O. Box 1599
Los Gatos, Ca. 95031

Home
675 North Santa Cruz Avenue
"The Ivy House"
Los Gatos. Ca. 95030

(Edited 01/11/08 7:09 pm)
(Edited 01/11/08 7:11 pm)

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