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EXHIBIT A 88 Page 7 REDWOOD CITY "OPEN SPACE VOTE" CHARTER AMENDMENT Section 1: Purpose and Findines A. Purpose: The purpose of this Charter Amendment is to preserve Redwood City's vital open spaces, including parks and baylands ("Open Space Lands"), and to ensure that Open Space Lands are not developed for non-open space uses unless the voters of Redwood City give their approval. This Charter Amendment, with certain exceptions, would require approval by a two-thirds vote of Redwood City voters before identified Open Space Lands could be developed. B. Redwood City's Vital Open Space Lands, Including Parks and Baylands: 1. As residents of Redwood City, we depend upon our open space, parks and baylands to preserve and maintain our quality of life, for the benefit of current and future residents, visitors, employers, and property owners. 2, The preservation of Open Space Lands is needed to serve new and current residents as the City develops and grows. The availability of open space to meet these needs is very limited. Once open spaces are developed, they are destroyed forever, and this should not be permitted without a vote of the City's residents. 3. Redwood City's precious bayfront areas provide great social and economic benefits for the community, as well as for the health of the entire San Francisco Bay. Therefore, the protection and restoration of the Bay has been a strong priority of Redwood City residents. The people of Redwood City believe that over- development, pollution and loss of tidal habitat significantly threaten the Bay. Additional encroaclunent will further compromise the health of the Bay, threaten many wildlife species in danger of extinction, and impact the sustainability of local fisheries. 4. Decisions regarding the preservation or development of Open Space Lands have a direct impact on Redwood City residents' health and welfare. Inappropriate development of Open Space Lands can strain community services by significantly increasing traffic and overtaxing available drinking water supplies. Our children's opportunities to connect with and develop an appreciation of nature are lost through the destruction of precious open spaces, 5. Redwood City neighborhoods already suffer repeated flooding during storm events coupled with high tides. San Francisco Bay water levels are expected to rise significantly over the next 50 years. Urban expansion into flood-prone shoreline areas should not be allowed without a vote of the City's residents. 6. The so-caiied "Urban Reserve," which according to a July 11,2005 City siaffreport was applied without environmental review to certain bayfront properties such as Bair Island to imply a possibility of future development, does not authorize development of these lands. By enacting this Charter Amendment, the voters of Redwood City ensure that current and future voters have the right to protect open spaces from the Page 1