Publication Date: Wednesday Oct 28, 1998

MENLO PARK: Race features sharp contrast over development

Five candidates are vying for three open seats on the Menlo Park City Council in a sharply divided contest that pits three so-called residentialists against two offering more conciliatory views toward the business community.

Three of the candidates, Mary Jo Borak, Toni Stein and incumbent Steve Schmidt, are closely affiliated and have donated to each other's campaigns. Schmidt openly backs Borak and Stein during candidate forums. Seen as residentialists, the three strongly believe that development must be controlled to preserve the city's character and small-town charm.

The two other candidates, Nicholas Jellins and incumbent Bernie Valencia, are considered more tolerant of business and development, and their campaigns have received significant financial support from business interests. Nonetheless, both say they are also residentialists.

Jellins in particular has taken a vocal stand against what he considers narrow stereotyping. "Labels are misleading and inaccurate because we all agree the quality of our neighborhoods and residential life is foremost," he said. "It's how we approach the issues that matters."

Valencia, who was elected four years ago under her married name of Nevin, has been criticized for her repeated absences at council meetings. She says that illness and work commitments interfered with her civic duties and that her attendance in recent months has improved dramatically.

Incumbent Bob Burmeister dropped out of the race in August after he was arrested for drunken driving. His name, however, remains on the ballot. Winners of the race will join sitting council members and residentialists Chuck Kinney and Paul Collachi.

Development, transportation and leaf blowers are at center stage in the election.

Two development projects at Menlo Park's borders have raised concerns about the potential impact of additional traffic in the city. Both projects are under way: Stanford University's Sand Hill Road plan to widen and extend the thoroughfare to El Camino Real, expand the Stanford Shopping Center and build additional housing; and the University Circle project, an office-hotel complex in East Palo Alto's Whiskey Gulch area.

The city's lawsuit against the Sand Hill project's environmental impact report was rejected last month, and Stein is the only candidate among the five who says she would consider supporting an appeal of the suit.

The candidates disagree on whether to widen Menlo Park's short section of Sand Hill Road at the Palo Alto border.

All are concerned about the best way to deal with the city's chronic traffic problems, and all support the city's "smart growth" study as a way to gauge how the city manages development.

Although the council's ban on the use of gas-powered leaf blowers is now in the hands of the voters, the candidates' views on the issue are still relevant, especially if the ban is repealed and the council must forge a compromise.

Aside from the usual campaign disagreements among candidates, the race has featured only one controversial episode. Earlier this month, Jellins returned a $500 campaign donation after Menlo Park City Attorney Bill McClure raised questions about its propriety. The donation came from Frances Nelson, president of Bohanon Development Co., whose zone change on Marsh Road property was recommended for approval to the City Council by the Planning Commission on Aug. 31. Jellins, as a planning commissioner, voted in favor of the zone change. State law prohibits such donations.

Mary Jo Borak

Age: 50

Residence: Santa Rita Avenue

Years in Menlo Park: 15

Occupation: Policy analyst, California Public Utilities Commission; certified mediator.

Education: Bachelor's degree in economics, Skidmore College; master's in urban design engineering, Stanford University.

Background: Planning commissioner, 1993-present; member, Board of Zoning Adjustment, 1994-96; co-chair, school bond measure subcommittee, 1995. Issues of most concern: Development and improving youth recreational facilities.

Sand Hill Road project: She supported the city lawsuit against project but says she is unlikely to vote for an appeal. She takes a "wait and see" approach on whether to widen Menlo Park's portion of Sand Hill Road, but says she doubts a wider road will improve Menlo Park's traffic congestion. "There's no net benefit to Menlo Park becoming an expressway, especially since the traffic has no origin or destination in the city."

Commercial development/traffic: She says dense office development brings much more traffic into the city and that development needs to be more "human scale." She says the city's analysis of the effects of new development on traffic needs to be improved, and that the city has been working with flawed and inexact information.

Leaf blowers: She supports the city's ban.

Nicholas Jellins

Age: 41

Residence: Elder Avenue

Years in Menlo Park: 10

Occupation: Attorney, Wagstaff & Jellins

Education: Bachelor's in government, Harvard University; law degree, University of Virginia School of Law.

Background: Planning commissioner, 1996-present; board member, Redwood City Art Center and UniBay Inc., an East Palo Alto nonprofit. Member, San Mateo Democratic Central Committee.

Issues of most concern: Consensus building, fair and reasonable process. Sand Hill Road project: Opposes an appeal of the project. "I don't think we need to file lawsuits to resolve this matter," he says. He doesn't see the point in delaying the widening of Sand Hill Road in Menlo Park and favors widening the two-lane bridge over San Francisquito Creek. He says mitigations in the Sand Hill project can still be reached and should be carried out.

Commercial development/traffic: Jellins says office development is "not necessarily the traffic culprit. Let's not rush into zoning changes before carefully scrutinizing" land-use issues. He says the "smart growth" study will "help us determine the level of controls on residential properties" and that "some form of design review on remodels, especially those with two stories, is justified."

Leaf blowers: He opposes the city's ban.

Stephen M. (Steve) Schmidt

Age: 57

Residence: Central Avenue

Years in Menlo Park: 22

Occupation: Retired architect

Education: Bachelor's and master's degrees in architecture, Stanford University; urban planning master's program, San Jose State University.

Background: Mayor, 1997; member, San Mateo County Transit Board; member, Peninsula Joint Powers Board; member, C/CAG Pedestrian & Bicycle Advisory Committee, 1992-present.

Issues of most concern: Transportation and traffic

Sand Hill Road project: He is not likely to support an appeal; he doesn't want to immediately widen the San Francisquito Creek bridge and the city's portion of the road. "Let Stanford build what it will build and let's see how it performs. If it's a disaster, for Menlo Park, we'll have no choice but to take steps to solve the problem."

Commercial development/traffic: Schmidt says the city's zoning laws are usually adequate to manage commercial development, but he'd like to see transportation management plans included in the city's regulations. On University Circle, he says East Palo needs the fiscal boost the project will provide, but "I can't imagine a worse location."

Leaf blowers: He favors the city's ban.

Antionette (Toni) Stein

Age: 37

Residence: Morey Drive

Years in Menlo Park: 3

Occupation: Former engineer for General Electric's medical and aircraft divisions; gymnastics instructor, East Palo Alto.

Education: Bachelor's in engineering, University of Wisconsin; master's in engineering, Milwaukee School of Engineering; doctoral candidate in environmental engineering, University of Cincinnati.

Background: Appointee, San Mateo County Solid Waste Advisory Committee; volunteer legislative analyst for the American Lung Association, 1997. Issues of most concern: Air quality, environment, transportation.

Sand Hill Road project: She favors an appeal if city costs don't exceed $30,000 and opposes widening of the road. "Widening the road isn't the solution for traffic problems. It doesn't solve the capacity problem; it only draws in more traffic."

Commercial development/traffic: Development should be scrutinized carefully for what it costs the city in terms of services and community needs, she says. Stein believes the "smart growth" study "will begin to define what Menlo Park really needs and wants." She favors transportation alternatives, such as increasing Caltrain frequency and shuttles, reducing driving speeds, and adding speed bumps.

Leaf blowers: She supports the city's ban for public health reasons.

Bernie Valencia

Age: Declined to state

Residence: Blackburn Avenue

Years in Menlo Park: 12

Occupation: Marketing consultant for high-tech firms.

Education: Bachelor's degree in interior design, San Jose State University.

Background: Parks and recreation commissioner.

Issues of most concern: Youth services, seniors, and recreational facilities.

Sand Hill Road project: Opposes appeal; supports widening the road to four lanes for practical and safety reasons.

Commercial development/traffic: She says the city should wait for the completion of the "smart growth" study to make any changes to the city's review of commercial development. Valencia also says "the community should work with businesses up front, rather than trying to (make changes) retroactively."

Leaf blowers: She opposes the city's ban.