Action Revived to Save Juana Briones' Historic Home

The courts ruled well over a year ago now that the historic Juana Briones house was not to be torn down.

The judge wrote in his 10-page decision that the city of Palo Alto misinterpreted its own municipal code when it determined the act of granting a demolition permit was a governmental decision involving little or no personal judgment. The judge ruled the act was partially discretionary and therefore subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), which requires an environmental impact review when demolition of a historic site is proposed.

Juana Briones de Miranda was born in Santa Cruz and grew up in San Francisco's Presidio. She ran a successful ranch and served the needy while she lived at her home in hills that later became part of Palo Alto. She was part of the 19th century California population of people with Spanish, Mexican and Native-American heritage, and was a famous curandera (traditional folk healer) who used native plants and remedies to help the sick. Among other things, she helped manage a smallpox outbreak in Marin County, owned and managed land at a time when it was extremely unusual for women to do so, and raised seven children.


http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/06/07/18505094.php

Previous coverage on indybay at link above