text:
Read the full story here Web Link posted Wednesday, July 17, 2013, 5:34 PM
Town Square
Referendum petition submitted in Palo Alto
Original post made on Jul 17, 2013
Read the full story here Web Link posted Wednesday, July 17, 2013, 5:34 PM
a resident of Greenmeadow
on Jul 17, 2013 at 8:13 pm
Great work neighborhood residents. I was away and did not have a chance to sign the petition that was due today, which I understand you had only 12 or 13 days to circulate. I was worried that wouldn't be enough time but I'm glad you were able to get so many signatures so quickly.
Looking forward to sending a message to the city council that they cannot ignore residents' voices and upzone our neighborhoods with no regard to safety, character, and livability. The Miki's disaster on Alma and the "gateway building" with no parking spaces are a testament to our current council's way of doing things. Now the emboldened developers have 27 university, El Camino by Fry's, and several other locations in their sites. Most of this future planned upzoning is awful, with Maybell being the worst because it's on an overcrowded schoolchildrens' bicycle route. This is our chance that I've been waiting for and I thank you for your hard work in getting this on the ballot.
a resident of Green Acres
on Jul 17, 2013 at 9:14 pm
City Clerk' office acknowledge receipt of 152 Referendum Petition Packets with approx 3,431 signatures for Resolution #9348 this afternoon.
a resident of Green Acres
on Jul 17, 2013 at 9:35 pm
Thank you to all the wonderful leaders in our community. You were at libraries, dog park, and homes getting the signatures. Many thanks for your endless hours of work. Many of you have families etc and you still put so many hours of hard work.
Thank you for your leadership.
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Jul 17, 2013 at 9:44 pm
These residents deserve our gratitude for their hard work in
following through so we can break the status quo - change the
way things are done here before our City is completely ruined.
a resident of Downtown North
on Jul 17, 2013 at 10:20 pm
Way to go Maybell!
I believe that spot has 4 residences on it now. The Staff, Council and PAHC think it's a good idea to put 72 on it instead. Such a good idea they blew $5M of City money on it, without bothering with the annoyance of asking if it made sense for residents (ie voters).
This is a problem much bigger than Maybell and Barron Park. Palo Alto residents live here, and this Council and staff live on some other planet. Time for City Hall to come back to Earth.
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Jul 17, 2013 at 10:31 pm
You are so right - let Maybell be the straw, or actually the brick, that broke the camel's back. Enough is enough.
a resident of Crescent Park
on Jul 17, 2013 at 11:32 pm
PAHD and City Council have no one to blame but themselves for this costly referendum. The phony hearings and speed with which this project was approved reeked of a predetermined outcome from the start.
I have no idea what will ultimately be built on the spot, but one thing is for sure, the city would be well advised to learn from their blunder here and treat neighborhoods with some respect.
No, I do not live in Barron Park.
a resident of Greenmeadow
on Jul 17, 2013 at 11:47 pm
Those are excellent numbers. It says something about how valid your cause is when you get 1000 more signatures than needed in less than 1/2 the 30 days you are supposed to have to get signatures.
Thanks again, Maybell community.
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Jul 17, 2013 at 11:53 pm
Triumph of the uninformed! Petition circulators claim that this petition was to halt "upzoning". Wrong! In fact, the amendment to the Comp Plan that they want to overturn in a referendum changed the existing multi-family zoning to R-1 zoning on part of the 2+ acre site. This was needed because the housing to be built on the Maybell frontage was R-1, and that's not consistent with the existing zoning.
So instead of a blow against "upzoning", we have the frantic collection of signatures on the Council's action to create R-1 zoning where it did not previously exist.
And the rest of the site has always been zoned R-15.
And the drawings on their website misrepresent the project as approved -- none of the homes along Maybell would be 3 stories high.
The errors and misrepresentations of these folks pretending that they are not opposed to affordable senior housing go on and on. Of course, instead of checking the facts, they will keep on with their unwarranted personal attacks on anyone who disagrees with them. What a civic embarrassment.
a resident of Greenmeadow
on Jul 18, 2013 at 12:07 am
To the poster above: Your self-righteous indignation is misplaced: the city played dirty pool sneaking this change into the general plan, knowing that it could be used to challenge a referendum. The neighbors found a good lawyer and the city got caught in time. You are trying to forgive on an imagined technicality a dirty political maneuver by the city government.
"And the drawings on their website misrepresent the project as approved -- none of the homes along Maybell would be 3 stories high."
What is so funny here is that the drawings on the website that you're so upset about were provided by PAHC. Notice that the three story houses are magically about 15-20 feet high in rendered scale, and spaced much further than the actual spacing in the project plans. The city never bothered calling PAHC out on their misrepresentation, despite ample damning evidence, and so you're complaining about PAHC's own distorted drawings. You should leave it alone: correctly scaled drawings would make the true scale and uncompatibility of the project even more apparent.
I'm glad I'm back in town to help: I will sign the remaining referendum ASAP!
a resident of Greater Miranda
on Jul 18, 2013 at 12:49 am
My heartfelt thanks to those putting in the time and hard work to help keep Palo Alto livable!
Residents of Palo Alto have no one to blame but themselves! We keep electing Council Members who are pro-growth. The majority of Council represents the developers best interest.
This referendum may change the outcome of this one project, but real change won't happen until the majority of Council represents more than just a few powerful interests.
a resident of Green Acres
on Jul 18, 2013 at 1:58 am
I wonder how much more evidence it will take for city council to wake up up to how Pi$$ed off they've made people about overdevelopment, esp this rezoning. Do you think any of them get that they are committing political suicide and that we talk to each other? I don't think I will ever forgive Greg Scharff for this.
You know what's even more tragic, if true. I heard that PAHC pushed for rezoning vote before their July 3 grant application deadline, but the funding application requires them to have any zoning in place by the application deadline. I heard that technically, the rezoning itself doesn't go into effect by statute until 30 days after the 2nd reading, because citizens have a right to referend. It doesn't matter whether they do or not, the rezoning isn't official until 30 days later, or in this case, end of July. At least that's what I was told by someone far more knowledgeable.
So if the City provided the requisite evidence that the zoning was in place when PAHC applied, they lied (and knew better) - it means the City put PAHC at risk of negative points now and in the future for misrepresenting something important on their application. In addition to the fact that they really shouldn't have applied in ths funding round because they don't have the rezone in place as of the date of the application deadline, the vote wasn't enough. The City has really been using PAHC, too, in this, somehow. I heard the City told them to go after ths property, and even to try to rezone for denser than they originally wanted. Then they provided millions, really pushed the loan situation, and even amended the general plan (since the new zoning otherwise violates virtually every applicable land use provision). What gives? Other than that they deperately want to pawn off the affordable housing that was supposed fo be built downtown onto the Maybell neighbors, beore citizens figure it out and make them put the housing back (in a much better location for seniors).
a resident of Duveneck/St. Francis
on Jul 18, 2013 at 2:17 am
Nice work, but how about a referendum to affect long term permanent changes to how the planning commission works?
a resident of Charleston Gardens
on Jul 18, 2013 at 5:09 am
I hope the Department of Elections to check very well and eliminate all that people who sign but do not live in Palo Alto; also people not eligible to vote will have their names erased from the list, and all the minors, and the final check with the DMV.
I hope they fell. we need house for the elderly.
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Jul 18, 2013 at 7:22 am
@Mr. Recycle
Yes. What we need in Palo Alto is a design review function outsourced
to a recognized design professional who would have no ties to the developers/staff to exercise an independent review based on scale, compatibity, aesthetics.This would cover all projects, building, public works and street scapescapes- everything which has an impact on the visual environment.Nothing gets done without being signed off
by this design review person in an overview function. A citizen committee would hire this person. This would be established as a ballot initiative. A Cheesecake Factory on University Ave for example would not happen. You can plug in your own examples- there is a long list. Essentially, boundaries would be established to
protect the character and aesthetic values of the City.
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Jul 18, 2013 at 8:44 am
> Triumph of the uninformed!
Maybe. But as someone who claims he (or she) can "read"--then you'll already know that getting these petitions sighed is just the first step in overturning the City Council's vision of turning (mostly) residential Palo Alto into something that resembles Manhattan.
This "movement" is just the tip of the iceberg. There is the ABAG/One Bay Area Plan, the Arrillaga Project, the unwillingness to force developers to provide adequate parking for downtown business-oriented development. That's just this year's list of problems. Next year, the list will be longer.
This Council clearly does not represent the bulk of the residential home/property owners. So, these folks are using the political system, in a legal way, to slow down the process, by offering the voters the opportunity to nullify these two actions by the Council.
There will be two-three months to discuss this project in public. If the Anti-Maybell people make claims that are false, then you will have ample time to demonstrate their errors.
There will be more sunlight on this project than most. Sunlight is a good thing, wouldn't you agree?
a resident of College Terrace
on Jul 18, 2013 at 8:46 am
This referendum effort will effect little but to endanger pahc's well planned senior project. This is not the act of revolutionaries but of counter revolutionaries with little vision as to how to create real change. You may or may not stop this one project but nothing beyond it. If you had wanted to do that you would have lived with this project but challenged PC zoning. That would have been huge in its impact on big development in palo alto. But that would have taken knowledge and foresight, sadly lacking here in this effort targeting one affordable housing project by a non-profit. It is private for profit commercial and office developers that are the real problem in town producing the traffic etc you abhor. So whatever the outcome of your referendums, it will change little in Palo Alto. A wasted opportunity that will only hurt poor people.
a resident of Duveneck/St. Francis
on Jul 18, 2013 at 9:05 am
Every inch of Palo Alto is at risk for overbuilding by our zealous city officials, i.e. the council, Planning Commission, and PAHC - and the developers to name a few. If they can get away with these zoning changes, "they" in cahoots with the developers and builders, will continue to ruin this city. This is the first step in the battle. The next step may be to "re-arrange" the city council. A recall over ambitious building happened before. It's time for people who really love this city to start planning to get involved. Otherwise there will be more candidates fueled by the big money backers with ties to the developers and entrenched politicians-- and nothing will change. New school board candidates should also start planning, and the time to do that is now - not six months before an election. This is reportedly an exceptional city with very smart people. Now is the time!!
a resident of College Terrace
on Jul 18, 2013 at 10:28 am
>You may or may not stop this one project but nothing beyond it. If you had wanted to do that you would have lived with this project but challenged PC zoning.
I disagree. The first step is to stop this fiasco in Barron Park. The next step is to challenge city council members to explain why they rubber stamp PAHC projects, without any serious concern for the neighborhoods that PAHC impacts. At that point, we can discuss the PC zoning model.
This set of events reminds me of the historical homes raid by the city council...it took a referendum to shoot that one down. I haven't heard too much about that issue, since then.
I would like to congratulate those dedicated people who pulled this off...it ain't easy!
a resident of Barron Park
on Jul 18, 2013 at 10:36 am
This site is currently zoned R2 and RM15 which would allow up to 46 family units to be built including 10 single family homes on Maybell. In the proposed project the council reduced the number of homes on Maybell to 7 and required a minimum 18 foot setback. In addition no individual driveways will be allowed on Maybell. The traffic study comparing the proposed senior housing against the 34 to 46 family units that the parcel was already zoned for show much fewer car trips, particularly during the peak school commute hours.
I think one has to assume that this parcel will be developed. It's not a choice between the current four single homes and this project.
a resident of Barron Park
on Jul 18, 2013 at 10:57 am
Is "apples to oranges" comment above correct -- the current R-2 zoning allows up to 10 single family homes on Maybell where there are now 4 houses? Anyone in the know on this?
Big kudos to all the petition gatherers who worked so hard to get signatures! It does show the concerns of many, many citizens, and it's refreshing to see grassroots democracy at work.
a resident of University South
on Jul 18, 2013 at 11:07 am
I am in favor of affordable housing and senior housing, both of which I think Palo Alto desperately needs more of. I am vehemently opposed to the big PC zoned developments with pathetically small public benefit. I think the new library, the JCC, the new affordable housing on High St, the Miki's building, all are ugly and/or too big, close to sidewalks, etc. I am so concerned that the council is approving too much big ugly development, affecting traffic, overtaxing our resources, transforming our city away from the livable, human-scale, tree-filled place for which it is known and loved. I believe there is a mind-set that each piece of property is there for the maximum profit of the owner, and that this "right" seems to trump or at least overwhelm all other considerations. However, I need more info about the fight against the Maybell development. I want to join in the fight to stop big ugly overdevelopment, and have been in the trenches before. But I don't want to fight against Senior affordable housing. SO-- could people on this forum please help me and the rest of us out by trying to separate out these issues? Is this a NIMBY thing going on? Is this really just a fight against "too big and too much traffic"? Are there people in this fight who feel conflicted about wanting senior housing in our community but just don't like this design and density? Could someone please try to sort out these issues? I guarantee that in the campaign for the referendum people will accuse the anti-development folks as NIMBY-ists, and if that is not what this is, I think it's in their best interest to be very clear about what they are for and exactly what they are against. I want to fight against big development, not against affordable housing for seniors. This is an honest request for clarification and more information. Thanks to whomever tries to help sort this out.
a resident of Duveneck/St. Francis
on Jul 18, 2013 at 11:09 am
@action needed - I worry something like that would eventually be corrupted by developer money and a limp city council. How about something more radical like crowdsourcing, or allowing affected residents to vote online?
a resident of College Terrace
on Jul 18, 2013 at 11:14 am
I'm sure there were others besides Bob Moss who worked on this, but I want to thank Mr. Moss for his consistency and thoroughness. When he speaks on an issue, I listen closely. Whether I agree with him or not I always appreciate that he does his homework and his comments are invariably supported by verifiable facts rather than just opinions and sentiment. Mr. Moss: please don't ever run for City Council - we need your uncompromised voice!
a resident of Old Palo Alto
on Jul 18, 2013 at 11:27 am
Nice work neighbors! I fully support your efforts and would love to help in any way I can!! Please put me on your mailing list and I'll be happy to show up, sign up, speak up at any time! This sort of crazy development in Palo Alto needs to be addressed pronto! I'm saddened by all the out of character in your face, on our sidewalk concrete developments!! We can certainly do better! T Gravelle - firstname.lastname@example.com
a resident of Midtown
on Jul 18, 2013 at 11:35 am
I will be voting against this referendum.
a resident of College Terrace
on Jul 18, 2013 at 11:43 am
>I am in favor of affordable housing and senior housing, both of which I think Palo Alto desperately needs more of.
Please identify the addresses in University South where you want it to go.
a resident of University South
on Jul 18, 2013 at 11:51 am
I have supported all the affordable housing in areas near me so far. I've opposed PC-zoned other big development. I'd appreciate a thoughtful answer to my question.
a resident of Triple El
on Jul 18, 2013 at 11:57 am
As a senior, I support Palo Alto's initiatives to develop affordable senior housing. Seniors who have lived in our city most of their adult lives would in general wish to stay here. They often need to downsize and the Maybell project is meeting that need. Seniors will use their cars much less than if single family homes were built on that site. There are plenty of condo developments under construction in Palo Alto and nearby that meet the needs of young single families. So I'm curious why those who have now pushed for a referendum on this project are against affordable housing for seniors? Is it that old Mr. NIMBY again?
a resident of College Terrace
on Jul 18, 2013 at 12:02 pm
>I have supported all the affordable housing in areas near me so far.
Please provide the specific addresses, in the University South neighborhood, that have welfare housing. I am less interested in "areas near me"...I want to know the welfare footprint ON your neighborhood. In that context, how close do you live to that welfare housing? If the next PAHC welfare project comes to your University South neighborhood, will it be welcomed by you and your neighbors?
Are you willing to walk your talk?
a resident of University South
on Jul 18, 2013 at 12:08 pm
Yes I am! Webster St is close to me and I supported that affordable housing. Same with all the affordable housing in the SOFA area - within two blocks of me. Is this new one just too big and ugly, but people would support a smaller, more reasonable version? I'm actually asking these questions because I would like to join in the anti-development fight here, but I'd like more info! I don't think I'm your enemy. It will help to be able to answer such questions in the upcoming election fight!
a resident of College Terrace
on Jul 18, 2013 at 12:10 pm
[Post removed by Palo Alto Online staff.]
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Jul 18, 2013 at 12:11 pm
big and ugly: Here are two links that provide a start on a thoughtful answer re the Maybell project for anyone just tuning in.
Web Link
Web Link
This project is an example of affordable senior housing done right on a transitional site, with the PAHC bending over backwards to fit in with the neighborhood.
Craig: Did you miss the big affordable housing project went in University South on land vacated by the Palo Alto Medical Clinic a few years ago? In that case, some opponents made dire predictions on traffic impacts etc. But in fact, traffic is LOWER than was predicted by the nay-sayers, and all the NIMBY concerns turned out to be unfounded. Many neighbors started out with opposition, then studied the proposed project and came out in support. Be sure to get informed before you throw out unsupported assertions about other parts of town.
a resident of Charleston Meadows
on Jul 18, 2013 at 12:19 pm
This is really about respecting our zoning.
The council's willingness to break the zoning rules caused the price for the land to rise which then required extra density to make the economics viable.
At the net net effect was the zoning change simply and unjustly provided a gift to the land owner at the cost of safety to the school children and crowding of the neighborhood.
Let's come together as a community to build senior housing and affordable housing within the well-supported and long established rules we have in place.
We all support the goals of providing the affordable housing, and many, including myself would be willing to donate to that cause -- however trying to bring in a Trojan Horse project is outright deception.
We are a great community of people acting out of goodwill -- we can achieve these same goals without the deception and manipulation behind this project.
The referendum will offer a fresh start so we can create good within the rules.
Tim Gray
a resident of College Terrace
on Jul 18, 2013 at 1:00 pm
I suggest that we allow each neighborhood to vote for [portion removed] housing in their own neighborhood. The PAHC and city council can defend their proposed projects, but they will only get built, if the neighborhood approves. Perhaps they will start by proposing such projects in their own neighborhoods...that way they can attempt to convince their own neighbors, perhaps even agreeing to give up their own properties.
a resident of College Terrace
on Jul 18, 2013 at 1:07 pm
[Post removed due to referencing a previously deleted comment.]
a resident of Downtown North
on Jul 18, 2013 at 2:12 pm
Next city council election, residents who care about over-development need to find at least five candidates to run for city council, who will just say No! to all out of code developments!
a resident of Barron Park
on Jul 18, 2013 at 2:38 pm
I live near Maybell and have nothing against low income senior housing. But it has to be built within the current zoning. PAHC's upzoning is for the purpose of making lots of money to pay for this and other projects. So think about it, PAHC wants to put awful sardine like market rate houses on Maybell and Clemo to finance this project.
Why not also rezone and build a gun range and a strip club to get even more funds for PAHC's projects?
I think the City Council should provide the funds PAHC needs to build the senior apartments within the current zoning. If it is a requirement to have low income housing then it is a requirement for everyone in the city and they should all pitch in. We can't say that the Maybell neighborhood, just because it has this land available, has to bear the high density so the low income housing can get built.
a resident of Barron Park
on Jul 18, 2013 at 2:51 pm
@ big and ugly
I am the webmaster for the citizens group that is circulating the petitions. I invite you to visit paloaltoville.com. I have made every attempt to maintain a credible objective site which serves as a source of accurate information, even though some members of our own group disagree with me. I invite comments from both sides of the issue so that we can have an open and honest discussion and find common ground. We in Barron Park have ALWAYS supported affordable housing for seniors, but is this isolated orchard with no proximity to the amenities, like supermarkets, the proper place or is it just a way for the city to satisfy the ravenous demands of ABAG and developers. Do you really expect us to believe that 'seniors don't drive' and that the families who purchase the 12 upscale 4-BR homes will not have multiple wage earners and multiple cars? I have a great bridge to sell you. And do you really think that the city council could or would have rejected the PAHC plan after it loaned them over $5 million and passed the resolution to the Comprehensive Plan to enable the rezoning to high density Planned Community? Regardless of what the residents wanted or thought? Come visit us at Paloaltoville and let's begin the discussion.
a resident of College Terrace
on Jul 18, 2013 at 3:14 pm
[Post removed by Palo Alto Online staff.]
a resident of University South
on Jul 18, 2013 at 3:15 pm
@zayda: Thanks! Very helpful. I love the idea of a community orchard! Has anyone picked up on this idea? I would be surprised, as it doesn't "maximize the profit value" of the land. Sigh.
a resident of Barron Park
on Jul 18, 2013 at 3:52 pm
Yes, keeping an orchard would be a wonderful idea. The city should use their Stanford development windfall to make it happen. The site's close proximity to so many schools and the need for open space make this a great location to preserve a small part of South Palo Alto's heritage.
a resident of Barron Park
on Jul 18, 2013 at 5:48 pm
Douglas Moran is a registered user.
On a community orchard:
The idea of preserving the orchard as such was considered by staff several years ago (I forget the date and heard about it only after the decision was made). There are federal grant programs for precisely this sort of preservation.
However, Palo Alto decided not to apply for grants (I think this was a decision within staff that didn't reach Council) because:
1. The ABAG requirements for high-density housing in Palo Alto are so exorbitant that staff is reluctant to "surrender" any parcel that might be usable for high-density to any other use (I was a member of the Technical Advisory Group on the last go-round and size of the parcel was the only factor that staff was considering -- all other measures of appropriateness were moot).
2. Staff judged the chance of a successful application for a grant to be low because of the high cost of the parcel (but a significant part of the high cost of the orchard parcel is that it was zoned for high-density housing).
a resident of Barron Park
on Jul 18, 2013 at 6:10 pm
This is not a NIMBY referendum. Palo Altans, don't be misled by those flyers which argue that this is all about neighborhoods against senior housing. Clearly the motivations of those supporting any referendum will vary, as will the motivations of those opposing it. While the referendum means different things to different supporters, it is, at its core, a reaction to and a rejection of, the current trajectory of Palo Alto's staff and leadership in its encouragement of high density development in residential areas and in its disregard for existing zoning.
It is also a referendum against the idea that the City should use its power to change zoning to help its friends (or anyone else) finance desired projects regardless of the merits of such projects. This sets a precedent which will inevitably accelerate the transition of Palo Alto from a suburban city to an Urban one. It is also a clear conflict of interest for city staff and the City Council.
By lending PAHC money to buy low density land with the promise inherent in the development plan that the funds to repay the loan would require rezoning of the land to high density to profit from the increased selling prices of parcels of the land made possible by the rezoning. The City attorney says that this is not a conflict of interest. Many citizens of Palo Alto disagree. It is either a direct conflict of interest or at least the appearance of a conflict of interest.
Many of the Palo Altans who signed the referendum petition believe that there should be much greater separation between those that profit from development and those with the legislative authority to rezone land, especially when such rezoning so materially leads to the profits and such rezoning is required for the City's loan to be paid back.
Whether or not the actions of the City in this instance constitute an illegal conflict under California law, I think any fair minded Palo Altan will concede that the "partnership" between PAHC and the City evidenced by the loan of $5 million to purchase the land which is to be repaid out of rezoning profits does not pass the smell test. I also think it is a bad precedent for the City as it will inevitably lead to more and more rezonings to high density and more and more high density, market rate development all over town to pay for other projects which the City favors.
As may other readers' comments above indicate, this is also a referendum about the process by which the City approves high density projects, as well as changes to its comprehensive plan and changes to its zoning to support such project approvals. Those who look with dismay at the changing skyline of Palo Alto, the unsightliness of many projects approved and built in Palo Alto in recent years, and the rapid pace at which Palo Alto is being urbanized, have also signed the referendum petitions.
I believe that many in the City no longer trust our decision makers, in their zeal to increase City development fees and other revenues or to meet questionable requirements from outside agencies such as ABAG, to protect the interest of present citizens of Palo Alto and protect the safety and character of our city. In the past Palo Altans may have given the City's planners the benefit of the doubt in making decisions regarding proposed developments, believing that the planners had our best interests at heart. Things have changed, however. Palo Altans now live every day with the impacts generated by existing City projects wondering why they were ever approved. With this recent history Palo Altans no longer trust the City and its planning professionals and boards as a reliable guardians of the City's livability, character and ambiance.
Many Palo Altans are concerned about the current council's acquiescence in the so-called expertise of its planners when it comes to the practical and visual impact of huge, high density developments and other City projects. There is a concern that the City is perhaps overly fond of, or dependent on, development-based revenues. It seems like the City's current process is not adequately considering, addressing, and mitigating the impacts of such developments and projects.
So, for those of us living on either side of the Traffic-Calmed Arastradero corridor and for those who just have to attempt to drive through it own their way to school and to work; and for those of us who are dismayed by the negative impacts, both tangible and aesthetic, of the Arbor Real development, the Mickeys development, and other buildings recently finished our currently under construction , this is also a referendum against the "track record" of the City's planning authorities based on their approval and support of such projects.
The City has its work cut out for it to regain the trust of its citizenry. I hope the City leadership will not wait until these referenda are passed this November before it changes its perspective on what the residents of the city value had pays more attention to those who elect the council and whose taxes pay their salaries and less to developers, special interests (yes PAHC is a special interest), and ABAG.
There needs to be a new dialog between the City's professionals and its citizens. The Comprehensive Plan should be changed, if change is justified, through work with the greater community, not at the behest of a developer. We are clearly not in the same page with city administration in this area. Instead of its enthusiastic support of practically every high density development that is presented to it, Palo Alto's leaders should have a much more conservative approach.
There will be those who say we have to pack in Palo Altans like sardines to meet the City's commitments to ABAG. If this is the case, I say we should be working with other elected representatives of Peninsula and Silicon Valley communities to change ABAG laws, regulations, commitments, guidelines, or standards which have been interpreted to force communities to accept high density developments regardless of their impact on the surrounding neighborhoods to make them more conducive to maintaining the quality of life of Palo Altans. This may be as simple as replacing the ABAG decision makers with those focused on community instead of density. It may be as simple as showing the ABAG's plans do not meet its goals and there are better ways to achieve the goals which are less harmful to communities.
Come on City Council, let's get on with this work!
a resident of Community Center
on Jul 18, 2013 at 6:16 pm
Why does the weekly delete one of Craig laughtons references to welfare housing, but leaves in 4 others????
a resident of Old Palo Alto
on Jul 18, 2013 at 6:47 pm
Can we have a referendum on our incompetent city council members, too? It's time Palo Altans take control and stop the destruction of Palo Alto. Can we have two referendum's this November?
a resident of Community Center
on Jul 18, 2013 at 6:50 pm
Gail-- you can circulate a recall petition for individual council members. Not sure what the deadline is for November. But it will not do any good-- no master who is elected to the council, we end up with the same selfish, self- glorifying gang.
a resident of Green Acres
on Jul 18, 2013 at 7:12 pm
Congrats to all the neighbors who worked hard to collect the signatures and show those arrogant city council members and their developer friends that small neighborhoods in South Palo Alto can fight their bullying tactics and lies.
a resident of Green Acres
on Jul 18, 2013 at 7:42 pm
PAHC didn't exactly plan this as well as you seem to think. They only decided to make the Maybell site a senior project because they figured (and acknowledged publicly) it would be easier politically than any other demographic, not because they had an analysis of how to best meet the need. PAHC has a history of building first and asking questions later, figuring whatever they build will best meet the need. In the past, that has resulted in vacancies, including most recently 20 out of 24 senior BMR units at Moldaw going unfilled for 3 years. Because of this controversy, some of those have finally been filled, and supposedly the City is finally renegotiating the terms to make them actually affordable to the clientele PAHC serves, but last I heard, they still hadn't filled half of them.
If the need is so great, you would think PAHC would first work to solve the problems with existing unfilled stock to understand the need better (and to give good homes right now to up to 40 seniors who need them). They have pitched the Maybell project need by saying 20% of seniors in Palo Alto live below the poverty limit, yet they acknowledge the residents of the proposed project will be those making 30% - 60% if the median area income, i.e., serving ZERO seniors with incomes below the poverty limit.
While I believe PAHC will find it easy to fill such a development, they will likely not be doing so by meeting the need they claim/everyone thinks they will. Plus, the staff report on the rezoning basically said there was no legally binding provision for the development to be designated for seniors. In other words, they may intend to build it for seniors, but if it doesn't work out, they can put whomever they wish in there. And it seems to me, they didn't exactly do due diligence on how to best meet the need.
The issue of how to serve seniors in Palo Alto also deserves some attention. The classic choice of EVERY senior in every expensive city across the nation is whether to retire somewhere less expensive or closer to relatives. This is a choice their clientele will face, too, and $1,000/month for a 600 sq ft unit in an area where everything else costs so much -- and in a development where nothing can be reached easily by foot -- may end up a less attractive choice than people assume. Many seniors with limited incomes living in Palo Alto are living in their own homes the equity of which would disqualify them from living in PAHC housing, even while their incomes are limited. Most of them choose to stay in their houses anyway. Apparently, from the Moldaw experience, many of them choose not to reinvest their equity that way to stay in Palo Alto. I think many will find the monthly expense of the planned units at Maybell a hardship for what they are getting as well. The location doesn't compare to, say, Stevenson House, which is practically across the street from a grocery store, Betty Wright center, and a community center/library.
Someone in one of the PAHC developments asked me why Palo Alto is spending so much money to keep seniors in Palo Alto anyway, when they could get three or four times the units, by setting up developments in less expensive communities in the Bay Area that can reach Palo Alto by transit. I'm not talking about shuttling seniors away, I'm talking about nicer retirement communities than could be had here, for the same money, and easily reachable. After all, the argument PAHC has made to justify the lack of adjacency of services at that property has been that no one will ever need to drive much, they'll just sit in their all day and never go anywhere. With only 47 parking spots for 60 units plus employees, yet promising no impact on the local parking at the park and neighborhoods, they also apparently think no one ever visits their clientele.
In his comments before the vote, Councilman Schmid pointed out that a downtown developer paid money to avoid putting those units in a downtown development -- downtown being a much better location for seniors, with Avenidas right there, steps from PAMF and Stanford, bus and train lines, etc -- but not enough money to pay the actual cost of the units at Maybell. Instead, the City is essentially placing the burden of those costs on the Maybell neighborhood through the financing scheme and overdevelopment inherent in the rezoning.
The neighbors haven't rejected the housing, nor the seniors, they have simply asked that the development go in under existing zoning. If Palo Alto fixed the in lieu fee situation, there would be enough money to fund it that way. If they can, as they claim, put in 45 units under existing zoning, what's the problem? They make up the difference in the 60 units by putting the vacant Moldaw BMR units online.
Palo Alto should, as Councilman Schmid suggested, fix the in lieu fee situation so PAHC could afford to honor the existing zoning in their development.
a resident of Green Acres
on Jul 18, 2013 at 7:45 pm
Frank, neighbors aren't "targeting" anyone, they have been put in a situation not of their choosing, and are, totally grassroots, trying to fight the overdevelopment of their residential neighborhood, protect the safety of schoolchildren, and doing so with the tools available to them. If they win, it's not going to hurt poor people. This neighborhood already hosts far more affordable housing developments than any other residential area in Palo Alto, save downtown (which is downtown, where density is more appropriate). The people responsible for this fiasco at PAHC will dust themselves off and move on to the next opportunity, they have shown themselves perfectly capable. If it means they push the City to fix the inadequate in lieu fee situation, all the better for everyone, including poor people. If it means they push the City to pay the actual cost of the affordable units, comparable to what they paid at the new development on Alma downtown, rather than placing the burden of the costs essentially on a small neighborhood, then all the better for everyone in Palo Alto, and everyone who is against the City steamrolling through such overdevelopment.
a resident of Green Acres
on Jul 18, 2013 at 7:52 pm
The existing zoning provides limits on height, setback, daylight plane, and density that help maintain the character of the neighborhood. Neighbors perceive the horror scenarios PAHC and the City keep floating as manipulative and dishonest for many good reasons, including the following:
1) PAHC keeps adjusting their estimate of what could be built there under existing zoning upwards. Originally they said 35 units, now they say 45. Go to Google maps and look at the site: 567-595 Maybell. See that row of 4 ranch homes on Maybell next to the orchard? Could you fit over 40 homes in the essentially square orchard next to it? With low-density residential setbacks, etc? Joe Hirsch, former planning commissioner for Palo Alto, has said the number of homes that could go in there, realistically, with internal lanes, etc., is more like 18 or fewer.
2) If developers have to live within the height restrictions (essentially two-stories) and setback limits of the existing zoning, they aren't going to dice up the property the way PAHC claims, even if they could. PAHC's proposal is for a nearly 50-feet, 4-story structure, (pre-existing zoning limit is 30 feet) and the market rate homes on Clemo, rezoned for the benefit of a for-profit developer, are 3-stories (there are no 3-story homes in Barron Park or Greenacres). To build a marketable home with enough square footage on such a small lot, a builder has to build up. But if they have to live with the existing zoning as everyone else does, they can't build chimney homes like at Mickey's, they are going to build with a bigger footprint in order to get enough bedrooms and square footage, with the zoned setbacks, to make saleable homes. That doesn't mean 1200-1400 foot 2 bedroom homes when a 2,000+ sq ft home in this neighborhood is a $2 million home.
3) In this situation, because of the loans, Palo Alto has the right to buy the property. This isn't a situation like when a private developer owns the land where the City has no choice. Knowing what it now knows about the serious safety problems of the school transit corridors which are the only outlets/inlets to the development - Marc Berman even admitted that Maybell isn't safe for the kids - the City has a duty to put safety first and if it thinks a private developer really could put up such an unsafe development, they have all the power they need to prevent it.
They can buy the property tomorrow if they wish and either convert it to a low-traffic use such as community orchard (where are all the supposed tree-lovers in this City to save the 90+ trees there now?) which wouldn't be so costly if they auctioned off the 4 ranch houses to high-end developers, or if they simply did the comprehensive traffic study to understand the infrastructure limitations and simply placed those provisions on the building of that land in the sale of it to any developer. The City has total power to prevent such a nightmare scenario, and if they allow it, given what they know and the disclosure on that property now, they will be responsible for whatever liability flows from such an irresponsible (or worse, retaliatory) decision.
a resident of Green Acres
on Jul 18, 2013 at 8:02 pm
You wrote, "Can we have a referendum on our incompetent city council members, too? It's time Palo Altans take control and stop the destruction of Palo Alto. Can we have two referendum's this November?"
There are different democratic processes available to citizens. I'm just learning about them now, as are all my neighbors.
A referendum is where citizens put an ordinance or something passed by city council to a vote of the citizens of the city. It doesn't itself overturn anything, and it doesn't allow any new laws or ordinances, it just allows people to put the city ordinance to the vote of the people to decide.
An initiative is where citizens can make a new ordinance or rule themselves, like for example, stopping all development until a comprehensive traffic study of the entire city is done, etc, or changing PC zoning so that it requires a majority approval of citizens living in the adjacent neighborhoods (if the "public benefit" is real, then shouldn't developers have to prove it to the citizens themselves?) An initiative is different, and on a different time scale. It also puts the proposed new rule on the ballot for the people to decide.
You are speaking of a recall, which actually happened in 1967, where all but 2 councilmembers were recalled, because of overdevelopment. There is a process by which you can ask for recall. The people in Maybell are just ordinary neighbors engaged now in the civic process, but they're pretty overwhelmed by just this. If you were to start a recall campaign, we'd support you!
a resident of Midtown
on Jul 18, 2013 at 8:55 pm
Whatever side you're on, it would be helpful to provide links to documents that support your statements, e.g., "Greg Schmid said ..." or "Marc Berman admitted ..." or "Joe Hirsch said ..." or "the staff report on the rezoning basically said ..."
Thanks -- and congratulations to all who worked so hard to get signatures!
a resident of Evergreen Park
on Jul 18, 2013 at 9:22 pm
Plain and simple - soon, the majority of Palo Altans are going to be over 50. What does that mean? It means we have to get ready to adapt to a new demographic. It means that NIMYISM is going to have to diminish. It means that the "I've got mine, and I'm not going to worry about whether you got yours" ethic is going to have to go away!
Palo Alto is changing. Are we going to adapt, or turn against each other?
a resident of Green Acres
on Jul 18, 2013 at 9:33 pm
Thanks for the kind words.
I only wished the City provided transcripts for their meetings, but they don't. There were several meetings for the rezoning, and it was during one of those meetings that Marc Berman said he'd been out to Maybell many times and said something like, it may be a "safe route to school" but it's not a safe route to school. (This despite twisting himself into a pretzel trying to support the rezoning.) Greg Schmid said all that about the in lieu fee situation on the day of the actual vote, I think. Anyway, you can watch the videos of council meetings at Web Link
Click on June, and you can see the different dates of the meetings. There aren't that many -- just click on them one after another and search on "Maybell". For sure one of the meetings was June 13.
Anyway, you can fast forward through them, but not minute by minute. Greg Schmid made his statement right before he voted, and Scharff was trying to cut off what he was saying.
I really wish it was possible for people around town to participate virtually, like in a webinar, where people could give input (about what side of an issue they are on), ask questions, etc. I think the City would get a lot more participation that way. Anyway, transcripts would be nice, too -- maybe something our new expensive communications person can look into providing!
a resident of Green Acres
on Jul 18, 2013 at 9:49 pm
I don't know about you, but I'm never going to have the luxury of retiring, and when my spouse does, we'll have to find somewhere less expensive to live. That's the choice most people make.
It makes a lot of sense for taxpayers to pay for affordable housing for workers because Palo Alto has a lot of jobs and there are many public benefits to having workers near their jobs. Should we be subsidizing more and more seniors to live in this very, very expensive place? That's not a rhetorical question, it's a discussion we've never had as a community. And if the answer is yes, shouldn't we be examining how to best meet the need? PAHC decided to make that development for seniors because they thought it would go over better, they didn't initially decide to make it a senior development! And they keep saying (if you watch the city council videos) that the justification is because 20% of seniors live below the poverty line in Palo Alto (the number is really under 10%), even though Tim Wong said the project will be for people at 30-60% of median income (which means no one living below the poverty line).
As for charges of NIMBYism -- the Greenacres neighborhood and Barron Park adjacent to it, where this development is proposed, already has more affordable housing developments/units than any other residential neighborhood in Palo Alto. (The only comparable is downtown, which is a more appropriate place for density than residential neighborhoods.) It's almost certainly why City Council pushed so hard, because they know this neighborhood supports affordable housing and they are quite frankly taking advantage.
The major demographic in the neighborhood is not rich CEO's either, it's seniors who have lived out their lives here. If PAHC built under the existing zoning, it would mean just 15 fewer senior spaces, but it would also mean height, setback, daylight plane, parking, and density requirements would be more in keeping with the area. And they should have to do a comprehensive traffic study, as City policy is for heightened scrutiny on school commute routes. Maybell and Arastradero are both school commute routes, and the development has no other routes in and out than those streets. It's shameful the way this development has been pushed while blatantly avoiding that responsibility, even though City Council obviously knows better.
a resident of Greenmeadow
on Jul 18, 2013 at 9:59 pm
Kevin is a registered user.
Will there be an election in November anyway, whether or not this qualifies for the ballot?
a resident of Ventura
on Jul 18, 2013 at 10:05 pm
It is so frustrating to see so much wrong information stated with such certainty. The "lecture" above on referendum, initiative and recall is a perfect example.
In the 1960's there was a recall of some city council members back when there were 15 on the council. However, the recall had nothing to do with overdevelopment. That is simply wrong. The recall was pushed by real estate and downtown business people trying to get rid of council members they thought were against development. At the time, skyscrapers were to line University Ave. they succeeded in recalling some but not others. Enid Pearson survived but not Byron Sher (Google him - one of Palo Altos finest). This was a travesty and nothing to crow about as an example of good governance.
It was shameful as would a recall effort you threaten out of ignorance. The ignorance that has been the hallmark of maybell opponents. If you try recall, you will fail, as you should.
a resident of Green Acres
on Jul 18, 2013 at 10:08 pm
@ Kevin,
Isn't City Council trying to extend their time in office by getting rid of term limits or something like that? I think that means we'll have an election anyway.
I heard Scharff and Shephard are up for reelection, but is that November or June?
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Jul 18, 2013 at 10:20 pm
I don't think it is practical to have people vote on each project.
The way to go is to establish a new high-level design review function outsourced to a recognized professional design person/firm under an initiative process. It would function in an overview capacity for major projects and all public works with regard to scale, compatibilty and aesthetics. A citizen committee would hire the person/firm. We would thereby establish boundaries as to what can take place and the extreme results we have seen here, would not occur. We would establish a level of review removed from local
influence. I believe it would work at this macro-level. Compare this
to what we have now.
a resident of Green Acres
on Jul 18, 2013 at 10:22 pm
Here's a link to that history of the recall
Web Link
You are right about the recall being a temporary victory for the "Establishment" (read: overdevelopment) candidates, not the Residentialists. The major point, though, is that it happened in the context of a huge fight in this town regarding overdevelopment versus preserving residential character. The article goes on to say that in the decades after that recall, "the Residentialist movement would take control of city politics... winning the battle against entrenched power." (But in that recall, as you pointed out, the "Establishment" got the upper hand. Nevertheless, the battle lines were drawn over similar conflict of preserving residential character versus overdevelopment, a battle that continued and luckily the Residentialists mostly prevailed over.)
a resident of Green Acres
on Jul 18, 2013 at 10:29 pm
Citizens currently have to use the administrative and legal remedies available to them. I'm not sure how your proposal would work here, the City decided what it wanted before there was any public input, and staff acted in the role of advocacy for that goal (a complaint that has cropped up on many projects in recent years).
Zoning laws should be respected and shouldn't be so easily set aside by City Council. When people buy property, the zoning is a promise of what will be there in the future. People who live in a neighborhood shouldn't have to expect that at any moment they will have to set aside their lives in order to fight such overdevelopment outside of any zoning when they bought into the neighborhood. The onus should instead be on the developer to convince the neighborhood that whatever benefit they are promising is worth the violation of zoning ordinance.
a resident of Greenmeadow
on Jul 18, 2013 at 11:58 pm
Kevin is a registered user.
@A neighbor
The City Council can't get rid of term limits, it is state law. There was a change to either the council or school board's (can't remember which) election schedule to have the elections fall on even-numbered years, to cut down the number of low-turnout elections in town.
a resident of Menlo Park
on Jul 19, 2013 at 2:57 am
@ check the FAQs - where was the affordable housing at the old PA Clinic site? There were lots of very expensive houses built there. If there was BMR housing there, I missed it. The condo buyers at 800 High St a few years ago were told that the big ugly building right behind them on Alma was going to be replaced with a senior housing facility. How many more low income people do you really want to bring into town? If they already live here, they probably aren't low income. Is the City trying to make it easier for people now in SJ or Vallejo to move to PA? City employees, firemen, and teachers make too much money to qualify for low income.
Developers do pay fat fees to the city & I think it's pretty clear that the council pays more attention to wooing them than it does to maintaining quality of services & infrastructure for the residents. With all the old ruckus about "historic preservation" in residential neighborhoods, it's too bad that so many of the very charming commercial buildings downtown have been removed for big, mostly ugly blocks with inadequate parking. In the '60s & '70s when I lived in PA, there were bookstores, theaters, Liddicoat's, and even a real supermarket on Lytton - Nivens, I think, which moved over to Stanford Shopping Center. It was also a lot safer at night than it is now. People didn't get mugged at night walking around downtown.
I don't see that life has improved for Palo Altans since then despite the millions spent hiring consultants to help the council cater to big money developers.
a resident of Midtown
on Jul 19, 2013 at 6:26 am
MP Neighbor - affordable housing at the old PA clinic site is at 845 Ramona - Oak Ct apartments. And next to 800 High, an affordable housing development for 50 families are being built (despite the fact that the neighborhood elementary school is oversubscribed, and has been for the last 9 years).
Close to half of the city employees will retire with pensions worth millions; their annual pension being between 70% - 80% of their salary. Since every fire fighter, police officer, most managers make well over $100,000/year, they won't qualify for affordable housing. Close to half of the city employees are paid over $100,000.
a resident of College Terrace
on Jul 19, 2013 at 6:32 am
The 7 acre PA medical clinic site was redevelopment in a coordinated effort that included, unlike the person above states, wonderful below market rate housing for people of all ages - Oak Court, built by PAHC. It is on Bryant. Get your facts straight.
a resident of Ventura
on Jul 20, 2013 at 4:10 pm
The City of Palo Alto is not required to change zoning for any project. The city is not required to facilitate developers' profits. If a project is not viable without government subsidies and accommodations, the developer is paying more than the site is worth, and asking the city to make up the difference with a hidden, indirect subsidy. Density increase is often just a gift to developers.
The government subsidies for operating existing housing for low income seniors have been almost eliminated. The secret about existing low-income housing for seniors is that in order to pay for the Iraq war, the Bush administration almost completely eliminated Section 8 funds for subsidizing operating expenses. For example, the last time I checked, the waiting list at Lytton Gardens was a few months for full-pay middle class residents, but five years long, & closed for all but two weeks of the year, for subsidized housing. PAHC insists it cannot build Maybell without the gift of a density bonus in the form of some market-rate townhouses. If that is true, they paid too much for the land. Before Maybell is approved, reliable, permanent source of funds for an operating subsidy (in addition to to start-up costs) should be secured before approving this project, unless PAHC wants to get into the market-rate housing business. They already plan to do so--the townhouses are just that. The corporation which owns Mabell has an extensive real estate portfolio; it should be able to find funds to cover start up and operating costs.
This project has been fasttracked by City of Palo Alto staff. There have been so many errors in the planning process that it may not be legally defensible. The City Council has already accepted the project in concept, by giving public funds to them in advance. The worst effect of this decision is not the giveaway of public funds, but the giveaway of advance approval of more intensive land use. If the news reports are accurate, the City Council comments so far are not credible, but instead insulting to Palo Alto's citizens.
These giveaways increase the likelihood that both decisions would not survive a court challenge; they may be decided in court or at the ballot box. To avoid these, the best option would be to figure out what the neighbors could be satisfied with.
Mayor Greg Scharff has insulted the electorate with his claim that the Council can make an "impartial" decision about projects they have already committed funds to.
The Mayor in particular should know better, since he is an attorney specializing in land use. His arrogance is one justification for keeping term limits.
Governance by lawsuits, referenda, and recalls is very expensive and time-consuming Because of the errors, the City would make better use of scarce resources by negotiating with the neighbors. In the case of Maybell, start by eliminating the market-rate housing, which has impacts far greater than senior housing. If PAHC wants to build the senior project, they should find outside funds to make the construction & operating budgets balance. Eliminating the market-rate housing entirely would reduce the impacts, especially traffic impacts enough to make the project more defensible. The City could require more comprehensive permanent project-based transportation. Existing senior housing varies greatly in number of trips and quantity of transportation provided. If the facility provides more transportation, the residents drive less, with younger, more qualified drivers. The project approval could require residents who drive to complete a DMV road test once a year as a condition of their residency.
Anyone who wants to keep Maybell as open space needs to start raising money now, to compensate the owner at fair market value. Of course, the property is not worth now what it would be worth with the gift of a zoning change.
a resident of Ventura
on Jul 20, 2013 at 4:16 pm
Show Me the Money
I have been following with concern the proposal for low income senior housing for seniors coupled with 12 units of market rate housing. Is this project worthy of receiving taxpayer subsidies from our limited funds?
We need low income senior housing in Palo Alto, because right now there is almost none. The secret about existing Section 8 senior housing is that Section 8 operating subsidy funds to subsidize ongoing operations, (as opposed to start-up funding) have been almost completely eliminated. As a result, existing complexes, like Litton Gardens, have been converted to middle class housing. This has created an artificial scarcity of low income housing for seniors. I have been unable to find out how PAHC plans to overcome this shortage of funding for operating expenses. Of course if there is no funding for actually operating low income housing, the approvals constitute a windfall for the developer getting increased density & a sweetheart loan from the City to build what will, in fact, be market rate housing.
What we do need is more funding for subsidizing operations. Then we can figure out whether we need new construction.
This is aside from any NIMBY concerns.
a resident of Green Acres
on Jul 21, 2013 at 3:25 pm
I agree with you Margaret. Here PAHC had 20 out of 24 BMR senior units at Moldaw go unfilled for three years, and despite the need, no one did anything to deal with solving the problems that those units were not affordable to PAHC's actual clientele. Instead, they're on to building something else, with similarly nonexistent analysis of how to best meet the need. They claimed many times that the need was because 20% of Palo Alto seniors live below the poverty line, but with the development serving seniors at 30-60% of median area income, that means NO seniors below the poverty line will be served. There is no doubt they will fill the complex, but will they be filling the need they claim, or privileging a small group and still not serving the need? The fact that they do so little analysis about the need and how to best fill it is troubling..
a resident of another community
on Jul 21, 2013 at 3:48 pm
It just going to become high end housing.
Will be leaving the state because to retire here is pricey and all these baby boomers are going to need a place to live.
As people get older their costs go up and their income power goes down. You know drugs, insurance and health. So what is matter with some low income housing.
a resident of College Terrace
on Jul 21, 2013 at 4:00 pm
>It just going to become high end housing.
It already is...been that way for about two-three decades. Something wrong with that? Supply and demand in action.


text:
Personalized medicine in gastric cancer: Where are we and where are we going?
Jácome AA, Coutinho AK, Lima EM, Andrade AC, Dos Santos JS. Abstract Despite improvements in adjuvant therapies for gastric cancer in recent years, the disease is characterized by high recurrence rates and a dismal prognosis. The major improvement in the treatment of recurrent or metastatic gastric cancer in recent years has been the incorporation of(…)

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Sveum: Winning not that far off for Cubs
By Carrie Muskat / MLB.com
CHICAGO -- The Cubs had to watch the Braves and Pirates secure postseason berths in back-to-back games, and Chicago manager Dale Sveum says he hopes the young players can learn from the experience.
"Any time you're losing, you're not going to enjoy it," Sveum said Tuesday. "I don't care who you are, it's not very fun. You hope you have people who get tired of [losing], and you appreciate winning and how things can turn around, like the Pirates and the Nationals. That's what you want to produce.
"Obviously, the Pirates have done a nice job in the last three, four, five years in the Draft, and some of the trades. It's not that far off [for the Cubs]. That's the message you try to send. It happens pretty much every year in every sport."
The Cubs now have lost 90-plus games for the third straight year, the first time they've done so since 1960-62.
"The only way you break [that trend] is winning," Sveum said. "The bottom line is getting off to a good start and believing you can win baseball games."
Starlin Castro and Anthony Rizzo have been the focus of attention for their struggles at the plate, but Sveum said their years aren't as bad as it may seem.
"The thing that gets blown out of proportion is that these are the two guys getting talked about all the time," Sveum said. "Are they having really bad, bad years? No. Rizzo has [39] doubles, he's got [77 RBIs], he's got home runs in the 20s, and Castro has been swinging the bat a lot better. These guys just have to keep playing and build on the adversity they've gone through this year."
The reason Castro and Rizzo are in the spotlight is primarily because both young players received long-term contracts, which Sveum acknowledged. Castro's drop -- he was batting .241, well off his two All-Star seasons -- is just a matter of maturity.
"It's easy to explain [a bad year] when you've been around the game long enough and see plenty of stars have a tough year," Sveum said. "It's just the nature of the beast."
Extra bases
• With top prospect Javier Baez not playing in the Arizona Fall League, the Cubs have added infielder Wes Darvill to the Mesa Solar Sox roster.
"He's an interesting player and does a lot of things well on the field and has good instincts," said Theo Epstein, Cubs president of baseball operations. "It'll be a nice opportunity for him."
Darvill, 22, a fifth-round pick in 2009, began this season at Class A Kane County, and batted .347 in 15 games before he was promoted to Class A Advanced Daytona, where he hit .253 in 79 games. A left-handed hitter, he played primarily at second base, but also played third and shortstop.
Albert Almora, the Cubs' No. 1 pick in the 2012 First-Year Player Draft and ranked by MLB.com as the organization's No. 2 prospect, was on the Mesa taxi squad, but now will have the chance to play every day, Epstein said.
The Cubs also pulled Arodys Vizcaino off the AFL roster so he could pitch in instructional league and are expected to add a pitcher to Mesa.
• Second baseman Darwin Barney did not start Tuesday but will be back in the lineup on Wednesday in the home finale. Barney was batting .156 in 20 games this month. Could he be worn down?
"You never know," Sveum said. "I don't know about physically, but mentally he's probably not where he wants to be."
• The Cubs have four players converting to catcher during instructional league, including Ben Carhart, Gioskar Amaya, Giuseppe Papaccio, and Jordan Hankins. Epstein said the moves were an "experiment" for the quartet.
Carhart played first and third with Daytona this season, batting .247, while Amaya played second base for Kane County. Hankins and Papaccio, both infielders, were selected in this year's Draft in the 11th and 18th rounds, respectively.
Carrie Muskat is a reporter for MLB.com. She writes a blog, Muskat Ramblings, and you can follow her on Twitter @CarrieMuskat. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text:
How many times have you found yourself passing on the opportunity to host a family get-together in fear of others thinking your dining room is lackluster? Whether it's been years since you last updated your dining room's interior or your furniture is worn, there's no better time to renovate the space than now. Doing so can give you the chance to entertain your loved ones more often. Furthermore, you'll become more comfortable with using the space on a frequent basis. Here are some tips for creating the dining room of your dreams.
1. Install a radiant heating system.
If you've been in a home with radiant heating before, you know how comfortable it can be to have this type of system in a space. Not only does radiant flooring make surfaces more pleasant to the touch, but it's a quiet way to create warmth in a room without relying on oil or gas.
2. Create elegance with a rounded table and chairs.
TLC.com reports that you can easily create a luxurious feeling in your dining room by bringing in furnishings with smooth edges. Look for a rounded table and oversized chairs with soft edges to create a glamorous appearance. Soft tones such as champagne and eggshell also work efficiently to develop this type of environment.
3. Select complementary colors.
If you're having trouble designing on one specific type of design, why not start by choosing a color theme? For example, think about creating a decor with purple and green or a simple black and white. Complementary hues are pleasing to the eye and can give you a great point to begin your interior design project.
4. Mix various styles.
Southern Living magazine recommends mixing different styles to create an eclectic, unique look that you'll want to show off to your friends and family. Whether you have an interest in contemporary design or you love French country, there's no better time to express your preferences than when you're remodeling. Choosing more than one style can also give you more leeway as you search for new furnishings, decorative accents and wall paint.
Whether you want to redesign your dining room in the coming months or next weekend, these four tips can help you make your interior decor spring to life. In the end, you'll be happy you did it when you have more opportunities to entertain!


text:
I'm rubber, you're Glue.
Aye Hoeser, 49ers are stocking up!
Gd day mate
Gd Eve Steve...
Hows life, I hope well.
We'll have to do an East-West, Set, player type trade..I'm unpacking from the move and ready to deal.
Take Care
Nah, Virginia Beach, VA bound I be. How long you going to be in San Diego, I might have a few food places you can go to.
hhehehehe Sorry Steve, only on limited for now so when I spend all in Racing. Didn't notice you back. Congrats on it.
Heh.....We love him to death Rich. He is a true miracle.
Congrats Daddy!! 3 Cheers...
We now have a Jr Hoeser lurking about ;)
Post the Card Wall...
I need to get some shelving(~ 3-4" with a groove for cases) put up before Winter, and need some idea's..lol
Hey Steve!! Could Ya LMK What The Card #'s Are On The White & Blue Refarctor's From Our Trade....
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Football Advisor


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Sunday was April Fool's Day, and John Alessio had tweeted that he was retiring.
When Monday rolled around and UFC matchmaker Joe Silva emailed him with a short-notice fight – six years after he last set foot in the octagon – Alessio thought the joker's holiday had been extended in the cruelest way.
It was no joke. An injured Matt Wiman was out at UFC 145. Did he want in against Mark Bocek?
Of course he did. Alessio then called his wife to tell her the news. Then he shut up. Order No. 1 from the promotion was to tell nobody of the news until they announced it.
But Bocek gave it up on Twitter, and Alessio was suddenly playing dumb as training partners called to congratulate him. Messages continued rolling into his phone and Twitter account.
Now that the cat's out of the bag, Alessio (34-14 MMA, 0-3 UFC) and Bocek (10-4 MMA, 6-4 UFC) are expected to meet on UFC 145's pay-per-view main card, which takes place April 21 at Philips Arena in Atlanta. (Preliminary-card fights air on FX and stream on Facebook.)
"It was kind of emotionally crazy," Alessio told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) of life since Monday. "Once I got that phone call, it was time to switch gears and get going."
Over the past year or so, Alessio's manager had a working agreement with Silva about the possibility of getting back into the UFC, where he'd dreamed of making a return since leaving the promotion in 2006 with a 0-3 record over three stints. He was told the way a return was most likely happening was if someone got injured or had to withdraw, and if they needed someone short-notice.
There was an offer on the table this past March, but he was already committed to fight overseas. He then lost, and another delay seemed inevitable.
But things change on a dime when the injury bug strikes, and Alessio, who made his professional debut in 1998 at age 19, had gone on to notch three consecutive victories in regional competition, the most recent of which came three weeks ago. He was in shape and ready to go, just as his manager told him to do in case the big show called.
The offer actually nixed another contract Alessio was about to sign as part of a long-rumored winner-take-all MMA event titled, The World Series of MMA, slated to begin this summer.
"Deep down inside I was really hoping the UFC would call me," said Alessio, who's 10-1 over his past 11 fights. "It's been surreal, almost like it's not happening and I need somebody to wake me up out of this dream. But I'm focused. I'm back in the gym training hard."
Alessio, now 32, hasn't fared well inside the octagon thus far. But as he points out, he hasn't been given any easy fights. His 10th pro fight was against then-dominant champion Pat Miletich at UFC 26. Six years later, he met the undefeated Diego Sanchez at UFC 60, and then Thiago Alves at "Ortiz vs. Shamrock 3: The Final Chapter." There have been no warm-ups.
In the now-defunct WEC, he had a respectable 4-2 record with a loss to current UFC interim welterweight champ Carlos Condit. But it seemed like something wasn't clicking inside the octagon.
Alessio has fought 21 times since his most recent bout in the UFC and, of course, feels things will be different this time around.
"I'm much more mature, I'm much more ready mentally, and I'm in a better place in my life," he said. "And, of course, I've developed as a fighter. I feel like this is my time now."
The UFC has obviously changed since his last appearance. But he's confident he won't feel a newcomer's rush of adrenaline.
"I've got tons of experience in fights, so I really don't see the UFC shocking me too much other than being excited and pumped up," Alessio said. [Bocek] wants to do jiu-jitsu. He wants to take me down and grapple me. And I feel like I'm the better striker."
But even if he comes up short, Alessio doesn't feel the fight is a make-or-break for his career. He's fought most of his career outside the UFC, and he'll continue to do so if that's what life has in store.
"I'm a born fighter," he said. "I'm a mixed martial artist, and I always will be. The UFC is just the biggest and the best stage in the world to compete on, and it just took me a long time to get back.
"But I'm ready."
For more on UFC 145, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.


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Tuesday's school election will determine which of the two candidates in the Dover School District will fill the vacancy left by board member Debbie Moore, who is not seeking re-election.
Voters will choose between Sherman L. Goates and David Wilbanks for the regular five-year term on the board.
The elections will be held Tuesday, Sept. 20 at the Dover Church of Christ. Polls will be open from 7:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m.
Candidates for both board positions were asked a series of questions. Their responses are listed below. Candidates are listed by their position on the ballot.
Sherman L. Goates
Age: 36
Family information: Goates and his wife, Heather, have been married for 15 years. They have four children - Morgan, 15, a 10th grader; Hayley, 13, a seventh grader; Paxton, 12, a sixth grader; and Kendall, 10, a fifth grader.
Biographical information: "I have been employed at Bibler Lumber Company for the last 18 years. I graduated from Dover High School in 1987. I am married and presently raising my family in the Dover School District, home of the mighty Pirates.
"With my wife and I having four children in the school system, we decided early in our married life that we were going to be very involved in their lives and the system around them. I am a member of the Dover Rural Fire Department as their fire marshall. We are both members of the Dover Athletic Booster Club, where I serve as a board member and a football coach. We are the Dover pee-wee Basketball Coordinators. I have coached baseball and softball for the Dover Summer Recreation. We also volunteer for many other activities that occur in the Dover school system."
Why did you decide to run for school board?
Why do you think you would be the best person to serve on the board?
"'Why do you want to be a board member?' seems to be a very common question presented to my wife and me. We have discussed several reasons, and one of the foremost reasons is the love and dedication we have for our children and the respect for their school and the faculty that teach here.
"This can cover a lot of reasons to run for school board. Since I can remember I have always had a great pride in my school and what it means to me. Now, having kids of my own, I want them to have the same pride as I did, and the only way I know to do that is by being an example to my kids, getting involved, spending those extra minutes in their lives, pushing them to strive for more.
"The amount of pride I have in my school is evident by my involvement. I believe wholeheartedly that we have one of, if not the best, school districts in this area. The graduates of Dover High School have been exposed to a well-rounded education that contributes to their foundation as productive, well-educated adults. We have the advanced placement curriculum for college bound students, as well as Common Core and Vo-Tech for the ones who do not want to go to college. We have an excellent award-winning music department and athletic program. The faculty and staff set good examples for our children by being good role models.
"With our involvement and the tremendous amount of pride we have, we not only want to be a part of the chain, but a stronger link in the success of our school and its students. With the involvement and the time spent getting to know the kids and the faculty of our school, I know this will help in the decisions too soon come that affect the future of the Dover schools. Becoming part of this system would and should be a great pride in every parent.
If elected, what are some of the goals you have for school board? "We all have one goal in mind, to help make sure every child is given the best school we can offer, to leave the horizons of the future open for them to go as far in life as they want. If elected, I want to have open ears and eyes to ensure the best for our children and faculty for years to come."
David Wilbanks
Age: 42
Family: Wilbanks and his wife, Marsha, who is employed by First State Bank, have one daughter, Victoria, 11, who is in the 6th grade. "Victoria is currently excited about being in middle school and looking forward to basketball this fall."
Biographical information: Wilbanks has a Master of Education degree in exercise science from the University of Arkansas. He is the owner of Industrial Ergonomic Solutions, an industrial resource provider. "I write job descriptions, perform ergonomic evaluations and develop pre placement testing for companies. I work with River Valley Therapy and Pope County Imaging, an independent MRI facility."
"I have been involved with Dover schools for years. I spent about six years working with the football team to take care of sports injuries. I have assisted the PeeWee programs with coaching tee-ball, softball and basketball over the past six years. I volunteer with the Hatley Fire Department as a fire watch pilot. We attend Dover First Baptist Church and are excited about AWANA starting back up recently."
Why did you decide to run for school board? "I am running for school board because I feel that it is a responsibility that many have taken on to help me through school. That may sound lame, but I never really considered the time and effort that the ladies and gentlemen spent on the school board during my time in school until I began attending meetings a few months ago. The school board is not paid, holds no prestige and, typically, is somewhat thankless in most ways that we measure our accomplishments. It is, however, important to our children's educational experience. I have been considering running for school board for the last several years. I did not run because the last several candidates that ran I knew would do a good job for my daughter and all of the children in school. I feel that it is my turn to serve our children."
Why do you think you would be the best person to serve on the board? "I have been blessed with a good education and good occupational experience. My primary occupational experience is development and management of industrial rehabilitation businesses. I have managed several people over the past 18 years, and have had a good deal of experience with human resource issues. The main reason that I am suited for the school board is that I am interested in the education of both my child and the other children of Dover schools."
If elected, what are some of the goals you have for school board? "My goal initially is to learn everything that I can about the process of school board service and administration. I then want to both scrutinize and support good administration and teaching. I work with many of our industries in the area. All industries seem to have one thing in common - providing more with less personnel and resources. I would like for our school to work both wisely in a fiscal as well as educational sense. I am concerned with several mandates and policies that the state requires for our schools. From the information that I have thus far, it seems that we have to provide more paperwork and information for the state than we did several years ago. This requires that we have more administrative expenditures to provide information to the state. It also seems that we are so concerned with meeting a test standard that we forget to find out if our children are having a good educational experience. When we sacrifice most all of our recess and free time for additional class time, I wonder if we are really gaining education. I want our children at Dover to be given an experience that stimulates learning. It may be time for us as parents as well as school boards to take issue with state policies and mandates that are not conducive to fiscal reality and a good educational experience."


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Policy, not narrative, the real story
Media pundits take note, Australia's future is not a bedtime story.
When I read a bedtime story to my two-year-old daughter, at the end she doesn't ask, ''Good narrative, but where's the policy?'' Columnist Waleed Aly (The Age, 22/2) hankered for a neat narrative to capture the messy business of governing the country.
Wake up, Waleed. We need much more than narratives or sound bites; Australia's future is not a bedtime story. Storytelling will always be important, but policy matters in politics now more than ever.
Let's start with three competing laundry lists of policy. The Howard government is rightly credited with several major reforms over 11 years in government: gun control, introducing the GST, establishing the independence of the Reserve Bank of Australia and, for many, the intervention in East Timor. WorkChoices ran into strong electoral headwinds and, with them, Howard's centrepiece IR reform failed.
Major legislative reform attributed to the six years of the Rudd-Gillard government includes: prevention of a great recession, an apology to the first Australians, introducing paid parental leave, building the NBN, establishing a price on carbon, tripling the tax-free wage, initiating the National Disability Insurance Scheme and, perhaps, the Gonski education reforms. Rudd and Gillard's additional reform of a mining tax ran into strong sectoral backlash and looks for most purposes a failure.
The Greens claim their signature legislative reform in allowing a tax on carbon to pass the Senate. However, the Greens blocked a carbon pollution reduction scheme three times, delayed the introduction of similar legislation by four years, have seen public support for a price on carbon plunge from about 75 per cent to under 45 per cent, and placed the carbon tax squarely in jeopardy of a Tony Abbott government. This policy reform looks at best patchy.
It seems our sophisticated consumers of political sport need a neat narrative to form a substantive judgment on the merits of these policies in building a sustainable, fair and prosperous future for Australia. The media should join the dots between these policies and not ask to be spoon fed an all-purpose narrative. What governments do matters much more than what they say.
Bob Hawke and Paul Keating grasped the nettle of market reforms along with progressive social policies, finally overcoming the most successful Australian political narrative of all time: Empire, White Australia and trade protection. Since then commentators may be lost.
A narrative can be a powerful way to help citizens join a movement and feel secure in the direction of a government. It may be helpful, but alone it is by no means enough. Values are also important to support narrative and policy. Should we help those with less? Should we welcome diversity or promote homogeneity? Should we seek answers in the past or look to the future?
Narratives do not provide consistent answers - they are subject to spin and revision. Aly is right to note that this Labor government is inconsistent with its own values on immigration, has made a mess of many reforms and has torn itself apart. Politics is a messy, fleeting business. But strong values and good policies endure.
If Franklin Roosevelt were asked for a neat narrative he might have struggled. Through a messy, divided and hard-fought series of policy debates, FDR helped pull America from the Depression and built the foundation for a fairer modern society. The Rudd and Gillard government has been divided. It has been cack-handed in many reforms. It has faced a relentless twitterati obsessed by narrative. Labor Party officers themselves have cannibalised their souls looking for narrative when they should instead be true to their beliefs. Despite all this, the imperfect legislative record of this government will stand the test of time.
Looking ahead, it is not competing narratives that are at stake in this election. Both are terrible. It is the policies at stake that are critical to the nation's future. Should we all get access to internationally competitive broadband or skimp? Should we have a price on carbon or scrap it? Should we modernise the education of our future generations or squib? Should we spend government resources on middle-class welfare or helping those with least?
Aly says, ''Governments thrive on narrative.'' The media may thrive on narrative but, make no mistake, governments deliver by policy and it is policy that changes people's lives.
Joshua Funder is chairman of Per Capita, an independent, progressive think tank.
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Derek Lilliquist #
Derek Lilliquist is in his 16th year with the Cardinals organization, his seventh as a member of the Major League coaching staff and sixth season in his current role as Pitching Coach. He served as the team's bullpen coach in 2011, and took over the pitching coach duties in August 2012 after Dave Duncan took a leave of absence.
In 2015, the Cardinals pitching staff led the majors with a 2.94 ERA, the team's lowest mark since 1969 and the lowest in the majors since 1988. In 2014, the staff fired a Major League-leading 23 shutouts, the most by a Cardinals team since the mound was lowered after the 1968 season when the Cardinals pitchers hurled 30 shutouts.
"Lilly" served as the Jupiter Complex pitching coordinator from 2008-2010, working with rehabilitating pitchers, and from 2004-07 he served as the pitching coach for Palm Beach (A). Palm Beach made the playoffs twice in that span and won the 2005 Florida State League Championship as the pitching staff registered the second best ERA (3.94) in the FSL.
Lilliquist initiated his career with the Cardinals at rookie level Johnson City in 2002, then moved on to Peoria in 2003. Before joining the Cardinals, Lilliquist was a high school baseball coach at Vero Beach (Fla.) High School from 1998 to 2001.
The former lefthanded starter-turned-reliever spent five-plus years in the Major Leagues, recording 25 victories. In 1992 while with Cleveland, Lilliquist made 71 appearances, going 5-3 with a 1.75 ERA. The next season with Cleveland, he earned 10 saves while recording a 2.25 ERA. He was drafted in 1987 by the Atlanta Braves in the first round (sixth pick overall) of the June free agent draft and spent time in the Major Leagues with Atlanta, San Diego, Cleveland, Boston and Cincinnati, ending his professional career in 1997.
Lilliquist, 51, graduated from Sarasota (Fla.) High School and had an outstanding collegiate career at the University of Georgia where he compiled a 31-12 record with a 3.30 ERA in three years. In 1987 he led Georgia to the SEC title and a first-ever trip to the NCAA College World Series after being named College Pitcher of the Year by Baseball America. He, his wife, Claudia, and stepson, Andrew Borque, reside in Vero Beach.
He has two children, Derek (23) and Alexandra (21).


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Officials: Brattleboro economy healthy, but will face challenges
BRATTLEBORO -- The town has successfully weathered the economic and meteorological storms over the past few years, but distant, gathering clouds will present challenges to future economic stability, town officials told members of the Brattleboro Area Chamber of Commerce.
Town Manager Barbara Sondag and Finance Director John O'Connor talked to members of the chamber during a breakfast meeting at the Brattleboro Retreat, Thursday.
And while the town emerged from Tropical Storm Irene in good shape due to its healthy financial picture, and has enjoyed relatively robust growth and development in light of the national economy, O'Connor and Sondag both said a rising tax rate and stagnant grand list will make it hard to maintain a healthy financial statement in the coming years.
"We've got real challenges in 2015," O'Connor said. "There's no doubt about it."
O'Connor opened the early morning meeting with a financial snapshot of Brattleboro's finances.
Over the past few years, after coming out of a much more unstable period, the town has been able to build up a surplus.
The town currently has about $1.6 million in its unassigned balance, or about 12 percent of its total general fund budget.
O'Connor said finance experts recommend that a municipality maintains between 5 and 10 percent of its budget in an unassigned balance, so he said the town's finances were strong.
Tropical Storm Irene caused about $1.8 million in damage to the town's infrastructure, according to O'Connor, and after state and federal assistance Brattleboro had to come up with about $90,000 to put its bridges, culverts and roads back together.
The town was able to pay for all of the work with cash, saving money on financing, though O'Connor pointed out that the human toll due to business and property loss is still being felt.
O'Connor also said the proposed 2014 budget maintains current services with only a 1 percent tax rate increase, but he warned the crowd that future budgets will likely be much more challenging for the Selectboard to put together.
Payments on the impending police-fire facility renovations will hit every tax payer in town, and at the same time the grand list is not growing.
The town was able to keep the tax rate down in 2014 by moving $756,000 from the surplus, an option that O'Connor said would not be available forever.
He said that with service costs that go up every year, the only option to increasing taxes is growing the grand list.
"You have to identify new sources of revenue to minimize the effect on other sources," O'Connor said.
Sondag echoed much of O'Connor's report about the previous few years, while stressing that it was hard work and good management from everyone who works for the town that helped Brattleboro build up its surplus.
She also highlighted the town's many development achievements last year, including the West River Park, the Union Station project and the near completion of the waste water treatment plant, and said private projects like the Brattleboro Food Co-op and Brattleboro Memorial Hospital expansions are good for everyone.
Especially in light of the development challenges facing communities across the country, Sondag said Brattleboro is enjoying a period of steady growth.
"It's exciting to be involved in a community where things like this are happening," Sondag said. "It's the bright and shiny things, like the waste water plant, but it's also equally exciting when businesses grow."
And Sondag said upcoming projects, like the $15 million reconstruction of Putney Road, a Main Street sidewalk project slated for 2014, and the ongoing redevelopment of the Brooks House, all indicate that growth will continue.
"There has been an important change where businesses are working with the town as opposed to trying to get what they want in spite of the town," said Sondag. "There is a lot to go on, and a lot of struggles ahead."
Howard Weiss-Tisman can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com, or 802-254-2311, ext. 279. You can follow him on Twitter @HowardReformer.
If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us. We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom.


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Police said Monday that the center is intended to keep juveniles off the streets and in school during school hours.
The center is to open Thursday in the former Garland Elementary School. Little Rock School District personnel will be at the center Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. until noon and police will be at the center from 9 a.m. until 12:15 p.m.
A city ordinance prohibits minors from being in public places between the hours of 9 a.m. and 3:45 p.m. on days when school is in session.


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Fujitsu settles patent case with Acacia Research
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SAN FRANCISCOAcacia Research Corp., a patent portfolio holder and licensor, said Monday (Aug. 27) that it entered into a settlement agreement with Japan's Fujitsu Semiconductor Ltd. and its U.S. subsidiary resolving pending patent litigation.
Acacia (Newport Beach, Calif.) did not disclose terms of the settlement. The settlement resolves litigation that was pending in U.S. District Court in northern California, Acacia said.
According to a report by Engadget.com, the patents involved in the dispute are related to flash memory and RAM technologies.
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