At the JANUARY 17, 2012 Mountain View City Council meeting, The Mountain View Historic Association's announcement that it will no longer pursue building a museum in the Cuesta Annex due to a lack of funds was greeted by applause from the audience.
But despite over 20 speakers opposing the proposed Cuesta Annex flood basin, (with one speaker supporting it and one speaker supported the annex water collection pipe), council members: Kaspersak, Means, Abe-Koga, and Bryant approved the Santa Clara Valley Water District's revised Cuesta Annex flood basin . Not a single council member supported leaving the annex as is, or challenged the questionable Water District flood data used to justify this unwanted public works project.
The revised 7 acre flood basin is reduced from 22 feet deep, to 12 feet deep (still 3 times deeper than the empty artificial lakes dug in Cuesta Park) It will require the clear cutting of all existing fruit trees growing between the far end of the tennis center parking lot to the sidewalk along Cuesta Drive. One more environmental impact report is required to be approved before 37 acre feet of soil is removed from the front half of the annex in 2013. email us for more information.
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While I think the museum is too large (according the renderings on this site), I do support the redesign of this space to create a retention basin in the event of a 50 year flood. The basin, if needed, would save homes and property in the event of a 50 year flood. That's a good thing for our community, and especially the homes in the immediate surrounds. I'm grateful to live in a community that can plan ahead and actually afford to pay for development projects that will protect our properties.
ReplyDeleteFinally, I'm not so certain the redesign of the space (as proposed) would interfere with the mountain views as argued on this site. If the museum obstructs too much of the view, perhaps you should focus your attentions on it. However, I do think the museum will be a valuable asset and a welcome addition to the neighborhood. I hope the construction will be sustainable and energy independent - perhaps a good showcase for energy efficiency in our community.
I support the intent of the redevelopment and will not sign the petition.
Dear Mark,
ReplyDeletethank you for your comments. I welcome all opinions to be expressed on this site. I hope you realize that all homes immediately surrounding the annex are not included in the water district's theoretical flood plain (Begen Ave neighborhood/Cuesta Drive). Secondly, the water district has no Permanente Creek historical data showing evidence that a rainfall greater than the 1998 El Nino Flood has ever occurred. The El Nino Flood caused virtually no Mountain View damage because of the water district's 1959 Permanente Creek Flood Diversion Channel (behind Blach Junior High) which diverts up to 116 acre feet of water per hour into Stevens Creek from Permanente Creek. Lastly, standing inside the newly dug basin, you will have no view of the Mountains, nor even the trees growing farther than 40 feet from the rim of this machine dug crater.
Bob Schick