May 1, 2003

Neil R. Cullen
Director of Public Works
County of San Mateo
555 County Center, 5^th Floor
Redwood City, CA 94063

Dear Mr. Cullen:

The Emerald Lake Homeowners Association (ELHA) Board of Directors wholeheartedly endorses the efforts of the San Mateo County Department of Public Works to make our streets within Emerald Hills safer not only for pedestrians and bicyclists, but also for motor vehicles as well. Most long time residents of the area have personal horror stories of near misses, and these "Draft Procedures for the Installation of Speed Humps/Dips on County Maintained Roads" should go a long way to address the concerns of the Emerald Hills residents.

As an organization we have been actively collecting feedback on our website at www.emeraldhills.org, and will attach (or forward under separate cover) a compilation of most of these responses to this letter. We have received approximately thirty emails commenting on particular streets and intersections, and hopefully this compilation will help you prioritize the initial projects, since these people took time out of their busy lives to comment on specific needs within their neighborhood. It should also be noted for the record that many people, although concerned about unsafe conditions, were hesitant to give an outright endorsement of bumps and dips, and suggested increased vigilance by law enforcement as an alternative.

Our only comment is in reference to the number of people on a "Block" that would have to agree to speed bumps or the like. In many of our neighborhoods, it is difficult to define an actual block. Perhaps one could define a "Block" as residents living within a certain distance of a perceived trouble spot. Based upon the overwhelming response in favor of such controls, we do not foresee such a creative interpretation as being a major stumbling block in the process.

We are happy to continue to serve as a community sounding board as we attempt to establish deeper electronic penetration into our own community. For every comment you see attached, it may well be that ten additional stories are waiting to be told. Please feel free to contact me if you would like any additional information or if the ELHA Board can be of service as you launch this project.

Sincerely,

Michael

Michael J. Sterns, D.V.M.
ELHA Board Member
Public Works Committee