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I I: I II Councilwoman Buchan referred to the Minutes of the October, 1995 appeal hearing, - and said, "I saw my own comments at the end where I expressed my extreme disappointment that a compromise could not have been worked out. I still feel that way. After reading all the material from staff, reading all the letters, making a trip to the neighborhood to see if anything had changed since October, 1995, I discovered that it hadn't. And after listening to everyone tonight, I find that I feel much the same as I did last time. That is why I supported the motion. It isn't working here. The key word is, it is not a neighborly thing. Just so you all understand, I too, don't do things by political expediency. I am doing it because my conscience tells me this is right." Councilman Ruskin said, "I find this a very difficult decision. There are a couple of items that stood out more than anything else that have enabled me to make a decision, although I must tell you, for the first hour and a half, I wasn't sure how I was going to come to a decision, because I wasn't able to find that thread that seerned to lead to at least my own truth. Also interesting to me, while Council Member Buchan was speaking about compromise, I had just written compromise and put a box around it before she said that. We have had two public hearings this evening. The essence of the first one was to try to induce both parties to find a compromise, and I am suggesting that a compromise would be in the best interests of both parties here, long term. What is most persuasive to me in all the arguments made has to do with the location. I don't have a mental data base of all the places of worship in Redwood City and where exactly they are, but as I recall those, and in hearing testimony tonight... It -- seems like the churches that have parking lots that have a large amount of ingress and egress are situated in such a way that they don't disrupt a small neighborhood. I am thinking of the churches on Woodside and Valota, the synagogue on Alameda, the West Bay Christian Academy which has an entrance on Vera and an entrance on Madison. There are certain things about them that I think lend themselves better to a large flow of cars in and out. My instincts tell me that it isn't appropriate here. And that to me is the decisive factor that it moves right into the back yards of many people, it requires easements, building over aquaducts.... And it just feels inappropriate. I am going to vote to grant the appeal, but I also hope that both sides will be able to find a compromise over the next several years. I hope we are not asked to reconsider the same exact point in a year and halffrom now." Vice Mayor Howard said, "We have many churches in Redwood City already.... In my neighborhood alone I know of at least six churches. I am very comfortable with having churches in my neighborhood. We encourage it in Redwood City. We are not being asked to enlarge a church here. We are not being asked to enlarge a congregation. What we are being asked to do is to approve a piece of land for parking because the church is taking the initiative of buying a piece of property so they could come up with a compromise for the neighborhood. They not only house visiting dignitaries or people within their church congregation who come to stay for a period of time, they are also willing to put their own time and sweat and money into making - additional parking so they can in fact get more parking off the street. Most of our REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTE BOOK NO. 55 JUNE2,1997 MINUTES Page No. 381 PAGE 25