Who will be your Champion?

Heraclitus, a pre-Socratic philosopher once mused, “There is nothing permanent except change.” In these few words lay great truths. All aspects of life change and we must accept this change as part of the human condition. So why is it then that as a community we often fight this imperative?

Foster City residents covet the quality of life they have come to enjoy. There is a tendency to protect that experience and challenge change as it might disturb the delicate balance and harmony of our community.

In the case of new development projects, it is incumbent upon the agent of change to share their vision for their project and champion their cause.

This community was built on extraordinary vision to afford a mix of properties built to serve our needs, both as private residents and centers of commerce. The latter of which is in large part privately-owned commercial property.

As our community ages so do the infrastructure and assets of each.  From time to time land owners and stewards desire to change or modify their usage or composition. That change is not only within their best interests but it can be in ours as well, if done responsibly and in accordance with the principles which we hold dear.

When a commercial property owner desires to change or modify their property they must comply with the City’s requirements as outlined in the General Plan. This is often no small feat and in fact is time-consuming and costly. In most cases the developers hope to maximize their investment and make better use of their property and gain a better return. So too does the City by ensuring the use of the land and the project at large be optimized for its best return, which may at times be measured quantitatively or qualitatively, or both. 

Foster City residents are passionate and protective of their quality of life.  Every aspect of the City is closely scrutinized by residents who are not bashful nor afraid to share their opinions with the City and its elected officials.

In the case of developers or property owners who wish to reinvest in their properties, their motivations may differ but what is always constant is there is always a challenge that lies ahead; they must wrestle with various constituents and groups and navigate through all to find understanding and support from those that have similar interests in support of their efforts and diffuse the chatter and challenge of those in contradiction with dissimilar interests. 

Change is often not welcomed readily unless it is to cure a social woe like overcrowded schools or traffic congestion. Even in those cases you will find passionate naysayers. But the economic vitality of our community comes from many forms and as we advance as a City our existing environment, our developments, and the ability to revitalize each is critical to our long term financial health and sustainability.  

We as a City cannot demand each of our constituents to accept change. Instead, the City and all who serve and work within it, need to educate all, objectively, about the trade-offs and opportunities each choice creates. 

In the case of redevelopment opportunities, residents must be provided with factual information early and often to allow each to make informed decisions.  If residents see the value of a proposition they will champion it with their friends and the community as a whole. 

We are a connected community and the power that lends to any undertaking can be pivotal to its outcome. 

In the case of the 15 acre project after much debate over the appropriate use for the land, the commitment to use that parcel for the benefit of our aging population was made and has since been maintained.  The proposed use was well received and gained the staunch support of many community advocates and project champions. 

So comes another new project, the potential redevelopment of Charter Square. This center is home to various businesses and our post office and it has gained its most recent notoriety overcoming the threat of being taken by eminent domain by the Foster City/San Mateo School District for what we all agree is a much needed fourth elementary school, only to now be redeveloped into predominantly a residential development. 

Over the course of several months, the citizens and business owners fought passionately alongside the Charter Square property management and ownership to prevent the Center from being considered as a school site. They spoke of the value of the various businesses therein and the need to keep them here in Foster City. So the question is what has changed in such a short time? How did the business proposition related to the commercial elements of the project lose their perceived value?

The community rallied around the fight with the school district.  How now will the community rally around the proposed project? Some in violent agreement of the proposal and others in protest.  The only certainty is that the center will change and the City’s responsibility is to safeguard to what extent it changes to enhance the revenues and quality of place it holds within our City. 

There is no doubt that as we embark on realizing the new vision of a Sustainable Foster City that much of the policies and processes we have worked within historically will be challenged.  We are the champions for the citizens of this community and we must revisit the General Plan and reconsider the placement and viability of its doctrines, in particular as it relates to the myriad of projects in discussion and under development within the various commercial centers in the City, to ensure that Foster City continues to be a place where we all want to live, work and play.

The City must work with the property owners in a partnership to the betterment of the community as a whole. We must engage the public early and often in order to balance the needs and expectations of our residents who have invested in the future of our City.

It is certain there will be many who oppose the project. The question remains, who will champion the redevelopment of Charter Square? Will it be members of our business community, the businesses themselves or will it be residents from the surrounding area who patronize the center?  Or will it be some unsuspecting entity who makes themselves known?   

Who do you think it should be and why? Please share your thoughts with me as we consider this complex issue. I can be reached at 650-468-3143 or by email at hperez@fostercity.org.