Council continues to delay vote on Menlo home-building rules Council continues to delay vote on Menlo home-building rules (March 24, 2004)

By Rebecca Wallace
Almanac Staff Writer

Despite accusations by some residents that continuing to delay a vote on the future of new Menlo Park home-building rules breaks state law, a divided City Council on March 16 voted to continue tabling the matter until June.

A referendum petition signed by about 2,500 city voters mandated that the council either rescind the building rules or have the voters decide whether to do so. Some petition signers have said the council was required by law to make that decision on March 2, right after the petition was certified.

But Councilwoman Mickie Winkler, a champion of the building rules, once more said on March 16 that it was appropriate for the council members to put off the vote while they better informed themselves and residents on the matter.

She and Mayor Lee Duboc said they had heard that signature-gatherers for the petition had enticed people to sign by telling untrue horror stories about how the city would be overrun by developers and monster homes if the rules pass.

Councilman Chuck Kinney, who has opposed the rules, countered by saying that he himself had gathered 35 petition signatures and had spread no misinformation.

Mr. Kinney said that he had previously voted in favor of tabling the matter in hopes that a compromise ordinance could be crafted, but that he now sees that as unlikely. The issue has sparked much polarized discussion in the city.

Mr. Kinney and Paul Collacchi, who also opposes the proposal, voted to bring the matter up soon for a vote, but Ms. Winkler, Ms. Duboc and Councilman Nicholas Jellins voted against them.

Afterward, resident and proposal opponent Elias Blawie, frustrated with the decision to continue tabling the matter, took the podium and urged members of the council to resign.

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