How We Work: Case Studies
Case Study
Los Altos Hills, California Changes Course
Challenge
Land in Los Altos Hills, located in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains above CaliforniaÕs Silicon Valley, sells for upwards of $2 million an acre. In 200x, the town leaders saw a chance to profit by selling land that had been given to the town to be preserved as open space. The sale would be a windfall for Los Altos Hills. Profits from the sale and the property taxes once the land was developed would generate millions of dollars for the town.
In 1975 the town acquired 15 acres and a barn adjacent to the Byrne Open Space Preserve from a local horsewoman. When the City Council and the mayor proposed selling the 15 acres for development and moving the barn to the Byrne Preserve, a local advocacy group decided to create a political climate friendly to open space.
Strategy
Advocates organized meetings to discuss the future of Los Altos Hills' open space and used their newsletter to publicize the proposed sale of townÕs open space. They gathered signatures to place an open space preservation initiative on the ballot and recruited candidates for City Council who were friendly to their cause. They wrote letters to local and regional newspapers. Defense of Place published an op-ed in the San Jose Mercury News that challenged the cityÕs right to sell the public's land.
Result
In November 2003, Los Altos Hills citizens voted to elect two open space-friendly candidates to the City Council, shifting the balance on the council from pro development to pro open space. The newly seated council unanimously approved an initiative that requires a popular vote to approve the sale any city-owned open space. The council decided not pursue the idea of moving the Westwind barn, and has put to rest the immediate threat to the land.
Since the showdown, the district has changed its attitude toward those who fought against flooding Coe Park. The district has brought many of the stakeholders, including Defense of Place and Advocates for Coe, into the decision-making about San Luis Reservoir. This has allowed the environmental groups to monitor and comment on the water district's plans.
Links
"Open space battle to go to voters"
San Jose Mercury News - Sunday, October 6, 2002
By Chuck Carroll
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