OPEN SPACE, CONSERVATION, AND AIRPLANE NOISE

By Arthur C. "Bud" Eisberg, Jr.

Positions on Open Space, Conservation, and Airplane Noise

I have always supported the Town's actions on maintaining and acquiring open space and will continue to do so. My decisions as a member of ASCC (Architectural & Site Control Commission) for more than 10 years never conflicted with the goal of keeping open space as a priority. I have been a regular contributor to the Peninsula Open Space Trust for over 25 years because I feel such organizations greatly contribute to the quality of life in our region.

CONSERVATION:

As a family we:

-removed a lawn and ivy from our yard and planted drought tolerant vegetation

-have composted for many years

-maintain a vegetable garden and use drip irrigation

-do our own landscaping thus eliminating commercial trips to the property

-switched to synthetic motor oil to lessen oil changes and waste

We have learned how to conserve through reading, attending lectures, and gathering information from the Town. We conserve because it is the right thing to do. I support education and incentives rather than mandates to meet conservation goals in Portola Valley.

AIRPLANE NOISE:

It appears I have been painted as unfriendly to the airport noise issue simply because I am a retired airline pilot. While not an expert on the subject, I do have knowledge concerning the complexity of Bay Area air traffic patterns and airplane operational issues. I have repeatedly said I wish to help in this effort. Two important steps in the process are 1) to ensure all parties have an understanding of how the system works operationally and 2) agreeing on what can be changed and what cannot.