Jen Wolosin, who is in her first term on Menlo Park City Council, says she won’t run for re-election this fall, creating a wide open race for council District 3.
In an email to residents she said “many familial and personal considerations have factored into my decision.”
If she had stayed on council, she would have had to deal with a proposal by a Russian developer to replace the iconic Sunset magazine campus with three towers, the tallest of which would be 421 feet or 35 stories. It would be half the size of the TransAmerica Pyramid in San Francisco.
Because the city was late in submitting its housing plan to the state, a state law kicked in that allows developers to propose projects that exceed local zoning.
While Wolosin and others in the city government have said they are opposed to the project, little has happened because the developer hasn’t turned in a final application.
Wolosin didn’t address the Sunset project in her newsletter announcing she wouldn’t run again. Instead she said, “Serving as a Menlo Park City Council member, including as mayor in 2023, has been the honor of a lifetime. I am grateful to have been trusted with this decision-making position to help our community navigate through challenges, and I have really enjoyed getting to meet so many amazing residents and stakeholders that are deeply invested in our wonderful city. Thank you.”
She said she was announcing her plans seven months ahead of the November election to make room for others to enter the race for her seat.
Jen – Thank you for your years of service and Bravo for your decision to return to a more normal life.
Elected service is both a privilege and a huge drain on one’s energies.
Another YIMBY bites the dust.