Do we in Los Gatos really have a duty or obligation to help the rest of the
world? Mike's friend Sid thought so. to quote:
7. The physical growth of the human enterprise in
>California, the Bay Area, the Peninsula, and Silcon
>Valley project the wrong role model to the World.
>We have the opportunity, duty, and obligation to set
>a long-term survival example to the rest of humanity.
I think he's only half right. Silicon Valley is a role model for good,
It's the sprawl that needs fixing.
The economic growth of human enterprise in Silicon Valley is rightfully the
new Statue of Liberty to the developing world. In the past 25 years I have
seen poverty nearly obliterated in some countries because they unleashed
their entrepreneurial creative spirit to keep up with Silicon Valley.
There are other factors, but this is a big one.
I agree it would be great to show the world something better than suburban
sprawl. Overpopulated countries build dense cities out of necessity.
Silicon Valley, however, can create a network of urban centers to reduce
the blight of sprawl. And we can start here. (see www.northlosgatos.com )
Los Gatos is positioned to build the best mini-urban center because we
have the high traffic location and high property values. Our new town
center can provide needed community services, desired attractions, and be
a functioning transportation hub for local and regional transit.
There are financial instruments available to small towns to fund the
creation of such centers. Local control will allow us to maintain quality
standards like Los Gatos architecture and underground parking because the
cash flow requirement are on a much longer time frame than any developer
can support.
And luckily, most of the property is being held back for a long term by one
wise family so initial funding need only be directed at those owners
seeking to cash out soon.
Does it really matter how we as a species got here? Will we evolve into
something else a couple of centuries from now? Who knows..
What we do know for sure is the problem at hand is to deal with the effects
of sprawl choking our small town. Building more Los Gatos will work for
us! If we do it right our ideas of quality community living will spread on
their own merits. Lets start acting local and the effect will be global
Mark
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