What Do We Want for Saratoga in the Future?

What do we want for Saratoga in the future?

That's the question that was posed to between 30 and 40 members of the public who attended the City Council's retreat the morning of Friday, Jan. 25 at the Saratoga Prospect Center.

And the answers have opened the eyes of city officials, including those of the members of the Council and Saratoga Mayor Jill Hunter.

These are some of the responses:

• Beautify Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road and transform it into a beautiful gateway into the city
• Encourage bed and breakfast inns
• Become a statewide leader in community engagement on local budgeting, planning, public works, and recreation decisions

Saratoga resident Annette Stransky said she wished the city would create an arts commission like the nearby towns of Los Gatos, Los Altos and Sunnyvale.

"Saratoga has a rich history in this area and it would be great to expand it," Stransky said.

Saratoga Mayor Jill Hunter said residents shared their wishes for the city in index cards that were mixed around and given to those sitting in a circle and read out loud without the names of the authors.

"There were all kinds of ideas," Hunter said. "Most of them were about the Village. A lot of people asked about parking and said that parking is very difficult."

Hunter said the city has received between 60 and 70 cards with requests. She said city officials would carefully review the responses and then begin dialogue in municipal committees and commissions up the government ladder to put the most useful into action.