Editor,
If a bomb goes off but no one is listening, is there any damage? Wake up, San Mateans, there is a war against single-family home neighborhoods and voter approved Measure Y building height limits. A Jan. 24 decision by City Council could change everything.
We have an imminent state deadline to submit our housing element (plan showing compliance with 7,015 mandated housing units for San Mateo). Failure can force a builder’s remedy, whereby developers are provided a tool to fast track their proposals.
City staff determined we could meet the numbers working with Measure Y height limits, and even included an extra “buffer.” However, some on the Planning Commission took it upon themselves to cry foul to the Department of Housing, stating our housing element was insufficient. Recently, the Planning Commission also recommended the council deny staff’s proposed housing element, opening a door for the builder’s remedy.
No fan of Measure Y, Bohannon Development now says limits hold them back from creating 2,000 units at Hillsdale and recently reduced their count to 1,200 (though I’m willing to bet they build 2,000) which impacts our count, but we still have a buffer!
We can meet the mandate, yet a small group of pro-development extremists fighting to remove local land use control will bombard council on Jan. 24. Remind the council they represent residents who told them they want managed growth and protected neighborhoods. Urge them to adopt the current housing element!
Email today: CityCouncil@CityofSanMateo.org and copy Polds@cityofsanmateo.org or attend and speak Jan. 24:
Lisa Taner
San Mateo
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(1) comment
I’m really hoping the City Council will ask each speaker if they are a San Mateo resident or affiliated with a developer or other outside lobbying organization. We have been overrun with outside interests who have no concern for what’s really needed in San Mateo - they need to be called out and not put above the voices of residents.
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