The San Mateo City Council is moving forward with a ballot initiative to increase density limits in certain areas of the city, while putting another controversial issue — which would codify the mayoral rotation process — on the back burner.
Though unrelated, the two measures were seen as top priorities by the council, as both caused friction citywide, albeit in different ways. The first effort, which would amend Measure Y and allow for higher density and height limits close to Caltrain stations, is a must to stay compliant with the city’s housing element, or state-mandated growth plan for the next eight years. San Mateo is one of the several cities in the county without official state certification, and the failure of the ballot measure would require revisiting what’s already proved to be an arduous process.
A separate concern requiring voter approval revolves around charter amendments to solidify the mayoral rotation process, which caused controversy in 2022. San Mateo is one of the many jurisdictions in the county that operates such an appointment system, whereby the mayoral position rotates every year by nomination but usually based on seniority. But the process was disrupted when now Mayor Lisa Diaz Nash and Deputy Mayor Rob Newsom objected to appointing a new mayor before a vacant council seat was filled as the mayor appoints a new councilmember if the council was deadlocked. The controversy triggered a reevaluation of city rules dictating council and mayoral transitions, including possibly requiring the council to name the new mayor and deputy mayor in the first meeting after an election unless postponed by a unanimous vote or natural disaster. That polled higher than a requirement that the selection of the mayor and deputy mayor rotate strictly on seniority.
According to recent survey data presented at a meeting Monday, May 20, each measure has a different likelihood of success — with the Measure Y amendment showing more favorable results — thereby creating a risky situation if they were packaged altogether on the ballot.
“The most important thing here right now is the land use amendment, and if we do not find a way to pass that, then we will be back here as a council, and we’ll have six months to come up with a whole other zoning recommendation,” Nash said. “We need to really focus on this land use measure. I think the opportunity to do the other charter amendments in June of 2026 would give us the opportunity to research all of the other areas.”
But Councilmember Amourence Lee, who was the target of the mayoral hiccup, was adamant about moving forward with both initiatives.
“We have the opportunity to close this loophole and ensure that the community will always have representation, as we deserve. I feel strongly that the council has a moral obligation to act. I don’t think it wise to sit on it,” she said.
Despite initial ambivalence, remaining councilmembers ultimately agreed to postpone additional education and outreach efforts for the mayoral rotation amendment measure and directed staff to move ahead with an initiative for increasing height and density limits for the November ballot.
(2) comments
Good news is here. There is an initiative coming this November which will prevent the Governor and the CA State government from dictating and forcing cities to expand and build affordable housing. Freedom alas.
Well of course the ballot initiative is moving forward… Who didn’t see this coming? Don’t fall for the scare tactics regarding meeting an arbitrary growth plan. I’d encourage all folks to vote no on repealing Measure Y. Not just voting no this time, but over and over again because when this measure fails, I have no doubts we’ll see it pop up like a bad dream over and over again.
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