800 High St. on November ballot 800 High St. on November ballot (June 11, 2003)

Move to rescind approval for projects defeated

by Don Kazak

As expected, Palo Alto voters will go to the polls Nov. 4 to decide the fate of the 800 High St. project.

Despite the City Council's attempts to find a compromise, there was little doubt of the outcome after 3,300 registered voters signed petitions qualifying a referendum of the project for a public vote. Given the lack of an alternative, the council had the choice of putting the issue on the ballot or rescinding its earlier approval of the 61-unit housing project.

A vote Monday night to rescind approval failed on a 3-6 vote, so the council voted 8-1 to place the issue on the ballot.

The election promises to be one of neighborhood values, the city's housing priorities, and maybe even the long-running planning process for the South of Forest Area (SOFA) neighborhood, whose final plan is still waiting in the wings for the council to make a final decision.

The conflict between neighborhood values and housing is a growing issue in the city, encompassing such proposals as the long-delayed Hyatt Rickey's project.

"We've been ready" to have an election battle, Doug Ross, the 800 High St. project developer, said after the council put the issue on the ballot.

On the other hand, opponents of the project argued Monday night that the council should rescind its action, avoiding spending $40,000 on the election and start over on 800 High St.

The vote to rescind was defeated, with Councilwomen Yoriko Kishimito, Hillary Freeman and Lytle preferring that course to an election.

On the final vote, Kishimoto opposed the Nov. 4 election date, explaining she prefers to finish the planning process for the SOFA neighborhood before setting the election date.

The drama was heightened a little on Monday night by Larry Hassett, owner of the Palo Alto Hardware store that is adjacent to the project site and a referendum organizer. At the council meeting, Hassett announced he and his family have bought the Ocean Shore Hardware store in Half Moon Bay and threatened to close down the Palo Alto store if voters approve the 800 High St. project.

That prompted Ross to say if Hassett "sells his hardware store, I'd be willing to buy it at fair market value" to keep it open.

Hassett said seven of the 11 immediately adjacent property owners to 800 High St. oppose the project. Neighborhood activists from throughout the city joined the referendum effort, setting up the confrontation of housing and neighborhood values in the fall election. Opponents of 800 High St. say they also support housing, but that the project approved by the city is out of scale with the surrounding neighborhood.

"This is completely incompatible with the neighborhood," said resident Bob Moss, who supports the referendum.

"We heard that people want housing" on that site, Ross said, after a previous proposal for a commercial development project failed to win support.

The council's debate was less about the merits of the project than what the council should do now. "I don't see any other way for the council to win other than to put it on the ballot," said Councilman Jack Morton. "Let the community decide what it wants there."

Kishimoto said, "I believe in my heart that it can be a better project."

But time has run out for other options. The council had only until early August to set the election date of Nov. 4, and few believe the SOFA neighborhood plan will be finished by that time. Even if that plan is completed, 3,300 registered voters signed petitions to put the issue on the ballot, reducing the city's options.

"No one can negotiate away the rights of the petitioners," Councilman Bern Beecham said.

Don kazak can be e-emailed at dkazak@paweekly.com