By Robert Haugh
Tomorrow’s Santa Clara City Council meeting doesn’t have a long agenda and should be fairly quick.
During closed session, the Council will discuss anticipated litigation, including an interesting item. It looks like former Interim City Manager Rajeev Batra might be suing the City about his retirement benefits. According to the website Transparent California, Batra’s pay and benefits total was $380,172.05 at one point. We’ve asked the City for his final numbers and retirement benefits but haven’t heard back yet.
A study session on the Tasman East Specific Plan will be held. This is for the development near Levi’s Stadium. The Tasman East Specific Plan is envisioned to support creation of a new residential neighborhood. It represents one of the City’s best opportunities to create a distinctive residential places within Santa Clara, by establishing policies to support a walkable urban neighborhood with retail opportunities, urban gathering spaces and access to transit.
City staff will provide an update on the Plan process and request Council input on the Parks/Open Space strategy for the Specific Plan in order to complete the next step.
The most heated discussion will likely focus on 167 Cronin Drive, which was continued from December 19, 2017. City staff recommends adopting a resolution overruling a Planning Commission denial for a variance to allow a reduction of the minimum rear-yard setback for an unpermitted accessory building from five feet to three feet at the property.
“Please tip your waitress, Howard will be here all week!”
I agree 167 Cronin item (18A) could be an interesting discussion. But just to set the matter straight, Staff is recommending overruling the Appeal and approving the PC’s Oct. 11th decision, not overruling the PC denial. (I dissented with that majority opinion and thought the variance should have been allowed. I’m anxious to hear the Council decision.)
Maybe Rajeev is suing to have his retirement reduced to make the budget more sustainable.