biography of Larry Ames

• owner of the WGBackfence.net website
• founder (1999) and moderator of “the eList”
• resident of Willow Glen in San José since 1979: see article
• served on the Willow Glen Neighborhood Assoc. (WGNA) Board ‘83 – ‘88 and ‘93 – ‘08 (4 yrs. as Pres.)
• advocate for Los Gatos Creek Trail; served ~16 years on LG Crk Streamside Park Cmte: see article
• Project Manager of Los Gatos Creek Urban Stream Restoration Project 1993 – 96: see report and presentation
• member of Lincoln Ave Master Plan Task Force (‘84: see report) & 1st Founder’s Day Cmte
• served on numerous boards, committees, and taskforces in support of various creeks, trails, and parks, including:

· Coyote Creek Long Range Land Utilization Task Force ~’90 and Kelley Park Master Plan Task Force ~’91

· Guadalupe River Park Taskforce ‘00 – ‘03

· Santa Clara Valley Water District Environmental Advisory Cmte ‘02 – ‘08

· Citizens for a Livable San Jose: ‘06 – ‘09

· SJ Greenprint (SJ Parks & Rec’s Strategic Plan) Taskforce ~’00, Update Cmte ~’09, and revision ‘17 – ‘19

· San Jose Riparian Advocates (founder), ‘15 – present

· Coyote Meadows Coalition member, ’15 – present

• Santa Clara County Parks Commissioner: ‘95 – ‘04 (incl. County Parks Strategic Plan)
• Campaign Treasurer:

· for Yes On Parks (supporting County Park Charter Fund), ’06 – ‘20

· for Neighbors for Affordable Housing and Open Space (against deceptive housing scheme), ‘18

· (Also Treasurer for Victorian Preservation Assoc (“the Old House Club”), ‘22 – present)

• Boardmember, Committee for Green Foothills (CGF), ‘13 – ‘21
• Chair, District 6 Neighborhood Leaders Group (D6NLG), ‘13 – ‘15; ‘21 – present
• Commissioner for D6, Neighborhoods C’msn, City of San Jose: ‘09 –  ‘16 (Chair: ‘14 – ‘16)
• Founder, Friends of the Willow Glen Trestle, 2013 (www.WGTrestle.org)
• member, Santa Clara Co. National Heritage Area Taskforce (‘16 – ‘20)
• San José Parks & Rec Commissioner representing downtown (D3), ‘18 – present
• awards:

· WG Resident “Volunteer of the Year”, 2004

· Bank of America “Neighborhood Excellence Initiative: Local Hero”, 2010

· Santa Clara Co. League of Conservation Voters “Environmentalist of the Year”, 2011

· Breathe California “Clean Air Award – Public Education“, 2012

· San José Parks Foundation awardee, 2015

• Retired “Mad Scientist“, after 30+ years as Physicist at aerospace firm designing satellites, including ones to search for habitable planets orbiting nearby stars or photograph the back side of the moon

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2/21/23