San Mateo candidates seek three council seats

Three open seats on the council are being sought by Rick Bonilla, Chelsea Bonini, Charlie Drechsler, Joe Goethals, Robert Newsom, Eric Rodriguez and Mark De Paula. Bonilla and Goethals are incumbents and Mayor David Lim is not seeking re-election.

Bonilla, the current vice mayor, said he’s interested in preparing for the regional demands of growth through transit-focused development. He believes the jobs-housing imbalance is threatening the quality of life for which San Mateo is known.

“I think thoughtful planning that takes into account the needs and desires of the neighborhood can be successful,” Bonilla said, later adding he’s concerned about under-represented communities and the city should strive for an “inclusive community where people accept each other.”

Bonini, who serves on the San Mateo-Foster City Elementary School District Board of Trustees, said she wants to represent a wide spectrum of residents and be a voice for those who feel their opinions aren’t being heard.

“I’m running for council because I care about our community, I think I represent a broad cross section of views that make up our community,” Bonini said. “I have a pretty strong reputation of listening to my constituents.”

Drechsler, a planning commissioner and Redwood City’s arborist, said he recognizes there has been an influx of development and a lot going on in the city. He would like to see a broader cross section of the community engaged as the city faces market demands and financial obligations.

“Our outreach, study sessions need to be a packed house,” Drechsler said. “Everything from the sewage treatment plant to traffic congestion. … There’s just so much going on that I want to make sure everyone’s voice is heard.”

Goethals, a current councilman and prosecutor with the District Attorney’s Office, said he wants to maintain the city’s character while balancing the need to address affordability concerns and ensure San Mateo remains a welcoming place.

“The idea that all politics is local is still true, and every neighborhood has issues we can address,” Goethals said. “Government has the power and opportunity to do good once in a while and I think that’s what we’re doing in San Mateo.”

Newsom, who works for an alternative transportation company, said he was motivated to run because he recognizes the city has undergone a lot of change in a short period of time and wants to be a bridge for constituents.

“People are really frustrated in that they feel like the growth has snuck up on us,” Newsom said. “I believe in a servant-leader model of trying to help people and help lead the way … and be a voice for the people who don’t seem to have one.”

Rodriguez, a planning commissioner who owns a downtown tech company, said a financial skill set is underrepresented on the council and he wants to help guide the city. Close to various neighborhood associations, Rodriguez said he hopes to balance the needs of the present and the future.

“We have many challenges on our horizon that do not have black and white answers and are very complex and I’m concerned for how are we as a city going to protect that quality of life not only for current residents but future generations,” Rodriguez said.

De Paula opted not to participate in the interview process stating he was not seeking endorsements.

Balancing growth

Managing the impacts of growth was a top issue for candidates. Whoever is elected to the council will be tasked with reviewing the Downtown Plan Update as well as the city’s height and density restrictions outlined in the voter-approved Measure P, which is slated to expire in 2020.

Bonini said she’s been surprised to hear people describe San Mateo as urban and believes it’s critical to preserve the suburban nature the city and its history. She agreed it’s important to be discussing height limits and suggested the decision be left to voters. Acutely aware and concerned about the effects of the affordability crisis, she said it’s imperative to find a path forward following the failure of tenant protections and would prioritize housing over office growth. 

Drechsler said it’s important to think of the city holistically and keep future generations in mind. He supports transit-oriented development and being creative with mixed-use designs, especially in downtown. He said the city should look at the recipe of density and floor-area ratio and consider where changes could be appropriate while being sensitive to existing neighbors. Ultimately, he believes economic development and improving connections to downtown will be important to its success. 

Goethals said understanding retail market trends and making pedestrian improvements in downtown is key. He noted the city-owned redevelopment lots at the southeastern edge of downtown present a unique opportunity for parking and workforce housing. He believes there is room in the rail and transit corridor for increased density or heights up to 75 feet with community benefits. But ultimately residents’ input is vital and voters should be asked to decide height and density restrictions, Goethals said.

Newsom said he supports measured growth and more housing is needed to address rising unaffordability. While supportive of transit-oriented building such as along El Camino Real, he doesn’t want to shoehorn developments where they don’t fit and said infrastructure upgrades must coincide. He would also like to see mixed-use as part of downtown’s growth but noted there are other business districts that also need attention such as 25th and 42nd avenues.

Rodriguez said he believes there’s room to reform current building restrictions but generally supports keeping height limits in place. But he recognizes tough issues require compromise and further community discussion is needed. He’s concerned about major changes to downtown and suggested expanding the current historical district protections while further engaging businesses in the planning process. He’s mindful of growth for workforce housing needs and pedestrian safety.

Bonilla said the city should strive to promote smart growth and certain areas like near the downtown train station may be capable of accommodating denser or perhaps taller structures. He hopes San Mateo can remain forward thinking by encouraging transit-oriented development, improve pedestrian safety and be mindful of disenfranchised residents who may be fearful to speak out. Downtown’s historic districts must be preserved, protecting neighborhood character is key and ultimately it’s about following the people’s mandate, Bonilla said.

Congestion, business and community

Drechsler said congestion relief should include employers getting creative with transportation demand management plans, rethinking work spaces and promoting corporate buses. He wants to promote economic development while staying away from having overly burdensome regulations or fees. The city should make customer service its number one goal and recognize its cultural diversity, he added.

Goethals said even incremental improvements can increase traffic flow and individual communities must do their part to reduce single-occupancy vehicle trips when possible. He said San Mateo must fight to preserve all of its Caltrain stations, improve El Camino Real and engage employers. Every neighborhood has its own unique needs and traffic calming improvements, assisting with child care options and enhancing recreation is vital to working families’ quality of life, Goethals said.

Newsom said promoting mass transit connectivity, considering ways to bring the various modes together and working with employers on alternate transportation options is vital to address congestion. The city and Chamber of Commerce should work to promote small businesses while encouraging residents to shop local. Expanding after-school and day care options, recreation opportunities, maintaining public safety and promoting sustainability are ways the city can support families, Newsom said.

Rodriguez said San Mateo needs better representation on regional transportation boards to help drive the discussion of transit solutions. The city needs to support local businesses, especially following a minimum wage increase; which could include shop local drives and promoting foot traffic by closing portions of B Street to vehicles for a part of Sundays. He’s very concerned about unfunded pension liabilities and suggests the city look at new revenue opportunities. At the end of the day, the council’s priorities must include fixing public infrastructure, making sure resident are safe and balancing the city’s budget, he said.

Bonilla said he’s a member of the county’s congestion-relief agency Commute.org and noted the importance of Caltrain electrification and grade separations. The city must follow up with developers or employers on transportation demand management plans and he believes we should consider taxing large businesses for transit needs. He would also like to expand the city’s revenue base and use San Mateo’s redevelopment properties for public employee housing. He is very concerned about residents living in unsanitary conditions while too fearful to report building code violations.

Bonini said the lack of housing and a regional transportation system that isn’t easy to get from one place to another is congestion’s culprit. Supporting businesses could include easing up on fees, and finding ways to address housing affordability is critical for middle-income families. Her priorities include stabilizing the diverse community, supporting the community as a whole while collaborating with other agencies and school districts, and making sure City Hall is a place where everyone feels welcome.

samantha@smdailyjournal.com

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Twitter: @samantha_weigel