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In progress. Welcome to the City of Foster City, a stereo municipal improvement district regular meeting of Monday, May 19th, 2025, 630 PM. Members of the public that wish to attend and are participate in the meeting may do so in person or by joining the Zoom meeting. Public comments will be accepted both in person and via Zoom. Any email sent to public comment at fostercity.org have been provided to the council prior to the meeting.

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All right. Welcome. I will call this meeting to order.

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Senator, I do have one request of staff.

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It looks like we only have one door that's open, can we unlock one of the other two doors?

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Thank you.

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Why don't we begin with the Pledge of Allegiance, please?

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Thank you, next item, please.

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Item three, roll call, council members, ex officio, emid directors, Art Kiesel.

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Here.

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Stacey Neaterhofer?

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Sorry, Susie Neaterhofer, present.

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Patrick Sullivan, Phoebe Venkat, and mayor, president, Stacey Jimenez.

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I'm here. Next item, please. Item 4, special presentations 4.1, presentation by the San Mateo County Transportation Authority regarding US 101, State Route 92 Interchange Direct Connector Project.

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All right, we have Carolyn Memorandolo and Amy Linahan. Welcome.

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Good evening, council members, and thank you for having us here tonight to provide an overview of the

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U.S. 101 State Route 92 Director-Connector Project.

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Again, my name is Carolyn Mamaradlo.

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I'm a Senior Project Manager with the San Mateo County Transportation Authority.

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Joining me today are Jessica Manzi, our Project Delivery Director,

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as well as Van Acompo with the CCAG.

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And co-presenting via Zoom is Amy Lynn Han from our government and community affairs team.

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Before we begin the presentation, just want to start by acknowledging that we've started

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this project really on the wrong foot.

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There's information in the community about dozens of homes being taken by the project,

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which is rightfully alarming.

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And there are concerns that the project won't serve residents and that it's fully baked

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with no community input in the decision-making process.

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What we know now is that the current project alternatives will not require the purchase

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of any houses or parks, and I will go into more detail on this on a later slide.

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What we don't know and what we're still working on to complete this assessment is how the project

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may affect utilities in the area, whether CalTrans will approve the designs and what the potential

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noise and sound wall needs will be today

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we're here to assure that we're committed to creating

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a more transparent and engaging process moving forward and that no decisions about the project

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have been made yet illustrated on this slide is how the state defined environmental review process

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is designed to minimize harm and maximize public benefit we're here in this first part of the process

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us on the left, where all the technical studies are being done to inform what the potential

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project impacts and mitigations will be.

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And this is a complex iterative process, which is why findings are subject to change during

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the step, and may only represent a snapshot of what the ultimate comprehensive findings

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will be.

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Those findings will be compiled in a draft environmental impact report that's then circulated for public

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feedback so that everyone can have an informed conversation about whether or

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not to build this project. So we apologize for the way things have been

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communicated about this very complicated project to date but what we're

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looking forward to is getting more input today on better ways we can do this.

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So presentation today is three we're going to cover three main points. First is

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general overview of what the project is and how it came about. Second is sharing progress

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today where we're at within the overall project development process. And lastly we're going

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to share how we propose to get the public involved and have a discussion to get your input.

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So starting off with some background and how this project came to be, there's been a long

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Along history of public interest in fixing the traffic issues at the interchange.

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The 101-92 was identified as far back as the 1988 Measure A.

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Again, in the 2004 Measure A, and more recently in the 2018 Regional Measure III.

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These tax measures dedicate a portion of funding specifically for freeway projects.

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but also include funding for transit, bike, and pedestrian improvements, so it's not a zero-sum situation.

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The actual direct connector project was not identified in those tax measures, but was the recommendation from a 2016 planning study that involved the cities, CalTrans, SMCTA, and CCAG, to look at a range of possible solutions,

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and ultimately recommended two packages, comprised of short-term and long-term solutions.

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These each have since advanced as separate projects, the area improvements project and

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the direct connector project.

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Before we get to the direct connector project, I'm going to, project I'm going to touch briefly

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on the short-term area improvements project.

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The near-term project includes less complex, low-hanging fruit type of improvements at four

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ramp locations that are listed here to address safety and traffic flow issues.

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While these will provide some traffic relief, the overall demand and projected growth in

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congestion would still need to be addressed by the longer-term direct connector project.

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And this project is funded with local measure A, as well as federal, earmark, and regional

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measure three funding.

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The short-term area improvements project is currently under construction and scheduled

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to be complete by summer 2028.

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All of the improvements will be located within CalTrans property, and construction activities

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will be minimized during sensitive hours to avoid noise and light disruptions.

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Any work that may impact travel lanes will be focused overnight to avoid exacerbating traffic during peak travel times.

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CalTrans is the construction lead and handling all of the public information efforts.

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This brings us to the Direct Connector project.

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This project is intended to achieve the goals listed here by providing a new median ramp connector that would allow users to stay in the center lanes to get from one freeway

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to the other without having to cross multiple lanes.

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This new connector would be operated as an express lane,

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and that would be free for high occupancy vehicles,

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such as buses, shuttles, and carpools,

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and help to free up space in the general purpose lanes.

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This project was first initiated by the cities in 2019,

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and then in 2021, the cities requested that the TA and

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CKAC take over sponsorship due to the regional nature and

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level of effort required for a project of the scale.

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The project is currently in the environmental review phase.

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The purpose of which is to inform a decision on whether or not to pursue the project.

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There are four alternatives being studied.

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The first being a no-build option that would result in no changes to the interchange.

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The other three build alternatives will be detailed on the next few slides.

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If a build alternative is approved, the project may advance to future phases for design and construction, but

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will still be subject to funding availability.

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Currently, there are no funds secured for the design or construction phases of this project.

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For alternative one, this design would benefit peak morning traffic when there's more demand coming into the peninsula from the east.

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and drivers would enter the connector from the center lanes, lane of 92, heading westbound,

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and flying over to tie into both directions of 101.

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This would help users avoid having to cross multiple lanes to get to the existing connector ramps,

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which currently contributes to a lot of the delay and safety issues here.

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With this alternative, we expect a benefit to city streets by encouraging drivers to stay

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on the freeway instead of using J. Hart Clinton Drive, Hillsdale Boulevard and Fashion

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Island Boulevard shown here in red to get to 101.

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Going out of order a little bit, I'll move into alternative three.

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The direct connector would serve the opposite direction and start in the center express lanes

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of 101 and tie into ease about 92.

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This would serve demand in the evening hours and offer similar benefits to traffic flow

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and reduced cut through city streets as alternative one.

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This design would also provide traffic relief for residents using Hillsdale, Fashion Island,

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in Edgewater, Foster City Boulevard to get home, but are currently getting caught up in

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the traffic caused by all the eastbound 92 traffic.

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Finally, alternative two.

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This would provide a reversible lane facility that would use a gating system to change the

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flow of traffic on the direct connector from westbound during the morning peak hours to

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eastbound in the evening peak hours and provide the combined benefits of both alternative

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So for each of these alternatives, as I mentioned earlier, we've recently refined our assessment of the potential property impacts, which are summarized on this slide.

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None of the current build alternatives will require acquisition of parks or houses.

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Alternative three would not require any land beyond existing cash transfer property.

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However, for alternatives 1 and 2, there may be portions of residential yards, approximately

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through Andrew Square feet across multiple properties, as well as space within an existing

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utility easement, which is the area behind people's rear fences and the freeway sound wall,

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along the western side of Norton Street that may be needed.

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And again, these may change pending confirmation of what's required for those utilities,

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culture and safety and design standards, and what may be needed for the sound wall to mitigate potential noise impacts.

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Summarized here is the Environmental Review Schedule.

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It's over three years of work.

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Currently, our focus is on numerous engineering and environmental studies that are currently underway.

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The study findings are anticipated to be ready by fall next year, and will be compiled

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and circulated for public comment as part of the draft environmental impact report.

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Public comments provided and the draft AAR are then considered as part of a selection

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of a preferred alternative, and that gets wrapped up in a final EIR, and the TACCAD boards

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would then consider whether or not to advance the project.

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And throughout this process, there will be ongoing public engagement that AB will walk us through in more detail in later slides.

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The process for selecting the preferred alternative is illustrated on this slide.

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As I mentioned, community feedback is a key factor that gets considered along with potential environmental impacts, project benefits, design feasibility and cost.

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All these factors will be presented to the TA and C-CAC boards for consideration and feedback as the first step in the selection of a preferred alternative.

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That will then feed into a recommendation from the project development team, which is comprised of staff from CalTrans, T and C-CAC.

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And then ultimately, the selection is made by CalTrans, at which point if the project is approved,

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the decision, we'll be back to TACCAC boards on whether or not they would like to continue seeking funding for this project.

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So with that, I'm going to hand it off to Amy to cover the outreach plan.

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Good evening, everyone. Can you all hear me?

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First test of noon.

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Yes, we can.

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Thank you.

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Thank you for having us inviting us tonight to speak to you.

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I'm sorry I couldn't be there in person, but I'm happy to be able to join you remotely. My name is Amy Lynnahan.

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I'm a government, community affairs officer for the TA. I'm going to review the public participation plan that we are putting together for this phase of the project. Would like to get your feedback on some of the tactics that we've outlined, if we have time later on in the evening. But before I go through what announced to about two slides, I would like to take a quick step back and mention just a few things related to the environmental review process and how it relates to this project in particular.

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The environmental review process that Carolyn just outlined is clearly very long.

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It takes years to go from point A to point B to point C. And from members of the public

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that are not familiar with this process, they can be very frustrating to understand how

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to get their voice heard and how to get their voice heard in a meaningful way that can actually

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impact the decisions that are made between points A, point B and point C. And for projects

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It's like this that have created some very, very valid concerns for community members.

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That frustration can be really heightened because not only is this a long process,

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but it's very prescriptive.

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The process itself actually lays out exactly when and how the public can provide feedback

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in a way that it is considered to be on the record.

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Of knowing this, we have developed a public outreach plan that goes above and beyond

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the outreach that was done for previous phases of this project.

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and above and beyond what you would typically see

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for the release of a draft environmental impact report.

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Because at the end of the day,

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the TA does not want to be implementing projects

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that are not supported by data and the community.

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And I can't stress that enough.

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The TA does not want to be implementing projects

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that are not supported by the community.

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The public participation plan has a few goals as I see them.

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I want to provide the public and our stakeholders

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with an abundance of information about the project,

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given information about what we are studying,

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why we are studying it, give them a chance

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to meet with project staff, get their questions answered,

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and provide early input into the drafts VIR.

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That way, members of the community

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who want to participate in an upcoming

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Caltrans public comment process can do so

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in an informed manner.

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I also want to make sure that members of the community

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that want to participate in public comment process

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know exactly how and when to do that.

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I do want to acknowledge the fact that there has been some confusion about this project.

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It is a complicated process, but project and a complicated process, but we are committing

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to do a better job with our community outreach and clarifying any confusion people may have

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about the project.

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One of the reasons why we're here tonight is really important that people understand about

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this project.

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We're really strived to be more open, more transparent, and forthcoming with all of our projects that affect our local communities.

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We have committed to improving our communications.

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We will be providing monthly updates to our stakeholders and the community for anybody who's interested in receiving those.

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And you will continue to see us out in the community in the coming months and years to get that feedback.

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back. So moving to the first slide, we have divided this public participation into three

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phases. First phase, which we're in right now, focuses on explaining the project, explaining

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the process, and getting that early input. This all happens before the draft and environmental

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impact report is released. It actually started last summer with a sculpting meeting that we held,

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and it will continue until next summer. So we have another, approximately, another year to go

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this phase of the project. During this phase of the project, as I mentioned, we hope the scope

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and meeting were having regular updates with our board and the CCA board. We continued to coordinate

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with city staff and can provide council updates like this on a regular basis if needed. We did host

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a set of project neighbor virtual office hours where upon request, neighbors of the project would

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meet with the project staff asking questions they may have.

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We did host a neighborhood meet and greet this past weekend in San Mateo, again, where

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members of the public could come and personally meet with the project team asking those clarifying

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questions that may have.

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It was a good opportunity for us to maybe clear some confusion that's out there.

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We will continue to look for ways that we can be more out there in the public and engage with

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members of the community because we really are committed to doing that moving forward.

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We have identified some elements of the design phase that can be studied as part of the EIR.

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So we will be holding focus topic discussions with members of the community and stakeholders

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to get their feedback on those elements of the design phase.

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So we'll look for those focus topic conversations to come up as well during this phase.

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the project. Phase two, which really focuses on the release of that draft environmental

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impact report, we anticipate that we'll begin in fall of 2026 and extend into early 2027.

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This is really about talking about the project benefits and impacts as they are discussed

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in that draft environmental impact report. Again, we will be providing T.A. and C.C.C.

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board updates, state staff coordination will continue as we'll council meeting updates.

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CalTrans will release a draft environmental impact report and host a public comment

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period. It will probably be about 45 days long. We will make ourselves available at community

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meetings to meet with people and really distill down what is in that draft environmental impact

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report. It is a dense document. It is hard for the majority of people to really understand

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all the verbiage that's in there so it's our responsibility to make sure that they have

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blood information about what is said in the draft environmental impact reports that they can

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make informed comments and there will also be a public hearing. I've been telling people that

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this is really a critical phase of the project. For all of those people that are engaging with us right

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now, don't lose that momentum, make sure you come back, make sure you get your comments on the record,

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make sure that cattle trans and our board and CK sees all of these comments and we can really get a feel for what the

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sentiment is out there about what people want to see and what they don't want to see.

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And again, my job is to make sure that everybody knows how and when to comment.

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Our goal is to make it as easy as possible even if that means I stand in the room, back of a room with an iPad and help people walk through the process.

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I'm happy to do that.

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So yes, this is a really important time to make sure that you get those formal comments on the record.

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Phase three really focuses on the red lease and the final EIR.

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That will take place in probably about early 2027 to summer of 2027.

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The focus on that will be explaining what that final alternative is and providing members of the public details about that.

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It also includes a really important decision that our board has about whether or not they want to pursue additional funding through this

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project. So those are the three phases as we've outlined them from summer 2024 all the way to summer 2020 second.

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Next slide please.

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So I mentioned needing to get information out there about how people can participate. We have a number of public participation

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tools that we have set up, we have a dedicated project web page, a multi-lingual fact sheet

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which explains a lot of details about the project, a frequently asked section portion

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of the web page, and every meeting we have, all of those public meetings, they will all

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be publicized in a variety of different ways, whether that's physical, invitations, mail

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to people, neighborhood flyers, there will be a newspaper ad about that public comment

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period and telling people where they can go for the public meeting. We will continue to blast

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people, blast issue e-blast and there will be a variety of social media posts that we issue,

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both on our social media platform and and cal transfer really get the word out there and let people

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know what's going on. And so if this body has any suggestions for additional things we can do,

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additional tools that you may think may be useful for your community. You know the best

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We're happy to take any of those suggestions.

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And that is not the portion of the question.

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Oh, yes, next step.

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We will continue our environmental studies and engineering reports.

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We're going to finalize those focus topic discussions for next summer and then we'll continue

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to provide a city council update in fall of 2026 as we initiate face to average.

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That

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concludes our presentation and happy to answer any questions.

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Great.

256
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Thank you so much.

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So we'll start with questions from Council then turn to public comment.

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So when we start with questions, we'll go to Council Member Sullivan, do you have any questions?

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Just one question, what I appreciate your presentation.

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Right now, we haven't developed which plan we're going to do and we're going to investigate

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it.

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And I think the range right now is $200 million, and I guess the projected depending on what happens with the economy and everything else is somewhere around 400, which is double.

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Most of your fundings coming from state or federal money right now, we're seeing it cut back in our state and also federal government.

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And so I am a little bit concerned of an alternative for financing.

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Is there been any thought process in that?

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Because the financing is pretty scary right now.

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Yeah, again, so the prior planning study estimated that the project may cost around 200 million.

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So that's now an outdated estimate.

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We don't have a current estimate yet, but

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but it's likely that the project would cost more than 200 million and current funding for this phase includes local measure A funds as well as regional measure three funds, which is administered through the MTC.

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We would be looking to leverage those funds to compete for federal state funding in the future.

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if the project is approved and.

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So basically you don't have any answer because I appreciate I read the slides and I understand where the money is and we're hoping anyway what I was leading up to is that maybe you need to have an alternative plan if the funding's not there that's that was my only point anyway that's that's all my questions for now Madam Mayor.

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Thank you, Councilmember Venkin.

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Thank you, Carolyn, Amy, and team, for presenting today.

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One of the questions I have is around, you know, I wasn't able to find on research on my own

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any kind of case studies that show that highway widening and projects similar to this

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do help in the long term, right?

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I was able to find some examples of short-term relief.

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There was a project in Texas where they widened to 23 lanes.

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So they saw some immediate relief and then it went back to pre-condestion levels.

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Are there studies that we can refer to or examples we can refer to that will help us understand

283
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the impact that you're speaking about?

284
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Yeah, that's a great question I might have just help me with this one.

285
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Thank you for your question.

286
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Just Nancy, the Director of Project Delivery with the Transportation Authority.

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So the modeling and the analysis that we're doing now is going to help inform what sort

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of impacts and benefits we're going to see from a traffic standpoint.

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One of the unique elements of this project is that it's providing additional capacity for

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that specific segment between 101 and 92, but it's not changing the capacity of either

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92 on one side or 101 on the other. So because those facilities aren't changing you still have

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the same volume of traffic that's going to go through the facility, but there's more space for

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that existing volume to use. And so the hope is that you shift some of the cars that are doing all

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of that merging and creating all that congestion on 101 and 92 to this direct connector so that those

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flow more freely, and you don't have that backup that keeps people, even folks that aren't using the

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interchange direct itself, that it clears up some of that congestion that you experience on either

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92 or 101. So it's not exactly the same as, you know, adding even our ExpressLanes project on 101,

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or your Texas example where you're adding 23 miles of of highways. It's a different example because

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those in those cases you're actually adding new capacity that could be accessed from multiple

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sources. Thanks and a follow-up question I have is around the transit component and actually I know

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the answer I don't see a transit component in this plan and I think that you know that would be given

302
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and all the money that is going to be allocated to be spent on this potential project, I would

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think that we want to focus on transit, especially with cross-bay transit connections, because

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there's data that shows people, a lot of the people are commuting from East Bay to mid-Southern

305
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Peninsula, so strengthening those kinds of transit connections can be really helpful in

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alleviation congestion. So I know there's no component in this plan. Is there any way to be able to modify this plan and to be able to fit in and integrate transit?

307
00:29:30,850 --> 00:29:43,090
So it's an interesting question. So the funding, it depends a little bit on the funding source where the best opportunity is to incorporate transit into the project is as a mitigation measure.

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So any project within the state of California that increases vehicle miles traveled is required to mitigate those impacts

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And so one of the ways to mitigate

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What we call a VMT impact is through projects that reduce

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Driving so some of those

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Those options are increased or new transit service, affordable housing, some complete streets projects that reduce travel lanes or repurposed travel lanes for transit service or active transportation. So there are opportunities through the mitigation program to consider transit. But as it stands, the project itself, largely in part because it's funded with highway program funds, is focused on the actual highway.

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facility.

314
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Thank you. And my last question, why is it escaping me now? I had a question

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around the imminent domain. You mentioned that the new, the alternatives laid out don't

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have a component of imminent domain, but potentially will impact people's yards.

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Is that not

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also considered imminent domain because it's going to impact people's properties? And then

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and I also part B of that is around the pollution,

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even if people's homes or parks aren't used for this project.

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People who are living closest in the impact areas,

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the pollution will be felt much more strongly

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for those families and individuals.

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Great, so I'll take your first question

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and you have a very capable and imminent domain attorney

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as your city attorney.

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So I don't wanna play a lawyer,

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But I want to be clear that eminent domain is a process that can be used to acquire land that's needed for a public project.

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So what we're trying to do, the language that we're seeing in the community is that the project is going to cause the demolition of 30 plus homes.

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So we're trying to be really clear to residents that live along 101 is that no houses are going to be impacted by the project.

331
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That doesn't mean that some of the alternatives might not need additional private property in order to be built.

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So as Carolyn outlined, two of the alternatives might need additional space between people's back fences and the sound wall.

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That land, while it's not accessible and usable to those residents, is private property and it belongs to them.

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So, but if it's needed, then we would be going through a process to acquire that land if that alternative is selected.

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There's a very elaborate process that we have to follow according to state law about how we would acquire that process.

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The very last step in that is what's considered eminent domain and if we haven't been able to negotiate the acquisition of that land for the property and we still need it,

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Then we would go to court to make a decision about whether the project can acquire that property and that's the actual what's considered eminent domain.

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So I guess I want to be clear that there are alternatives that might need private property in order to be built.

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We do have one alternative that does not need any additional property.

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Whether or not we would need to use eminent domain, we are very far from knowing if we would have to go through a court process

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to in order to acquire that land.

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Thanks.

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And then do you have any, I know you're in the middle,

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you're in the middle of the ERI,

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but what about the pollution impact to those?

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Yeah, so that's a great question.

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And that's one of the studies that we do in the environmental impact report

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is to assess the air quality,

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potential air quality impacts associated with the project.

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So we'll have more on that when it's,

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the draft ERRs is released.

352
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Okay. Thanks. That's all for me for now.

353
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Okay, turning to my right, Council Member Niederhoeffer, thank you.

354
00:33:50,150 --> 00:33:51,670
And thank you for that wonderful presentation.

355
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So my understanding is that these lanes or this indirect connector stops at the bridge.

356
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It doesn't have anything to do with the bridge.

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And so, in part of the money, the RM3 money is raised from toll increases.

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How do we get transportation agencies to come together regionally to address the greater

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issue which is the bridge and maybe coming up with a solution for public transit?

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There used to be a bus on the bridge that's no longer that was run by East Bay Transit but

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maybe, I don't know how they would do this, as you said, a reverse commute lane that

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goes to the bridge, carries across the bridge, that could be for public transit buses and

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commuters. So I don't know how to make that happen, but I think there needs to be some

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agencies working together on the East Bay and this side in solving the real problem.

365
00:35:06,430 --> 00:35:07,850
Yep, that's a great point.

366
00:35:11,800 --> 00:35:13,580
Yeah, I've got several, obviously.

367
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First off, let's start with RM3.

368
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When RM3 was passed, I think it was boom,

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92101, I believe was number 29 on that list.

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And what was the scope of the $50 million

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that was going to get allocated to 92101?

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So as part of the measure, it was not scoped.

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And basically identified that there were concerns about congestion around the 1092 interchange

374
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and the funding is available for solutions that can help address that congestion.

375
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So this is the area improvements, this is one project, the direct connector is another

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one and then we're also using those funds to make improvements to the 19th Avenue Fashion

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Island Boulevard corridor to make it safer for people walking and biking along their improving

378
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access to the Caltrain Hayward Park Station.

379
00:36:11,570 --> 00:36:15,150
Okay, so now that I got that, now let's go to the,

380
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you're talking about phase one, two, and three in the longer term.

381
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Okay, how did that become initiated?

382
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So that all went back to sort of the history

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that Carolyn was presenting where, again,

384
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the congestion in this area has been around since the 80s.

385
00:36:37,330 --> 00:37:04,830
That's where it first appeared, but sort of fast forward, there is initial planning work that was done working in conjunction with the cities to identify what are potential improvements and then to narrow down, you know, these sort of processes, you know, you're looking at everything under the sun and seeing what actually has a benefit and what the, which impacts maybe worth examining.

386
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And that big list of potential improvements was narrowed down with the cities to come up with what became the area improvements and the direct connector project.

387
00:37:14,710 --> 00:37:23,730
Okay, now that we've got them identified as two separable issues, why haven't they not been combined?

388
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So they were started as one project, but the desire was to get improvements on the ground as quickly as possible.

389
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And so the best way to do that was to advance the, what we call the area improvement projects because it was faster to design and easier to fund than a project of the scale of the direct connector.

390
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And so we didn't want to hold up those near-term improvements while we're trying to find a $200 plus million dollar project.

391
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Okay, all right.

392
00:37:58,710 --> 00:37:59,710
On the

393
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project, I got to get near-term and long-term.

394
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Okay, is that fair?

395
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All right.

396
00:38:12,290 --> 00:38:15,710
Is any construction that's going to be done on near-term?

397
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We're going to have to be, there's only a temporary because long-term we're going to have these flyovers or they're going to have to knock it down.

398
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There could be some overlap between them.

399
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I mean really we're trying to identify improvements that wouldn't need to be touched by the long-term project but there's a little bit of overlap.

400
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up. So we could be throwing money as a temporary solution at the near term.

401
00:38:47,970 --> 00:38:51,630
Yeah, the idea is, well, at this point we don't know if we have a long term project.

402
00:38:52,010 --> 00:38:56,810
So that could be all, this could be all we get. But the idea is yes, to have something on

403
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the ground that can benefit the residents of San Mateo County while we're evaluating

404
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whether we want to advance a long term project.

405
00:39:03,850 --> 00:39:11,630
Okay, so long term is dependent, you said if we get it, if it comes to fruition, what is going to drive that?

406
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So that's the process we're going through now.

407
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We're evaluating from a technical standpoint and an environmental standpoint to identify the potential benefits from the project and the potential impacts.

408
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This phase at the end when we get to the draft environmental impact report is where we're going to be talking to everybody and saying hey, is this worth it?

409
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And once we go through that process and provide that feedback, our boards are going to be weighing in on whether there's a preferred alternative that they think would be most effective.

410
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And then that information and feedback goes to CalTrans to make a decision about whether there's a preferred alternative that should be advanced.

411
00:39:49,770 --> 00:40:12,250
Okay, and I notice your timing has gotten confused a little bit because you're going to be developing a draft EIR and an EIR when we don't even have the implications or the statistics of real live data of the near term project.

412
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How is that going to come together here?

413
00:40:17,330 --> 00:40:26,950
Right? Yeah, so our analysis takes into account those near-term improvements. So, the model has that as the baseline condition.

414
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It assumes that that's going to be the case. So we use all of, we collect data about what's going on now and use that, put those into the models to see how the traffic flows and and we can make adjustments to the transmission network in those models to reflect the near-term improvements so that we can gauge the additional

415
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benefit that might accrue from the long-term project.

416
00:40:51,010 --> 00:40:56,890
And I appreciate that things could change like we could get, we could be four years from now

417
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and there's no problem anymore.

418
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Nobody's going to say we have to do this project if there's no problem anymore.

419
00:41:04,370 --> 00:41:11,430
I think it's more realistic that we might do like a small traffic study in four or five years

420
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just to reaffirm how do the existing conditions now that the near-term improvements are built.

421
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correspond to what our analysis said would happen.

422
00:41:21,290 --> 00:41:27,610
So we do have opportunities to confirm that the analysis that's being done now does

423
00:41:27,610 --> 00:41:29,890
align with what's happening in the real world.

424
00:41:30,430 --> 00:41:36,610
Okay. Would available funding have anything to do with the process of deciding whether

425
00:41:36,610 --> 00:41:40,150
to go ahead with or wherever you go with this project?

426
00:41:40,570 --> 00:41:40,710
Yes.

427
00:41:41,730 --> 00:41:42,350
Okay.

428
00:41:42,350 --> 00:41:46,110
So when we're at the very end of this phase,

429
00:41:46,510 --> 00:41:49,690
part of that is updating our cost estimate and coming up,

430
00:41:49,770 --> 00:41:51,910
or examining the reality of a funding plan.

431
00:41:52,110 --> 00:41:55,130
And it's, I mean, everybody knows like costs are going through the roof,

432
00:41:55,350 --> 00:41:58,290
and it's harder and harder to get any funding outside of the state,

433
00:41:58,290 --> 00:41:59,970
not let alone in the state.

434
00:42:00,190 --> 00:42:05,750
So if we don't have an option that we can largely fund, it may not go,

435
00:42:05,890 --> 00:42:08,230
even if people decide that the project's worth doing.

436
00:42:09,170 --> 00:42:17,310
Okay, and I go one more. If you're willing to share, how did eminent domain come into

437
00:42:17,310 --> 00:42:24,170
the public for it, if you will, at the term, okay, because all of a sudden it's like

438
00:42:24,170 --> 00:42:30,510
somebody crowded, the old fire in a crowded theater, and we got e- we got emails, I'm

439
00:42:30,510 --> 00:42:34,850
sure San Mateo got more than we did, but how did that happen?

440
00:42:34,850 --> 00:42:54,370
So in an effort to increase transparency, we posted the early planning study for the project online, and if you read into the details about the potential property needs for the project, it identifies that there were sliver takes that would be necessary that could be necessary for the project.

441
00:42:54,370 --> 00:43:15,570
And then I think there's it's like eminent domain is just I think a free hand that folks use for, you know, needing property, but it's I think it's that document and then I think yeah, I'm good for now. Thank you.

442
00:43:17,410 --> 00:43:21,970
So my colleagues asked most of my questions too, but I just want additional questions.

443
00:43:21,970 --> 00:43:37,690
So the potential property means that you will need for option two, will those include more than just the portion of property that exists between the fence and the sound wall?

444
00:43:38,230 --> 00:43:45,330
Yes, so there are two properties where there could be some space in the yards that's needed beyond the sound wall.

445
00:43:45,330 --> 00:43:47,210
be out of it in their backyards.

446
00:43:48,550 --> 00:43:50,250
And does that mean that the freeway will

447
00:43:51,990 --> 00:43:54,490
abut directly against these backyards?

448
00:43:54,810 --> 00:43:57,290
Or will there be some space or sound walls

449
00:43:57,290 --> 00:43:58,150
or something built?

450
00:43:58,370 --> 00:44:00,210
I'm going to note too early, but yeah,

451
00:44:00,250 --> 00:44:02,190
that's really to have that level of detail.

452
00:44:02,410 --> 00:44:04,990
I mean, there are, if you look at the Keeho off ramp,

453
00:44:05,170 --> 00:44:06,910
there are properties right at Keeho

454
00:44:06,910 --> 00:44:09,490
that they're existing fences.

455
00:44:09,970 --> 00:44:10,690
Correct, right there.

456
00:44:11,050 --> 00:44:11,330
Okay.

457
00:44:11,870 --> 00:44:14,890
All right, I think that's it for questions

458
00:44:14,890 --> 00:44:19,830
then we may have more as the public comment, but thank you so much, I appreciate your level of detail.

459
00:44:26,920 --> 00:44:27,600
Appreciate that.

460
00:44:27,980 --> 00:44:35,620
Thanks very much, and my colleagues kind of said it well, Council of Phoebe and Susie talked about transportation.

461
00:44:37,100 --> 00:44:42,540
And, you know, California, as we talked with Seamless, California was trying to connect that transportation.

462
00:44:43,400 --> 00:44:51,000
My concern, and I brought it up to you both, and I know you're going to have to look in the study as the connection from 101.

463
00:44:51,000 --> 00:44:57,680
in 92. As you know, we've been patching 101 for the last 20 or 30 years. So I'm

464
00:44:57,680 --> 00:44:59,980
assuming the EIR report is going to be...

465
00:45:00,210 --> 00:45:29,450
It's quite important for anything. But we don't see anything in this presentation to me that we're working with the motive of seamless California. This is state and federal money. And we're trying to get people off the freeways. And I know this is a dangerous 92 because you guys started this project while away before we were been talking seamless California. But the motive is so somehow I think the project needs to address

466
00:45:29,450 --> 00:45:34,010
Yes, the public transportation or some kind of connection on that.

467
00:45:34,170 --> 00:45:36,090
Any thoughts about that at all?

468
00:45:41,750 --> 00:45:42,050
Thank you.

469
00:45:42,150 --> 00:45:49,170
I would just, so the short answer is yes, the transportation authority collects sales tax

470
00:45:49,170 --> 00:45:54,590
money that's spent on a wide array of different types of projects, including on transit service

471
00:45:54,590 --> 00:45:56,190
as well as capital projects.

472
00:45:56,650 --> 00:46:01,990
We actually have, in Measure W, a new category called Regional Transit Connections.

473
00:46:01,990 --> 00:46:09,490
And that is specifically funding service to and from San Mateo County by different transit providers.

474
00:46:10,070 --> 00:46:17,550
And so that is a bucket of funding that providers outside of the county could use to improve transit.

475
00:46:17,770 --> 00:46:25,190
Some of the initiatives of seamless Bay Area, the idea that you can improve the regional transit connections.

476
00:46:26,470 --> 00:46:35,310
And one other thing my colleague made a good comment there, art on your traffic study is 2023 isn't that correct?

477
00:46:35,510 --> 00:46:37,330
That was the most recent traffic step.

478
00:46:37,570 --> 00:46:40,990
And you guys have a new one, it's going to be coming out with the IR.

479
00:46:41,750 --> 00:46:49,510
So the existing conditions data is 2023, and then we'll have modeling results for 2030 and then 2050 as well.

480
00:46:50,530 --> 00:46:51,170
Okay, thank you.

481
00:46:51,670 --> 00:46:53,150
Thank you very much.

482
00:46:53,150 --> 00:46:58,430
Okay, so with that let's go to public comment. I do have some ground rules tonight.

483
00:46:59,330 --> 00:47:02,390
We're going to begin with our online

484
00:47:03,130 --> 00:47:08,030
public comment first and then move to those who are in our chambers.

485
00:47:08,730 --> 00:47:10,410
You will each have two minutes.

486
00:47:11,050 --> 00:47:14,850
I would ask that we respect each other and

487
00:47:15,750 --> 00:47:22,930
provide space and respect for everyone to speak. So please no cheering, no jeering, let's, let's be

488
00:47:22,930 --> 00:47:31,350
kind. And if you have written in with the public comment via email, I would ask that you

489
00:47:31,350 --> 00:47:37,990
consider not commenting tonight. Your comment is public record. We will have read it or

490
00:47:37,990 --> 00:47:43,870
we will read it. I assure you that. And it just, it takes up time. And I just want to be

491
00:47:44,510 --> 00:47:52,690
respectful of our time tonight. And finally, it helps us with the context of your comments

492
00:47:52,690 --> 00:48:04,710
If you can let us know what city you live in, you don't need to give us your address, but I would appreciate just letting us know what city you are, a resident of that just helps us place where you are.

493
00:48:05,810 --> 00:48:18,010
So with that, we're going to begin with our online comments. Madam Clerk, do we have any comments online? Yes, we do have one raised hand online. That would be Evan Adams. Welcome Mr. Adams.

494
00:48:18,010 --> 00:48:18,910
No,

495
00:48:30,170 --> 00:48:33,830
I'm not muted. Thank you. Can someone not say that you see me?

496
00:48:34,110 --> 00:48:35,930
I don't see you, but I can hear you.

497
00:48:35,990 --> 00:48:36,910
Can hear me? Sorry.

498
00:48:38,810 --> 00:48:40,090
That's good enough. Go ahead.

499
00:48:40,550 --> 00:48:42,970
Okay, my name is Evan Adams, and I'm from Foster City.

500
00:48:44,550 --> 00:48:51,490
Look, adding paid express freeway lanes only subsidizes the corporate importation and underpaying

501
00:48:51,490 --> 00:48:58,170
of workers from outside our region. This project, benefiting those who can pay to use the lanes

502
00:48:58,170 --> 00:49:04,110
or who are fortunate enough to have jobs at the select companies with buses that use it

503
00:49:04,110 --> 00:49:06,870
doesn't really benefit Foster City.

504
00:49:07,670 --> 00:49:12,390
In 1997, CalTrans took word-or-peer from Foster City.

505
00:49:12,870 --> 00:49:18,910
You might not know this, but word-or is the last remnant of the first San Mateo Bridge.

506
00:49:19,650 --> 00:49:23,990
It was home to fishing and a destination for people to come to Foster City.

507
00:49:23,990 --> 00:49:30,610
CalTrans took it. CalTrans never gave it back because these lanes will not help

508
00:49:30,610 --> 00:49:36,490
Foster City. It helps other cities on the peninsula far more. I'd like to see

509
00:49:36,490 --> 00:49:41,510
some benefit come to Foster City from CalTrans as part of this project. I'm not

510
00:49:41,510 --> 00:49:46,970
sure what word-or-peer historic preservation and restoration perhaps something

511
00:49:46,970 --> 00:49:51,970
out of a huge project like this for Foster City. I hope CalTrans can come up with

512
00:49:51,970 --> 00:49:56,090
something to our city even if not murder here. Thank you.

513
00:49:56,930 --> 00:50:02,270
Thank you. Do we have any other online comments? We do not have any other raised hands.

514
00:50:03,270 --> 00:50:09,130
All right, so we'll turn to those in our chambers. So first, we have Karen Cutler.

515
00:50:18,750 --> 00:50:24,410
Good evening. I thought I'd have left the last time, so I made my note short, but

516
00:50:25,090 --> 00:50:31,170
My name is Karen Cutler, I live on Adams Street in San Mateo, part of the families

517
00:50:31,170 --> 00:50:38,450
that were possibly affected by imminent domain are homes run straight along the highway.

518
00:50:41,830 --> 00:50:48,010
I have recently been informed by the Transportation Authority that they took the imminent domain

519
00:50:48,010 --> 00:51:02,110
and removal parks off the table, which sounded good and it meant really for me and my neighbors, however, there's no saying that once the EIR is completed that they could change that decision later.

520
00:51:02,110 --> 00:51:07,450
anymore lanes will not cure the congestion problem, especially since no

521
00:51:07,450 --> 00:51:12,090
modifications are being made to the San Mateo bridge. Traffic will get backed

522
00:51:12,090 --> 00:51:16,610
up from the entrance to the bridge at peak hours. This adds more pollution,

523
00:51:16,910 --> 00:51:22,930
noise, disruption, and encourages cut-through traffic onto our streets. It's a

524
00:51:22,930 --> 00:51:27,210
waste of our taxpayer dollars and continuing to spend money on the EIR, which is

525
00:51:27,210 --> 00:51:29,730
around 10 million, seems counterproductive.

526
00:51:30,170 --> 00:51:34,730
And by the way, the reason imminent domain came up was

527
00:51:34,730 --> 00:51:37,070
because I did get a copy of that early project.

528
00:51:37,610 --> 00:51:40,250
And on one of the articles, it did state that yes,

529
00:51:40,410 --> 00:51:42,770
they were talking about slivers, but more unlikely,

530
00:51:43,230 --> 00:51:44,890
it would be imminent domain.

531
00:51:45,110 --> 00:51:48,970
And of course, that certainly set me off in my neighbors.

532
00:51:50,410 --> 00:51:54,530
Our residents in San Mateo do not want additional lanes

533
00:51:54,530 --> 00:51:56,490
and have expressed it vigorously.

534
00:51:56,930 --> 00:51:59,330
We recently had a meeting on April 7th,

535
00:51:59,330 --> 00:52:03,010
where 250 people showed up and voiced their objections.

536
00:52:03,350 --> 00:52:04,390
We also did some surveys.

537
00:52:04,390 --> 00:52:06,490
I believe it about 9,000 people responded

538
00:52:06,490 --> 00:52:08,930
and did not want this project to proceed.

539
00:52:10,710 --> 00:52:13,450
And the result of that was that our city council

540
00:52:13,450 --> 00:52:17,590
has requested a letter of opposition to CalTrans

541
00:52:17,590 --> 00:52:20,850
and what we are, but I'm doing here anyway,

542
00:52:21,290 --> 00:52:23,430
as we hope that you, the Foster City Board,

543
00:52:23,430 --> 00:52:33,430
We'll join us by doing a letter of opposition to this project to stop it now, not years from now, not next year, now.

544
00:52:33,910 --> 00:52:35,030
Thank you so much.

545
00:52:37,820 --> 00:52:40,360
Next we have Juliano Carleini.

546
00:52:51,940 --> 00:52:54,020
Thank you for having me here and allowing me to speak.

547
00:52:54,940 --> 00:52:56,340
I'm here only for myself.

548
00:52:57,020 --> 00:53:00,220
I'm a Belmont Ross resident who is in Foster City fairly often.

549
00:53:01,020 --> 00:53:01,520
We're real close.

550
00:53:01,520 --> 00:53:04,300
at the C-cloud fields, referring soccer,

551
00:53:04,800 --> 00:53:06,780
barely all over the past 25 years.

552
00:53:07,500 --> 00:53:08,720
Maybe some of you have seen me there,

553
00:53:08,840 --> 00:53:11,200
I don't recognize anybody that I'm terrible with in the faces.

554
00:53:12,540 --> 00:53:14,400
The time to oppose this project is now,

555
00:53:14,580 --> 00:53:16,680
not a year from now, not who knows when from now,

556
00:53:16,740 --> 00:53:19,800
but now please join the San Mateo City Council

557
00:53:19,800 --> 00:53:22,860
and send a letter saying no.

558
00:53:24,240 --> 00:53:27,040
The state of goals include reducing congestion

559
00:53:27,040 --> 00:53:30,560
and cut through on Foster City streets won't happen.

560
00:53:30,560 --> 00:53:31,840
This is a boondoggle.

561
00:53:32,480 --> 00:53:37,140
You add capacity, congestion returns, every single time.

562
00:53:38,220 --> 00:53:40,160
It might last for a few months for a year.

563
00:53:40,540 --> 00:53:43,000
More cars will come, more cars is more traffic.

564
00:53:43,520 --> 00:53:46,040
That will be more cut through traffic.

565
00:53:46,620 --> 00:53:49,440
It's gonna be more VMT, more GHG, more climate change,

566
00:53:49,660 --> 00:53:51,620
more accidents, more injuries, more deaths.

567
00:53:53,660 --> 00:53:55,020
People are smart, right?

568
00:53:55,200 --> 00:53:58,420
You know, the statement was that we would add VMT,

569
00:53:58,560 --> 00:54:00,040
but not congestion?

570
00:54:00,040 --> 00:54:06,220
No, people are going to see, this is better, this is faster, I'm going to take it than now you got congestion again.

571
00:54:08,040 --> 00:54:11,960
We don't need more exploration and investigation, we know it's going to happen now.

572
00:54:12,460 --> 00:54:17,060
We have modeling tools already, we've been hearing about modeling tools that we're going to apply in the future.

573
00:54:17,480 --> 00:54:22,840
For example, UC Davis has an excellent modeling tool that's used by traffic planners all over the place.

574
00:54:25,080 --> 00:54:31,660
If this project goes through, we're not going to get off of this wheel, right?

575
00:54:32,380 --> 00:54:37,220
It's just going to keep coming, more projects like this will keep coming back over and over and over again.

576
00:54:37,600 --> 00:54:39,800
It's time to stop, you know, the mouse wheel.

577
00:54:41,500 --> 00:54:45,960
And the way that we do that is finally start telling the sponsors and calatrans no more.

578
00:54:46,660 --> 00:54:49,720
We want projects that will really solve congestion.

579
00:54:49,720 --> 00:54:56,440
I mean, cars are the least efficient method, we need more efficient methods, please send a letter now.

580
00:54:56,860 --> 00:54:57,180
Thank y'all.

581
00:54:59,410 --> 00:55:01,290
Next, we have Mike Suyer.

582
00:55:08,500 --> 00:55:11,000
Jimenez and members of the council, thanks so much.

583
00:55:11,540 --> 00:55:16,460
I'm speaking on behalf of the 20 plus environment transportation and safe streets groups that oppose this project.

584
00:55:16,760 --> 00:55:22,380
We agree with supervisors Jackie Spear and Nualia Corso that this project is not appropriate to pursue at this time.

585
00:55:22,380 --> 00:55:26,120
We're currently unable to fund popular transportation programs like

586
00:55:26,120 --> 00:55:28,420
Great Separations and San Mateo and Burling Game.

587
00:55:28,840 --> 00:55:33,200
When CalTrain and Bart will likely need service cuts due to a lack of taxpayer funding.

588
00:55:33,660 --> 00:55:36,340
And when every week or so we lose another pedestrian or

589
00:55:36,340 --> 00:55:40,100
a person on bike due to our failure to make our streets safer for those who don't own cars.

590
00:55:40,860 --> 00:55:46,240
Thus, we are now asking taxpayers to consider additional taxes to fund transportation projects.

591
00:55:46,640 --> 00:55:52,100
Why then is this $300 million at least project the highest priority for

592
00:55:52,100 --> 00:55:54,040
or San Mateo taxpayers at this time.

593
00:55:54,360 --> 00:55:57,140
Can you actually tell me that your constituents are saying

594
00:55:57,140 --> 00:55:58,460
that this is something they want?

595
00:55:58,940 --> 00:56:01,040
Or is this something coming down from elected elsewhere?

596
00:56:01,940 --> 00:56:03,980
Chair Romero of the SMCTA has said

597
00:56:03,980 --> 00:56:05,380
that he'll re-evaluate the project

598
00:56:05,380 --> 00:56:07,920
if the San Mateo and Foster City Councils oppose it.

599
00:56:08,380 --> 00:56:11,240
Saving taxpayers up to $10 million in environmental studies.

600
00:56:11,720 --> 00:56:14,020
In addition, San Mateo Daily Journal poll indicated

601
00:56:14,020 --> 00:56:16,880
that a plurality respondents do not support this project.

602
00:56:17,380 --> 00:56:18,760
You've heard about the eminent domain,

603
00:56:19,080 --> 00:56:21,620
but again, this project will not reduce congestion.

604
00:56:21,620 --> 00:56:23,940
Have you ever seen a project that's reduced congestion?

605
00:56:24,560 --> 00:56:29,960
We were promised on 101, just three or four years ago that that project would reduce congestion.

606
00:56:29,960 --> 00:56:35,120
We just heard, thanks to data that the mayor has requested, that that project didn't work.

607
00:56:35,520 --> 00:56:41,280
Why do we need to spend $10 million with a magical hope that all of a sudden this one is going to reduce congestion?

608
00:56:41,580 --> 00:56:45,700
If you listen to what the TAs just said, they said that we could have buses through a mitigation measure.

609
00:56:46,040 --> 00:56:47,140
Mitigation because why?

610
00:56:47,400 --> 00:56:48,660
Because it increases VMT.

611
00:56:49,360 --> 00:56:54,300
How can they say that it won't induce demand, but it's going to increase VMT?

612
00:56:54,540 --> 00:56:55,820
That is illogical.

613
00:56:56,180 --> 00:57:01,140
I think you guys really need to do a deep dive in terms of what you guys are being fed

614
00:57:01,140 --> 00:57:04,000
at this point, and who is really requesting this.

615
00:57:04,140 --> 00:57:06,940
And if it's your tax, if it's the tax version in your area, it's fine.

616
00:57:07,400 --> 00:57:11,820
But my assumption is that this is not something that people want, and it's not going to work.

617
00:57:11,920 --> 00:57:14,180
And we can stop this now instead of $10 million later.

618
00:57:14,380 --> 00:57:14,580
Thank you.

619
00:57:15,240 --> 00:57:15,560
Thank you.

620
00:57:17,860 --> 00:57:29,480
That's all we have for public comment. Fantastic. All right. Thank you everyone for sharing your comments tonight. Now I'll turn it back to my colleagues. Let's start it. We're here this time. Councilmember need or have any comments?

621
00:57:31,020 --> 00:57:33,500
So I'm going to repeat what I said before.

622
00:57:33,500 --> 00:57:41,940
or I think we need to solve the issue of the bridge with some kind of commute transit

623
00:57:42,200 --> 00:57:46,800
that goes to transit connections as Council Member Benkat had mentioned earlier.

624
00:57:47,820 --> 00:57:53,640
I think it's a regional effort and I think we really need to look at that.

625
00:57:57,140 --> 00:57:59,180
Council Member Benkat?

626
00:58:01,800 --> 00:58:28,620
Yeah, I echo my thoughts from before, I really think that if we're going to make real progress, it needs to be long-term projects that we focus on that show that they will definitely impact and that we have data that will show that, and as far as I know, I don't know of any constituents of ours in Foster City or outside of Foster City that are looking to this kind of solution.

627
00:58:28,620 --> 00:58:38,080
what I'm hearing a lot is around more options for transit, like the cross-bay, cross-bay transit options.

628
00:58:38,560 --> 00:58:46,480
That will really help a lot with the traffic coming from East Bay to the peninsula to southern peninsula.

629
00:58:47,120 --> 00:58:54,580
Those are the areas we need to focus on. I understand this project has been in the works for quite a while, originated a while ago.

630
00:58:54,580 --> 00:59:11,860
So, there's been updates made to it, but I still think each time I haven't been able to see a component of really try to integrate transit and alternative forms of transportation, and that's where we really, where we need to head to and think about for the future.

631
00:59:12,340 --> 00:59:12,660
Thank you.

632
00:59:14,690 --> 00:59:15,630
Councilmember Sullivan.

633
00:59:17,030 --> 00:59:19,270
Back to the word seamless California.

634
00:59:19,990 --> 00:59:25,010
We look and I'm looking just here at Foster City, 50% of our traffic is mom and dad taking

635
00:59:25,010 --> 00:59:26,590
their kids back and forth to school.

636
00:59:27,350 --> 00:59:32,830
Most of the people that are driving on 101 North and South are only going 30 miles.

637
00:59:33,570 --> 00:59:39,590
The failure we've had is being able to get Cal Trains, Bart, Sam Trams to all get together

638
00:59:39,590 --> 00:59:41,470
and develop a seamless thing.

639
00:59:41,470 --> 00:59:44,550
We're dancing on this issue, we're dancing on the issue.

640
00:59:44,830 --> 00:59:49,150
We do need to improve our freeways and our highways, but we have no plans.

641
00:59:49,310 --> 00:59:53,150
So the demand that I scream out is the same things my colleagues are saying.

642
00:59:53,250 --> 00:59:55,490
They're saying, well, how are we connecting transportation?

643
00:59:56,110 --> 00:59:57,630
How are we taking care of the environment?

644
00:59:58,190 --> 00:59:59,970
I mean, Walt Disney was right.

645
01:00:00,000 --> 01:00:29,420
I had an idea of a model rail that was way before it, we could even imagine. How can we get people to move on 101? If they're only going 20 or 30 miles, it would seem reasonable that we can come up with some kind of public transportation, whether it's e-bikes, whether it's scooters. We've got to get people out of their cars. This solution is not that I don't think we need to improve 92 and 101. God don't know we need to do something there, but let's solve the problem. That's my comments. Thanks, Madam Mayor.

646
01:00:31,240 --> 01:00:32,800
Councilmember, I'm sorry, Vice Mayor.

647
01:00:34,460 --> 01:00:39,920
Yes, first off, I'm not sure that, you know, the five of us can sit up here and we're

648
01:00:39,920 --> 01:00:44,920
going to cancel this project, or we're going to say give the nod to go ahead with it.

649
01:00:46,380 --> 01:00:53,340
That remains, I mean, we got the CKAG, which is every city on the peninsula has some say

650
01:00:53,340 --> 01:01:08,200
in the TA and they can tell you more than I can about all the departments that are involved with it and who this decision has to be made by, we've got the Board of Supervisors getting involved.

651
01:01:10,040 --> 01:01:20,640
If it's to go forward, for me it would be, I would like some of them to address Foster City, I call it Foster City Intrusion,

652
01:01:20,640 --> 01:01:27,000
Where they're coming off foster city and using it as a shortcut to get on to 92 because I don't think that

653
01:01:27,940 --> 01:01:31,590
There's a near-term solution would address that or solve it

654
01:01:33,420 --> 01:01:38,340
I question the project all we're doing in this movie in it from one oh one

655
01:01:38,880 --> 01:01:46,600
Tonight I'm thinking in terms of people going home. He's bound 92 all we're moving it was from that traffic from one oh one

656
01:01:46,600 --> 01:01:55,420
on to 92 and creating a parking lot because no matter how you do it, you still are limited down to three lanes on the bridge.

657
01:01:55,940 --> 01:02:00,040
So where are we put the neck of the bottle is where the jam is going to start.

658
01:02:04,040 --> 01:02:15,680
I'd like to know, not that it's, it may be even a rhetorical question, but when we, when the San Mateo County approved RM3,

659
01:02:17,440 --> 01:02:33,820
What was in their minds, and you can ask the San Mateo and Foster City people to put more particularly, but what was in their mind when they saw the 92101 was a project that was going to be undertaken and voted for it?

660
01:02:34,500 --> 01:02:41,140
What was their perspective and what did we, the politicals, if you will, present at that particular time?

661
01:02:41,840 --> 01:02:43,260
What would they expect?

662
01:02:44,900 --> 01:02:50,920
How do I say it is we, unmet expectations are a downers.

663
01:02:51,960 --> 01:02:53,420
So that's what you're faced with.

664
01:02:57,420 --> 01:03:01,920
Somebody I think was used, the gentleman said that money for

665
01:03:01,920 --> 01:03:03,080
great separations.

666
01:03:04,120 --> 01:03:09,620
I asked that question when I was on the council before,

667
01:03:09,980 --> 01:03:11,820
when the high speed rail was coming through.

668
01:03:11,820 --> 01:03:19,940
I asked how many, I called thing, thing, things, gates coming down, up and down, the train, the

669
01:03:19,940 --> 01:03:25,740
Calthane, how many gates were there, and how you're going to run a train up to 100 miles

670
01:03:25,740 --> 01:03:28,420
an hour with great separations.

671
01:03:29,140 --> 01:03:31,960
And there was no money for great separations.

672
01:03:34,090 --> 01:03:38,290
Has that been addressed because I see great separations happening, but I don't know where

673
01:03:38,290 --> 01:03:39,290
that money's coming from.

674
01:03:41,270 --> 01:03:51,650
And just for my perspective, 902-101 interchange has been a problem since 1968, when I first started driving on it.

675
01:03:54,330 --> 01:03:59,950
And here talking about it means it hasn't been solved long-term, so there's some of my comments.

676
01:04:02,230 --> 01:04:08,550
Thank you. So my comments have two levels, I guess. The first level is the big picture.

677
01:04:08,550 --> 01:04:15,610
and my job is to represent the residents of Foster City, so while I am not without

678
01:04:15,610 --> 01:04:20,530
empathy for those who may lose parts of their homes, I'm very concerned about

679
01:04:20,530 --> 01:04:24,130
that and personally, I hope that we can come up with a plan that doesn't include

680
01:04:24,130 --> 01:04:31,710
that. My job and my role is to protect and make the lives of those in Foster City

681
01:04:31,710 --> 01:04:41,730
easier if I can. And my concern is the 101 92 interchange. So many of us have

682
01:04:41,730 --> 01:04:49,570
chosen to not take classes outside of Foster City after four o'clock because we

683
01:04:49,570 --> 01:04:54,930
didn't want to have to get in or out, right? I would take my kids to gymnastics as early

684
01:04:54,930 --> 01:05:00,890
as possible so that I didn't have to get back on the 101. But on a more serious

685
01:05:00,890 --> 01:05:05,970
know what happens in the event of an emergency. We know that it's very difficult for us to get

686
01:05:05,970 --> 01:05:13,410
into or out of foster city. So if this project has the potential to aid in emergency evacuation

687
01:05:13,410 --> 01:05:23,550
situations, then I am all in. If this project has the opportunity to lessen the congestion and make

688
01:05:23,550 --> 01:05:29,250
it easier for those of us who live in foster city to get into foster city, then I'm all in.

689
01:05:30,230 --> 01:05:33,510
So I think on a big picture level, those are some of my thoughts.

690
01:05:34,710 --> 01:05:43,230
I'm hopeful that we can be creative and that we can find a way that will include transit options.

691
01:05:43,230 --> 01:05:49,210
It will include not taking people's homes or parts of their homes.

692
01:05:49,510 --> 01:05:52,690
Because even though you're saying we're not taking houses, we're not buying houses.

693
01:05:53,170 --> 01:05:57,830
People's yards and their ability to enjoy their front yard or their back yard is just as important.

694
01:05:57,830 --> 01:06:13,970
So personally, I very much hope that we can do that, but in terms of my role as a City Council and my voice and my advocacy is for the people Foster City and what this project will do for those in Foster City.

695
01:06:14,890 --> 01:06:24,150
And I think at this point it feels like it's almost too early to say, yay or nay, am I in favor of this because we don't know the specifics.

696
01:06:24,150 --> 01:06:34,130
So until I can see a 3D modeling or some specific plan and see some data, I think that's what we need to do.

697
01:06:34,310 --> 01:06:39,390
So I'm not willing to sign off on any letters, I'm not willing to join my colleagues in San Mateo yet.

698
01:06:40,470 --> 01:06:51,070
And I'm not willing to oppose the project yet because I think there's potential to make the lives of those in Foster City easier than they are now as a result of this project.

699
01:06:51,070 --> 01:06:55,610
And then the money, I think we have to look at that, like the money is not coming just

700
01:06:55,610 --> 01:06:59,370
from Foster City or just from San Mateo, it's money from the region.

701
01:06:59,670 --> 01:07:03,730
So I think we need to make sure that regionally we weigh in and we look at solutions.

702
01:07:04,230 --> 01:07:09,930
And I agree with Council Member Nader-Hoffer that it would be great to look regionally at

703
01:07:09,930 --> 01:07:10,610
some of these things.

704
01:07:10,730 --> 01:07:11,750
Can we partner with Hayward?

705
01:07:11,890 --> 01:07:14,990
Can we partner with, you know, Belmont or Redwood City?

706
01:07:15,190 --> 01:07:18,110
What are we doing regionally to address traffic issues?

707
01:07:18,110 --> 01:07:27,970
and so that's that now going on a I guess would be a micro level in terms of

708
01:07:27,970 --> 01:07:32,870
just outreach and moving forward with your outreach portion my hope is that you

709
01:07:32,870 --> 01:07:39,970
will not only you recently did a pop-up in San Mateo I would say definitely hit

710
01:07:39,970 --> 01:07:46,690
our parks for sure hit AYSO opening day hits little league opening day hit

711
01:07:46,690 --> 01:07:57,610
little league picture day, come out to our city fest, 4th of July even, and then we serve

712
01:07:58,090 --> 01:08:00,370
not just our residents, but the people who work here too.

713
01:08:00,990 --> 01:08:05,630
So I would encourage you to reach out to some of the larger businesses, Gilead, Costco,

714
01:08:06,630 --> 01:08:11,830
Visa, because those are the people that really are affected by the long commutes.

715
01:08:12,530 --> 01:08:18,570
You know, ultimately be great to see more housing here, but that's outside of the scope of what you're doing

716
01:08:18,570 --> 01:08:28,230
And you know, I think we have more housing. We'll have less people on the bridges, potentially, who knows. But that's again, not for today's topic

717
01:08:29,370 --> 01:08:39,850
So I would encourage you to think, you know, as broadly as you can. We've got some amazing, very smart people who both live and work here

718
01:08:39,850 --> 01:08:45,210
And they've come up with some amazing ideas already that we have been able to implement

719
01:08:45,210 --> 01:08:45,970
to deal with traffic.

720
01:08:46,250 --> 01:08:53,330
So tap into some of our Brainiacs in Foster City and use that to guide this project if

721
01:08:53,330 --> 01:08:53,930
it all possible.

722
01:08:55,870 --> 01:08:59,650
So I think that was conclude my comments.

723
01:09:01,180 --> 01:09:06,730
And I think this is just a presentation and information on item only, so no action acquired.

724
01:09:07,370 --> 01:09:08,050
I want to thank you.

725
01:09:08,050 --> 01:09:12,790
I want to thank those of you who came in from San Mateo today to speak to us and our residents and

726
01:09:14,010 --> 01:09:18,230
Yeah, let's stay informed and stay engaged. Thank you. All

727
01:09:20,530 --> 01:09:22,330
right, Madam Clerk next item. Please

728
01:09:22,830 --> 01:09:30,050
Item five public. This is an opportunity for members of the public to speak on items not listed on the agenda as a reminder

729
01:09:30,050 --> 01:09:35,690
We're taking comments in a live meeting format government code five four nine five four point two e three

730
01:09:35,690 --> 01:09:42,390
the city council from discussing or acting upon any topic initially presented during the public portion of the agenda.

731
01:09:42,590 --> 01:09:47,070
Anyone who wants to provide public comment in person, please fill out your speaker slip and hand it to me.

732
01:09:47,610 --> 01:09:51,850
Anyone who wants to provide public comment on Zoom, please raise your hand during this time.

733
01:09:52,890 --> 01:09:55,190
We'll take Zoom comments first and then those in person.

734
01:09:57,320 --> 01:09:59,480
I do not see any raised hands on Zoom.

735
01:10:00,400 --> 01:10:05,240
In person, we do have one speaker slip from Smyra Benzo.

736
01:10:12,560 --> 01:10:14,000
Thank you for your patience.

737
01:10:14,420 --> 01:10:14,760
Thank you.

738
01:10:15,220 --> 01:10:16,840
Good evening, Foster City Council.

739
01:10:17,680 --> 01:10:20,860
My name is Mita Banzal, and I am in San Mateo,

740
01:10:20,960 --> 01:10:23,100
but I've been living in Foster City for 30 years.

741
01:10:23,320 --> 01:10:27,120
And I'm here to introduce my 501C3 Mental Health Nonprofit

742
01:10:27,120 --> 01:10:29,860
Organization called On My Mind Foundation,

743
01:10:30,400 --> 01:10:32,000
which is registered for Foster City.

744
01:10:32,520 --> 01:10:35,200
At On My Mind, our mission is to provide mental health

745
01:10:35,200 --> 01:10:37,460
resources and fully funded therapy sessions

746
01:10:37,460 --> 01:10:39,500
to high school students and college students

747
01:10:39,500 --> 01:10:41,240
facing mental health struggles.

748
01:10:41,880 --> 01:10:48,040
We offer 10 free therapy sessions to California-based students between ages 13 to 24 who go through

749
01:10:48,040 --> 01:10:53,560
an anxiety depression, suicidal thoughts or addiction, but cannot afford therapy on their

750
01:10:53,560 --> 01:10:56,500
own and through their school's wellness programs.

751
01:10:57,660 --> 01:11:03,520
Please allow me to share why this work is deeply personal to me and urgently needed in our community.

752
01:11:03,520 --> 01:11:11,620
As per mental health statistics at 24, 25 teens ages 12 to 17, there are 1 to 7 children

753
01:11:11,620 --> 01:11:15,460
under 17 who is living with mental or behavioral health condition.

754
01:11:16,240 --> 01:11:24,000
In 23, 19.5% experienced a major depressive episode, about 42% of high school students

755
01:11:24,000 --> 01:11:28,340
currently reported persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness.

756
01:11:28,340 --> 01:11:34,140
According to CDC, 12% seriously considered suicide and 3% attempted it.

757
01:11:34,420 --> 01:11:39,260
We also know from public schools here in Baudich and high schools who have done that.

758
01:11:39,840 --> 01:11:46,460
College students 18 to 24, 36% have been diagnosed with ion anxiety, 30% with depression,

759
01:11:46,680 --> 01:11:51,120
36.7% reported unmet needs for mental health support.

760
01:11:51,120 --> 01:12:05,400
In 2022, there were approximately 6,530 suicide deaths amongst individuals aged 10-24 with young males making up the majority.

761
01:12:06,900 --> 01:12:18,920
We launched on my Malan Foundation in memory of our brilliant compassionate son, Karna Batia, who tragically died by suicide in September 2020 at the age of 21.

762
01:12:18,920 --> 01:12:25,040
During his freshman year of college, he was committed to reducing mental health stigma through

763
01:12:25,040 --> 01:12:30,860
journalism advocacy. He was doing this at Ergon High School as well. We now continue

764
01:12:30,860 --> 01:12:36,540
his legacy through his fund up, through this foundation, and I want to ensure that no young

765
01:12:36,540 --> 01:12:41,920
person suffers in silence and no parent has to experience a loss of a child.

766
01:12:44,300 --> 01:12:45,360
What do I need

767
01:12:45,360 --> 01:12:51,040
help with. We need awareness. Please help spread awareness word about on my

768
01:12:51,040 --> 01:12:56,000
mind foundation through schools, your networks, through the communities. We want to

769
01:12:56,000 --> 01:12:59,660
be a resource for any student and parents to help and be there for

770
01:12:59,660 --> 01:13:04,920
assistance. We are looking for donations and grants. Every contribution helps but

771
01:13:04,920 --> 01:13:10,900
the donation of just $1,50 to $200 can cover students first therapy session and could

772
01:13:10,900 --> 01:13:18,380
be a lifeline that prevents a tragedy. Our goal right now is to raise 50,000 for this year.

773
01:13:19,380 --> 01:13:24,540
Thank you so much for your support. I know we're not supposed to comment, but how can people donate?

774
01:13:25,900 --> 01:13:31,580
On mymindfoundation.org online, there is a donation button. Everyone can contribute.

775
01:13:32,640 --> 01:13:34,100
Thank you so much. Thank you.

776
01:13:45,410 --> 01:13:49,570
Item 6 City, Mid-Consent Calendar, all matters listed under consent are

777
01:13:49,570 --> 01:13:51,710
are considered to be routine by the City Council,

778
01:13:51,950 --> 01:13:53,170
even Board of Directors,

779
01:13:53,790 --> 01:13:55,410
and will be enacted by one motion

780
01:13:55,410 --> 01:13:58,350
unless removed by a member of the Council Board staff

781
01:13:58,350 --> 01:13:58,930
or public.

782
01:13:59,450 --> 01:14:01,350
Anyone who wants to provide public comment,

783
01:14:01,590 --> 01:14:02,730
please provide a speaker's look

784
01:14:02,730 --> 01:14:03,870
or raise your hand on Zoom.

785
01:14:06,240 --> 01:14:08,980
Okay, I have a request to pull item 6.2.

786
01:14:09,500 --> 01:14:10,940
Do we have any other requests?

787
01:14:15,160 --> 01:14:16,800
I believe I need to take public comment.

788
01:14:17,940 --> 01:14:20,520
First, do we have any public on anything?

789
01:14:21,680 --> 01:14:22,380
Yes, I'm sorry.

790
01:14:22,380 --> 01:14:26,120
I really have a raised hand on Zoom, that would be Evan Adams.

791
01:14:26,940 --> 01:14:31,200
And I believe this is probably for 6.2, so do we public comment on 6.2?

792
01:14:31,700 --> 01:14:38,300
No, right now we're just seeing whether any members of the public want to take any other items off of the agenda before we move on to item 6.2.

793
01:14:38,660 --> 01:14:43,340
Okay, so do we have any other requests for anything besides 6.2?

794
01:14:43,780 --> 01:14:46,380
No, I take a motion,

795
01:14:48,820 --> 01:14:50,020
sorry, we'll off my rocker.

796
01:14:50,020 --> 01:14:54,140
All right, can I get a motion to accept all items on the

797
01:14:54,140 --> 01:14:56,600
calendar, except for item 6.2?

798
01:14:56,880 --> 01:14:57,280
So moved.

799
01:14:57,960 --> 01:14:58,860
A second?

800
01:14:59,340 --> 01:14:59,840
A second.

801
01:15:00,370 --> 01:15:30,010
All in favor? Aye. No opposed? Okay, motion carries. Okay, so now we have item 6.2. Did you need a staff reporter? What did you need with that? Yeah, thanks Madam Mayor. If I could have a background on the background analysis on page 37. And my question is kind of directed. We're changing the zoning on this. So it's not going to be as impactful, but what I didn't see in the content

802
01:15:30,010 --> 01:15:39,250
Again, with us down zoning it with the biotech, the retail, why do we not have to have a

803
01:15:39,250 --> 01:15:45,450
sequel or how many more employees are we going to be having or potential people in that

804
01:15:45,450 --> 01:15:50,810
immediate area, and it may reference that we didn't need a sequel report there.

805
01:15:51,830 --> 01:15:54,850
Thank you, councilmember Sullivan, for your question.

806
01:15:54,850 --> 01:16:06,930
So, regarding this project, the applicant is requesting a GDP amendment, so I'm just going to quickly read the previous project that was approved.

807
01:16:07,650 --> 01:16:25,750
So, the previously approved master plan EIR analyzed the demolition of 190,000 square feet of existing building with the development of 800,000 square feet of new office users.

808
01:16:25,750 --> 01:16:30,990
including flexible space for retail and other amenities for a net new

809
01:16:30,990 --> 01:16:37,090
development amount of 610,000 square feet. However, now the preliminary

810
01:16:37,090 --> 01:16:43,030
application that we just received from Gilead is basically changing that 800,000

811
01:16:43,030 --> 01:16:49,210
square feet of office use, which included biotech to 800,000 square feet of

812
01:16:49,210 --> 01:16:55,670
biotechnology or R&D. I also do want to note that one of the major reasons

813
01:16:55,670 --> 01:17:07,450
for them applying for this revision was, that the previously approved ordinance had a very specific site plan which included very specific heights.

814
01:17:08,250 --> 01:17:13,070
So now they just want to change because over the period of time they have a new design.

815
01:17:13,490 --> 01:17:15,330
So I think they need that flexibility.

816
01:17:16,230 --> 01:17:21,930
So that is one of the reasons they have applied this preliminary review application.

817
01:17:21,930 --> 01:17:23,550
Well, I guess might be my question.

818
01:17:23,650 --> 01:17:30,590
I think the first plan, if I'm not mistaken, there was a 3,000 potential employees coming into the town with that first proposal.

819
01:17:30,870 --> 01:17:37,310
So the new one, I was just curious on how much that dropped it down because that's probably the leading reason why

820
01:17:37,310 --> 01:17:40,790
Sequit doesn't get involved with the, or the EIR on that.

821
01:17:41,510 --> 01:17:44,290
Councillor M. Sullivan, we haven't done that analysis yet.

822
01:17:44,430 --> 01:17:50,970
It's a preliminary review application and the item in front of you all is a task order to engage with

823
01:17:50,970 --> 01:17:54,530
that they seek a consultant to do an initial study.

824
01:17:55,050 --> 01:17:59,710
In that initial studies, the consultant will be reviewing

825
01:17:59,710 --> 01:18:00,730
all this information.

826
01:18:01,130 --> 01:18:02,250
Okay, I appreciate it.

827
01:18:02,670 --> 01:18:04,610
And I really was, this was for Matt Meredith,

828
01:18:05,130 --> 01:18:06,530
I understand what I was trying to explain.

829
01:18:06,630 --> 01:18:09,970
This is a transparency to the public and what the impact is.

830
01:18:10,370 --> 01:18:13,450
We were just talking about people coming in and out

831
01:18:13,450 --> 01:18:14,290
of foster city.

832
01:18:14,670 --> 01:18:17,270
So it's kind of important when we approve a project

833
01:18:17,270 --> 01:18:20,290
or we downsize it or up size it, whatever we do that.

834
01:18:20,290 --> 01:18:24,890
We know what is impactful. Thank you. So I'm looking forthcoming for that E.I.R. Thank you

835
01:18:24,890 --> 01:18:30,910
Thank you. So now turning to the public we had the public comment from Mr. Adams

836
01:18:30,910 --> 01:18:31,810
Thank

837
01:18:38,850 --> 01:18:49,610
you for that. I spent some time rewatching the meetings about this property. I even saw in 2013 Vice Mayor Kiesel

838
01:18:50,130 --> 01:18:53,030
Pointing out that this first came before him in

839
01:18:54,190 --> 01:18:56,590
2005 when he was on the planning commission

840
01:18:57,330 --> 01:19:03,370
a lot changes in 20 years. The reason I'm here tonight is that I believe that under Foster City

841
01:19:03,370 --> 01:19:10,430
Municipal Code 17.72, this project should first come to the council and it opens to the public

842
01:19:10,430 --> 01:19:18,870
project preliminary review a K-A-K keeper meeting. What sort of development projects do 17.72 apply?

843
01:19:19,770 --> 01:19:25,370
It applies to general plan amendments. As you just heard, this project on the third page of the

844
01:19:25,370 --> 01:19:29,330
staff report, calls for an amendment to the general development plan.

845
01:19:30,050 --> 01:19:32,930
Also, it applies to substantial zoning changes,

846
01:19:33,270 --> 01:19:35,430
resounding from one district to another district,

847
01:19:35,610 --> 01:19:38,090
and text changes, general development plans,

848
01:19:38,090 --> 01:19:40,330
and general development plan amendments.

849
01:19:41,050 --> 01:19:43,010
Again, page three of the staff report calls

850
01:19:43,010 --> 01:19:45,430
for a specific development plan.

851
01:19:46,250 --> 01:19:49,010
Vice Mayor Kiesel in 2014,

852
01:19:49,470 --> 01:19:53,010
of the preliminary review process said and I quote,

853
01:19:53,010 --> 01:19:59,630
It should be done before the sequel process and hundreds of thousands of dollars are spent.

854
01:20:00,490 --> 01:20:01,750
I love video.

855
01:20:03,330 --> 01:20:09,890
I want to point out that when this past project development agreement was approved,

856
01:20:10,310 --> 01:20:18,410
the council insisted on relocation assistance for tenants as an important part of the agreement.

857
01:20:18,410 --> 01:20:24,750
Councilmember Okamoto spoke eloquently on this. None of those tenants exist anymore.

858
01:20:25,210 --> 01:20:31,430
The unbuilt project killed those small businesses. That might color how the council views this

859
01:20:31,430 --> 01:20:38,810
project in a preliminary review meeting. I want to point out that when the past development

860
01:20:38,810 --> 01:20:44,450
agreement was approved, the council expressed the importance of follow-through that the

861
01:20:44,450 --> 01:20:48,230
The project needed to happen in an expedited manner.

862
01:20:48,890 --> 01:20:49,690
That didn't happen.

863
01:20:50,270 --> 01:20:51,690
12 years later, and here we are.

864
01:20:52,250 --> 01:20:54,750
Blighted, economically unproductive property.

865
01:20:55,410 --> 01:20:58,630
That history of economic blocking might color

866
01:20:58,630 --> 01:21:02,950
other council views this project in a preliminary review meeting.

867
01:21:04,250 --> 01:21:06,230
Considering a preliminary review meeting

868
01:21:06,230 --> 01:21:08,250
killed the Costco expansion,

869
01:21:09,070 --> 01:21:11,350
this project absolutely needs to come to you

870
01:21:11,350 --> 01:21:12,150
through that process.

871
01:21:13,060 --> 01:21:13,830
It's in your code.

872
01:21:13,830 --> 01:21:17,950
and it is your policy. Thank you and good night.

873
01:21:19,350 --> 01:21:24,050
Thank you. Okay, with that can I get a motion to approve item 6.2?

874
01:21:27,350 --> 01:21:30,870
Motion to approve item 6.2. Second.

875
01:21:31,490 --> 01:21:35,510
Okay, all in favour? Aye. Any opposed?

876
01:21:37,950 --> 01:21:41,130
Okay, all in motion carries. Thank you. Next item please.

877
01:21:42,430 --> 01:21:45,530
Item 7, resolutions for adoption. 7.1,

878
01:21:45,530 --> 01:21:55,590
Then, interview and consideration of appointment of one member to a full four-year term from June 1, 2025 through May 30, 2029 on the Planning Commission.

879
01:21:56,270 --> 01:22:04,290
Applicants listed in alphabetical order are Shankar Kanker, the Hermosa Patel, Barry Solberg, and Cindy Wang.

880
01:22:04,910 --> 01:22:09,590
Anyone who wants to provide public comment, please provide a speaker slip or raise your hand on Zoom.

881
01:22:09,590 --> 01:22:10,650
Mayor

882
01:22:13,370 --> 01:22:18,090
and members of the City Council, it is recommended that the City Council interview

883
01:22:18,090 --> 01:22:24,250
and by resolution appoint one member to the poll term from June 1, 2025 through May 31,

884
01:22:24,470 --> 01:22:26,170
2025 on the planning commission.

885
01:22:26,650 --> 01:22:30,770
The purpose of the Planning Commission is to consider the overall site and architectural

886
01:22:30,770 --> 01:22:35,910
development and redevelopment of properties of all commercial, industrial and residential

887
01:22:35,910 --> 01:22:37,350
districts in Foster City.

888
01:22:37,350 --> 01:22:44,670
The Planning Commission consists of five members and one seat is expiring on May 31st, 2025.

889
01:22:45,090 --> 01:22:52,630
The new appointment will be for a member to a full four-year term from June 1, 2025 to May 31st,

890
01:22:52,650 --> 01:22:59,290
2029. A notice of vacancy to fill the four-year term was advertised in the local paper, posted,

891
01:22:59,470 --> 01:23:05,970
and displayed on the city's website and FCTV for five weeks. Four residents have submitted their

892
01:23:05,970 --> 01:23:07,930
application by the established deadline.

893
01:23:10,590 --> 01:23:13,930
We have three applicants who are available

894
01:23:13,930 --> 01:23:19,730
here tonight for the interview. That would be Shankar Kinkar, Barry Solberg, and Cindy

895
01:23:19,730 --> 01:23:26,050
Wang. And Abby, her most subitel, was unable to attend. That concludes my report.

896
01:23:27,250 --> 01:23:33,790
Great, thank you. So, tonight we're conducting the interviews. The applicants have been

897
01:23:33,790 --> 01:23:39,310
invited to attend the meeting, they will each have three minutes to answer the following two questions.

898
01:23:39,970 --> 01:23:48,210
Why do you want to serve on the Planning Commission and what makes you qualified candidate as well as what is your understanding of the role of a Planning Commission?

899
01:23:49,130 --> 01:23:53,990
Then after the three-minute statement, we will have an opportunity to ask our own questions.

900
01:23:55,110 --> 01:24:03,430
So with that I believe we are going to begin with Shankar Cancray if we can move the others in person outside.

901
01:24:04,050 --> 01:24:06,490
Madam Mayor, do we want to start with public comment?

902
01:24:06,610 --> 01:24:07,750
I'm sorry, yes we did.

903
01:24:07,750 --> 01:24:09,490
If you want to invite the other applicants.

904
01:24:11,030 --> 01:24:13,450
Let's do public comment while we move applicants outside.

905
01:24:13,830 --> 01:24:16,070
We do not have any public comment for this item.

906
01:24:16,830 --> 01:24:17,230
Okay perfect.

907
01:24:29,680 --> 01:24:30,760
Mr. Cancray welcome.

908
01:24:31,320 --> 01:24:31,740
Thank you.

909
01:24:32,540 --> 01:24:36,860
Good evening Madam Mayor, members of the Council and staff.

910
01:24:37,600 --> 01:24:41,520
My name is Shankar Kankari, a long-time resident of this beautiful city.

911
01:24:42,600 --> 01:24:49,520
I was appointed to the Planning Commission on January 21st for a short term.

912
01:24:50,680 --> 01:24:52,620
The term is now up for Rina.

913
01:24:53,380 --> 01:24:57,940
I won't talk much about myself since I've already gone through the interview process.

914
01:24:57,940 --> 01:25:04,100
Instead, I would like to focus on what I have done on the Planning Commission and what

915
01:25:04,100 --> 01:25:07,300
I plan to do if I am reposted today.

916
01:25:08,000 --> 01:25:16,340
Since my appointment, I have attended five commission meetings and two study sessions

917
01:25:16,340 --> 01:25:21,580
with Park and Rick Committee about Park's Master Plan.

918
01:25:21,580 --> 01:25:29,520
I attended a three day planning commission academy of three weeks after my appointment.

919
01:25:30,440 --> 01:25:32,160
There I learned a lot.

920
01:25:32,440 --> 01:25:40,300
It also allowed me to network with other planning commissioners and city officials from other

921
01:25:40,300 --> 01:25:40,720
cities.

922
01:25:43,160 --> 01:25:51,500
I wrote a report summarizing the sessions I attended and I shared it with the Mayor, City

923
01:25:51,500 --> 01:26:00,780
manager and my fellow planning commissioners. During five meetings I participated in, I learned a lot,

924
01:26:01,340 --> 01:26:09,180
but the most interesting was a discussion about objective design standards for single-family homes.

925
01:26:10,520 --> 01:26:17,460
Looking ahead, I like to focus on two key areas, regional engagement. I would like to get involved

926
01:26:17,460 --> 01:26:24,460
as a planning commission representing foster city in county at a regional level and if possible

927
01:26:24,460 --> 01:26:32,820
at the state level. I am looking at the opportunities and if reappointed I would jump into the opportunities

928
01:26:32,820 --> 01:26:40,980
in the second or third year of my term. Another thing I would like to do is commissioners collaboration.

929
01:26:42,020 --> 01:26:48,380
I would like the city to organize workshop for planning commissioners a 3-4-hour session

930
01:26:48,600 --> 01:26:52,700
to share ideas and discuss how we can help city.

931
01:26:53,380 --> 01:26:56,520
I have great admiration for my fellow commissioners.

932
01:26:57,140 --> 01:27:02,120
Each brings valuable experience in sites and strong community connection.

933
01:27:02,120 --> 01:27:10,180
If we are appointed, I will schedule time with the community planning director to explore

934
01:27:10,180 --> 01:27:11,900
the feasibility of such workshop.

935
01:27:12,980 --> 01:27:19,160
The city has already invested in me by helping me learn various aspects of the planning

936
01:27:19,160 --> 01:27:20,400
process.

937
01:27:21,140 --> 01:27:25,080
It would be a wasted opportunity if my term were not renewed.

938
01:27:26,120 --> 01:27:30,560
So I humbly request the opportunity to continue serving the city.

939
01:27:30,560 --> 01:27:31,500
Thank you.

940
01:27:33,040 --> 01:27:33,860
Perfect timing.

941
01:27:34,420 --> 01:27:34,820
Thank you.

942
01:27:36,600 --> 01:27:38,520
Any follow-up questions from my colleagues?

943
01:27:39,900 --> 01:27:40,680
Councilmember Sullivan.

944
01:27:41,740 --> 01:27:44,080
Madam Mayor and I kind of cleared it with Councilor Rhea.

945
01:27:44,340 --> 01:27:47,180
My question is yes, no, or declined to state.

946
01:27:47,380 --> 01:27:51,980
And first of all, I want to congratulate you for being on the commission and doing all your

947
01:27:51,980 --> 01:27:52,400
hard work.

948
01:27:53,340 --> 01:27:59,260
My question is, if you are the chosen, will you continue to fill your term?

949
01:27:59,260 --> 01:28:04,040
or would you be considering running for council, yes, no, or decline to stay?

950
01:28:06,830 --> 01:28:08,510
It's a very difficult question.

951
01:28:08,650 --> 01:28:10,190
I don't know, I'd like to decline.

952
01:28:10,910 --> 01:28:11,690
Okay, thank you.

953
01:28:14,580 --> 01:28:15,260
Any other questions?

954
01:28:15,680 --> 01:28:15,760
I

955
01:28:18,540 --> 01:28:19,860
answered my question already.

956
01:28:20,260 --> 01:28:23,620
My question is going to be now that you've been on the Planning Commission for a little over

957
01:28:23,620 --> 01:28:24,540
three months.

958
01:28:24,940 --> 01:28:25,560
What have you learned?

959
01:28:25,820 --> 01:28:28,060
Do you have so do you want to expand on anything that you said?

960
01:28:31,480 --> 01:28:37,600
I learned a lot, and the more is the, about this state laws.

961
01:28:37,600 --> 01:28:47,250
how they are affecting our communities. I know about the laws that are going to

962
01:28:47,250 --> 01:28:56,490
come this year. I learned about the objective standard designs. There is one

963
01:28:56,490 --> 01:29:03,130
session we already had about single-family homes. I am very encouraged to learn

964
01:29:03,130 --> 01:29:10,030
about waterfront properties that standard will be put in place as well as

965
01:29:10,030 --> 01:29:10,850
each one is.

966
01:29:17,210 --> 01:29:25,510
As you well know already it takes three to get anything passed or more.

967
01:29:27,520 --> 01:29:37,290
How do you see working consensus on getting across your ideas? How would you approach that?

968
01:29:37,290 --> 01:29:38,870
you have any strategy for that?

969
01:29:39,990 --> 01:29:47,390
No, I mean we just discuss things and like you know I at least I come to the meeting

970
01:29:48,370 --> 01:29:53,510
predetermined like you know cow studied and this is how I'm going to vote but when I listen

971
01:29:53,510 --> 01:29:59,910
to others and it has happened in couple of meetings that I change my vote after listening

972
01:30:00,000 --> 01:30:10,680
To some other commissioner, make a point about certain things. So it is just about coming to meetings with open mind and do all your studies upfront.

973
01:30:12,840 --> 01:30:32,560
Okay. And the next one. As we recently passed out of ethics, but basically in there was talking about attendance at meetings, do you have any personal or business requirements that would curtail you from attending?

974
01:30:32,560 --> 01:30:35,000
I mean, the Thursday can't commission meetings.

975
01:30:36,980 --> 01:30:41,820
No, I mean, I may not attend all meetings in person,

976
01:30:42,320 --> 01:30:47,020
but I'll definitely attend all meetings with a person or by Zoom.

977
01:30:47,840 --> 01:30:49,620
Okay, good. Thank you.

978
01:30:50,340 --> 01:30:53,460
I mean, I attend the meetings even when I'm not on a commission or.

979
01:30:56,220 --> 01:30:58,000
I can't remember if I can. Did you have a question?

980
01:30:58,560 --> 01:31:01,680
I do. I'm not going to retread questions I have last time.

981
01:31:01,680 --> 01:31:14,100
but mine is more at a different level, you know, I want you to tell me about a time that you had to make a decision that was not aligned to what your like closest friends and supporters expected or wanted of you.

982
01:31:14,540 --> 01:31:20,340
How did you find the courage to go against the grain and how did you talk through your thought process to them?

983
01:31:23,480 --> 01:31:29,560
You know, the decisions that we make, like, you know, either UCity Council or at Commissioner,

984
01:31:30,140 --> 01:31:34,780
is not about just a one small group. It is about the whole community.

985
01:31:35,420 --> 01:31:42,260
So we always look at what is beneficial to the community rather than my friends or small group.

986
01:31:43,380 --> 01:32:07,760
And then can I ask a follow-up, the follow-up is, I did can I ask this last go around, but how can you help make sure that more community voices are not only heard, but considered and respected in the planning process, voices that are under represented like you, the young adults, renters, which are 50% plus of our population?

987
01:32:07,760 --> 01:32:15,360
So, the staff does a lot of work about getting the information out to the public.

988
01:32:16,080 --> 01:32:26,560
What I do from my own, I reach out to people on my own circle, there are about 150 people

989
01:32:26,560 --> 01:32:27,300
that I reach out.

990
01:32:28,000 --> 01:32:36,100
For example, this standard object design that they did a survey, I sent a personal note to

991
01:32:36,100 --> 01:32:44,500
150 people of different ethnicities, different age groups, homeowners, renters, just to get

992
01:32:44,500 --> 01:32:44,960
their input.

993
01:32:45,360 --> 01:32:49,960
So, that's all I can do from my standpoint, but that's what I do.

994
01:32:50,600 --> 01:32:51,340
Thank you.

995
01:32:54,220 --> 01:32:54,660
No questions?

996
01:32:55,160 --> 01:32:55,940
So, thank you so much.

997
01:32:56,240 --> 01:32:56,620
Thank you.

998
01:33:01,160 --> 01:33:07,100
Next, some of us is Avi Hermose Patel, but she is unable to attend.

999
01:33:08,160 --> 01:33:11,420
So, next, we have Barry Salberg, whom I believe is outside.

1000
01:33:11,420 --> 01:33:12,160
Mr.

1001
01:33:32,650 --> 01:33:33,290
Salbert, welcome.

1002
01:33:34,270 --> 01:33:34,670
Sorry?

1003
01:33:35,470 --> 01:33:35,950
Welcome.

1004
01:33:36,410 --> 01:33:37,010
Oh, thank you.

1005
01:33:38,410 --> 01:33:39,250
Are we ready?

1006
01:33:39,670 --> 01:33:40,290
We are ready.

1007
01:33:40,450 --> 01:33:40,810
Go ahead.

1008
01:33:42,670 --> 01:33:45,430
As you are aware, I was here in January,

1009
01:33:45,430 --> 01:33:46,510
I was one of the 14.

1010
01:33:47,910 --> 01:33:50,010
Nothing has really changed professionally academically.

1011
01:33:50,830 --> 01:33:51,990
Undergraduate was at UCLA.

1012
01:33:53,590 --> 01:33:54,630
And they was from USC.

1013
01:33:56,310 --> 01:33:59,550
But after the presentations that we all gave,

1014
01:33:59,550 --> 01:34:04,290
I saw an artificial intelligence evaluation of each of the candidates qualifications.

1015
01:34:04,810 --> 01:34:11,610
And I was faulted because I did not have the service organization background.

1016
01:34:11,610 --> 01:34:16,110
I wasn't a member of any of the service organizations nor did I have committee membership.

1017
01:34:17,090 --> 01:34:20,590
So I'd like to thank the Ferris and the equateability or

1018
01:34:20,590 --> 01:34:26,410
a commensurateness with my 20 plus years of service in the election department as a

1019
01:34:26,410 --> 01:34:33,570
Trainor for the county for the election workers and here as a precinct supervisor in various precincts throughout the county for

1020
01:34:34,590 --> 01:34:36,470
Over 20 years continuously

1021
01:34:38,830 --> 01:34:42,990
Hopefully those will fulfill whatever those prerequisites were

1022
01:34:43,570 --> 01:34:47,190
It are but beyond that I can only stress again

1023
01:34:47,890 --> 01:34:50,950
That because I am four decades

1024
01:34:51,590 --> 01:35:10,140
plus, as a apartment rent or in Foster City, that I definitely bring a different voice, different perspective, insights, and a representation to the thousands of apartment dwellers who live in Foster City have never been represented on that commission.

1025
01:35:11,740 --> 01:35:14,720
And yet, I was at the meeting last Tuesday.

1026
01:35:14,720 --> 01:35:20,840
Today, it's my opinion that that board definitely needs representation that is more balanced

1027
01:35:20,840 --> 01:35:23,600
than what comprises it right now.

1028
01:35:24,660 --> 01:35:33,800
We also, nori's slide when she gave the BMR presentation, and it was obviously evident

1029
01:35:33,800 --> 01:35:41,440
to me that there was nobody representing apartment people other than Doug to make their case

1030
01:35:41,440 --> 01:35:50,300
for those minor amendments to the BMR program and that to the contrary, oh, I've got some time left.

1031
01:35:50,500 --> 01:35:57,190
Okay, and to the contrary, the other side was overloaded.

1032
01:35:57,230 --> 01:36:06,750
It was decidedly the opposition was increasingly, it was just, they needed balance on that commission.

1033
01:36:08,290 --> 01:36:11,070
So, I'd like to be able to make my own contribution.

1034
01:36:11,610 --> 01:36:14,990
I think there's a place for me on that board.

1035
01:36:18,070 --> 01:36:22,330
And, apparently, whoever deems that kind of

1036
01:36:24,470 --> 01:36:29,930
work is more valuable than what I've done in terms of service to the community, so be it.

1037
01:36:29,990 --> 01:36:33,270
But that's where I would like to be.

1038
01:36:35,640 --> 01:36:38,380
And I do, I only have five seconds left, okay.

1039
01:36:38,500 --> 01:36:40,120
Well, I do want to talk about the meeting.

1040
01:36:40,800 --> 01:36:44,160
I found it revealing and disturbing at the same time.

1041
01:36:44,160 --> 01:36:47,240
If you want to ask me about that, I'd be happy to respond.

1042
01:36:48,200 --> 01:36:49,800
Okay, thank you so much.

1043
01:36:50,500 --> 01:36:51,380
Follow up questions.

1044
01:36:51,880 --> 01:36:53,120
We'll start on this side.

1045
01:36:54,100 --> 01:36:55,040
Council member Venkat.

1046
01:36:56,860 --> 01:36:59,300
Hi, same questions I'm asking.

1047
01:36:59,700 --> 01:37:03,020
Okay, and it's the first question is, tell me about a time

1048
01:37:03,020 --> 01:37:10,160
that you had to make a tough decision that wasn't aligned to what your closest friends and supporters expect or want.

1049
01:37:10,680 --> 01:37:15,840
How did you find the courage to go against the grain and how did you talk through your thought process to them?

1050
01:37:17,160 --> 01:37:19,780
You know, I thought about this when you sent the email.

1051
01:37:20,480 --> 01:37:24,800
I think it's right now because I looked at the candidates.

1052
01:37:25,500 --> 01:37:32,220
I mean, you've got an incumbent, well connected, well versed in all, everything the commission does.

1053
01:37:32,220 --> 01:37:49,160
you've got another candidate whose stellar academic credential she served on the audit committee can't go wrong with either one of them, but so why am I here again because I think I have something that I bring to the table that the others don't I really

1054
01:37:49,160 --> 01:38:00,280
think I can make a contribution that counts and make a difference and so where everybody else would say don't waste your time don't spin your wheels I'm going against the grain just like you said.

1055
01:38:00,280 --> 01:38:07,840
Thank you, and just to clarify, I did email all of the candidates in BCC to let them know.

1056
01:38:09,060 --> 01:38:11,960
Thank you for applying, and I gave some sample questions.

1057
01:38:12,760 --> 01:38:20,920
The other question I have, the last question is, how would you help more community voices be heard and

1058
01:38:20,920 --> 01:38:26,620
considered and respected in the planning process, especially voices that are typically underrepresented,

1059
01:38:26,620 --> 01:38:30,660
and like renters youth and young adults.

1060
01:38:30,960 --> 01:38:32,860
Yeah, I was hoping you would ask one of the other questions

1061
01:38:32,860 --> 01:38:36,420
about decision making because I saw it in the process

1062
01:38:36,840 --> 01:38:40,580
as you guys looked at the presentation earlier today.

1063
01:38:40,740 --> 01:38:45,420
But in terms of media choices and reaching target audiences,

1064
01:38:45,940 --> 01:38:48,460
target audience is everything to me.

1065
01:38:48,600 --> 01:38:49,080
What do they know?

1066
01:38:49,540 --> 01:38:50,440
What do we want them to know?

1067
01:38:50,640 --> 01:38:51,580
What do they want to know?

1068
01:38:52,120 --> 01:38:53,360
And if there's a call to action,

1069
01:38:53,500 --> 01:38:54,520
what do we want them to do?

1070
01:38:54,520 --> 01:39:01,820
So, each one of those audiences determines different media choices, different talking points

1071
01:39:02,230 --> 01:39:03,820
in different ways of reaching them.

1072
01:39:04,200 --> 01:39:15,660
If it's young people, I mean in the last presidential election, it was suggested that the president

1073
01:39:16,250 --> 01:39:19,620
go on a certain podcast that reached young men was highly successful.

1074
01:39:20,940 --> 01:39:26,420
If you're talking about younger voters, younger folks, maybe it's tick-tock, I don't know,

1075
01:39:26,540 --> 01:39:31,660
but you need to do some research and you can't just do a one shot to everybody, but the same needy choices.

1076
01:39:35,000 --> 01:39:36,040
So, thank you.

1077
01:39:36,860 --> 01:39:37,060
Thanks.

1078
01:39:38,080 --> 01:39:38,840
Council Member Sullivan.

1079
01:39:39,840 --> 01:39:42,140
First of all, Barry, I want to thank you for not quitting.

1080
01:39:42,140 --> 01:39:43,040
I know how that is.

1081
01:39:43,260 --> 01:39:45,140
I've been a theorem a long time.

1082
01:39:45,360 --> 01:39:47,140
I never got appointed to planning commission.

1083
01:39:47,140 --> 01:39:51,240
But I want to point out is something very positive about this council.

1084
01:39:51,520 --> 01:39:55,920
We do have, Phoebe was a red turn chic on the planning commission.

1085
01:39:56,240 --> 01:39:58,720
So we were trying to broaden that perspective.

1086
01:39:59,060 --> 01:40:03,280
I only really have one question and I'm asked the same question.

1087
01:40:04,300 --> 01:40:11,180
If your chose for some reason you have an opportunity here in our body decides to put you, would

1088
01:40:11,180 --> 01:40:17,040
you serve out your term or would you consider a yes-no or a decline in state run for

1089
01:40:17,040 --> 01:40:17,640
city council.

1090
01:40:20,930 --> 01:40:24,510
I don't think I have the wherewithal to run for city council at this point.

1091
01:40:26,870 --> 01:40:27,350
Certainly

1092
01:40:27,350 --> 01:40:32,250
at this point, I don't know how to answer that. Certainly, I doubt it.

1093
01:40:33,710 --> 01:40:37,450
Is it more likely you'd serve out the four years on the planning?

1094
01:40:37,570 --> 01:40:41,110
It would be my intent to, but things change.

1095
01:40:43,850 --> 01:40:47,310
Because of my MBA background, I think strategically

1096
01:40:47,310 --> 01:40:51,510
the strategic planning was an intrinsic part of my being.

1097
01:40:52,390 --> 01:40:58,190
And I was thinking about you guys, whoever you're picking up here in terms of the commission,

1098
01:40:58,690 --> 01:41:04,010
that person could very well be running against you for City Council at some point, and I'm thinking.

1099
01:41:04,510 --> 01:41:08,210
So they would be voting strategically or appointing strategically.

1100
01:41:09,030 --> 01:41:14,570
Someone that either is or isn't going to be able to run against them, which just kind of relates back to your question.

1101
01:41:14,570 --> 01:41:17,370
In terms of me, I don't know, probably not.

1102
01:41:18,350 --> 01:41:22,510
You can see here with the body even or mayor ran for the planning commission.

1103
01:41:22,730 --> 01:41:26,450
That is not a guarantee that you're going to get on council and she won on council and

1104
01:41:26,450 --> 01:41:28,050
then fee views on the planning commission.

1105
01:41:28,570 --> 01:41:32,750
She ran for council and she won, so either way, but thank you for your comment, and I appreciate

1106
01:41:32,750 --> 01:41:32,950
that.

1107
01:41:33,090 --> 01:41:33,870
Good luck, don't give up.

1108
01:41:34,250 --> 01:41:34,930
I appreciate it.

1109
01:41:36,310 --> 01:41:37,110
Councilwoman Niederhofer.

1110
01:41:37,890 --> 01:41:38,090
Hi, Barry.

1111
01:41:38,270 --> 01:41:39,110
Thank you for applying.

1112
01:41:40,090 --> 01:41:44,210
Your application stated that you hadn't attended any planning commissions yet but that you

1113
01:41:44,210 --> 01:41:55,150
We're going to you plan to before the interview so I believe you've done that. How many did you attend? Oh, I can hardly wait to talk about this. I was there Tuesday night.

1114
01:41:55,490 --> 01:41:55,550
Yeah.

1115
01:41:56,190 --> 01:42:01,830
And as I say, I found it highly revealing and a little bit disturbing.

1116
01:42:03,010 --> 01:42:10,330
First of all, I think it was inappropriate for the incumbent to, it's not a club.

1117
01:42:10,830 --> 01:42:18,030
He got up there in front of everybody, public record and asked the council or the commission members to wish him luck here.

1118
01:42:18,610 --> 01:42:21,030
That's inappropriate and it was offensive to me.

1119
01:42:21,130 --> 01:42:27,670
I was sitting right there in the audience, nobody wished me luck, but beyond that and you could appreciate this.

1120
01:42:27,670 --> 01:42:34,150
There was a presentation from the staff regarding Parks and Rec.

1121
01:42:34,870 --> 01:42:39,650
And it was a prototypic strengths, weaknesses, opportunities in threats analysis.

1122
01:42:40,210 --> 01:42:42,110
And it was brilliant, it was beautifully done.

1123
01:42:43,770 --> 01:42:50,330
In response, I saw the commission members, grandstanding, and

1124
01:42:50,330 --> 01:42:58,510
And speechifying and way off topic to the point where staff member had to step up the

1125
01:42:58,510 --> 01:43:04,630
depotium and rein them in and said, hey guys, can we back this up and stay more on topic?

1126
01:43:05,630 --> 01:43:10,770
And I was a gas that the whole situation said, come on.

1127
01:43:11,150 --> 01:43:19,510
And I remember and I ran the tape back, I saw Doug Stovlin's presentation here when he

1128
01:43:19,510 --> 01:43:23,230
He spoke in January, and he said one of the things that he would make a difference

1129
01:43:23,230 --> 01:43:27,430
when he would like to see meetings not go to two o'clock in the morning, but he would

1130
01:43:27,430 --> 01:43:28,430
help to move them along.

1131
01:43:29,550 --> 01:43:36,090
Similarly, I would like to be able to see things a little bit more succinct on point and

1132
01:43:37,250 --> 01:43:38,390
certainly more productive.

1133
01:43:39,870 --> 01:43:40,470
Thank you.

1134
01:43:43,460 --> 01:43:51,120
Yes, as I'm sure you've aware that it takes three votes or more votes on a planning commission

1135
01:43:51,120 --> 01:43:59,280
or the council, excuse me, to get it in the past, when you bring your idea, how would

1136
01:43:59,280 --> 01:44:01,340
you approach obtaining consensus?

1137
01:44:04,610 --> 01:44:12,930
This is kind of related to what Council Member of NCAT was referring to or decision making

1138
01:44:12,930 --> 01:44:20,870
question before. You have to kind of rely on your own research. You have to rely on your

1139
01:44:20,870 --> 01:44:22,590
legal and your staff.

1140
01:44:24,790 --> 01:44:29,570
And then you have to weigh all the options in terms of who benefits

1141
01:44:30,530 --> 01:44:38,870
and who is it going to harm. And you have to have the way. Are those benefits going to be stronger

1142
01:44:38,870 --> 01:44:42,490
longer than the harm that they might cause.

1143
01:44:43,130 --> 01:44:44,550
And that's the way I would make a decision.

1144
01:44:44,790 --> 01:44:48,610
And that's hopefully what I would advise you guys to do

1145
01:44:48,610 --> 01:44:53,530
in terms of what's best for the overall situation

1146
01:44:55,210 --> 01:44:59,830
without doing long term hurt that in the end.

1147
01:45:00,910 --> 01:45:21,510
Your decision really wasn't that good. So that's what I would advise. Okay, thank you. And then, is there anything in your business or personal life that would inhibit you from attending all the planning commission meetings? No, this is where I live. This is my home. Okay, thank you.

1148
01:45:23,940 --> 01:45:27,640
Actually, no question. So thank you so much. Appreciate it. Thanks.

1149
01:45:32,820 --> 01:45:35,460
Canada, the evening is Cindy Wang.

1150
01:45:50,520 --> 01:45:51,320
Good evening.

1151
01:45:51,320 --> 01:45:57,640
esteemed members of the City Council and my fellow residents from Fasthit City.

1152
01:45:58,120 --> 01:46:04,040
My name is Cindy Wen. I'm honored to stand here again as the candidate for the Planning Commission.

1153
01:46:05,460 --> 01:46:13,800
Fasthit City is a remarkable community, a model for smart planning, innovation, quality of life, and sustainability.

1154
01:46:13,800 --> 01:46:21,640
I am deeply rooted in our community, having lived in fastest city for 22 years and raised my kid here.

1155
01:46:22,160 --> 01:46:29,240
I have a keen interest to see our city continue to flourish with harmony and balance in its growth and sustainability.

1156
01:46:30,320 --> 01:46:34,880
My commitment and qualification for the position are in the following four areas.

1157
01:46:34,880 --> 01:46:42,140
1. General skills have a career background in managing complex government, financial

1158
01:46:42,140 --> 01:46:46,260
investment, and technology programs throughout my 30 years career.

1159
01:46:46,880 --> 01:46:51,080
I have skills in strategic planning, policy development, and data analytics.

1160
01:46:51,720 --> 01:46:55,240
I think these skills can be essential and beneficial to this role.

1161
01:46:56,020 --> 01:47:03,240
2. Special experience. I had previously invested in commercial buildings in another city involving

1162
01:47:03,240 --> 01:47:09,160
in Tidalman Zone, converting from office buildings to residential condos in

1163
01:47:09,160 --> 01:47:13,980
providing me with valuable first-hand experience in navigating the complex

1164
01:47:13,980 --> 01:47:19,580
landscape of the city planning, consensus building, ensuring that decisions are

1165
01:47:19,580 --> 01:47:26,360
made with both foresight and fairness. Number three, transparency. Our city's mission

1166
01:47:26,360 --> 01:47:31,940
is to deliver excellent services to its residents. Development and a

1167
01:47:31,940 --> 01:47:41,200
Every development must balance economic growth with environmental sustainability and community needs with infrastructure capacity.

1168
01:47:42,420 --> 01:47:49,340
I will commit to transparency and ensure public voices from all residents I heard and considered.

1169
01:47:50,320 --> 01:47:52,180
Number four, physical responsibility.

1170
01:47:52,560 --> 01:47:56,680
I recognize the importance of physical responsibility in our cities planning.

1171
01:47:56,680 --> 01:48:04,380
I previously served a three-year term in the audit committee, which gives me the insight

1172
01:48:04,380 --> 01:48:14,240
that our initiatives should be economically viable, ensuring that taxpayer dollars are

1173
01:48:14,240 --> 01:48:17,080
used wisely for projects that benefit all.

1174
01:48:17,940 --> 01:48:22,860
The role of planning commission is advisory body to serve the city council.

1175
01:48:22,860 --> 01:48:30,320
So, it encompasses every aspect of city planning, development, and redevelopment, with consideration

1176
01:48:30,320 --> 01:48:32,880
of laws, regulations, and compliance.

1177
01:48:33,560 --> 01:48:39,260
If appointed, I pledge to listen to community voices and ideas worked diligently to my

1178
01:48:39,260 --> 01:48:46,080
homework, review, and analyze pros and cons of our projects, work closely with the City

1179
01:48:46,080 --> 01:48:49,800
Council, and help the city to make informed decision.

1180
01:48:50,920 --> 01:48:57,960
I believe I was short of 30 seconds, I look at the clock a little bit, but I just want to give you a little more time.

1181
01:48:58,480 --> 01:48:59,240
Thank you.

1182
01:49:01,040 --> 01:49:11,060
To help the city to make informed decisions together, I believe we can achieve a good littleism of growth and quality of life for all residents of the city.

1183
01:49:11,320 --> 01:49:16,660
I hope to have the opportunity to serve the beautiful city again and make it an even better place to live.

1184
01:49:16,660 --> 01:49:24,420
Thank you. Thank you all. Thank you so much. Thank you. Okay. Council Member Fechak.

1185
01:49:25,840 --> 01:49:41,480
Hi, I asked the same questions of all the applicants. First one is tell me about a time that you had to make a decision that was not aligned to what your closest friends and supporters expected or wanted of you.

1186
01:49:41,480 --> 01:49:47,380
How did you find the courage to go against the grain, and how did you talk through your thought process to them?

1187
01:49:48,200 --> 01:49:53,520
I believe this situation happens all the time in our personal life or professional life.

1188
01:49:54,200 --> 01:50:02,560
So I will give example, I manage a small private investment fund, and my investors or members are my constituents.

1189
01:50:02,560 --> 01:50:11,020
I have to make sure that we deliver the maximum benefit or profitability to our members.

1190
01:50:11,700 --> 01:50:15,300
So sometimes a project didn't go the way that they expected it.

1191
01:50:15,340 --> 01:50:19,540
So I will give an example like one of the companies that we invested.

1192
01:50:19,780 --> 01:50:26,060
We took a position in the company, but a few years down the road they decided to do a marginal position

1193
01:50:26,060 --> 01:50:30,040
and was a low-ball offer from the buyer.

1194
01:50:30,760 --> 01:50:33,180
And by the timing, the market condition

1195
01:50:33,600 --> 01:50:36,000
just not allowing us to vote no.

1196
01:50:36,540 --> 01:50:40,480
So I had to talk to our members that make sure

1197
01:50:40,480 --> 01:50:43,880
they understand if we voted down the deal,

1198
01:50:44,400 --> 01:50:46,060
a lot of consequences could happen.

1199
01:50:46,640 --> 01:50:51,640
It could be break up fee, could be a deal just no more there

1200
01:50:51,640 --> 01:50:55,740
and financial condition going to be worse for the company.

1201
01:50:55,740 --> 01:51:05,000
So I would say it's just a persuasion layout all the possibilities if you don't vote in the way that they expected.

1202
01:51:05,420 --> 01:51:07,200
So I would say this happens a lot.

1203
01:51:07,440 --> 01:51:13,340
It just takes time to make sure people understand all the pros and accounts.

1204
01:51:14,040 --> 01:51:16,420
So I think it's manageable.

1205
01:51:17,280 --> 01:51:18,340
Thank you for that.

1206
01:51:18,860 --> 01:51:25,020
And my follow up and last question is, how would you help more community voices be heard, respected,

1207
01:51:25,020 --> 01:51:27,820
and considered into the planning process,

1208
01:51:27,980 --> 01:51:32,360
including especially voices that are normally underrepresented

1209
01:51:32,360 --> 01:51:35,040
such as renters, youth, young adults.

1210
01:51:36,600 --> 01:51:38,380
Yeah, so I think in general,

1211
01:51:38,600 --> 01:51:41,220
we should be pay attention to the public polls

1212
01:51:41,220 --> 01:51:44,860
through monitoring, I wouldn't say monitoring,

1213
01:51:44,860 --> 01:51:46,880
just participating in all the groups,

1214
01:51:47,180 --> 01:51:50,540
like social groups and neighborhood groups,

1215
01:51:50,540 --> 01:51:58,840
to hear their regular concerns and things like that but also take initiative to

1216
01:51:58,840 --> 01:52:05,120
speak to people that you meet daily may not be the similar by one as yourself

1217
01:52:05,120 --> 01:52:10,300
but you have to interact with people they encounter in life let's say you go

1218
01:52:10,300 --> 01:52:17,580
to a grocery store you go to the barber shop you go to places fix your car so

1219
01:52:17,580 --> 01:52:23,560
It's just reach out to the other side that you're not familiar with and make sure all the

1220
01:52:23,560 --> 01:52:33,500
voices are considered and being fairly integrated into the city decision and make sure there's

1221
01:52:33,500 --> 01:52:41,700
sort of a plan. If not at this party, maybe next party, so historically kind of balance out

1222
01:52:41,700 --> 01:52:49,280
everyone's interest because I understand we have 47% of renters, more than 50% of home owners,

1223
01:52:49,540 --> 01:52:56,440
so there's always a bit of trade-off that we needed to build the consensus and make sure everyone's

1224
01:52:56,440 --> 01:53:01,480
opinion are heard and what we,

1225
01:53:03,760 --> 01:53:09,020
whatever party we take kind of benefit of in the long run. So I literally

1226
01:53:09,020 --> 01:53:24,720
I really wanted to refer the topic I just heard about 101 and 92, and I think the long term sort of analysis or long term view would be very important for all the citizens.

1227
01:53:25,120 --> 01:53:30,660
So I definitely appreciate a lot of comments I heard earlier when sitting there.

1228
01:53:30,660 --> 01:53:38,180
So that was a great exercise of hearing all the voices.

1229
01:53:39,360 --> 01:53:40,120
Thank you.

1230
01:53:41,880 --> 01:53:42,680
Councilmember Sullivan.

1231
01:53:43,940 --> 01:53:46,820
First of all, thank you, Cindy, for coming back.

1232
01:53:47,280 --> 01:53:48,160
That says a lot.

1233
01:53:48,260 --> 01:53:51,280
I know the first time you came here, it was just for a short term.

1234
01:53:51,820 --> 01:53:54,080
And thank you for serving on the audit committee.

1235
01:53:54,240 --> 01:53:58,120
I was on the audit committee too, and it's not the most attractive committee,

1236
01:53:58,120 --> 01:54:00,080
but it's the nuts and bolts of financing.

1237
01:54:00,740 --> 01:54:03,300
I've got one question, this is for a four-year term.

1238
01:54:04,060 --> 01:54:07,500
In my question, would you serve out the four-year term,

1239
01:54:07,680 --> 01:54:11,260
as you know we're going, you could be in a position

1240
01:54:11,260 --> 01:54:13,060
where you might consider running for council.

1241
01:54:13,300 --> 01:54:17,260
Would you make a commitment to serving the four-year term?

1242
01:54:18,420 --> 01:54:22,160
Yeah, I would love to serve the four-year term, yeah.

1243
01:54:22,760 --> 01:54:23,020
Okay.

1244
01:54:23,020 --> 01:54:30,780
What is the, like, is there a prohibition if you are doing something you cannot do that?

1245
01:54:31,500 --> 01:54:39,240
Well, if you chose to run, we have district elections coming up in 2026 and 2028, so you'd be real close.

1246
01:54:39,720 --> 01:54:47,400
I'm not sure what district you're in, but I was just curious if you would try to do a stepping stone to the City Council,

1247
01:54:47,580 --> 01:54:49,600
or you've served on your four-year term out.

1248
01:54:51,520 --> 01:54:57,980
Oh, I see that's your concept, so I'm going to say right now like I'm willing to serve

1249
01:54:57,980 --> 01:54:58,720
the four-year term.

1250
01:54:58,840 --> 01:54:59,040
Okay.

1251
01:54:59,300 --> 01:54:59,540
Thank you.

1252
01:55:01,750 --> 01:55:02,750
I can't remember neither offer.

1253
01:55:03,990 --> 01:55:05,370
Thank you for applying again.

1254
01:55:06,890 --> 01:55:12,310
So your applications that you attended the April 3rd Planning Commission meeting, did you

1255
01:55:12,310 --> 01:55:13,930
attend any other ones or just that one?

1256
01:55:14,350 --> 01:55:21,090
So I wanted to take back, I actually just viewed the online meeting, so I actually viewed

1257
01:55:21,090 --> 01:55:29,490
all three past meetings April two meetings and another meeting. Just wanted to point out the name

1258
01:55:29,490 --> 01:55:34,890
meeting was eight hours long which is incorrect. It's actually just a little over one hour. It was

1259
01:55:34,890 --> 01:55:46,070
scared a little bit. I'm like wow from 7 pm all the way to 3 pm. It was eight hours and I actually

1260
01:55:46,070 --> 01:55:53,350
reviewed and found it's actually just under one and a half hours, so I just wanted to point out

1261
01:55:53,350 --> 01:56:00,790
that's a FYI, so then my next question is what did you take away from or learn from the meeting?

1262
01:56:01,510 --> 01:56:11,330
So I thought I learned a lot about the detailed forum or detailed discussion about these meetings

1263
01:56:11,330 --> 01:56:17,410
because it involves a lot of different type of things that they decided on.

1264
01:56:18,410 --> 01:56:22,890
The main meeting was a joint meeting, was a park and a wreck.

1265
01:56:23,450 --> 01:56:28,470
It talks about swimming pool, water conservation or kind of initiative

1266
01:56:28,470 --> 01:56:32,430
and approving another side plan or something like that.

1267
01:56:33,230 --> 01:56:36,810
And I think April plan was more of study

1268
01:56:39,180 --> 01:56:39,700
session.

1269
01:56:39,700 --> 01:56:46,780
I think the second one April 17 was a long study session about single-family residential

1270
01:56:48,500 --> 01:56:59,480
code, garage, front, roof, or kind of topic they needed to discuss and review and have

1271
01:56:59,480 --> 01:57:00,040
a consensus.

1272
01:57:00,960 --> 01:57:04,500
So I did actually spend time to review all those three meetings.

1273
01:57:04,960 --> 01:57:07,760
But I didn't physically attend, by the way.

1274
01:57:08,060 --> 01:57:08,360
Thank you.

1275
01:57:08,360 --> 01:57:09,060
Yes.

1276
01:57:13,200 --> 01:57:18,200
Okay. As you well know, it takes three votes to get anything passed. True?

1277
01:57:20,160 --> 01:57:28,520
Yeah. Three or more votes. Okay. So, if you had an idea that you wanted to get the commission to pass,

1278
01:57:29,200 --> 01:57:36,800
what would be your process to develop consensus to get for the rest of commissioners to see your point of view?

1279
01:57:36,800 --> 01:57:37,340
I

1280
01:57:42,300 --> 01:57:50,200
feel like it would be understanding my fellow planning commissioners' point of view.

1281
01:57:50,460 --> 01:57:52,220
I would be listening tentatively.

1282
01:57:52,680 --> 01:57:57,480
You're talking about the planning commission, right, to get something approved with majority.

1283
01:57:58,600 --> 01:58:09,900
So, I would try to think about from their angle what position they are taking

1284
01:58:09,900 --> 01:58:14,380
and based on what kind of view and from that point on,

1285
01:58:14,420 --> 01:58:21,040
and I would just lay out our line, the issues if I disagree.

1286
01:58:21,540 --> 01:58:22,420
Just need to be truthful.

1287
01:58:24,140 --> 01:58:27,760
If I agree, it would be perfect, but if disagree,

1288
01:58:28,560 --> 01:58:31,140
we need to just engage more for discussion

1289
01:58:31,140 --> 01:58:34,240
and maybe spend more time, have the luxury of explore

1290
01:58:34,240 --> 01:58:38,400
all the ideas, options, maybe not just one option

1291
01:58:38,400 --> 01:58:43,720
we're discussing when maybe lay out four options and fully discuss it and hopefully that there

1292
01:58:43,720 --> 01:58:50,020
will be consensus building at the end for a majority. Three versus two. That's the minimum requirement,

1293
01:58:50,620 --> 01:58:57,880
but I think at the end of the day, if I'm on a minority, I will agree with the commission

1294
01:58:58,960 --> 01:59:06,700
overall, because it's always majority rule. So I don't have an issue personally if my view is

1295
01:59:06,700 --> 01:59:10,840
different than others because it always happens in the life.

1296
01:59:11,400 --> 01:59:15,880
Okay, and the second one is do you have anything in your personal business life that would

1297
01:59:16,650 --> 01:59:19,280
prevent you from attending all the planning commission meetings?

1298
01:59:20,900 --> 01:59:26,620
Not right now. Right now I'm pretty light in my career. Kind of sort of like a career break,

1299
01:59:26,860 --> 01:59:34,220
but I kind of maintain or maintain managing two funds, small funds that I have.

1300
01:59:34,220 --> 01:59:38,060
But I take sort of a little career break.

1301
01:59:38,500 --> 01:59:45,140
I previously worked in the federal government for 4.5 years with the Small Business Administration

1302
01:59:45,760 --> 01:59:53,340
and with three grants and loan programs I worked up and I think some of my experience

1303
01:59:53,340 --> 01:59:58,380
might be able to help some of the small business in the fastest city, how to get loan, how

1304
01:59:58,380 --> 01:59:59,940
to apply all kinds of programs.

1305
02:00:00,340 --> 02:00:24,980
It might be another possibility, but it's different than the planning commission. So I wanted to refrain what I can't do here. Maybe just like as a friend, if I bump into any small business owners, I can't tell them, oh, there's this 8A program. There's this all kind of programs for export for whatever. Like there's a lot of programs that they can't utilize. Okay. Thank you.

1306
02:00:27,480 --> 02:00:30,320
I have no questions. Thank you so much. Thank you.

1307
02:00:30,320 --> 02:00:35,060
All right, so now we turn back over.

1308
02:00:35,460 --> 02:00:37,900
I do just want to say thank you to all of the candidates.

1309
02:00:37,900 --> 02:00:39,440
This is incredibly difficult.

1310
02:00:41,620 --> 02:00:46,000
And if you're not chosen tonight, please don't stop trying.

1311
02:00:46,120 --> 02:00:48,360
There's various ways to get involved.

1312
02:00:48,640 --> 02:00:49,440
You can lead.

1313
02:00:49,600 --> 02:00:53,280
You can serve from various positions within our city.

1314
02:00:54,060 --> 02:00:55,120
So with that, Madam Clerk.

1315
02:00:55,120 --> 02:01:00,780
So now I will call out the names of the council members, so you can provide the person

1316
02:01:00,780 --> 02:01:04,540
that you would vote for for the spot on the Planning Commission.

1317
02:01:05,180 --> 02:01:06,780
Council member Niederhofer,

1318
02:01:10,060 --> 02:01:11,460
Shankar Kangry.

1319
02:01:12,900 --> 02:01:16,440
Council member Sullivan, Berry,

1320
02:01:20,570 --> 02:01:23,890
Council member Benkut, Sanuwo,

1321
02:01:30,160 --> 02:01:32,800
Smyr Kiesel, Shankar Kangry,

1322
02:01:34,360 --> 02:01:35,760
And Mayor Jimenez.

1323
02:01:36,740 --> 02:01:37,700
Mr. Cancri.

1324
02:01:39,920 --> 02:01:40,520
Motion.

1325
02:01:41,040 --> 02:01:46,800
Well, Shankar Cancri is appointed to the planning commission with three votes.

1326
02:01:49,480 --> 02:01:50,300
Thank you so much.

1327
02:01:50,660 --> 02:01:53,760
You know, we need to make a motion on that to make it official.

1328
02:01:54,080 --> 02:01:56,720
Actually adopt the resolution or do it.

1329
02:01:58,080 --> 02:02:05,540
So can I get a motion to adopt the resolution appointing Shankar Cancri to the planning commission for a four-year term?

1330
02:02:05,540 --> 02:02:22,160
Make a motion to adopt the resolution for Shankar Cancri to a four-year term on the planning commission.

1331
02:02:23,300 --> 02:02:24,380
Can I get a second?

1332
02:02:25,300 --> 02:02:25,780
No second.

1333
02:02:29,940 --> 02:02:32,240
Do we need a roll call letter or no?

1334
02:02:32,480 --> 02:02:32,580
Okay.

1335
02:02:32,760 --> 02:02:33,540
All in favor.

1336
02:02:34,660 --> 02:02:35,020
Aye.

1337
02:02:36,180 --> 02:02:36,660
Any opposed?

1338
02:02:39,360 --> 02:02:40,140
Thank you so much.

1339
02:02:40,920 --> 02:02:42,400
Motion carries 5-0.

1340
02:02:43,860 --> 02:02:44,900
Next item, please.

1341
02:02:46,400 --> 02:02:53,800
Item 8, communications 8.1, city district warrants of demands are processed and issued on April 30th, 2025.

1342
02:02:54,460 --> 02:02:58,580
Anyone who wants to provide public comment, please provide a speaker slip or raise your hand on Zoom.

1343
02:02:58,720 --> 02:03:01,560
This is an information item only no action required.

1344
02:03:04,940 --> 02:03:10,380
Item 9, city district manager reports council board statements and requests and council liaison report.

1345
02:03:12,780 --> 02:03:16,120
Madam Mayor, members of the Council, just a couple of quick reminders.

1346
02:03:16,600 --> 02:03:18,400
Next Monday is Memorial Day.

1347
02:03:18,760 --> 02:03:24,740
City Hall will be closed and all city offices will be closed in celebration of Memorial Day.

1348
02:03:26,080 --> 02:03:31,660
Also, the next Council of Cities is scheduled for Friday, June 27th.

1349
02:03:31,660 --> 02:03:32,580
That's a little bit off.

1350
02:03:32,720 --> 02:03:34,420
It's going to be in Berlin game.

1351
02:03:34,860 --> 02:03:38,960
Expect registration information to come to you shortly.

1352
02:03:38,960 --> 02:03:43,760
and Kevin, yeah, Kevin will work with you on getting that taken care of.

1353
02:03:44,080 --> 02:03:45,880
That's all I have unless you have questions for me.

1354
02:03:47,400 --> 02:03:48,260
Thank you so much.

1355
02:03:48,980 --> 02:03:52,160
Now we're turning to my colleagues for their reports.

1356
02:03:52,680 --> 02:03:54,480
Let's begin with Council Member Sullivan.

1357
02:03:56,020 --> 02:04:03,580
Mayor, I attended a meeting with airport land use, but it was specifically for child care.

1358
02:04:04,860 --> 02:04:08,620
They were out and they were talking about the same Carlos airport and zoning out there.

1359
02:04:08,620 --> 02:04:15,500
they're trying to encourage more child care availability for different locations out there,

1360
02:04:15,620 --> 02:04:21,880
whether they're retail or private. So, and again we are only an advisory board, so the board makes

1361
02:04:21,880 --> 02:04:27,700
their overall decisions. I also with council members, all the council members attended the Edgewater

1362
02:04:27,700 --> 02:04:34,940
Marine ribbon cutting. That was a great opportunity for Mike Turner. He had some retro boats out there,

1363
02:04:34,940 --> 02:04:36,280
or they were really beautiful.

1364
02:04:36,860 --> 02:04:38,320
Congratulations to that mic.

1365
02:04:39,620 --> 02:04:42,060
Also attended on Friday, the council of cities

1366
02:04:42,060 --> 02:04:43,500
at the police department

1367
02:04:44,460 --> 02:04:46,360
and the San Mateo.

1368
02:04:46,720 --> 02:04:50,180
I made it a point to not park my cyber truck over there.

1369
02:04:50,220 --> 02:04:51,040
It wasn't much room.

1370
02:04:51,780 --> 02:04:52,840
So I thank Kaiser.

1371
02:04:52,840 --> 02:04:53,980
I'm a Kaiser patient.

1372
02:04:54,180 --> 02:04:56,100
So I park my truck over there.

1373
02:04:56,780 --> 02:04:59,120
The presentation was accidentally well done.

1374
02:04:59,460 --> 02:05:01,100
Something may be foster city.

1375
02:05:01,520 --> 02:05:02,680
Eventually we'll look into it.

1376
02:05:02,700 --> 02:05:04,100
They were piloting their drones.

1377
02:05:04,100 --> 02:05:09,080
they were showing their drones and command central on the roof and it was a great

1378
02:05:09,080 --> 02:05:13,560
opportunity to find out that they've helped us several times with the drones with

1379
02:05:13,560 --> 02:05:19,700
swimmers outside near the or they do the wind surfing and kite flying and

1380
02:05:19,700 --> 02:05:23,740
all that stuff so drones are here to stay and of course we got to make sure

1381
02:05:23,740 --> 02:05:29,420
nobody flies too high to interfere with the plane traffic so yeah I can see the

1382
02:05:29,420 --> 02:05:32,080
wave and I have a same a tail was indicated that they're gonna probably have

1383
02:05:32,080 --> 02:05:41,840
another location, but do a way to see how the dispatch is able to actually take a drone

1384
02:05:41,840 --> 02:05:48,780
out to a crime scene or potential thing. They know what to send out, whether they're sending out

1385
02:05:48,780 --> 02:05:56,460
somebody because it's a robbery or kids just drinking alcohol or doing whatever. So very impressed

1386
02:05:56,460 --> 02:06:01,080
with the drones, I think it's going to save a lot of lives, and it's here.

1387
02:06:02,440 --> 02:06:05,540
And of course, they got those drones before the tariff started too.

1388
02:06:05,800 --> 02:06:07,840
So yes, that's been in my report.

1389
02:06:07,980 --> 02:06:10,680
Public Services is the best work of life, thanks Madam Mayor.

1390
02:06:11,360 --> 02:06:13,200
Thank you, Council Member Neater, Huffer.

1391
02:06:14,120 --> 02:06:14,440
Thank you.

1392
02:06:15,200 --> 02:06:20,660
So Thursday, I attended the 169th Anniversary Celebration of San Mateo County,

1393
02:06:21,620 --> 02:06:26,280
where they re-enacted a story about how San Mateo County came to be.

1394
02:06:26,280 --> 02:06:31,260
So I just wanted to ask did everybody know that San Mateo County was part of San Francisco?

1395
02:06:31,660 --> 02:06:34,520
Oh, wait, I did not know that and I grew up here

1396
02:06:36,400 --> 02:06:41,140
It became San Mateo County at the same time the city and county of San Francisco were combined

1397
02:06:42,580 --> 02:06:48,380
So it was also a celebration of their new administration building, which is touted as the greenness

1398
02:06:49,060 --> 02:06:51,720
Government building in the count in the country

1399
02:06:52,440 --> 02:06:54,900
So I would encourage anybody to go take a look at it

1400
02:06:56,280 --> 02:07:15,480
I had a planning commission meeting on Thursday which ended in a joint meeting with the parks and rec committee to discuss status updates and feedback and policy considerations on the existing conditions and assessment for parks and open space element and conservation element which are currently under being updated.

1401
02:07:15,960 --> 02:07:17,720
There was a lot of good discussion that night.

1402
02:07:17,720 --> 02:07:28,460
I think there will be a focus that the consultant is conducting a focus group on June 18th and

1403
02:07:28,460 --> 02:07:35,340
also considering public engagement Wednesdays off the grid and farmers market so there should

1404
02:07:35,340 --> 02:07:39,700
be some engagement coming up for those two studies.

1405
02:07:40,680 --> 02:07:45,680
And as can some member Sullivan said attended the Edgewater Marine Ribbon Cutting and the

1406
02:07:45,680 --> 02:07:49,320
Council of City's dinner on Friday.

1407
02:07:50,140 --> 02:07:57,500
Also attended the third annual spring celebration at the PJCC last night with Mayor Kiesel.

1408
02:07:59,920 --> 02:08:05,040
And they wanted to thank the city for all the support that the city can continue to give

1409
02:08:05,040 --> 02:08:05,200
them.

1410
02:08:05,940 --> 02:08:06,660
And that's all I have.

1411
02:08:09,040 --> 02:08:12,680
That's all you have, that's quite a bit.

1412
02:08:12,680 --> 02:08:22,680
It just started off with the BJCC last night was celebrating their 21st year in Foster

1413
02:08:22,680 --> 02:08:23,120
City.

1414
02:08:23,640 --> 02:08:26,840
It doesn't seem like it's been 21 years since they've been here.

1415
02:08:28,900 --> 02:08:39,500
I attended Bosca and they're working on a project for a reliable source of water plan through

1416
02:08:40,130 --> 02:08:40,560
2050.

1417
02:08:40,560 --> 02:08:49,400
what we're going to be doing and they're going to be taking into housing elements and business elements and business growth and water requirements.

1418
02:08:49,740 --> 02:08:52,400
So they're going to be doing a study on that.

1419
02:08:54,580 --> 02:09:04,400
Like we have done affordability is not only rents, it's going to be water and utilities that are starting to include that in there.

1420
02:09:04,400 --> 02:09:10,500
And they're going to be looking at perhaps lowering some rates for affordable affordability.

1421
02:09:16,100 --> 02:09:19,660
Pretty much, oh, and then the snow pack has already started to melt.

1422
02:09:20,340 --> 02:09:24,160
But the good news is Shasta is full right now.

1423
02:09:25,240 --> 02:09:31,060
So it's, quote, higher than historical averages, whatever that's worth.

1424
02:09:31,680 --> 02:09:35,600
But that doesn't mean that tomorrow we're going to have to have a drought.

1425
02:09:35,600 --> 02:09:39,060
I mean, the weather is changing quite quickly.

1426
02:09:39,980 --> 02:09:47,500
And to this morning, I was supposed supposed to be at the library JPA meeting.

1427
02:09:47,840 --> 02:09:53,520
And when I got there, the building is evacuated for a dastly scare.

1428
02:09:54,200 --> 02:09:56,720
So the meeting was called off or postponed.

1429
02:09:59,480 --> 02:10:01,040
And that's really a part.

1430
02:10:03,770 --> 02:10:05,430
Oh, excuse me, one more thing.

1431
02:10:05,990 --> 02:10:21,610
I'm going to be meeting with, I'm just made this decision that going to be meeting with planning because I want to find out if, in fact, the gatekeepers process has morphed over the years.

1432
02:10:22,390 --> 02:10:25,270
I was involved when it was brought up earlier this evening.

1433
02:10:26,850 --> 02:10:31,230
Has it changed? I don't know, but I'm going to be doing some investigation with that.

1434
02:10:35,790 --> 02:10:44,270
So I had a busy few weeks, I was privileged to attend or to visit a class of Audubon.

1435
02:10:44,830 --> 02:10:49,630
And that was some second graders who had a lot of questions about what I do as mayor.

1436
02:10:50,050 --> 02:10:50,670
It was exciting.

1437
02:10:51,210 --> 02:10:57,710
When they found out that I had the ability to make laws in Foster City with obviously the

1438
02:10:58,460 --> 02:10:59,630
support of my council members.

1439
02:10:59,630 --> 02:11:14,470
There was a lot of discussion about chocolate milk, and I think maybe we might need to make a new mandate in foster city that we all must drink more chocolate milk.

1440
02:11:15,050 --> 02:11:16,430
So that was a lot of fun.

1441
02:11:17,790 --> 02:11:27,550
I attended the sea cag later that evening, and we had a presentation from the county office of education regarding safe routes to school.

1442
02:11:27,550 --> 02:11:51,550
which is a program that encourages less cars for better health outcomes, more walking, and what I'm interested in doing and pursuing is doing a walk audit, where we can meet with the experts from the county and figure out ways that we can encourage our kids to walk to school.

1443
02:11:51,550 --> 02:12:18,230
So that's something that I will be doing a deeper dive with, and I'm hoping to also potentially partner with the liaison to our school district, Council member Benkat, and figuring out some ways that we can partner with our schools to encourage both pedestrian safety measures that we can implement and ways that we can promote just getting our kids to school and back safely.

1444
02:12:19,450 --> 02:12:23,510
Then there was another presentation regarding the Energy Watch, which is a partnership between

1445
02:12:23,510 --> 02:12:28,750
C-Cag and PGE, which is funded by the PUC through the RAPAIRs.

1446
02:12:28,870 --> 02:12:33,250
And what this does is it works with heart to reach customers.

1447
02:12:33,990 --> 02:12:37,030
The goal is to reduce GHG emissions.

1448
02:12:37,630 --> 02:12:43,310
And so this is a program specifically for our schools, small businesses, you can reach out

1449
02:12:43,310 --> 02:12:50,090
and have someone who will identify ways where you can reduce energy and then help

1450
02:12:50,090 --> 02:12:55,730
you find programs to fund that. So that is on our county website and PG&E as

1451
02:12:55,730 --> 02:13:00,310
well and then you can also if you're interested in that please reach out to me

1452
02:13:00,310 --> 02:13:05,890
and I can connect you with the people that you need to be connected to. Then I

1453
02:13:05,890 --> 02:13:11,050
I attended on the 10th, I attended the Chamber Fun Run.

1454
02:13:11,350 --> 02:13:14,790
I did not run, I apologize, I'm really out of shape.

1455
02:13:15,530 --> 02:13:18,090
But I wanted to thank the Chamber for putting on a fun event.

1456
02:13:18,490 --> 02:13:20,970
It was well attended, I believe.

1457
02:13:21,610 --> 02:13:22,870
Council Member Beckett, were you there?

1458
02:13:24,670 --> 02:13:27,130
I ran to, but I mean, I walked.

1459
02:13:27,610 --> 02:13:30,450
But I heard it doubled the attendance from last time.

1460
02:13:30,590 --> 02:13:32,930
I forgot the exact number, I want to say around that.

1461
02:13:32,930 --> 02:13:35,310
It was well attended and it was fantastic

1462
02:13:35,310 --> 02:13:48,090
Because at the end, there was all of these booths, and a lot of them were run by members of our community that were young, younger kids, teenagers, and it was just a fun, fun way to break the community together.

1463
02:13:48,370 --> 02:13:56,390
So congratulations for a successful event and moving on a couple

1464
02:14:00,800 --> 02:14:02,520
other meetings throughout the week.

1465
02:14:02,520 --> 02:14:28,480
We had a CMAC meeting today, congestion management, and had some other presentations and budget meetings, and then the CCPC, childcare partnership council meeting as well today, and we're all working on budgets, working how we can serve our community and kind of dealing with the May revised with our state budget.

1466
02:14:28,480 --> 02:14:39,060
And we initially had this amazing, we had a surplus and now we're in a deficit situation

1467
02:14:39,060 --> 02:14:39,520
potentially.

1468
02:14:39,840 --> 02:14:46,440
So, several committees and commissions are scrambling to figure out, you know, are we going

1469
02:14:46,440 --> 02:14:47,140
to be funded or not?

1470
02:14:47,540 --> 02:14:49,280
And what programs are going to be funded or not?

1471
02:14:49,820 --> 02:14:57,200
So it's sort of in a way and see, I would encourage you to reach out if you have concern about

1472
02:14:57,200 --> 02:14:59,960
specific programs. There are some concerns.

1473
02:15:00,110 --> 02:15:30,090
For local theater goers, that money, that a lot of our local theater groups, Hill Barn included, may lose some funding. And as you know, local theaters generally hang on by, by thread, most, most days. So would encourage you to reach out to your state senator and state congressman, Diane Papin, Josh Becker, and let them know if that's something that might be important to you. We need to save, save funding for

1474
02:15:30,090 --> 02:15:31,030
or local arts programs.

1475
02:15:33,170 --> 02:15:35,310
And that does it for my report.

1476
02:15:36,590 --> 02:15:38,270
I am just one last announcement.

1477
02:15:38,410 --> 02:15:41,870
I will be holding my monthly coffee this Saturday

1478
02:15:41,870 --> 02:15:44,770
at 1 o'clock at Penelope's.

1479
02:15:44,930 --> 02:15:46,710
So I would love to see the community come out

1480
02:15:46,710 --> 02:15:47,950
and ask questions.

1481
02:15:48,910 --> 02:15:50,670
Give me your ideas, your concerns.

1482
02:15:51,270 --> 02:15:53,630
I'm open to chat about anything for as long as you need

1483
02:15:53,630 --> 02:15:54,330
to with that.

1484
02:15:54,490 --> 02:15:55,210
Thank you so much.

1485
02:15:55,430 --> 02:15:57,150
And I believe we are adjourned.

1486
02:15:57,370 --> 02:15:58,190
Oh, one more question.

1487
02:16:01,790 --> 02:16:05,170
I guess we'll start with the 5K since Madam Mayor mentioned it.

1488
02:16:05,590 --> 02:16:07,430
I'm proud to say I came in last place.

1489
02:16:08,230 --> 02:16:12,010
The gentleman was folding up the finish line as I was crossing it.

1490
02:16:12,230 --> 02:16:15,670
I did not plan to be in last place by ended up meeting new friends along the way, which

1491
02:16:15,670 --> 02:16:21,010
is what you do, and got some group of rollerbladers to come to join me.

1492
02:16:21,010 --> 02:16:26,950
Actually, they flew by me about 20 minutes after me, so that was really fun and great to

1493
02:16:26,950 --> 02:16:28,710
to see fun raising for the chamber,

1494
02:16:28,930 --> 02:16:30,050
they do a lot for our city,

1495
02:16:30,530 --> 02:16:32,030
and great to see all kinds of people out.

1496
02:16:33,090 --> 02:16:35,230
And I also wanted to apologize

1497
02:16:35,230 --> 02:16:37,030
I missed the last council meeting.

1498
02:16:37,630 --> 02:16:41,230
I was part of an energy security summit in DC

1499
02:16:41,230 --> 02:16:43,530
with a leadership class I'm affiliated with

1500
02:16:43,530 --> 02:16:46,650
and that was scheduled before I was elected.

1501
02:16:47,590 --> 02:16:48,730
And as part of that trip,

1502
02:16:48,890 --> 02:16:50,430
we actually got to lobby,

1503
02:16:52,430 --> 02:16:55,270
this is a non-partisan group that I was with.

1504
02:16:55,270 --> 02:17:01,710
We actually got to lobby for climate resiliency and bills related to that to talk to different

1505
02:17:02,310 --> 02:17:05,150
leaders in Congress, so I was really excited.

1506
02:17:06,190 --> 02:17:10,190
There was bike to wherever, used to be called bike to work, bike to school, bike to wherever

1507
02:17:10,190 --> 02:17:10,550
day.

1508
02:17:11,310 --> 02:17:16,710
Recently, I usually work from home, so I bike to Penelope for a meeting, hopefully that counted.

1509
02:17:18,070 --> 02:17:25,190
I got to attend, there's a group called OCA San Mateo and they serve Asian American Pacific

1510
02:17:25,190 --> 02:17:32,030
under youth across the county. I'm really proud that somebody from Foster City, a senior at

1511
02:17:32,030 --> 02:17:39,610
San Mateo High School, her name is Zhang Yizhou. She earned one of the scholarships and it's great.

1512
02:17:39,770 --> 02:17:46,390
All of the students are amazing and we are in exceptional hands with them. And also wanted to denote

1513
02:17:46,390 --> 02:17:52,870
that May is, there's lots of different months that you celebrate but it's a mental health month

1514
02:17:52,870 --> 02:18:02,050
So it was actually very uppercut that our public commenter came today and shared her story and her organization.

1515
02:18:02,390 --> 02:18:08,870
It's also Asian-American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, so a couple of weeks left.

1516
02:18:09,250 --> 02:18:15,770
So find a way to celebrate, and our city is actually about 54% AAPI and growing.

1517
02:18:16,650 --> 02:18:21,330
So that's definitely something we want to share out with everybody.

1518
02:18:21,330 --> 02:18:22,290
Thank you.

1519
02:18:23,630 --> 02:18:25,230
Okay, and with that, we're adjourned.