Rose for Atherton Council

By Rose Hau

I am extremely proud of my years of service with the Town. I am running because I have the leadership skills, knowledge, qualifications and commitment to represent the residents of Atherton. I am asking for your support to run a campaign so that I can continue my work in Town.

Something about Me

I grew up and attended schools on the Peninsula. I have Bachelors and Masters degrees from UC Berkeley. I am a licensed Architect with 25 years experience as an Architect/Project Manager of large-scale biophamaceutical and tech facilities, overseeing design staff and budgets. I have lived in Atherton for 22 years, raised two children, and volunteered in their local schools.

Town Involvement

My involvement in Atherton government began in 1995 when I joined the General Plan Committee. I was appointed to the Planning Commission in 1999 where I served for eight years, concurrently serving six years as Chair of the General Plan Committee. During this time, I worked to improve town planning and zoning ordinances and financial oversight. I contributed to the development of the Construction Operating Procedures (COP), which continue to provide reasonable building guidelines while protecting residents during construction activities. The results were a win-win solution for both residents and builders. I helped implement a Master Plan update requirement for schools. This also turned out to be a win-win solution for both the Town and Schools, and is a practice still in place today. I have also served on the Town Audit Committee where I gained valuable insight on Atherton's financial procedures. I am presently Vice Chair of the Civic Center Advisory Committee (CCAC) where I am using my professional skills to contribute to the successful completion of Atherton's new Civic Center.

My Priorities

Responsive Leadership

I will listen to all points of view, and my decisions will always be meant to protect and maintain those qualities that make our Town a desirable place to live for all. When changes are needed, I will seek the best long-term solution for the Town. When making difficult decisions, I will do my best to reflect the views of as many Athertonians as possible.

Town Financial Stability

While the Town's financial position has recently improved, our priorities must still be fiscal oversight, creating efficiencies where possible, providing a reliable source of revenue, and responsible allocation of funds. These priorities must always be achieved while still maintaining the level of services that we expect and value. Even in favorable financial times, we must look to the future and plan ahead by managing our costs today, preparing for the uncertainty of the future. I will rely on my experience on the Audit Committee which provided an understanding of Town finances and my professional background as a project manager to guide me in making financial decisions for the Town.

Public Safety

I will continue to support the presence of our trusted local police. Their presence enhances and adds value to our community, and is an asset in reducing crime. They are entrusted with keys, respond to alarms within minutes, and enforce traffic and ordinance regulations.

Pedestrian and Bike Safety

As the instances of pedestrian injury and death on El Camino have not abated, it will be important to investigate what the Town might do to improve safety. Several different options are available, and they should all be explored and vetted before making decisions that will impact all of us for years to come.

Noise and Traffic:

The increase of through traffic, both on the main arterial streets and on side streets, must be monitored. I am committed to looking into measures that might relieve the impact of traffic in both these areas.

Whether excessive noise is in the backyard, in the neighborhood, or community wide, residents deserve quiet enjoyment of their property. I will work to help to maintain reasonable current zoning practices.

High Speed Rail:

Atherton will be adversely impacted by the current high speed rail plan more than any other community in California. Working with other impacted communities, we must take whatever steps are available to stop the high speed rail, change the routing, or ameliorate the impact.

Civic Center:

The complexities of this project will require many trained eyes in order to achieve project completion. With my professional experience, I can contribute to a fiscally responsible, functional, energy efficient, and architecturally appropriate Civic Center of which Athertonians can be proud. I would like to be part of the team that will make this project a success.