During the summer, Monte Sereno Council member Marshall Anstandig initiated an ethics code for the Council.
In the course of his doing so, there was a parade of "confessions" citing the Brown Act from each Council member that had met privately with Hacienda developer Russ Stanley, who filed suit against the City of Monte Sereno.
On Oct. 1, 2012, Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Joseph Huber (Case 1-12-CV223767) told Mr. Stanley, "There is simply no such thing as a vested right to have one's property annexed. See Rancho La Costa v. County of San Diego (1980) 111 Cal.App.3d 54, 63 ... City of Santa Cruz v. Local Agency Formation Cont. (1978) 76 Cal.App.3d 381, 389"
The Council is now debating density and various zoning definitions, ie. R-1-8 vs. RM-5, etc. Even the State Department of Housing and Community Development is very vague as to what constitutes "residential multi-" versus other forms of R-1-, such as that which accommodates duplex, tri-plex, 4-plex, etc.
For residents of Monte Sereno, this is major because it involves amending the current General Plan and zoning ordinances. We hope you will get informed, get involved and express your opinions at some of the upcoming Council meetings.
—By Monte Sereno resident James Hall
