This is an archive of a past election. See http://www.smartvoter.org/ca/scl/ for current information. |
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Candidates Answer Questions on the Issues Council Member; City of Campbell | |||||
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The questions were prepared by the Leagues of Women Voters of Santa Clara County and asked of all candidates for this office.
See below for questions on
Experience,
Concerns,
Balancing interests
Click on a name for candidate information. See also more information about this contest.
Answer from Richard Waterman:
He serves on several committees as part of his council duties including:
Answer from Paul Resnikoff:
As Chair of Campbell's Planning Commission I understand the effects of development on the City and regularly address difficult issues impacting our community. I also have experience serving Campbell as a member of the Rotary Club of Campbell and as a volunteer with Campbell Middle School, Citizen Schools, Relay for Life, Stop Hunger Now, Books for Treats, and the Campbell Chamber of Commerce.
My financial education, business experience and public service history make me uniquely qualified to tackle the issues that come before Campbell's City Council and to provide the accountable leadership the residents of Campbell deserve. Answer from Liz Gibbons:
Answer from Jeffrey Richard Cristina:
Answer from Liz Gibbons:
A significant benefit of completing the General Plan Housing Element is having a clear understanding of the City's potential for housing growth and meeting Affordable Housing need, not mandate. Fortunately, Campbell has more than sufficient capacity to meet regulatory requirements. This fact provides significant latitude for the City to negotiate for developments that are compatible with nearby neighborhoods and the city as a whole. The Land Use and Transportation Element is in urgent need of updating, though. Traffic and parking assumptions have changed significantly since the current 2001 document. Providing for a future with fewer cars must include a transition period rather than a radical shortfall of parking capacity to instigate social change.
The City is also initiating projects such as the Civic Center Master Plan, the Dell Ave Area Plan (DAAP) and an update of the General Plan Housing Element (as noted above).
The Civic Center Master Plan proposes to build a new Library, Police Station, City Hall and a 450-space parking structure on the current site. Design exercises show that implementation phasing is complex and potentially costly, adding years to the project. Even with multi-story buildings, there appears to be too much square footage for the site. The budget may reach $80M+. I recommend a full evaluation of the city-owned locations and due-diligence investigations of existing buildings to determine the best options for meeting the needs for quality facilities.
Displacement of existing businesses, traffic impacts and environmental history of the Dell area requires exploration. I recommend that the DAAP be put on hold until there are extensive community meetings.
The proposed Housing Element, a document that reflects goals, policies, and strategies of the city to provide a range of housing for the community, must support existing neighborhoods alongside new neighborhoods and development. Housing for seniors and the disabled must also be incorporated.
There is an over-concentration of restaurants in the downtown area. The recent increase has displaced retail space. A recent report indicates a comparative 62% increase from 2011 to 2014 in police calls in the Downtown for the Jan 1 to June 30 timeframe. Police activity has disproportionately increased with the number of new businesses during this time.
I recommend a moratorium on additional restaurants and alcohol sales in Downtown and hiring a Marketing and Logistics Consultant to recommend scenarios for business type diversity and location separation. Answer from Richard Waterman:
Of particular importance to the City is responsibly managing growth without changing our small town feel. We can address this by working together as a community to slowly and intelligently plan for the future. Answer from Jeffrey Richard Cristina:
Answer from Paul Resnikoff:
I will ensure our police force has the resources needed to protect our growing population and that key infrastructure including our roads and parks stay well maintained and safe for all users.
Campbell must also promote an environment in which businesses can succeed and contribute to a strong economy. Achieving this goal will result in enhanced city services for all residents without impacting Campbell's small town feel.
Answer from Paul Resnikoff:
Answer from Richard Waterman:
Answer from Jeffrey Richard Cristina:
Answer from Liz Gibbons:
Neither party should be ignored. First and foremost, there must be early, frequent, and extensive communication between the council, residents, and businesses of Campbell. The value of this is developing a common understanding of what is proposed and the reasoning behind the proposals. It is acceptable, even encouraged, to agree to disagree, yet the council should never assume it knows best without the community process.
The order of the candidates is random and changes daily. Candidates who did not respond are not listed on this page. |