League of Women Voters of California
Santa Clara County, CA November 7, 2000 Election
	Evan T. Wythe Answers Questions Candidate for Member, City Council; Town of Los Altos Hills

The questions were prepared by the Los Altos - Mountain View League of Women Voters and asked of all candidates for this office.

Read the answers from all candidates.

Questions & Answers

1. What is your vision for Los Altos Hills and how would you implement it?

My vision for Los Altos Hills is a government that predictably and fairly applies our ordinances and works to increase resident satisfaction when requiring Town services. I would like to end the past subjectivity and micromanagement of building permit applications, and concentrate on services and infrastructure that will make our Town a better place to live. My agenda would include a 5-year implementation plan for improving our aging technology infrastructure of frayed overhead power lines and splintered power poles. We need to seriously investigate undergrounding our utilities to beautify our countrified Town, ensure that cable and Internet services meet the demands of the 21st century, and provide templates for residents wanting sewer services.

2. How should Los Altos Hills accommodate individual building design to lessen the impact of development on the land, such as drainage erosion or visual impact?

I fully support our existing Municipal Code, with one-acre minimums, that has resulted in the wonderful countrified and rural town that we live in. I would favor increasing setbacks of new larger homes and would also support enhanced landscaping of these larger homes to lessen their visual impact. Drainage issues affect us all, both on local property runoff and downstream collection systems. We need to enhance the role of civil engineers in assuring our drainage systems meet the needs of our evolving hillside community.

3. What are the short term issues facing Los Altos Hills, and how would you address them?

I would immediately implement plans to televise City Council and Planning Commission meetings and allow residents to easily follow the agendas and activities. We need to undertake a thorough review of our Town ordinances (in concert with a Town-wide survey to solicit resident inputs on any needed changes) to ensure that they are understandable, clear, objective, and meet the needs of our residents. I would also direct our staff to keep up with our commitment to install and maintain roadside paths and would seek resident input on off-road paths that our Town still needs.