Election 2004: Architect plans to run for Menlo Park City Council Election 2004: Architect plans to run for Menlo Park City Council (July 28, 2004)

** Michael Lambert successfully fought fire-sprinkler law in Menlo Park.

By Rebecca Wallace
Almanac Staff Writer

It's starting to look like a contest for two seats on the Menlo Park City Council, as a third resident has taken out candidacy papers.

Michael Lambert, an architect and former planning commissioner who still lives in the west Menlo Park house his parents built in 1946, took out papers July 21 and says he plans to run.

He joins planning commissioners Kelly Fergusson, who took out papers July 12, and Lorie Sinnott, who did so the following day. Two four-year terms on the five-member council are up for grabs, and incumbents Paul Collacchi and Chuck Kinney have said they won't run again.

Mr. Lambert was recently visible in fighting a proposed fire sprinkler law that would have required automatic sprinklers in many new buildings and homes being remodeled. The City Council ultimately opted not to support the law, proposed by the Menlo Park Fire Protection District.

But Mr. Lambert said that his goal for the council is much broader: "To look at the factual and what drives you to make a decision, as opposed to the emotional side." Recently, he said, there has been too much heady emotion on major issues such as new home-building rules, and he would have liked to see more substantive discussion.

The council approved the controversial rules but then repealed them earlier this year in the wake of a referendum petition. Mr. Lambert had been chosen to serve on a committee that would have monitored the new rules for problems during their first six months.

He said he thought the rules, which sought to remove much human discretion from the approval process for new homes and major remodels, were better than an earlier, rescinded version that included more discretion and design guidelines. Architects prefer to design homes to fit clear zoning codes, rather than being subject to many costly changes required by planning commissioners, he said.

Fairness is also important to Mr. Lambert, he said. He opposes Menlo Park's public art law, saying it places too high a cost burden on business owners who must pay a percentage of their remodeling or rebuilding costs. Instead, he said, he'd be willing to have a "modest surcharge on the garbage bill," so that all residents would pay equally.

Mr. Lambert graduated from the University of Washington and is finishing his master's in business administration degree at Notre Dame de Namur University in Belmont.

In the 1980s, he served on a city task force that sought to bring commercial vitality to the east side of Willow Road. He was then on the Planning Commission for about two years before resigning to help rebuild a family home destroyed by the 1989 earthquake.

Ordinarily, residents would have until August 6 at 5 p.m. to file the candidacy papers, but if an incumbent doesn't run the deadline is extended by five calendar days. To take out papers, call City Clerk Silvia Vonderlinden at 330-6620.

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