Stuff yourself at new Dittmer’s WEEKEND | 14 SEPTEMBER 7, 2012 VOLUME 20, NO. 34
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MOVIES | 17
Can judge decide latest Bullis case? HEARING OVER JURISDICTION DELAYS WRANGLING OVER CHARTER SCHOOL’S FACILITIES By Nick Veronin
“Bullis has been offered reattorneys for Bullis Charter sonably equivalent facilities,” School and the Los Altos Cardozo said, adding that closing School District are wait- a neighborhood school to give ing for word from California to Bullis “is unfair to others” Superior Court Judge Patricia — an opinion that was echoed Lucas on whether she has juris- by LASD board member Mark diction in the most recent legal Goines after the Aug. 30 hearfight between the two educa- ing. tional organizations. Goines said that the district is If Lucas rules that she does putting together a task force, led have jurisdiction, Bullis will con- by superintendent Jeff Baier that tinue arguing its current motion will work to figure out solutions to get the judge to compel the for the district’s long term facilidistrict to give the charter school ties needs, including how to deal a campus by next school year. If with Bullis. she decides she doesn’t, Bullis officials must decide whether Day in court to file a new lawsuit or attempt This latest round of legal volto reach some sort of agreement leys between Bullis and the diswith the district. trict took place Aug. 30, before Arturo Gonzalez, attorney a judge in a packed San Jose for Bullis, said he would hope courtroom. the two sides could hammer Lawyers from the charter out some sort of agreement school initiated the hearing by without heading back to court, filing a “motion to compel comshould Lucas rule pliance with judgshe does not have ment and writ.” jurisdiction. In simpler ‘Time is However, he terms, the motion of the essence.’ is essentially added, Bullis officials would want a legal action ARTURO GONZALEZ, to get more space intended to push BULLIS ATTORNEY out of those talks, the school district and fast. to cooperate and “Time is of the provide an entire essence,” Gonzalez said. “If the campus to Bullis by the 2013-14 district doesn’t have any interest school year, and by immediately in talking, then that would leave conferring with Bullis “in good only one option, and that would faith to provide additional facilibe to file another lawsuit.” ties at the Egan (Middle School) Ray Cardozo, attorney for the location,” where Bullis plans to district, said he does not know run its program in the 2012-13 whether LASD officials would be school year. open to going back to the negoLawyers and representatives of tiating table, but he did seem the charter school believe this is convinced that the district has what the district is required to already given Bullis more than do under a previous court order required under a previous ruling. See BULLIS, page 8
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MICHELLE LE
Jarrett Mullen, leader of the Rengstorff Great Streets Initiative, says he avoids riding on dangerous roads like California Street at Escuela Avenue.
Long road ahead to boost city’s bike network By Daniel DeBolt
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ccording to census data, a growing number of Mountain View residents are rolling to work on bicycles. But Mountain View’s efforts to grow its network of bike routes is at a standstill. “I’ve noticed in the last few years that other cities, such as Palo Alto and San Jose even, really have put a lot more
effort into upgrading bike infrastructure,” said Mountain View bicyclist and blogger Janet LaFleur. “Mountain View used to be in the forefront but lately it’s kind of lagged.” “I don’t believe the city has built any new bike lanes or improved bike lanes in five to six years,” Jarrett Mullen, leader of the Rengstorff Great Streets Initiative, an effort
to make the Rengstorff Park neighborhood more pedestrian and bicyclist friendly. There are 54 miles of designated bike ways in Mountain View, but bicyclists are now eying innovations being made in other cities. Bike lanes painted bright green across their whole width can now be See BIKING, page 11
Developer drops controversial fence proposal By Daniel DeBolt
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eveloper Merlone Geier has withdrawn its application to build a fence blocking access between properties in San Antonio shopping center after city staff and several business owners questioned the need for it, with some calling it a “bullying tactic” to force land sales.
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“They did not give a reason,” for withdrawing the application said planner Melinda Denis of Merlone Geier, which is in the middle of construction of a major redevelopment at the center. The developer is pursuing approval of a large hotel and office building where Ross and BevMo! now stand. “I just got an email saying they would
like to formally withdraw the application.” Paul Brunmeier, co-owner of Barron Park Plumbing Supply, said last month that the fence was “a bullying tactic by the developer to put existing, successful Mountain View businesses in a poor state if not try See FENCE PROPOSAL, page 8
VIEWPOINT 12 | GOINGS ON 18 | MARKETPLACE 19 | REAL ESTATE 21