Mountain lions are a concern for many Bay Area residents in wooded areas, and one affluent Peninsula town claims that the big cats prevent them from building more affordable housing — an argument one state leader calls "ridiculous."
Last year, the state passed a bill, SB-9, which, in an effort to create more affordable housing, requires cities to build more apartments and duplexes. The law, which was enacted on Jan. 1, expedites the process for building two-unit housing complexes in areas zoned for single family homes.
However, city leaders in Woodside say the entire town is habitat for mountain lions, and therefore they should be exempted from SB-9, as long as the animals remain candidates for the endangered species list. The position was outlined in a memo on Jan. 27 by the city's planning director, Jackie Young.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, a petition to put mountain lions on the engaged or threatened species list is under review by the California Fish and Game Commission. Any species listed as a candidate for the list is due the same protections as those who are currently on the list. The paper reported that the mountain lion's status review is nearing completion - but until it is, all SB-9 housing has been put on hold.
State Sen. Scott Wiener, who authored the bill, profusely disagreed with the town's stance, calling it "a complete violation of the law."
"A mansion is okay for mountain lions but a duplex hurts mountain lions? It just makes no sense," Wiener, whose district includes San Francisco and portions of San Mateo County, told KCBS Radio.
He called Woodside's argument "an excuse for this city to be nimby" and this is a case of "a wealthy town that doesn’t want to allow more housing."
"We can't allow the city just to opt out of state housing law, we have such a profound housing crisis," he said.
Wiener said he is speaking out to make sure the relevant agencies and individuals are aware of this "illegal and ridiculous stuff," which he hopes will lead to an investigation.
Related
