Maria Ristow
About
Maria Ristow's platform centers on advancing community infrastructure by prioritizing biking improvements, addressing local housing needs, and championing diversity and inclusion efforts within Los Gatos.
Campaign promises (1)
- infrastructureFocus efforts on improving biking infrastructure, housing development, and diversity initiatives in Los Gatos.
Voice
- Meetings spoken in
- 16
- Total speaking time
- 3:23:51
- Avg per meeting
- 12:44
- Segments
- 2455
Want every word Ristow has said?
The OpenCity MCP for Claude.ai answers questions like “what has Ristow said about housing this year” with one prompt — full speaking history, with YouTube timestamps.
Top issues during term (20)
Objective Design Standards for Multi-Family and Mixed-Use Projects
Unfunded state mandate with no reimbursement to the town, per Council Member Hudes.
Multicultural winter celebration proposal
$696 permit fee waiver requested; potential future town funding undefined.
Mosque hours expansion at 16769 Farley Road
Conditions impose compliance costs (parking lot repairs, plantings, monitoring) on the mosque; the facility reports million-dollar-plus reconfiguration costs for added spaces.
Creekside Park soccer field and GMAX testing concerns
SB 9 Urban Lot Splits and Two-Unit Housing Zoning Update
No town fiscal impact; private construction projects valued in the hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars each.
Protection of pre-1941 homes outside historic districts
Updating the survey or adding districts would cost town funds and staff time; restrictions can also affect homeowners' renovation costs.
San Jose Water Company main ruptures
Families report hundreds of thousands of dollars in unreimbursed damage; the parent company posted over $102 million in net income last year.
16717 Chirco Drive Second-Story Addition Appeal
No town cost; the homeowners can now proceed with their addition.
Flock ALPR data breach involving NCRIC
The Flock contract costs the town tens of thousands of dollars annually, per speakers.
North 40 density increase and guest parking removal
No direct town cost, but could shape future development capacity and housing supply in the North Forty.
Funding the Rapid Response Network / local ICE response
$50,000 added to the grants budget; no direct earmark to the Rapid Response Network.
Blanco v. Town of Los Gatos litigation
Unknown — litigation could carry legal costs down the line, but nothing was disclosed.
Creekside Artificial Turf Field Safety
The new contract costs about $27,690 in the base year over five years with CPI adjustments, while the two leagues that use the field pay roughly $30,000 combined in use fees but no share of maintenance.
Regional law enforcement partnership with Saratoga
The speaker cited a roughly $9.7 million cost next year versus the town's current ~$26 million police budget, figures not verified.
Flock ALPR Data and NICRIC Exposure
No new spending authorized; the resolution confirms annual use and policy compliance only.
Second-story addition appeal, 100 Jamie Court
Setback requirements can substantially raise construction costs for homeowners.
State Route 17 Corridor Congestion Relief Project
Construction needs up to ~$20 million in grant funding; the town's capital program carries $3.2 million including a $2.5 million construction grant.
Town Manager directive restricting federal use of town facilities
Your tax dollars fund the town budget, and this hire will shape how that money gets spent—though no specific cost is given here.
Town spending exceeding revenue
A projected structural deficit averaging about $2.5 million a year over a decade, plus an estimated $6 million a year in unfunded capital needs if all identified projects are pursued.
Evacuation and emergency access on Oka Road
No project cost identified, but potential future signal retiming and curb changes at Lark/Oka could carry town expense.
Decisions during term (169)
Recorded while Ristow was in office — not necessarily decisions they moved, spoke to, or voted on.
Consent Agenda Items 1-7 (minutes, check registers, service contracts, TEA salary amendment)
North Forty Specific Plan Amendment A-26-005 (density, unit cap, guest parking)
Street Naming and Address Numbering Policy (Item 9)
Interim Urgency Ordinance Prohibiting Custodial Detention Facilities (Item 10)
Approve the Minutes of the October 20, 2026, Closed Session Town Council Meeting.
Approve the Minutes of the October 20, 2026, Town Council Meeting.
Approve an Amendment to the Town Employees Association (TEA) Salary Schedule to Establish a New Classification Title, the Salary Range for Property and Evidence Technician, and the Property and Evidence Technician Job Description
Approval of Draft Minutes of October 14, 2026 Meeting
94 Hernandez Avenue New Residence (S-22-029) — Continued
Electronic Pet Containment / Fence Ordinance (A-26-006) — Recommendation of Denial
Consent Calendar (Items 1-11)
Transtech Engineers CIP Management Agreement; Kennedy Road Project to Tier 1 (Item 12)
Introduction of Objective Design Standards Ordinance (Item 13)
North Forty Specific Plan Senior Living Amendment (Item 14)
Extension of Meeting to 11:30 p.m.
Approve the Minutes of the October 6, 2026 Town Council Special Meeting.
Approve the Minutes of the October 6, 2026 Town Council Meeting.
Receive the August 2026 Expenditure and Revenue Reports
Receive the Monthly Financial and Investment Report for August 2026.
Approve and Ratify the Accounts Payable Check Registers and Payroll Report.
Voting record (33)
Oldest to newest — hover a bar for the item.
Consent Agenda Items 1-7 (minutes, check registers, service contracts, TEA salary amendment)
North Forty Specific Plan Amendment A-26-005 (density, unit cap, guest parking)
Street Naming and Address Numbering Policy (Item 9)
Interim Urgency Ordinance Prohibiting Custodial Detention Facilities (Item 10)
continue this item, for staff to come back with more definition about senior living facilities and how many units or ratios would be appropriate for us to consider
North Forty Specific Plan Senior Living Amendment (Item 14)
I don't know what it will get us. I feel like we have some opportunity for discretion if any projects come before us.
Receive July 2026 financial reports and adopt monthly and quarterly reporting formats
Direction to staff on disclosure policy amendments (Council Policy 2-04 and 2-19)
Consent Items 1-9 Approved
Adopted Updated Objective Design Standards (Resolution 2026-054)
Approved $3,674,187 Budget Adjustment from Sale of 4 Tait Avenue
take the existing motion under advisement and to continue this item to the next council meeting following the Finance Commission's review of the community grant program. AMENDMENT: to the first [Counc
Consent Agenda Items 1-13
2026 Weed Abatement Program Assessment (Resolution 2026-049)
ADU Ordinance (Application A-26-001) Continued to October 6
Introduction of Omnibus Ordinance 2385
Electronic Pet Containment Ordinance Direction
CASSY Grant Cut and Supplemental Sustaining Grant Allocation (Item 18)
Substitute Motion to Continue Grant Item for Finance Commission Review (Failed)
Believes the matter is more policy than finance and the volunteer organizations' accounting is sufficient.
adopt a revised resolution per attachment four to sell the 4 Tait Avenue Property (APN: 510-44-054); approve and authorize the Town Manager to sign the Historic Covenant; and authorize the Town Manage
Consent Calendar Items 1-18
Continue West Valley Muslim Association CUP Appeal to August 18 (Item 19)
Brush Abatement Hearing — 100% Compliance, Recognition Motion (Item 20)
Landscape and Lighting Assessment Districts Nos. 1 and 2, FY 2026-27 (Item 21)
Chamber of Commerce Services Agreement at $88,000 with Direction to Return at up to $108,000 (Item 23)
Adopt-a-Bench Fee Schedule Resolution (Item 22)
Remote Public Access Disruption Policy, Agenda Rules Amendment, and Public Participation Resolution (Item 25)
Consent Items 1-5 (minutes, brush nuisance resolution, LLD assessments, fountain and hazardous waste agreements)
Five-year FieldTurf USA turf maintenance agreement for Creekside Sports Park (Item 6)
continue this item for two weeks to allow the Council to consider this language or other proposals to deal with the issue that was raised
Approval of Consent Items 1-8
Alternative motion to continue Item 9 two weeks (failed)
Saw no new information coming in two weeks.