OUR BELOVED SAN FRANCISQUITO CREEK AND TREES ARE IN JEOPARDY The San Francisquito Creek Joint Powers Authority and the Santa Clara Valley Water District (SCVWD) are currently considering two options to replace the Pope-Chaucer Street Bridge. Both are envisioned as part of a larger project to protect against a 100-year (1% chance per year) flood that will likely require the construction of floodwalls on both sides of the creek, upstream and downstream of the bridge, for a total of about 2,400 linear feet, almost 1/2 mile! (See reverse side for details.) Floodwalls will forever change the nature of our neighborhoods. Many heritage trees will be removed. The remaining oaks are likely to die within years from root damage because the foundations of the floodwall will need to be about as deep as its height. Instead of “looking at nature” we will be looking at floodwalls, up to seven feet high in some places, as we walk, bicycle, and drive along the creek. A twine with pink ribbons is strung on the Menlo Park side of the creek to help visualize the distance and maximum height of the floodwalls that are part of their long-term plan. SCVWD is holding a PUBLIC MEETING at 6:30 PM this Wednesday, January 29th in the Willows at the East Palo Alto Academy Multi-purpose room at 475 Pope Street, Menlo Park (enter from Elm Street). THEIR GOAL for this meeting is “to address questions about the two alternatives and to gain a better understanding of which of the two alternatives the community prefers us to further develop.” OUR GOAL for this meeting is to let the organizers know that our community does not want them to further develop either of these alternatives and instead wants them to consider a third alternative to solve the problem! (See third alternative on reverse side, at the bottom) COMMUNITY INFORMATIONAL MEETING: 3:00 PM this Sunday, January 26th in the mini-park at the Pope-Chaucer Bridge. Residents who have attended recent public meetings will share what they know about the projects and discuss alternative solutions that should be explored to protect the natural beauty of the creek.

ENDANGERED TREE COUNT

To get an idea of the environmental impact, on the Menlo Park side of the creek, starting at the bridge and extending both 600 feet upstream and 600 feet downstream, the trees that would be endangered (approximately 100 significant trees) are flagged with pink ribbons, along with the street trees in the strip (public easement) between the sidewalk and the street that will become victims of proposed retaining walls if the raised bridge alternative is built. These include 60 Live Oaks (40 heritage size), 17 Black Acacia, 5 Southern Magnolias, 4 California Bay (all heritage size), 4 other deciduous, 3 Blue Gum Eucalyptus (all heritage size, one over 7' feet in diameter), 2 Scarlet Horse Chestnut (one heritage), 1 Buckeye (heritage size) and 1 Fan Palm. To keep informed, visit 2savetheoaks.blogspot.com or email to 2savetheoaks.@gmail.com