Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Voters reiterate: Power to the people

As the backlash against the 2002 commission's maneuver continues, reaction varies from fear to cheers.

By KATHY SAUNDERS
Published March 13, 2005

TREASURE ISLAND - For the fourth time in three years, voters went to the polls Tuesday with one goal in mind: to take back their city government.

Ever since commissioners made an unpopular and unlawful change to the city's land use regulations in 2002, voters have been chipping away at their power.

Last year, they replaced two of the commissioners who voted for the legislation.

On Tuesday, they voted to keep two other commissioners who have supported the people's platform and passed a series of city charter amendments that make it impossible for future commissioners to make the same political maneuver.

But some residents say the tall-building opponents may have gone too far this time.

Mayor Mary Maloof worries that the new city policies will tie the hands of future commissions and the city, to the detriment of the island. Ruling by referendum, she says, can have drawbacks.

"In principle, it sounds like a good idea," she said. "But the concern is that something very damaging could pass by a group of citizens. Sometimes people will decide really wacky things and enroll a lot of people into that."

Newly re-elected Commissioner Richard Kraus, who ran on the no-tall-buildings platform, said Tuesday's results show that residents "just want that extra bit of security."

"The fact that the charter amendments passed shows that the residents are alert, aware, paying attention and sends a clear message that Treasure Island is not for sale," he said. "With the exception of budget items, the residents can overturn anything that the commission does."

On Tuesday, voters made it impossible for commissioners to lease waterfront parks or public lands, or abolish police and fire departments without a referendum. They also passed amendments making it easier to place issues on the ballot and stopped commissioners from passing any laws "to defeat or frustrate" any issue that is already certified to go on the ballot.

Voters also made it impossible for commissioners to change any citizen-initiated ordinance without an election.

The mayor is the only remaining member of the 2002 commission that rushed through new regulations allowing high-rise hotels on the beach, just days before the vocal residents group was to go to the polls to reject the land use plans.

In a record turnout, voters that year supported a citizen-initiated referendum saying they did not want tall buildings. The commission's actions were later ruled unlawful and the courts said they could not be enforced.

City Manager Ralph Stone said he doesn't expect the amendments to have any major impact on the day-to-day operations of the city.

Stone, who was hired after the shakeup on the commission and the resignation of the former manager, said abolishing police or fire departments is not on the radar screen and that selling or leasing public lands is rare.

Instead, Stone said he is looking forward to dealing with a bridge under construction, a downtown that needs to be redeveloped and the extension of a beachfront trail. This Tuesday, commissioners will be asked to approve a contract with landscape architect Phil Graham & Co. to begin planning that extension.

The city will have to come up with an additional $1-million a year to pay for the upkeep of the new bridge - without the income from tolls. This is the last full year the city will collect tolls.

Treasure Island agreed to remove the toll plaza in accepting a $50-million federal grant to construct the bridge. Already, the commission agreed to eliminate westbound tolls completely in lieu of charging $1 for eastbound traffic.

"This budget year we are going to spend a lot of time talking about life after tolls," Stone said.

He said the city will soon face the question of how to allow its biggest landowners to redevelop property at John's Pass.

Members of the Rice family, who own 10 acres at the north end of the city, recently withdrew a request to build townhouses on the beach after the public opposed the city's signing over a few feet of right of way to the family.

The Rices have submitted no new redevelopment plans, the city manager said.

The Rice family has been active on the other side - so far the losing side - of the height and density battles. Voters in 2002 said the city could not change height or density rules along the waterfront unless residents approved.

A mistake in wording back then required a majority of registered voters to pass a referendum, instead of a majority of those who actually vote. On Tuesday voters did what they originally intended: Now a simple majority of people who vote is required.

Rick Taylor, who was defeated by incumbent Phil Collins on Tuesday, said he thinks the vocal citizens coalition confused voters when it came to the amendments - just as it did in 2002 by placing the super-majority wording in the referendum.

"I just don't think they really knew what they were voting on," he said. "Now the city doesn't need commissioners anymore. That form of government is leaving our island."

"You elect a commissioner so your commission can do business, and that's not what's happening here," Taylor added.

Carol Coward, who lost to Kraus on Tuesday, agreed with Taylor that some of the amendments passed Tuesday could be harmful to the city and unfriendly to local businesses.

"I know they don't want to give anything away, but to let someone build on 2 or 3 feet of land could benefit the city," she said.

[Last modified March 13, 2005, 00:22:15]