First, some business:

The first Santa Clara General Plan Community Workshop will be held on two dates; both are identical in content, so you need only attend one:

Saturday, 21 June 2008, 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
and
Monday, 23 June 2008, 7:00 to 9:00 PM.

Santa Clara Senior Center
1303 Fremont Street
Santa Clara, California

Earlier this week, the Santa Clara City Council appointed four residents to the General Plan Steering Committee: Thomas Banholzer, Tricia Finnigan Biocini, Peter Yoon, and myself. There were 11 applicants originally, although only ten were up for consideration after John recused himself in protest of the council’s decision on the Marina Playa project. It’s a little surprising that I made it to appointment; doubly so considering that at the start of the council meeting, only three positions were open.

After the candidates gave their speeches, the council members each voted for three. Anyone with a unanimous vote would be selected automatically. After the first round of voting, no candidate had unanimous backing, and four candidates had zero votes. To be fair, all of the candidates seemed the cream of the crop, but when you pour a bucket into a cup, you’re going to lose something. The council voted on the remaining six candidates, eliminating another two. On the third round of voting, Mr. Banholzer received unanimous support, with the rest of the votes split among the remaining three candidates. On sheer numbers, I would be the odd man out, which I expected. What I didn’t expect was a motion from Councilman Kevin Moore to increase the number of residential representatives to four and accept all remaining candidates. The motion was seconded and passed unanimously.

So here we are. For the record, these were my responses on the General Plan application:

Reasons for wanting to participate:
As a decade-long resident and a recent homeowner, I am deeply committed to making Santa Clara a vibrant city in which my future children can grow up. Managing growth of both residential and industrial sectors while defining a unique, important role for the city in relation to the other cities in the South Bay is both interesting and necessary. I would like to give input on transit and density, mixed with retail and commercial development, to create safe, walkable communities that are enjoyable to live in while forming a larger plan that can act as a role model for neighboring cities. More Transit, More Industry, More Retail, More Residential, but intelligently integrated and designed for the benefit of both existing and future residents.

Additional information:
I have lived in Santa Clara for over 12 years, renting first near Halford and Poinciana, then near Benton and Scott, and finally moving to the Pepper Tree area almost three years ago. I have worked in several high-tech companies in several cities, from San Jose to Fremont, and currently tutor grade school Mathematics and English in homes and libraries throughout our area, from Cupertino to Milpitas. These experiences have given me a greater understanding of the diversity within our city and a wider view of how Santa Clara fits in with the rest of the Bay Area. I am active in our community and talk regularly with staff from other cities to exchange ideas and get a better understanding of the planning process in general. I have attended almost every Planning Commission meeting and many City Council meetings this year and intend to continue to do so. Working with the Arts Education Planning Initiative for the Bay Area, I am concerned with not just the increase in population, but the economic balance required to control poverty and improve our school system. As a native of the Los Angeles area, I am aware that neighborhoods and cities can and must change, and would like to share my experiences so we can come up with the best solution for our city.

I believe every word of what I wrote. But I also believe in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny, so you may want to take what I say with a grain of salt. As for Councilman Moore, I’ll have to take another look.

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