4 ms·

I'm sorry you're put off by the inefficiencies of Palo Alto, but can I politely ask: How are you helping? Coincidentally, I just returned from 3 hours of partic

I'm sorry you're put off by the inefficiencies of Palo Alto, but can I politely ask: How are you helping? Coincidentally, I just returned from 3 hours of participation in Palo Alto city business (working on the city airport plan at the council Finance Committee meeting). I don't find the process especially efficient, but I am often impressed by the intelligence, drive, and thoughtfulness of council members. What structure are you talking about (that sits empty)? I have watched the evolution of downtown Palo Alto for 15 years - it's certainly not perfect, but I'm glad for the two new parking garages and generally feel the growth there has been handled ok.

d_r 16y ago
I know that each decision is a result of hard work by many people. While I don't find time for community initiatives, I appreciate that others (like yourself) do. Seriously. My comment was more directed towards the process. Every plan is considered, reconsidered, viewed, and reviewed, many times by many people. And if a decision is actually reached, some group of concerned citizens will be formed to protest it. My first example was Alma Plaza. My second example was the structure on the corner of High and University. I actually don't know the history behind the latter, other than that it has been an eyesore for years. Perhaps a valid argument to my disheartened view would be that an area like Palo Alto is a finished painting -- every additional stroke requires careful consideration for the risk of making a wrong one. But I do wish that our city was able to innovate as quickly as the businesses that define this area. :)
- garply 16y ago
  I appreciate your sentiment and I, as most people, have mixed feelings about how China's developing. As I referenced in my other comment, a great deal of China's ability to innovate in terms of real estate development comes at the cost of what we Westerner's would perceive as social rights. If Palo Alto decides that there are too many black or poor people hanging around a certain section of town, most of us would prefer (to put it, err, lightly) that the city not just kill them, boot them out of town, or snatch the property rights of the places they frequent and bulldoze them. But such behavior is precisely what permits the process to which you're referring.
- dcreemer 16y ago
  Thanks for the reply -- I think your comment about Palo Alto being a "finished painting" has some ring of truth to it. There are some "tricks" to getting things done more efficiently in Palo Alto. For example if you ask every stakeholder their opinion ahead of proposing a change, you tend to get far less reviews, protest, etc. after the fact. There are folks here who really want to be included, but many more people who are satisfied knowing their concerns have been heard.

d_r 16y ago

I know that each decision is a result of hard work by many people. While I don't find time for community initiatives, I appreciate that others (like yourself) do. Seriously. My comment was more directed towards the process. Every plan is considered, reconsidered, viewed, and reviewed, many times by many people. And if a decision is actually reached, some group of concerned citizens will be formed to protest it. My first example was Alma Plaza. My second example was the structure on the corner of High and University. I actually don't know the history behind the latter, other than that it has been an eyesore for years. Perhaps a valid argument to my disheartened view would be that an area like Palo Alto is a finished painting -- every additional stroke requires careful consideration for the risk of making a wrong one. But I do wish that our city was able to innovate as quickly as the businesses that define this area. :)

garply 16y ago
I appreciate your sentiment and I, as most people, have mixed feelings about how China's developing. As I referenced in my other comment, a great deal of China's ability to innovate in terms of real estate development comes at the cost of what we Westerner's would perceive as social rights. If Palo Alto decides that there are too many black or poor people hanging around a certain section of town, most of us would prefer (to put it, err, lightly) that the city not just kill them, boot them out of town, or snatch the property rights of the places they frequent and bulldoze them. But such behavior is precisely what permits the process to which you're referring.
dcreemer 16y ago
Thanks for the reply -- I think your comment about Palo Alto being a "finished painting" has some ring of truth to it. There are some "tricks" to getting things done more efficiently in Palo Alto. For example if you ask every stakeholder their opinion ahead of proposing a change, you tend to get far less reviews, protest, etc. after the fact. There are folks here who really want to be included, but many more people who are satisfied knowing their concerns have been heard.