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FW: Letter from Congressman Sam Liccardo Re: Agenda Item 10.2 From City Clerk < [email protected]>
Date Tue 12/2/2025 12:12 PM
To Agendadesk <[email protected]>
U 1 attachment (311 KB)
Congressman Sam Liccardo Support Letter_Agenda Item 10.2_120225.pdf; From: Mohsen, Raania <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, December 2, 2025 12:11 PM
To: City Clerk <[email protected]>; The Office of Mayor Matt Mahan <[email protected]>; Kamei, Rosemary <[email protected]>; Campos, Pamela <[email protected]>; Tordillos, Anthony <[email protected]>; Cohen, David <[email protected]>; Ortiz, Peter <[email protected]>; Mulcahy, Michael <[email protected]>; Doan, Bien <Bien. [email protected]>; Candelas, Domingo <[email protected]>; Foley, Pam <[email protected]>; Casey, George <[email protected]> | Cc: Wilcox, Leland <[email protected]>; Mossing, Mackenzie <[email protected]>; Fruen, Joseph <[email protected]>; Yamamoto, KiyomiH <[email protected]>; Ramirez, Lucas <[email protected]>; Gvatua, Alexander <[email protected]>; Danino, Shawn <[email protected]>; Nguyen, Lam <[email protected]>; Borges, Marlee <Marlee. [email protected]>; Ruiz, Kimberly <Kimberly. [email protected]>; District5 <[email protected]>; [email protected]; Kolander, Grace <[email protected]>; Adera, Teddy <[email protected]>; Hughes, Scott <[email protected]>; Laveroni, Kyle <[email protected]>; Gomez, David A <[email protected]>; Zeelig, Aaron <[email protected]>; Blattman, Rachelle <[email protected]> l
Subject: Letter from Congressman Sam Liccardo Re: Agenda Item 10.2 [External Email. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. Learn more] Dear City Clerk, Mayor & Council:
Regarding Agenda Item 10.2, please see attached a letter from Congressman Sam Liccardo in support of the proposed amendments to Title 13 (Historical Preservation).
Thank you for your consideration.
Best,
Raania Mohsen, District Director
Office of Congressman Sam Liccardo, CA-16
408-245-2339 Office | 650-350-2770 Cell
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SamIcCARDo
16TH DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.
SAM T. LICCARDO COMMITTEE ON FINANCIAL SERVICES
16TH DISTRICT, CALIFORNIA
1117 LONGWORTH HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING
WASHINGTON, DC 20515-0516
(202) 225-8104 Congress of the United States
1101 S. WINCHESTER BLVD
SUITE C-120 SOUTH House of Representatibes
SAN JOSE, CA 95128
(408) 245-2339
Hashington, DC 20515-0516
270 CAPISTRANO RD
SUITE 6
HALF MOON BAY, CA 94019
(650) 323-2984
December 2, 2025
San José City Council
200 East Santa Clara Street, Council Chambers
San José, CA 95113
Dear Mayor Mahan and Councilmembers,
As former San José Councilmember and Mayor, I strongly supported the community-led effort to bring Levitt Pavilion to San José, an initiative that could bring thousands of residents to revive that dormant, and oft-overlooked jewel of our Downtown, St. James Park. We embarked on this effort a decade-and-a- half ago, in the midst of the Great Recession, with community members who aspired to revitalize a blighted St. James Park with free live music and events.
After numerous legal delays occasioned by lawyers representing a single objecting entity, this project finally has begun to gain momentum again. Last February, the City Council approved a three-way agreement with the Levitt Foundation and the Friends of Levitt Pavilion to build the venue.
These proposed ordinance changes will clear the final hurdle for this project to move ahead. They ensure that Council and planning staff can give full consideration to the strong public benefits of the project when weighing any historic preservation concerns, and override historic determinations where the Council determines the public will benefit at net. I encourage the Council to approve this proposed amendment to San José's Historic Preservation Ordinance, because it merely clarifies what San José already has the power to do. The Court of Appeal confirmed that the City may weigh a project's public benefits against any historic impacts, just as we do under CEQA, but the current ordinance text doesn't reflect the current state of the law. San José's leadership must retain the flexibility to advance public- serving projects like the Levitt Pavilion.
Thank you for your consideration of my views.
Gratefully,
Can fire
Sam Liccardo
Member of Congress
16th District of California
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