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<br />Rita Fassett (ceded any extra time she had to Mark Fassett), one of the residents who lives <br />on the residential land that is right now designated as park land, stated she signed the <br />petition to get the Initiative on the ballot but is now sorry that she did so. She hoped for a <br />resolution with regard to the proposed initiative. <br /> <br />Jerry Pierce spoke to the goals of the Citizens to Protect Redwood City, and their continued <br />informed involvement in issues related to the City. He invited others to join them in this <br />commitment. He opined the initiative is bad for Redwood City in its language and <br />approach. He spoke of what he believes to be the initiative's unintended consequences <br />and what he believes to be the removal of the voting power from the citizens and putting a <br />minority in charge of the City's future. He spoke to the financial ramifications as well, if the <br />amendment passed. He encouraged Council and staff to continue working on the <br />countermeasure and place it on the ballot. <br /> <br />Mark Fassett thanked Council and aU groups involved for their responses to this issue. He <br />spoke to the mis-designated residental lands that are listed as park lands in the General <br />Plan, and the needed revision of this. He stated the initiative was deve'loped without the <br />proper research on all impacted areas, and that in this way he finds the initiative is <br />unacceptable. He listed other neighbors in attendance in that they are united and want to <br />see something passed that will remove these residential lands from park land <br />considerations and policy. Mr. Fassett asked the City Council and environmental groups to <br />get together and find a working alternative. <br /> <br />Claire Felong stated she is a reluctant supporter of the Charter Amendment Initiative and <br />was interested in the counter proposal, but at this point does not like the countermeasure <br />either. She urged that there be more discussion of the environmental impacts of what is <br />being proposed and the counter proposed. <br /> <br />Daniel Paley (with time ceded by Susan Swope) stated he had a full statement in Council's <br />packet. He gave an overview of this Initiative as the two-thirds voting initiative and how in <br />his opinion it was a rush to judgment. He stated taking more time (beyond the November <br />ballot) and the need for further study of the issues including the environmental and financial <br />impacts. <br /> <br />Marsha Cohen stated she was one of the petition signature gatherers for the Open Space <br />vote going on the November ballot. She opined that everyone who signed was thoughtful <br />and knew what they were signing. She commented that the Initiative qualified and should <br />be placed on the November ballot. <br /> <br />James Jonas (with time conceded by Lynn Chou Jonas) spoke on Dock Town as being one <br />of the areas that would suffer collateral damage if the initiative passed. He spoke about a <br />recent derelict boat going down and the seepage of diesel in the water ways, and other <br />concerns over aging docks and properties in this area. He stated the minutia of details of <br />this area will be brought to the forefront, past and present, when it comes via this issue. He <br />stressed that the community be aware of what they are signing and voting on due to the <br />long-term effects. <br /> <br />JOINT SPECIAL CITY COUNCIUREDEVELOPMENT AGENCY BOARD <br />MEETING MINUTES <br /> <br />JULY 21, 2008 <br />PAGE 8 <br />