We look forward to your continued support at tonight's (Tues. 12/8) meeting of the San Mateo Planning Commission. Your attendance is imperative in convincing the City that the ice rink is worth more than the buyout being proposed by the developer. The meeting is at 730p at City Hall, 330 W 20th Ave. Here are a few tips for the meeting: - Please make a brief 1-2 minute comment on why you believe the City should again support the rink. Fill out a comment card at the Clerk's desk up front. - We are the good guys - please act that way. Be especially respectful of the Planning Commissioners. Thank them for their service for the people of San Mateo. - We especially need speakers from San Mateo. Make sure to mention your SM address when speaking. In your comments to Council, please speak from the heart. Here are some other arguments, too: - It would cost $15+ million for a new rink. The developer's $3 million offer is not a serious offer. - Since the 1980s, and as recently as 2014, the City Council and Planning Commission have always voted in favor of the ice rink. Nothing has changed so we expect a similar outcome today. - Since the original rink was built in the 1980s, San Mateo's population has surged by 30% and yet we have fewer recreational opportunities for our kids. We have lost amusement parks, bowling alleys, and now maybe the ice rink. - The City should not reward the behavior of the developer, who shut down the rink without approval from the City on an alternative use. As a result, the City has been deprived of its recreational amenity. - We do not understand why the City has stood by while the developer has violated the Master Plan by denying citizens of their promised recreational use. - The developer purchased the property with full knowledge of the zoning. Stick to your promises. - Whose side is the City on - 10,000 voters or the out-of-town developer and their lobbyists, PR agency, and lawyers? Thanks again for your support. See you tonight! The Committee to Save the San Mateo Ice Rink