M &TUBUF
FB 4QSJOH 3 2011
A
TION LICA PUB
HE OF T
E VOIC IEW IN V NTA MOU
Spring Real Estate IN THIS ISSUE
APRIL 29, 2011 VOLUME 19, NO. 16
ry? or easy ent
650.964.6300
INSIDE: WEEKEND | PAGE 12
the wave 3 Riding get? can you 9 What
le trouble 10 Doub ssings 11 The Cro
MountainViewOnline.com
Council balks at San Antonio project By Daniel DeBolt
T
MICHELLE LE
Dr. Anna Wong tests out the single-incision surgery technique, with guidance from Dr. Homero Rivas, outside El Camino Hospital on April 25.
Cutting-edge medicine on wheels By Nick Veronin
D
octors at El Camino Hospital tried their hands at a relatively new surgical method Monday. The technique, known as single-incision laparoscopic surgery — or SILS — employs
a miniature camera, tiny light and a variety of tools attached to the ends of long wires, which allow surgeons to perform a wide array of procedures, such as appendectomies, hysterectomies, and hernia operations, all through a single opening in a patient’s belly button.
According to hospital doctors, as well as officials from the medical technology company running the event, the technique is gaining popularity in the field of minimally invasive medical procedures. See MOBILE SURGERY, page 9
City barks up new tree for animal control COUNCIL CONSIDERS MONEY-SAVING CONTRACT WITH SANTA CLARA-BASED AGENCY By Daniel DeBolt
T
he city is taking a serious look at switching from Palo Alto Animal Services to a Santa Clara-based service in order to save about $150,000 a year on animal control. City Council members were undecided in a study session Tuesday as to whether to renew a contract with the city of Palo Alto’s police department for animal con-
INSIDE
trol services. Switching to Silicon Valley Animal Control Authority would mean more animal services at less cost, though residents would pay slightly more for services and the shelter is located a few miles further away than Palo Alto’s, about 8.5 miles from City Hall. An example of SVACA’s increased services is that officers would be able to respond to Mountain View 12 hours a day, Monday through Friday, compared to Palo Alto’s
nine hours a day. SVACA has a new facility, while Palo Alto’s 1970s building needs costly upgrades, which have been put on hold since Sunnyvale canceled its contract with PAAS several years ago. A SVACA contract would also free up a Mountain View community services officer who investigates an average of 35 animal cases a year. See ANIMAL CONTROL, page 7
store. It was announced Tuesday that Rite Aid is no longer part of the project. In the last 40 minutes of the four-hour discussion, at around 11 p.m., council members gave some feedback on the project, adjusting building locations and street frontages, moving driveways and increasing park and sidewalk space, but not making the fundamental changes to the design that a number of residents suggested.
he City Council decided not to give final approval of a major redevelopment project at San Antonio Shopping Center Tuesday, saying that the design had clearly not been finished. Council members said they weren’t interested in approving the project Tuesday after a representative for the developer read a long list of changes that they wanted to be made to the project. The changes made it “as clear as mud” Lots of comments what the project would be, said “We feel the project has been really council member Ronit Bryant. City poorly designed and mismanaged,” staff had also proposed a number said Forrest Linebarger, CEO of of changes to the Vox Design Group, project just days calling the project before the meetstrip ‘We feel this project “another ing. mall” dominated The developer parking lots has been poorly by nearly talked and cars. Another the council into resident said the designed.’ approving the city could expect as FORREST LINEBARGER project, saying the much traffic from changes could be the project as the worked out with parking lots could city staff after the project’s approv- accommodate and another praised al. the council for making “walkability “What you are asking is for the and bikeability” a priority. Council council to “give carte blanche to members have also been less than staff” said Mayor Jac Siegel. Coun- enthusiastic about the large parkcil member Ronit Bryant was also ing lot Safeway requires right at the opposed. “The worst thing is to vote “gateway” corner of San Antonio on something and we don’t know Road and El Camino Real. what we are voting on,” Bryant said. Steve Rasmussen, owner of the “That I will not do.” nearby Milk Pail market, said he In the most ambitious redevel- was worried about being squeezed opment of San Antonio Shop- out of business by major parking ping Center since it was built in restrictions, as overflow parking the 1950s, San Francisco-based could take up the spaces his cusMerlone Geier has proposed the tomers use. redevelopment of one-third of the Resident Sandy Berry advocated 56-acre shopping center, a 16.3-acre for the newer-style Safeway as a portion that extends from Sears to cheaper alternative to driving to Rite Aid at the corner of San Anto- various specialty stores. She said nio Road and El Camino Real. she didn’t “have that kind of time” The “Village at San Antonio Cen- to not drive a car to the supermarter” would include a one-acre park, ket. She urged the council to listen 325 to 350 rental apartments and to the developer and the retailers 311,000 square feet of retail space, See SAN ANTONIO, page 7 including a new Safeway grocery
GOINGS ON 17 | MARKETPLACE 23 | MOVIES 16 | REAL ESTATE 26 | VIEWPOINT 11