Jun 25, 2008

Battle shapes up over Open Space Vote

Citizens group opposes push to give residents more say on development

By Shaun Bishop / Daily News Staff Writer

What is shaping up as an epic battle over land use in Redwood City picked up more steam Tuesday as a citizens group announced it has formed to oppose a ballot initiative that would prohibit any developments proposed in open spaces without the overwhelming approval of residents.

Calling themselves Citizens to Protect Redwood City, the group of local residents pledged to fight Open Space Vote, the city charter amendment proposal by environmental groups to require two-thirds of voters to allow construction in areas deemed "open space."

"Election sound byte politics is not the way to plan our community," said Jerry Pierce, vice chairman and a co-founder of the citizens group. "(The initiative) is overreaching, a shotgun approach, and legally vague."

The group's unveiling behind City Hall came a day after proponents of the charter amendment announced that the city clerk certified 6,500 resident signatures in support of the measure, surpassing the 5,300 needed to qualify it for the November ballot.

The primary proponents of the initiative, Save the Bay and Friends of Redwood City, have their sights set on 1,433 acres of bayfront land owned by Cargill Inc. The company is considering developing part of the land, which has triggered the opposition of environmental groups who say it all should be restored to wetlands.

A city attorney's analysis found that the initiative would also mandate a two-thirds approval for any developments proposed in some city parks and several private properties zoned as "tidal plain."

Cherlene Wright, chairwoman of the new citizens group, said it will form a political action committee and begin fundraising for a fall campaign to shoot down the initiative, ensuring Redwood City residents will be caught in the middle of a fierce battle this fall.

Meanwhile, the city council may consider placing a competing measure on the ballot, Mayor Rosanne Foust said Tuesday.

Foust said residents have complained that although the measure would require a two-thirds vote for development approval, the charter change itself would take effect with a simple majority vote.

She said a competing measure could require a two-thirds approval for the charter change.

The council also might consider a measure that would require a public vote on any development specifically on the Cargill land, though Foust emphasized neither idea has been vetted by the city attorney.

The citizens group portrayed the initiative as an effort by an outside group - Oakland-based Save the Bay - to circumvent the city's planning process.

But Save the Bay's executive director, David Lewis, said his group has hundreds of members in Redwood City and the initiative has broad support in the community, as evidenced by the gathered signatures.

"They want to be able to vote on any plan to destroy open space," Lewis said.

Supporters of the initiative have said they are defending an attack on open space, but the citizens group says it is defending an attack on the charter, the city's founding document.

"When I heard they were changing the charter, to me, that's the Constitution," said Jerry Pierce, the husband of Council Member Barbara Pierce. "It is our bible and you don't change that without serious consideration."

The council will hold a special meeting Monday to discuss the proposed charter amendment, Foust said.



E-mail Shaun Bishop at sbishop@dailynewsgroup.com.