Candidate for
Council Member; Town of Portola Valley

My folks moved to Portola Valley in the early `50s, my dad teaching at Stanford, and my mom running the vocal music program at Portola Valley School. They came for the bucolic surroundings, the community, and the inexpensive land.

I spent most of my first eighteen years here in Portola Valley, going from kindergarten through 8th grade at PVS, then graduating from Woodside High in 1968. In a period before online entertainment, my friends and I spent most of our free time exploring the surrounding hills, hiking, rock climbing and developing a lasting connection to the natural places that remained.

Subsequent years took me to UC Davis, the University of Stockholm, and marriage to my wife Sharon in 1970. Sharon and I spent two years in the Peace Corps in South and Central America together, then returned to the Bay Area. I completed a masters degree at the California College of the Arts, just in time for the birth of our son Galen in 1979. Five years later we were joined by our daughter Megan, and were fortunate enough to be able to build a passive solar house for ourselves on Corte Madera Road. At that time I left the large international architectural firm I had been with, and started a private Architectural practice, working from my home office.

Dealing with the town while building my house led to my joining the ASCC for a seven year period, after which I moved on to four years with the Planning Commission. In those years we developed the first Design Guidelines for the town, providing homeowners and developers a clear path forward that still protects the rural character.

The past four years on the Town Council have been challenging, exhausting, and rewarding. I was delighted to be able to participate in decisions related to local sustainablilty, such as the development of our new Green Building standards and the preservation of Springdown open space. We have also recently instituted a new regimen for town field maintenance, using the techniques developed by the Soil Food Web group from Oregon State, to develop healthier fields while reducing both water usage and the use of chemical fertilizers.

Our work on Affordable Housing has been challenging and difficult, but with the sale of the Blue Oaks lots, and the input of our Ad Hoc Affordable Housing Committee, I believe that we have made significant progress.

I am particularly proud to be part of the Council that instituted our wonderful community-enriching programs such as the Summer Concert Series and the Farmers Market. And our Emergency Preparedness Committee has been proactive in the ongoing effort to protect the community, by developing programs for dealing with an earthquake or wildfire. Most recently, this group finalized the installation of an emergency broadcast radio that will enable people in all parts of town to stay connected in the event of an emergency.