StreetWise StreetWise (February 16, 2005)

Should Palo Alto allow more residents to build granny units on their property?
Question and interviews by Molly Tanenbaum. Photographs by Kevin Hagen. Asked on University Avenue, Palo Alto.

Alesha Escalante
Senior executive assistant
Burning Tree Drive, San Jose
"If it's their property, they should be able to do what they want."

Phyllis Adams
Retired art scholar
Lytton Avenue, Palo Alto
"I think it depends on circumstance -- how it would affect neighbors. They should take a survey of the neighborhood."

Emma Lopez
Retired banker
Lytton Avenue, Palo Alto
"I don't agree with that. Palo Alto is too nice now. I don't want it to be like San Francisco with so many people."

Luther Jackson
Shoe shiner
Laurel Avenue, East Palo Alto
"For progress, if you have no room for expansion it becomes stagnant if you have nowhere to go. This is an opportunity for growth and I am for growth. People don't like traffic but what other transportation do we have? I think we'll just have to adjust."

John Dolan
Investment manager
Garland Place, Menlo Park
"I think it's inevitable. Just because of the demographics over the next 10 years, you'll have to allow people to do that. Independent living is getting more expensive when you do it as a residence."

Brian Bennett
Para-educator
Baywood Avenue, Menlo Park
"I guess as long as you put forth the proper design for it and it doesn't make your community look uglier. I don't know why people would be opposed to it."

Cecie Forte
Sales associate
Tinsley Street, Palo Alto
"I think Palo Alto should let people do whatever they want to do on their property, especially because they're paying the tax."

E-mail a friend a link to this story.

[an error occurred while processing this directive]