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Resident urges changes to Measure R to allow cell sites in parks and to rethink police‑chief selection
Summary
A Santa Clara resident asked the Charter Review Committee to amend Measure R to permit telecom equipment in parks (citing siting difficulties and potential revenue) and suggested moving the police chief from an elected to an appointed position for greater oversight; staff directed the idea to ad hoc subcommittee two and said selection changes are out of scope for now.
Chen, a nearly 30‑year Santa Clara resident, told the Charter Review Committee on March 18 that Measure R’s current language prevents telecom vendors from placing base stations in parks and forces siting closer to homes.
“I have two major concern. The first one is our charter measure R… our charter measure are prevent us uh to let the uh vendor uh set up their base station in our parks,” Chen said, suggesting Central Park’s light poles could host equipment that would be “well blended” and could generate revenue for the city.
The comment came during the committee’s out‑of‑order public‑presentation slot. Committee leadership and staff responded that ideas about modifying Measure R will be taken up by ad hoc subgroup two. Pat Nikolai, the CRC chair, confirmed that subgroup two had already “had a preliminary touch base on that.”
Chen also urged changing how Santa Clara’s police chief is selected, arguing the community has limited visibility into the chief’s work and proposing that selection instead follow the city’s general‑law model — that the city manager or city council make appointment decisions. Staff replied that revising the police‑chief selection process had been classified as a “level four” item and was not currently slated for detailed consideration by the CRC.
Committee members did not take immediate action on the suggestions. Staff indicated the Measure R idea will be reviewed by the assigned subcommittee, and the committee plans no immediate charter amendment on the police‑chief selection given the item’s scope.
The CRC’s next regular meeting is scheduled for April 15, when additional subcommittee report‑outs may prompt further direction.
