| Campaign Committee |
Honorary Chair
Gail Woolley
Former Mayor
Palo Alto |
Co-chairs
Emily Renzel
Joe Shakes
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Senior Campaign Advisors
Pat Burt
Gary Fazzino
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Committee
Betsy Allyn
Annette Ashton
Anne Ercolani
Len Filppu
Sheri Furman
Elaine Meyer
Enid Pearson
Bob Roth
Harriett Shakes
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My Thoughts on the Issues
Balancing Housing and Retail Needs
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My basic rule is "zone for what you want." While this may seem obvious, all too often zoning assumes market trends will not change in ways that will negatively impact the unprotected. In Palo Alto, such gaps in zoning allowed the removal of numerous small homes and cottages on single lots that were replaced with one large more expensive home, thus making our community less sustainable and less affordable. Several years ago, the City added ground floor protections for retail because it was being lost to office use due to no previous exclusions of office in the zoning laws. |
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A sustainable community needs to provide access to housing for its work force. I propose creating an affordable housing zoning overlay to provide a predictable, efficient process and applying that overlay to appropriate locations near transit and business districts. |
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Palo Alto is "built out" in that it has very little undeveloped land. Impact fees collected as part of development projects do not assure dedication of parks near new housing given the shortage of available land. Given this situation, large housing projects should be providing public open space. To lessen the potential for even greater demand for open space, private and public open space policies must be preserved in commercial and housing projects. As stated previously, it is important to balance housing demand with the ability to provide the city services, such as parks, needed to continue the quality of life that makes Palo Alto desirable. |
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The City can improve the processing of applications for businesses that provide new retail and community services to Palo Alto. I propose using an ombudsman for the small retailers who may need assistance with the City's complex processes. An ombudsman may identify a more user friendly and less expensive process. |
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I believe Palo Alto needs a business registry that may carry a very small fee, but also think a registry will provide opportunity to help businesses including creating awareness so they can be included in the bidding process on City projects or events. A registry also will help with efforts to attract complementary businesses. |
The Environment
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In reviewing projects in the urban area, I try to address automobile trip reduction, including alternate transportation means such as bicycle and shuttle. |
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I emphasized the need to focus on waste reduction rather than on recycling in the recent discussion of an Environment Services Center. I am also a member of Palo Alto's Zero Waste Task Force. |
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We need to prioritize the need for the completion of the Baylands Master Plan and revision of the hillside zoning code, as well as retain open space in the face of development pressures. |
The Planning Process
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I believe everything should be considered in balance, a balance of private and public rights, for example. Zoning was invented to protect the public's health, safety and quality of life. |
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What I think Palo Alto needs is a more efficient, predictable process for both the applicant and the public. This is achievable by more closely following existing rules and by achieving better coordination among the various city departments that review applications in order to relieve much of the frustrations of applicants. Process inefficiency is the largest complaint I hear. |
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