Incensed by NIMBYism, an East Bay city manager quits: 'My conscience won't allow it'

Longtime Lafayette city manager Steven Falk announced his resignation at a City Council meeting this week. He will step down at the end of the year. Longtime Lafayette city manager Steven Falk announced his resignation at a City Council meeting this week. He will step down at the end of the year. Photo: City Of Lafayette Photo: City Of Lafayette Image 1 of / 19 Caption Close Incensed by NIMBYism, an East Bay city manager quits: 'My conscience won't allow it' 1 / 19 Back to Gallery

Steven Falk has worked for the small East Bay city of Lafayette since 1990. For 22 of those years, he was the city manager.

Falk, 56, announced his resignation from the post at a city council meeting this week, citing the city's overarching NIMBY attitude. NIMBY stands for "Not In My Backyard" and is used to describe those who frequently oppose new developments.

"Lafayette's animating mission since incorporation (in 1968) has been to use its municipal powers to stave off the Bay Area's inexorable urbanization," he wrote in his resignation statement, which he shared on Twitter.

"During the same fifty year period, however, scientists have learned more about the earth's atmosphere and concluded that human activity and carbon emissions are responsible for climate change," he said.

Falk, like many prominent city planners and academics, argues that rural suburbs are at odds with environmentalism. He believes that more dense and transit-oriented housing in places like Lafayette could be a step towards reducing suburban residents' carbon footprint.

The median home price in Lafayette, a city with an estimated population of 26,440, is $1.5 million, per Zillow.

Falk continued: "All cities — even small ones — have a responsibility to address the most significant challenges of our time: climate change, income inequality, and housing affordability."

He goes on to describe Lafayette officials' attempts to thwart AB 2923, a bill currently sitting on Governor Jerry Brown's desk that would give BART zoning authority over its parking lots, making it harder for cities to get in the way.

Earlier this month, Lafayette Mayor Don Tatzin, Vice Mayor Cameron Burks and three City Council members sent a letter to Brown urging him to veto AB 2923.

"This bill takes away a constitutionally bestowed authority from our city, saddles our city with the cost of an unfunded mandate, stifles community engagement, and sets a dangerous statewide precedent all with no legitimate justification," the letter argues.

Falk takes a different stance on AB 2923. He writes: "I believe that adding multifamily housing at the BART station is the best way for Lafayette to do its part, and it has therefore become increasingly difficult for me to support, advocate for, or implement policies that would thwart transit density."

"My conscience won't allow it."

Mayor Tatzin issued a statement on AB 2923 hours on Friday afternoon restating the city's opposition to the bill. Tatzin said the city would "welcome an approach from BART to work collaboratively on housing development in Lafayette."

"Our opposition to AB 2923 is not based on a wish to limit housing development, but rather on the Bill's proposal to strip away local control over housing development and zoning, which we believe is enshrined in California's Constitution," the statement said.

In his statement, Falk goes on to cite a handful of other measures Lafayette residents voted down by wide margins, including Measure C — a sales tax that would have preserved natural space from development, increased downtown parking and acquired land for parks — and Measure L, which would have allowed development along Deer Hill Road and the construction of new recreation facilities.

"Elections have consequences," Falk writes, "and one is that Lafayette residents deserve a city manager who is better aligned with their priorities."

Falk will step down at the end of the year. He did not respond to requests for comment.

In his near-three decades working for the city, Falk instituted extensive repairs and improvements to municipal infrastructure, parks and recreation facilities. Notably he helmed the construction of the Veterans Memorial Building and the expansive Lafayette Library and Learning Center.

Tatzin commended Falk for his years of service in a press release, citing the above accomplishments as well as his creation of the popular city slogan "Love Lafayette."

Falk borrowed the phrase in his resignation letter, thanking the city for "the opportunity to serve this extraordinary community for so many years. I will always Love Lafayette!"

The City Council has yet to determine a process for selecting Falk's successor.

Read Falk's full statement here.

Read Michelle Robertson's latest stories and send her news tips at mrobertson@sfchronicle.com.

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