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<br />78 <br />Page 1 <br /> <br />REPORT <br /> <br />To the Honorable Mayor and City Council <br />From the City Manager <br /> <br />May 19, 2008 <br /> <br />Subject <br />Responses to City Council Questions (April 14, 2008) Regarding the Proposed Initiative <br />Measure Amending the Charter of Redwood City - San Francisco Bay Front and City Park <br />land <br /> <br />Background <br />At its April 14, 2008 meeting, City Council discussed for the first time a proposed Charter <br />amendment initiative that would require two-thirds voter approval for a change in the uses <br />of certain designated lands within the City. City Council took public comment, discussed <br />the proposal, and asked City staff numerous questions about the possible effects of the <br />proposed initiative, The purpose of this report as prepared by staff and Special legal <br />Counsel Tom Willis, Esq., is to respond to those questions. <br /> <br />The proposed initiative was conceived, written and submitted by certain members of the <br />public without prior review by City staff. Staff therefore makes no representations about <br />the validity of the initiative and the answers that follow are based solely on the initiative's <br />text. <br /> <br />SUMMARY OF INITIA riVE <br /> <br />The proposed initiative would amend the City Charter to require two-thirds voter <br />approval for a change in the uses of certain designated lands within the City. The initiative <br />proponents are currently circulating the petition in the City for voter signatures. <br /> <br />The key in analyzing the possible effects of the initiative is to keep in mind that the <br />two-thirds voter approval requirement would apply only to certain land designations listed in <br />the initiative. If a parcel of land does not have one of those designations, any change in <br />the use of that land does not need voter approval, and the City Council, Planning <br />Commission and Planning Department can approve changes through existing procedures <br />such as amending the General Plan or Zoning Map or approving a use permit. <br /> <br />The land designations covered by the initiative are: <br /> <br />General Plan Desianations <br /> <br />1. Park; <br />2. Unimproved Areas (Land or Water) Devoted to Preservation of <br />Natural Resources, the Managed Production of Resources, Outdoor <br />Recreation, or Public Health and Safety; <br />3. Future Development Expanding Limits of Urbanization; <br />4. Controlled Waterway (Redwood Shores Area); or <br /> <br />1 <br />