☆ Gilman: It’s time SJ regains control of local zoning decisions

Former Charter Review commissioner Tobin Gilman chimes in to Opp Now’s exclusive Local Gov’t Hopes & Dreams series. Gilman’s big wish for 2023? That SJCC endorses the prior-discussed local control initiative, thereby taking citywide zoning decisions out of the State’s hands—empowering legislators who actually live in the Bay.

Biggest Wish:

One of the issues I’ll be watching closely in 2023 and 2024 is what the city council does to advance the local control statewide ballot initiative. After Governor Newsom and the California state legislature passed SB9 in 2021, which outlawed single family zoning everywhere in the state, an organization called Our Neighborhood Voices hastily launched a petition drive to place an initiative on the November 2022 ballot that would have restored local control over planning and zoning decisions. Families & Homes - San Jose, a citywide grassroots organization dedicated to protecting single family zoning, worked closely with CM Davis to collect signatures here in San Jose. 

Unfortunately, the statewide petition drive fell short due to insufficient funding and lack of time to organize effectively. A decision was made by Our Neighborhood Voices to re-focus their efforts on qualifying the initiative for the 2024 ballot. 

More than 40 cities across the state have passed resolutions endorsing the local control initiative. Last year, CM Davis proposed that San Jose pass a resolution formally endorsing the restoration of local control, but it was blocked by the Rules Committee. 

This year, things could be different. I’m hopeful CM Davis will bring her resolution back to the Rules Committee this year. We have a new mayor and 6 new faces on the council who might be more receptive to fighting for the city’s right to make its own land use decisions. I’m also hopeful Mayor Mahan and District 7 CM Doan, both of whom pledged support for the local control initiative during their 2022 election campaigns, will deliver on their promises and co-sponsor the resolution. 

Biggest Apprehension:

Continuity. Voters were promised change and even a “revolution.” Now we’ve learned that Mayor Liccardo’s chief of staff and top PR aide have been retained for a third term. Imagine if President Biden had retained Mark Meadows as his chief of staff and Kayleigh McEnany as his press secretary. That’s pretty much how it looks in the San Jose Mayor’s office. I’m concerned that core services, public safety, and quality of life in San Jose will continue to be shortchanged in deference to a national climate change and social equity agenda.

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