Critics aim to overturn housing plan

Opponents will circulate petition against proposal

PALOALTO— An effort is underway to overturn the Palo Alto City Council’s recent approval of a project that would bring a mix of affordable- and market- rate housing to the Green Acres neighborhood.

Organized as the Maybell Action Group, opponents of the development have fi led a notice of intent to circulate a referendum petition, City Clerk Donna Grider said.

They have until July 26 to collect the 2,298 signatures needed to force the City Council to either rescind its approval or send the project to voters.

The City Council, meanwhile, has met for a “second reading” of an ordinance that gives the nonprofit Palo Alto Housing Corporation the zoning it needs to build 12 single- family residences and 60 apartment units for low- income seniors at Maybell and Clemo avenues.

Council members first approved the ordinance June 16 following two lengthy public meetings and a closed- door attempt by Mayor Greg Scharff to forge a compromise between opponents and the Housing Corporation.

Land- use critic Bob Moss said the meeting was “unprecedented” for two reasons — the fi rst being that the City Council hasn’t traditionally assembled to conduct business at the end of the workweek.

“Second, it’s unprecedented to have special meeting just to push forward a project which has met with so much animosity and so many complaints by the members of the community,” he said.

Moss warned council members that widespread anger over the project would ultimately hurt their chances of being re- elected. Opponents contend that the project is out of character with the neighborhood and will only exacerbate congestion on surrounding streets, including Arastradero Road.

Moss said his preference would be for the City Council to rescind its approval. He said he would be willing to accept a scaled- down project with eight singlefamily homes and 40 apartments.