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RESPONSE TO COUNCIL MEMBERS
It has been suggested by some Council members that www.savefostercity.com
gave the public misleading information in our flyers. Our information
came from City and County documents, and verbal information presented
at City Council and Planning Commission meetings over the past year.
We believe that our statements are true and accurate for the benefit
of public information. We value our integrity and honesty. We have
no intention of deceiving the public: we just want to get out
information to residents of proposals by City Council that will lead
to significant changes in the character and past philosophy of our
city and which will affect the quality of our life in Foster City.
It
is true that more residents have become aware of the proposed massive
development plans in Foster City through this website and the
volunteer efforts of concerned citizens and not through the city’s
efforts.
It is not refutable that the city council and planning
commission are moving forward with three very dense Sares-Regis
Development projects covering a total of about 43 acres (11 acre
Mirabella, Pilgrim-Triton & Chess Offices). All projects include
multiple buildings over sixty feet tall - - seven to fifteen stories.
Adverse impacts include school overload, traffic congestion, noise
and blockage to our skyline.
There is no direct, explicit voter
approval in the current approval process. We propose the citizens be
allowed to directly vote on these projects along with a five- to
six-story height limit (like San Mateo). ________________________________________________________________________________________________
A LETTER FROM A CONCERNED CITIZEN
I
am strongly opposed to the proposed land use at the Foster City high
school/Mirabella site. The proposed plan leaves me with an
overwhelming feeling that what has been promised to Foster City
residents for 40 years for that space, is being largely ignored. I am
not necessarily referring to a high school, though that would have
certainly met the need and remained true to the original City Plan.
Rather, I am referring to a place of coming together, a sense of true
community--something from which all Foster City residents can derive
value (e.g., performing arts auditorium) and where we actually have a
"downtown."
When I consider the use of our precious public land,
I look at it quite parochially. That is, what does it "cost" us and
who benefits and by how much? I am at a loss as to why this notion
has been rejected in favor of a plan that benefits so few.
With
the continued emphasis on generating revenues, we are headed on a path
where City revenues and staff will be high but left with no one to
govern as the population seeks new areas to live that resemble “old”
Foster City. Moreover, I see little regard for protecting local home
values.
Unfortunately, despite newsletters, e-mails, local
newspapers, "word" is remarkably slow to get out, but it surely will.
I am convinced that as Foster City residents begin to learn of the
proposed direction at Mirabella, the City will take a new tact.
Note: To protect the privacy of the sender, we have not published the name.
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THE CHARTER SCHOOL VOTE: A COMMENTARY
The
City Council Members who rescinded last July 22, 2008 the reservation
of the 4-acre land (out of a total of 15-acre vacant land) for a charter high school, literally
closed the door for a school to be built in the future. The 15-acre
land is our last piece of public property in Foster City. With no more public land available, adequately expanding the school facilities in our community is almost impossible.
Magnolia Analysis Was not Necessary.
The City Council turned down the Magnolia Foundation charter school
proposal even before a due diligence report could have been submitted.
The report which will cover future expected cash flows, market study,
risk analysis, technical and legal aspects, and all other important
issues should have been the basis of evaluating the feasibility and
profitability of a charter school.
At the end, such due
diligence report was probably not necessary after all, because the
Council Members who voted against the Magnolia Charter school have made
up their minds all along, i.e. they were not in favor of continuing to
reserve the 4-acre land for a charter high school. No amount of reports
and feasibility studies to be submitted by the Magnolia Foundation will
make a difference.
At Least Continue to Reserve the 4-Acre.
If the voting City Council did not feel that the Magnolia Foundation
was the right school for the community, at the very least, the City
Council should have continued to reserve the 4-acre land for
educational purposes. This is in consideration for our children and
our youth, who are the future of our nation. We need to give them the
best we can to educate them.
Children and youth under the age
of 19 years old comprise a sizeable 23% of the city’s population. This
segment of our community should not be neglected, particularly their
educational needs.
Disconnect Between Plan and Available Facilities.
The City Officials are pursuing an aggressive redevelopment plan, which
will build at least 36 new buildings and add 1,200 new residential
units in our community. With Foster City's elementary public schools
operating above full capacity, where does the City Council expect the
new resident children to go to school? And now, they have literally
pulled out the 4-acre land for educational purposes which could have
housed those facilities.
While there is an aggressive plan to
grow the buildings and residents, there is no corresponding plan with
regards to school facilities, infrastructure, and other services. It is
such a big disconnect.
Total Rejection of the 2006 Survey Results. The
Council Members who have voted to rescind the reservation have totally
disregarded the results of the 2006 survey, wherein 80% of the
respondents supported education on the 15-acre open space public land.
The survey expresses the will of the people and should have been
honored and respected by City Officials.
The 4 acre is a token
land, considering that there are 15 acres available. Regrettably, even
the token land was literally taken away.
From a School to a Retirement Community - A Puzzle.
From a school in the 15-acre site, as requested by the residents, to a
retirement community - - what a shift!. How and why did it end up that
way? It is definitely puzzling.
Education is a Social Good.
The 4-acre land will be made available in the market for other
competing purposes. Highly likely, the deep-pocket Sares Regis will be
granted the use of this property and it will expand its Mirabella
project. City Officials will view it as a better revenue generator.
The
point being missed out in all of this, is that there are social goods,
like education, which may not be financially profitable but have
immeasurable intangible social benefits to society. In overly focusing
on the monetary return, the greater benefit that a good education can
bring to an individual and to society is ignored. And the irony of it
all, the government is supposed to pursue the creation of social goods
and be the champion of public education.
ULTIMATELY,
THOSE WHO VOTED TO RESCIND THE 4-ACRE SITE FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES
WILL HAVE TO LIVE WITH THE CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR DECISION.
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