News
 
July 22, 2008

Council Rescinds the 4-Acre Reservation for a Charter School

The Foster City Council, by a majority vote, rescinded the 4-acre land as a reserved space for educational purposes.  Along with this, it also rejected the proposal of the Magnolia Foundation to build a charter school in the community.

Those who voted to rescind were: Mayor Pam Frisella, Council Member Linda Koelling, and Council Member  Rick Wykoff.  Council Member Art Kiesel was absent.  The only dissenting vote was cast by Vice Mayor John Kiramis.

Please read our commentary.

Below are links to related articles:

http://www.smdailyjournal.com/article_preview.php?id=95270

http://www.insidebayarea.com/search/ci_9956495?IADID=Search-www.insidebayarea.com-www.insidebayarea.com





July 7, 2008
Council Approves Mirabella Increase

The Foster City Council voted overwhelmingly to allow the developer Sares Regis to increase the number of units in its proposed Mirabella Project by 25%.  This translates to an increase from 331 to 420 units and from  65 to 70 affordable housing units. (Note, by law about 20% of total units should be for affordable housing.)

Sares Regis requested the increase as necessary (i.e. to meet their required rate of return or profit) in the light of economic factors such as inflation, increased construction cost, affordability of financing, and decline in residential real estate values.  Sares Regis will own and operate the Mirabella.


The Council voted as follows:

  • In favor were Mayor Pam Frisella and Council Members Linda Koelling and Rick Wykoff.
  • Vice Mayor John Kiramis cast a dissenting vote because he did not approve of the reduction in the number of assisted living units from 36 to 20.  Note, however that in previous council meetings, John Kiramis voted in favor of the Mirabela Project.
  • Council Member Art Kiesel did not vote because of conflict of interest.  Note, however, that he voted in previous council meetings in favor of the Mirabela Project.

The new business term request provides the right to Sares Regis to eliminate all together the retail section of the Project and the right to build as high and as dense as they want. 
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Below are links to related articles:
      http://sanmateodailynews.com/article/2008-7-8-fc-mirabella
      http://www.smdailyjournal.com/article_preview.php?id=94407