Good Evening Mayor Gee and Members of Redwood City City Council.
I am Gita Dev representing Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter. We urge the City Council to reject providing discounts on Park Impact Fees for Market-Rate Residential Developments.
Redwood City currently faces a significant shortfall in parkland, currently ranking near the bottom in San Mateo County for both parkland per 1000 population and park impact fees. With new housing developments bringing more residents, the burden on our already limited parks increases. However, a proposal to grant a 25% or 50% discount on park fees for nine market-rate residential projects could result in as high as a $8.1 million loss in city revenue. This loss would severely hinder the city's ability to expand and to maintain its park infrastructure, which is already inadequate for our current population.
The City Council's consideration of a fee discount is driven by the argument that the full fees could inhibit new housing and would be burdensome for market-rate residential development. However, any reduction in park fees would be a small consideration compared to the much larger impact of anticipated lower interest rates, a critical issue that is holding back most developers from starting new projects. In addition, we note that Redwood City is already recognized as a leader on the Peninsula in providing new housing.
Parks are vital for public health, and have been shown to have quantifiable health benefits. Parks also contribute to climate resilience, mitigating extreme heat, absorbing stormwater, reducing energy consumption, improving air quality and supporting biodiversity.The City's housing goals should be balanced with the need for access to parkland to ensure a better quality of life than is currently being experienced.
Neighborhoods with accessible parks tend to be safer, as these spaces encourage social interactions and help residents build stronger community ties. Unfortunately, the distribution of parks in Redwood City is currently somewhat inequitable, with some areas having limited access to green spaces. For Redwood City, ensuring adequate funding for parks is also essential to address these disparities and provide all residents, regardless of their neighborhood or income level, with the benefits of parks.
We urge council members to prioritize the needs of the community by rejecting the proposed park impact fee discounts.
Thank you.
Gita Dev
Conservation Committee, Chair
Sustainable Land Use Committee
Sierra Club Loma Prieta
Cc Derek Wolfgram, Interim Director, Redwood City Recreation and Parks Department