Flag-Bearing Kids, Neighbor Dispute, and a Spirited Defense of the Redevelopment Agency

This week’s City Council meeting was dominated by an unusually charged dispute between residents over the size of one neighbor’s upstairs addition – but not before the council issued a surprising political statement aimed straight at Sacramento.

Speaking on behalf of the full council, Mayor Jack Matthews made comments regarding recent threats by Gov. Jerry Brown to eliminate funding to the redevelopment agencies of nearly 400 California cities, including San Mateo’s.

“We see this as a real threat to our community,” Matthews said. “There are so many projects we wouldn’t have had if the Redevelopment Agency wasn’t here.”

Matthews said the city’s Redevelopment Agency, whose board is comprised of the five Council members, has been an economic lifeblood for San Mateo. He listed several major projects and improvements he said would never have happened were it not for the agency, such as Century 12 Theatres (which he said brings in about 9 percent of the city’s sales tax revenue), as well as the approximately 130 restaurants downtown, Shoreline Park, Peninsula Station affordable housing, a new gym at San Mateo High and more.

“We urge that the Redevelopment Agency can be retained,” he concluded. The resolution was added to the Council’s consent calendar for approval.

Gov. Brown has called city redevelopment agencies a “piggybank” and “futile.” His main case is that the state simply cannot afford it, and he claims that a majority of the public agrees with him.

The statement came early in the meeting, right after the council quickly opened and adjourned in its capacity as the joint City Council and Redevelopment Agency.

Before that, the meeting was opened by a flag-bearing procession of students from , who led the chamber in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.

The bulk of the meeting was dedicated to an emotional dispute between property owners on the 700 block of Nevada Avenue over a remodel proposal, which one side said would ruin their views of the Bay. Their voices shaking, Kelly and Kelly Cliff implored the Council to disallow the addition submitted by Ben Yang and Annie Hung.

After remarks from the main parties involved, Hung and Yang’s architect testified that his design, which had already been approved by the Planning Commission, was not too intrusive.

About two dozen of their neighbors attended the meeting, with several speaking before the Council to weigh in on the issue. Opinion on 700 Nevada appeared to be split fairly evenly between the two sides.

Larry Mitchell, an elderly resident of the block, approached the podium slowly. “I’m built for comfort not speed,” he joked.

“We have a single story house with a two story on either side,” he said, “and you do feel like you’re in a hallway.” But Mitchell thought there was room for compromise: “I think there are more ways to look at this that just one architect’s. He proposed a redo on the design, with everyone’s interest in mind. “I think both sides should be seeing this as it goes along.”

When the neighbors were done speaking, it was the Council’s turn.

“This is the kind of hearing that I knew that I would look forward to the least,” said Council member David Lim. “I’m not blaming either side. You went through the process, you went through the appeals process; both sides have compelling arguments.”

“It doesn’t matter which side of the fence you fell on,” said Council member Robert Ross. “If it were you … you’d feel that you were correct.” But he said he would support the remodel, noting that governments must “allow people to use their property for what they purchased it for.”

Matthews also struck a conciliatory tone, saying, “Whichever way we go on this there’s going to be someone who’s going to be unhappy.”

Like Lim, he said he hoped the neighbors could patch things up, noting that whatever happens, at the end of the day these two families will be living side by side.

Ultimately, the council voted unanimously to allow the remodel.