Former San Ramon Mayor Greg Carr at the Oct. 21 planning commission meeting (Photo: Youtube)
A former San Ramon mayor warned Planning Commission Members Tuesday that they could create a "modern-day potential ghetto" in San Ramon.
"That's wrong," Creg Carr said Oct. 21.
Why would he say that?
Because said officials move to place all affordable housing units in one area rather than space them throughout the town, which offers a new lease on life for less fortunate citizens, is seemingly not in the developer's best interest, hence Sunset Development.
"That points the finger at the people who are there, everybody knows why they are all there, that is not the purpose nor the social construct which we are supposed to be acting upon as good guardians of what is right in our society," Carr said.
The OpGov.ai platform got Tuesday night's San Ramon Planning Commission meeting exactly right.
"The commission repeatedly emphasized that these actions were the 'very last step' of a long, complex process already vetted by the city council, seemingly sidestepping deeper discussions on the social and practical impacts raised by residents, including former Mayor Greg Carr," the OpGov.ai platform reported.
Following up on the sidestepping, this real-time, very human reporter watched the hour-long meeting only to find it was worse than what AI reported. So here goes the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, and if you don't believe me, watch the videos embedded in this report.
The former San Ramon mayor and councilmember attended two city meetings in the last week, questioning incumbent officials on matters that directly affect him as a San Ramon citizen. Not to mention the public presence doing the same.
Carr has become an example of what it's like not to be an elected official who gets preferential treatment, rather what it is really like to be a member of the public pleading from the podium, which he stepped up to twice Tuesday night.
San Ramon Planning Commissioners make unwanted changes to development plans despite public protest (Photo: YouTube)
"I apologize for coming down here tonight, because inevitably with me, this is what happens," Carr said, adding that the affordable housing move officials were about to make was just plain wrong.
Like Carr, Susie Ferris-Inderkum "expressed concern that the city is routinely allowing developers (both Sunset Development and others) to use the land dedication 'scheme' to avoid building low-cost housing on-site," the OpGov.ai platform reports.
Ferris-Inderkum also shared concerns about parking, saying that repeated requests for parking reductions on major roadways are unacceptable.
Commissioner Max Zhang listened to nothing anybody said, instead praising the developer representative for the parking study provided.
Commissioner Santhosh Kanjula expressed slight concern for the public, reminding everyone that the City Council approved the transfer of the affordable housing units.
Transfer of affordable housing units document
After Kanjula deflected blame, and officials discussed ordinance amendments and development agreements, all of which no layman can understand, former San Ramon Councilman Jim Blickenstaff said there were things to "resolve before it gets too far down the line."
Blickenstaff shared his confusion about the number of units proposed and whether a land dedication is involved.
"Either it has to increase the units for more affordables for the mitigation of another project, or it has to rededicate the units to another project, which you can't do," Blickenstaff said.
Former Councilman Jim Blickenstaff at the Tuesday night San Ramon Planning Commission meeting (Photo: YouTube)
Carr, who spoke at the last regularly scheduled San Ramon Town Council meeting, also raised his voice, with our media outlet providing a musical background for viewing pleasure. No music played in the background Tuesday night, just Carr's frustrated tone of voice.
The former mayor wants "to see some assessment of the following planning ordinance for park space that sets a formula for how much park space you have to do for certain types of development."
Visibly upset, Carr said, "I go down where all the Bishop Ranch, Sunset, and the ticky tacky boxes are."
"I am concerned specifically about the development being done by our neighbor in town, Sunset Development, and others," Carr said. "I want to see an honest assessment of each project and how they conform to the park space requirement."
Carr said the answer can be short and sweet, but an answer nonetheless.
"I am not asking for some long blown out assessment, but just go back through the documents and see what we accepted or, let me say this, what we require in the development agreement versus what has been built," Carr said, adding, "I would appreciate that, and I think the people in town, a lot of whom I have talked to, would also appreciate just to know what was asked, what was required, and what has been provided, that's all; and if it's all equal the same, then so be it, but I have my doubts."
San Ramon citizens need to thank the former mayor and councilman, since Carr and Blickenstiff, respectively, point out just how unjust San Ramon development while citizens remain to scared to speak.
OpGov.ai asks that Carr not apologize for taking the podium, but instead continue to be a source of hope for the public.
Carr ended by saying the governance of San Ramon doesn't have the courage to say no.
"The fact that Sunset Development and the people that own it and run it and have the gall to come to you, well, hell have the gall to go to the planning staff in the first place and ask, shows that they don't have much social conscience."
The former mayor ended, saying he is "no longer a Democrat," nor has he been since 2016.
The whole thing just "rubs me the wrong way immeasurably," Carr said, adding you need to integrate all people.
"I am greatly disappointed," Carr said.
You're not the only one Carr.
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