Jun 11, 2008

Community favors 50-50 plan

Guest Opinion

By Scott Sammons

The future of the Cargill saltworks has become the subject of a lot of discussion recently. The Daily News ran an editorial [May 11] urging that proposals for the site be considered on their merits.

In the same editorial, the Daily News questioned the positive community response to the saltworks developer's proposal for a balanced, 50-50 approach to the property, with half of its acreage set aside as open space.

It's clear to me, though, exactly why the community favors that proposal: because it is one that works for Redwood City on its merits. And it's an idea that came from the community itself, from extensive interactions between the developers, DMB and residents, and not an idea floated by outsiders.

Nobody in Redwood City would argue we shouldn't have more open space. And few people would argue that we also need more housing, including housing that is affordable for people who work here. It's also obvious that the saltworks property is the only place in the city where we can accomplish both.

So, the question that has been asked of the community for more than two years is how it would like to see the property allocated to those uses.

First, most people understand that having only one kind of open space isn't what the people of this city want or need. One of the most important open space needs in Redwood City is for additional parks and recreational fields for our youth. Any parent whose son or daughter plays baseball, soccer or football, knows exactly what I mean.

The lack of space for these kids to play makes it very difficult for them to get the exercise they need and successfully participate in sports, which is so important as they grow up. We need it - badly.

The 50-50 approach proposed for the saltworks gives us that open space.

It also gives us other kinds of open space like new wetlands - in other words, different open-space areas that meet the widest variety of needs for the community, including improving the environment and providing wildlife habitat.

Second, most people also understand that Redwood City needs housing for a growing population. They see what's happened to things like traffic and the quality of life when so many people have to commute from way over in the East Bay to come to work here. So, building a new neighborhood on part of the saltworks property - close to jobs, and with shops and restaurants - makes sense.

Third, residents know that creating open space costs money, a lot of money - money the taxpayers don't have. They understand that the only realistic way to pay for the new open space on the saltworks property is to have enough development to pay for it. The 50-50 proposal is what makes the open space possible without taxpayers finding money that isn't there.

But the most important thing is that the developers haven't just handed residents a "done deal." They've had community meetings. They've gotten input from all around the city. They've made some pretty strong commitments about what they will (and won't) do. They've really listened, and they keep asking us. That's what the most recent survey cards were about, and I'm not at all surprised that they would have gotten such a positive response. They've been transparent about what they're doing and open about involving the community.

The Daily News is right to question where the numbers come from for any poll. As your editorial points out, it's not always clear. But in this case, it is clear - and residents should keep that in mind as this debate continues.



Scott Sammons is the president of Redwood City National Little League and a Redwood City resident since 1989. He also works in customer service for Acteron in San Carlos.