From the Archives

preservationists’ lawsuit

A San Mateo County Superior Court judge Sept. 12, 2002 threw out a lawsuit challenging the San Mateo Union High School District’s bond argument which would allow the district to use Measure D bond money for the reconstruction of San Mateo High School.

Judge Mark Forcum ruled against the lawsuit, filed by Maxine Terner, a former San Mateo planning commissioner. Terner alleged that the wording would lead voters to believe that Measure D bond money cannot be used for reconstruction at any of the high schools, not just San Mateo High School.

After reviewing the arguments, Forcum decided that the ballot language was "truthful and fair” and did not mislead the public as Terner had claimed.

The district had been examining the option of a newly worded measure since Judge Carol Mittlesteadt said the $137.5 million bond, passed in November 2000, could not be used to rebuild the condemned school due to the wording in the original measure.

That ruling was a win for preservationist group Save San Mateo High School, which has sought to save the 1920s-era facility since the school board voted to reconstruct, rather than rehabilitate, the building when it was deemed seismically unsafe.

‘Monster’ homes

downsized, but review delayed

The controversial proposal to build three "monster” homes in a Burlingame neighborhood was slashed down in size, but the Planning Commission decided Sept 9, 2002 they need more information about the design.

The Planning Commission voted six to zero to send the Drake Avenue project back to design review once the property owner could bring more information on how the buildings would meld with existing houses. Commissioner Ann Keighran could not vote because she lives too close to the project.

Otto Miller is proposing to demolish six existing buildings at 1537 Drake Avenue and build new homes on three lots. The original application called for three homes — two five-bedroom structures and one four-bedroom house — over 3,000 square feet each. The new plan calls for two smaller homes on two lots with a third left undeveloped.

That project hit snags in June when both commissioners and neighbors questioned the need for such huge homes in a neighborhood of smaller bungalows. About 10 neighbors appeared at the public hearing last night to make clear to the planning commission that the design is still not good for them.

Burlingame board:

Keep your eye on parcel tax

In an attempt to keep community emphasis squarely on an upcoming parcel tax, the Burlingame School Board decided Sept. 10, 2002 not to create a new task force to examine declining enrollment and increasing revenues in the district.

Many trustees said it would be a bad move not only to move the district’s emphasis away from a parcel tax, but to further stretch an already cracking volunteer base. Trustee Alison Van Dyke said that at a recent meeting of the Burlingame Community Education fundraising group, many parents talked about how their children hated that they spent so much time away from home because they were working for the group.

Banking giants file consumer privacy lawsuit

Banking institutions Wells Fargo and Bank of America filed a federal lawsuit Sept. 10, 2002 seeking to prevent privacy ordinances in San Mateo County and Daly City from being enacted Jan. 1. Representatives say the bills have too many exemptions and step into an area already regulated by federal law. Bill proponents say the federal laws are not consumer-friendly and attempts at state legislation are continuously defeated.

San Mateo County Supervisor Mike Nevin said he proposed his local bill after state Sen. Jackie Speier’s statewide attempts stalled under heavy lobbying from the banking and insurance industries. Despite those failures and the impending lawsuit, Nevin said he is confident in the ordinance which requires banks get a customer’s written permission before sharing their financial data with third parties or affiliates. Under current federal law, customers must make the effort to ask banks in writing not to share their information.

Lantos target of anti-Iraq protest

More than 100 people showed up in front of U.S. Rep.’s Tom Lantos’ San Mateo office on Sept. 10, 2002 to protest a possible invasion of Iraq. The protest is the first official action organized by San Mateo County Peace Action and other pro-peace activists in light of President George W. Bush’s recent push for military action against Iraq. Most recently, Bush challenged the United Nations to take action against Iraq or said the United States will.

Lantos, 74, is the ranking Democratic member of the House Committee on International Relations and the only Holocaust survivor in Congress. He is an outspoken advocate for Israel and showed overwhelming support for President George W. Bush’s war on terrorism.

Beginning at 12:30 p.m., the protesters stood on the corner of El Camino Real and Fourth Avenue and waved American flags with peace signs instead of stars and signs that read "No War.”

Some protesters chanted and waved to passing motorists, many of whom honked in support or flashed peace signs.