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<br />2008, but that this does not stop Council from protecting the community at all costs in all <br />future regards, no matter what made it to ballot and no matter what passed and/or was <br />voted down. <br /> <br />Council continued to state that a lot of time was spent, there were costs to everyone in <br />many regards, it was a passionate issue, and that it indeed needed to be put on the ballot, <br />sooner rather than later. Councils' main disappointment was that much of this could have <br />been avoided if discussion regarding the issues in the proposed initiative could have been <br />brought forth sooner. Council spoke to prior planning issues and lessons, including the <br />downtown areas, and how these same processes would have been followed regarding the <br />bay lands, with community outreach, research and then planning and initiatives. Council <br />shared the opinion that it was difficult to continue holding to public process and being an <br />elected official, when this also put them under fire in many regards. Council would, <br />however, through General Plan and other continued processes, continue in its support of <br />what was best for the community, no matter the outcome of the November ballot, to <br />include all consequences. <br /> <br />Council spoke to the fact that open space protection and discussions regarding the bay <br />lands remain critical issues, despite the outcome of any November ballot, initiative, <br />countermeasures, or otherwise. Council is aware of these open space concerns ongoing. <br />Council also reiterated the fact that parklands are not in jeopardy within the city either, with <br />many measures taken and planning being done to renew and restore park areas. Council <br />spoke to continued concerns over listing Cargill, specifically, in their countermeasure, but <br />agreed to keep the Cargill language despite consideration of calling it the Salt Works as <br />suggested by Special Counsel, Tom Willis. <br /> <br />Mayor Foust worked through the discussion, prior to the vote, on reaching consensus on <br />the motions to vote on. Council's consensus was to put the Charter Amendment Initiative <br />on the November ballot, and return at the next meeting with the new language of the City's <br />countermeasure, which would also go to the November 2008 ballot. She asked that <br />Council, community and all involved be prepared for the next steps as this decision- <br />making process heads them to the November ballot. Council members reiterated the fact <br />that neither the initiative nor the countermeasure will be 1000/0 effective in dealing with all <br />concerns. The Mayor asked the City Attorney to clarify this, since it was her <br />understanding that it was dependent on which way the ultimate voting went, when it came <br />to who, or who was not, protected or covered. Mr. Yamamoto stated any attorney would <br />be cautious to state that anything was 1000/0 effective. With respect to the City-sponsored <br />measure, it does not talk about the Redwood Shores, lagoon or Docktown residents or <br />homeowners in the area, and it only addresses the Cargill lands specifically, and any <br />developments there in the future, in that this development approval would have to be <br />ratified by the voters. He stated these other residents are not addressed in the City's <br />countermeasure. <br /> <br />Attorney Willis addressed the ballot concerns and the issue of Cargill versus use of Salt <br />Works in the countermeasure language. He also discussed whether or not to include <br />fiscal impacts in the language of the countermeasure. The Mayor again worked with the <br />Council to reach a consensus and Mr. Yamamoto gave further instructions prior to Council <br />moving towards making motions and voting. <br /> <br />REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING <br />MINUTES <br /> <br />AUGUST 4, 2008 <br />PAGE 9 <br />