News Digest News Digest (October 07, 2005)

Planning for East Meadow Circle on Friday, Saturday

The city will undertake a one-and-half-day workshop to create cohesive design guidelines for the area around East Meadow Circle and Fabian Way in south Palo Alto, which is currently undergoing redevelopment.

The "design charrette" will look at how the city can integrate new apartment, condominium and townhouse developments with adjacent single-family neighborhoods, provide sufficient retail services for residents, and ensure that the area will have sufficient infrastructure.

The public is welcome to observe the process, which will include city staff, architects and representatives from neighborhood associations.

The Friday morning session will include a "virtual tour" of the area, followed by presentations by residential, business and nonprofit stakeholders. A panel of experts will then respond.

In the afternoon, five teams will discuss the area's design issues.

Saturday morning, each team will present its ideas, and after public comments, the preferred design concepts will be selected.

The charrette will take place at Cubberley Community Center in building H from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Friday and 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday.

For information, visit the city's planning department Web site at www.cityofpaloalto.org/planning-community.

-- Jocelyn Dong

Candidate forum to focus on business

A Palo Alto City Council candidate forum focused on economic issues will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, Oct. 10 at the Media Center in Palo Alto.

According to forum organizers, candidates will be asked to proposed concrete ideas for improving the business climate and business tax revenues in Palo Alto. The event will be moderated by former S.F. Chronicle columnist Mark Simon.

The event is sponsored by KORE ("Keep Our Region Energized"), a member -based trade organization representing local business owners, property developers and community volunteers. The group argues that communities like Palo Alto and Menlo Park need to develop more business-friendly procedures and practices to maintain the high level of services residents of both cities enjoy.

"Our communities are at a crossroad," KORE board member Carol Jansen stated in a press release. "Voters have hard choices to make -- either increase taxes or decrease services, or create a more favorable business climate for services."

Transit center opens Monday

The newly constructed Palo Alto Transit Center near El Camino Real and University Avenue will open Monday, Oct. 10.

Passengers can access the center for the following bus lines:

* VTA Bus Lines 22. 35. 88 and 522;

* SamTrans Bus Lines KX, 280/281, 297/397 and 390;

* Dumbarton Express

* Stanford University Marguerote Shuttle (Palm Drive Express, SLAC Shuttle, Midnight Express).

For more information, call (408) 321-2300.

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