To: Marshall Anstandig, Mayor and Council Member, Burton Craig, Vice-Mayor, Council Member, Curtis Rogers, Council Member, Rowena Turnder, Council Member, Evert Wolsheimer, Council Member, and Andrea Chelemengos, City Clerk
Stop 15-21 Unit Multifamily, High-Density Housing Development at First Baptist Church Across from...
We, the undersigned, request the Monte Sereno City Council stop all efforts to rezone one-acre (~44,000 square feet) of the parking area of the First Baptist Church property located at 17765 Daves Ave., Monte Sereno, CA for "by right" construction of 15-21 units of high-density, multi-family housing across the street from Daves Elementary School. Please revoke the prior city council action now. Don't waste further money and time putting this issue on the ballot; instead use city funds to explore real, viable options to meet the City's housing mandate.
Why is this important?
On Tuesday, June 6, 2017, at 7 pm the Monte Sereno City Council will hear public comments and then formally vote on whether to rescind their prior action to re-zone the First Baptist Church on Daves Avenue for multi-family housing.
The council will decide whether to revoke the former council's decision from last year which zoned the church so as to allow the building of 15-21 high density, multi-family housing units. The meeting on June 6 comes after a citizen petition to revoke decision or put it the voters on a ballot was rejected by the city. That petition was then taken to court and the petitioners (The Monte Sereno Citizens for Sensible Development) won in court. Now the Council must either revoke the zoning decision on June 6, 2017, or put the zoning decision to the voters on the 2018 general election ballot.
Last year's Council passed the zoning decision despite overwhelming citizen opposition. Citizens opposed the zoning change for many reasons: Perhaps most important because it would put children at risk by hugely increasing density and traffic right across the street from already-impacted Daves Elementary. The proposed development would have been extremely high-density packing as many as 21 units on a one-acre portion of the church property. Further, the zoning change would set Monte Sereno up for its own version of Los Gatos' "North 40" mess because the zoning change calls for "by right" development, meaning that when a developer eventually wants to develop the property, the citizens would have very little say in controlling the process. (It should also be noted, the church did not ask for and has opposed the zoning decision - the City didn't even listen to the landowner who does not want this zoning change.)
The City has now wasted well over $100,000 on this matter, rejecting a qualified petition and fighting in court over technicalities. Because of the high cost putting a matter on the election ballot, the City stands to spend tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars more if the Council does not vote to revoke the prior, misguided zoning decision. This is money which could be much better spent finding real solutions to the housing issue, fixing our streets, and taking care of the citizens of Monte Sereno's real health and safety priorities.
Please sign this petition AND plan to show up on June 6, 2017 at 7pm to the council meeting at Monte Sereno City Hall 18041 Saratoga-Los Gatos Road, Monte Sereno, to make your voice heard loud and clear: Zoning the First Baptist Church property to allow 15-21 units of high-density, multi-family housing is a terrible idea. Now is the time for our new, 2017 City Council to step up and reject that plan forever.
The City is avoiding publicizing this critical meeting, so please be sure that your neighbors who may not be aware learn of this important meeting, sign this petition and plan to attend and speak.
The council will decide whether to revoke the former council's decision from last year which zoned the church so as to allow the building of 15-21 high density, multi-family housing units. The meeting on June 6 comes after a citizen petition to revoke decision or put it the voters on a ballot was rejected by the city. That petition was then taken to court and the petitioners (The Monte Sereno Citizens for Sensible Development) won in court. Now the Council must either revoke the zoning decision on June 6, 2017, or put the zoning decision to the voters on the 2018 general election ballot.
Last year's Council passed the zoning decision despite overwhelming citizen opposition. Citizens opposed the zoning change for many reasons: Perhaps most important because it would put children at risk by hugely increasing density and traffic right across the street from already-impacted Daves Elementary. The proposed development would have been extremely high-density packing as many as 21 units on a one-acre portion of the church property. Further, the zoning change would set Monte Sereno up for its own version of Los Gatos' "North 40" mess because the zoning change calls for "by right" development, meaning that when a developer eventually wants to develop the property, the citizens would have very little say in controlling the process. (It should also be noted, the church did not ask for and has opposed the zoning decision - the City didn't even listen to the landowner who does not want this zoning change.)
The City has now wasted well over $100,000 on this matter, rejecting a qualified petition and fighting in court over technicalities. Because of the high cost putting a matter on the election ballot, the City stands to spend tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars more if the Council does not vote to revoke the prior, misguided zoning decision. This is money which could be much better spent finding real solutions to the housing issue, fixing our streets, and taking care of the citizens of Monte Sereno's real health and safety priorities.
Please sign this petition AND plan to show up on June 6, 2017 at 7pm to the council meeting at Monte Sereno City Hall 18041 Saratoga-Los Gatos Road, Monte Sereno, to make your voice heard loud and clear: Zoning the First Baptist Church property to allow 15-21 units of high-density, multi-family housing is a terrible idea. Now is the time for our new, 2017 City Council to step up and reject that plan forever.
The City is avoiding publicizing this critical meeting, so please be sure that your neighbors who may not be aware learn of this important meeting, sign this petition and plan to attend and speak.