April 2000 editor: Larry Ames

~ Wed., May 10th, 7PM ~

• Board Elections
• Panel Discussion: "The Future of Lincoln Avenue: Big Retail Boxes or Small Personal Shops?"

Come for an informal panel presentation and discussion on "The Future of Lincoln Avenue". What would make for a more livable community? More parking, more sidewalks, more traffic? Should the area have more banks, more stores, more restaurants, more offices? Big stores or small boutiques? Exciting nightlife or quiet and sleepy? This is not an official hearing, but rather a discussion with urban planners. Come dream the future!

Also, come meet the candidates for next year's WGNA Board.

Our May General Membership meeting is upon us. Typically the primary focus of the May meeting is the election of Board members and officers. To that end a slate, ballot and relevant rules for voting are included in the newsletter. Please do not forget to vote. It only takes a minute and costs only 33 cents, or nothing if you hand in your ballot at the general membership meeting. However, to your "volunteer" board your vote sends a message of confidence in representing your interests. So don't forget to vote.

During the last year, WGNA's major accomplishments in preserving neighborhoods have been in supporting the passage of a single-family design review law and in maintaining the restriction of business operations on Lincoln Avenue after 12 midnight (the "24-Hour Policy"). WGNA also thanks Councilman Frank Fiscalini for his consistent leadership in preserving Willow Glen's neighborhood quality of life. Neither one of these accomplishments would have been possible without his tireless efforts. It has been my pleasure to serve with this board and hope you support them and me by voting.

It is also WGNA's custom at the May meeting to provide the members with a panel discussion or presentation on a current topic. For May 2000, the panel discussion will be entitled "The Future of Lincoln Avenue: Big Retail Boxes or Small Personal Shops?" So far we have been very fortunate. Lincoln Avenue has evolved into a highly desirable business district of restaurants, services and specialty stores. Recently two new stores, the Grape Vine and Swinger's Golf Gear, were added to the success story that is Lincoln Avenue. These stores will provide premium products to the community and will have little or no impact on the neighborhood.

However, Lincoln Avenue may be taking a turn. The old American Savings building at Brace Avenue has been purchased by Long's Drugs which is interested in expanding the current building to 15,000 square feet, over twice its current size. If this proposal proceeds, it will make Long's the largest single retailer on the Avenue. What new traffic and parking problems will a building this size create? Is the Long's business model of "get them in and get them out" appropriate for Lincoln Avenue? Is a library more appropriate for this site? What will happen to the currently vacant Winchester Auto Parts building? Will Long's competitor Sav-On buy it and resize to its big box needs? Is Lincoln Avenue about to become a big box zone?

Once you say "yes" to one mega retailer or chain, can you then say "no" to others? If Denny's wants to come onto the Avenue and replace one of the current restaurants, is that OK? If a company has the money to buy up a string of small buildings, should they be permitted to demolish them and make one big store? What impact do big box buildings have on area traffic and neighborhoods? Do we want to have 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. high-density traffic on Lincoln Avenue? Will large chain stores drive rents up that will negatively affect small shops? Should the quality of life of the nearby Lincoln Avenue residential areas be sacrificed with cars, slamming doors, litter and noisy talking, so that others can buy at large chains? Will this affect property value? Maybe. Maybe not.

What is the future of Willow Glen's Downtown? Should these questions be handled on a case by case basis or are new regulations needed now? What should regulations encourage or discourage? More stores like Swinger's Golf Gear or more like Long's? What kind of stores do you want to see? Do we have enough traffic already? What do you like about Lincoln Avenue? What is currently a problem? Is there enough parking? What additional types of shops would you like to see? A copy center? A See's Candies?

One of the reasons Willow Glen is such a great place to live and do business is because people care and get involved. In order for the WGNA Board to advocate in your interest we need to know what members are thinking. Come join us and help us chart out the future.

A while back the neighborhood around Willow and Camino Ramon, along with past WGNA President, Kris Cunningham, worked hard to install a stop sign at that location. The effort came after someone was killed trying to cross the street. Recently another pedestrian was struck by an auto while crossing Lincoln Avenue. The success of the Lincoln Avenue business area has also brought unsafe conditions for moms with strollers, young children and seniors. Everyone should take steps to safely give pedestrians an opportunity to cross safely. If you are a driver, look at crosswalks for pedestrians trying to cross, especially children who are harder to see. If you are a pedestrian, cross safely by getting a driver's attention first by waving at them and then crossing once they have slowed down. I am requesting that WGNA members set the example of stopping for pedestrians along Lincoln Avenue and other parts of Willow Glen. Let's keep Willow Glen safe.

It's time to perform the annual ritual and elect a new WGNA Board. The back page of this newsletter is your ballot to elect next year's Officers, Board, and Nominating Committee.

As per our bylaws, this year's Nominating Committee (Margaret Hardy-Chair, Larry Ames, Joan Doss, Lupe O'Malley, and Lynn Repetsky) solicited nominees from the general membership (see the January newsletter), but none were forthcoming. The committee then met twice to suggest possibilities and solicit volunteers. The result is the excellent slate of candidates before you.

We welcome two new candidates as Board Members:

Sharon Fierro has served a couple months as an Appointed Board Member. She brings us her experience as Planner for the Town of Campbell.

Vern Ladd is fresh to the Board, but has been active for years on San Jose's Bicycle Advisory Cmte., and now is involved with the "Walkable Community" group.

Three of the nominees for office have served on the Board at least three years: J. Michael Gonzales since '97, John Gibbs since '96, and Lynn Repetsky from '96 to '99.

Your humble newsletter editor is not on the slate, but has accepted an Appointed Board Member position for the next year, and will continue with the newsletter, website, etc. Having served on-and-off since about '81, that makes me the old-timer of the Board.

Each year's ballot includes nominees for the committee that is to meet next year to nominate the slate for the year after that. This next-year's committee, as per our bylaws, includes two carryovers from this past committee. It also is comprised entirely of WGNA members with many years' experience in the association and many connections to the community.

Even though it is an uncontested election, your vote is important! It gives us the mandate to represent you, our members. It takes only a moment and costs only 33¢ in postage (free if you deliver it when you come to May General Meeting!), and it gives us a valid reply to the inevitable "and who elected you?"

If you have a household membership (as indicated by the "H" on the backside of the ballot), then each of two members of the household may vote: one member marks the choices in the left column, and the other member checks the right column of boxes. If you have an individual membership (with an "I" on the backside), you are entitled to a single vote: use the left column of boxes-any marks in the right column will be ignored. If you are a new members (have been a member less than six months), have a non-voting "Associate" membership, or have a complimentary membership (for city/county, churches, etc.), sorry, but you may not vote (as indicated with an "N"). If your membership has expired (indicated with an "X"), you may vote if you include your renewal.

If time is short, feel free to vote by mail (it must be postmarked by May 10th General Meeting). Or, better yet, bring the completed ballot to the General Meeting: you'll save postage, and you'll get a chance to meet neighbors and friends and to participate in an interesting and informative presentation.

After allowing time for the post office, the ballots will be collected and tabulated by impartial observers. The results will be posted on the web, released to the media, and reported in the next newsletter (probably sometime in the fall).

This ballot is not without a contest, however. We're interested in what you'd like to see in future newsletters (see below). Check a box or two, and let us know your preferences. And if you'd like to help write an article or two, please get in touch - I can use all the help I can get!

Interested in finding out how you can help keep Willow Glen beautiful, by "adopting" a nearby "graffiti magnet"? In need of supplies? Be sure to come to the May Meeting: Mr. Boyles of the City's Graffiti Abatement Program will come with helpful hints and lots of supplies. (The City graffiti hotline number is 408/277-2758.)

For snails there is a very good product on the market made from iron phosphate that I've seen as EscarGo and Snail Away. In my experience, it has knocked out Many snails and is non toxic to earthworm, birds and household pets. I needs to be applied weekly when there is a lot of snail pressure in the spring and seems to be as effective as Deadline.

For earwigs one can place a margarine tub like container in the ground that has been hole punched all along the upper edge, put an inch of soy sauce and a teaspoon of cooking oil, snap on top and bury up to the hole and in an area of garden where there is protection from sun and earwigs have been present. Check container daily for the catch. The soy attracts and the oil traps.

SPIT ON PLANTS -- What is that foamy stuff on my plants that looks like spit? Answer: It is caused by an insect called a spittlebug or froghopper that is usually evident in the spring. On herbaceous plants it can cause some distortion and/or slow plant growth, but won't kill the plants. On woody plants it is of little to no consequence and on either, a strong stream of water will easily knock it off if you find it unsightly. Don't sweat it!

CURLED PLUM LEAVES -- Why are the leaves of my plum trees all curled and distorted? Answer: This is caused by the early spring feeding of aphids on the newly emerging leaves. The aphids are already gone by May so there is nothing to do at this point. For next year, the application of a dormant oil spray in January and a targeted horticultural soap or oil if curling begins will minimize aphid damage. You probably can notice that all recently emerged leaves are normal now.

ASH TREE LEAVES FALLING - Why do the leaves on my ash tree fall in such great numbers now? Answer: They have been infected by fungal disease called anthracnose, which causes irregular brown dead sections to develop and cause premature leaf drop. It also infects a number of other landscape trees such as sycamore, oak, and elm in the spring during moist weather (rain). Does not generally kill trees but creates a leaf drop nuisance. For specific fungicidal recommendations call our UC Master Gardener Hotline at (408) 299-2638 and request UC leaflet Foliage and Branch Diseases of Landscape Trees #2616.

Would any Willow Glen residents like to have occasional garden chats/ garden walk-abouts to discuss seasonal garden problems or tasks? If so, e-mail Nancy Garrison at garden@wgna.net and let us know of your interest.

What would you like to see in these newsletters? We try to keep you informed about goings-on of the Association and the community, and to tell you of up-coming events. Recently we've included articles on gardening tips. We would be willing to add other columns if there is interest. For example, I'd be willing to write reviews of the restaurants of Willow Glen. (Of course, I'd have to go out and try them all: oh, the sacrifices I make for journalism and the Association!) Perhaps a column on the history of Willow Glen? - I could write some, but would certainly need help from others. How about favorite bike tours in and around Willow Glen? Articles could be solicited from local elected officials, for them to give their take on area happenings. A "news shorts" of what's new in the business district? Or would you like just the facts: no fluff, stop wasting paper? Check a couple boxes on the ballot, and let us know your opinions!

The WGNA eList continues to be a forum for community information, be it library "bake sale" notices or requests for the name of a good plumber.

Recently, a young mother posted a concern about a playground gate at the local park.

"I returned [from a trip], not only to a mailbox full of helpful messages, but in particular to a message from Michelle McGurk saying that she had forwarded my request to the Parks Department.

"And this morning I went to the park with my daughter, and found that the hinges have already been replaced, and that the gates shut, gently, all by themselves.

"So a tremendous Thank You to everyone involved!"

If you're interested in joining the eList (it's free!), just drop an email note to admin@wgna.net with the words "add eList" as the subject line. (For your news in a single daily installment, type "digest eList" on the subject line.) So join in: it's fun and informative!

return to newsletters

go to membership forms

return to WGNA home