Atherton, where I speak from experience, has become a city of concrete walled, gated enclaves. The one thing missing are larger lots. Is Woodside now going to be the new Uber Atherton - where one can have three acres of toys for one's personal exclusive enjoyment, completely hidden from any of "them"?
In contrast, Woodside has a history of providing, through the school, the trails, the tiny town center and the citizen run government, an opportunity for sharing, in common, the rural beauty of the region and for personal and social interaction. Woodside aesthetics and values have been zealously guarded, by residents from all walks of life as volunteer members of Town Committees and non-profit support groups. The newly revised General Plan was a multi year project of tireless dedication that sorted and prioritized, in order to provide balance between intangibles and tangibles.
Anger focused on Committees is really misplaced. Committees are chartered to assist the town management in implementing the General Plan. The "we" versus "they" is being dished out primarily through social media, the antithesis of what Woodside, as a community, an extended family, has utilized in the past. Where were you when the General Plan was created and adopted by your neighbors? Do you know any of them? Committee work can be maddening, I know, 12 years and counting, but it is collaborative, not combative.
Yes, we own the property, though the owner may never move here. Yes we have a right to build within the community guidelines that were in place when we bought property. Yes, my own building adventures were supremely frustrating.
But I have come to appreciate the "restrictions" applied by ASRB and Planning Commission. They knew better than I, the newbie, that some things that are irreplaceable are qualitative. Functional and visual open space, wildlife, dark skies, rural trails, and neighbors who genuinely care about me are now far dearer to me 15 years later, than whatever I got talked out of.
In the quest to add to or guard our pile of toys, I hope we can be thoughtful and reflective. Perhaps there are a few "things" that we might do without in order to preserve both the spectacular beauty of Woodside and the extended family values that are part of the community. These are uniquely Woodside. Our town is very small, and very fragile. Careful what we wish for.
