MR

Maria Ristow

Vice Mayor2024-12-01 – 2028-12-01 (month-level start: December 2024, appointed to a full four-year term in lieu of the cancelled November 5, 2024 election per Town Council page 'Appointed: December 2024' and Local News Matters; month-level end: December 2028 per Town Council page 'Term Expires: December 2028')

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)

  • infrastructure
    Focus efforts on improving biking infrastructure, housing development, and diversity initiatives in Los Gatos.

At a glance

News mentions
0

Term ending Dec 1, 2028.

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)

high→Apr 2026[37]

Objective Design Standards for Multi-Family and Mixed-Use Projects

Unfunded state mandate with no reimbursement to the town, per Council Member Hudes.

medium↑Oct 2026[31]

Multicultural winter celebration proposal

$696 permit fee waiver requested; potential future town funding undefined.

high↓Mar 2026[30]

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.

medium↑Sep 2026[28]

Creekside Park soccer field and GMAX testing concerns

high→Jun 2026[26]

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.

high↑Apr 2026[26]

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.

high↑Aug 2026[25]

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.

high↓Aug 2026[24]

16717 Chirco Drive Second-Story Addition Appeal

No town cost; the homeowners can now proceed with their addition.

high↑Oct 2026[21]

Flock ALPR data breach involving NCRIC

The Flock contract costs the town tens of thousands of dollars annually, per speakers.

high↑Sep 2026[21]

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.

critical↑Apr 2026[20]

Funding the Rapid Response Network / local ICE response

$50,000 added to the grants budget; no direct earmark to the Rapid Response Network.

high↑Aug 2026[17]

Blanco v. Town of Los Gatos litigation

Unknown — litigation could carry legal costs down the line, but nothing was disclosed.

high↓May 2026[17]

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.

high↓May 2026[17]

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.

high↓Aug 2026[16]

Flock ALPR Data and NICRIC Exposure

No new spending authorized; the resolution confirms annual use and policy compliance only.

high↑Aug 2026[15]

Second-story addition appeal, 100 Jamie Court

Setback requirements can substantially raise construction costs for homeowners.

high↓May 2026[13]

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.

high↑May 2026[13]

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.

high↑Apr 2026[13]

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.

high↓May 2026[12]

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.

approvedVoted yes5-0Nov 2, 2026

Consent Agenda Items 1-7 (minutes, check registers, service contracts, TEA salary amendment)

approvedVoted yesNov 2, 2026

North Forty Specific Plan Amendment A-26-005 (density, unit cap, guest parking)

approvedVoted yesNov 2, 2026

Street Naming and Address Numbering Policy (Item 9)

approvedVoted yes4-0-1Nov 2, 2026

Interim Urgency Ordinance Prohibiting Custodial Detention Facilities (Item 10)

approved5-0Nov 2, 2026

Approve the Minutes of the October 20, 2026, Closed Session Town Council Meeting.

approved5-0Nov 2, 2026

Approve the Minutes of the October 20, 2026, Town Council Meeting.

approved5-0Nov 2, 2026

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

approved6-0Oct 28, 2026

Approval of Draft Minutes of October 14, 2026 Meeting

tabled4-0Oct 28, 2026

94 Hernandez Avenue New Residence (S-22-029) — Continued

denied1-5Oct 28, 2026

Electronic Pet Containment / Fence Ordinance (A-26-006) — Recommendation of Denial

approved5-0Oct 20, 2026

Consent Calendar (Items 1-11)

approved5-0Oct 20, 2026

Transtech Engineers CIP Management Agreement; Kennedy Road Project to Tier 1 (Item 12)

approved5-0Oct 20, 2026

Introduction of Objective Design Standards Ordinance (Item 13)

tabledVoted yes4-1Oct 20, 2026

North Forty Specific Plan Senior Living Amendment (Item 14)

approved5-0Oct 20, 2026

Extension of Meeting to 11:30 p.m.

approved5-0Oct 20, 2026

Approve the Minutes of the October 6, 2026 Town Council Special Meeting.

approved5-0Oct 20, 2026

Approve the Minutes of the October 6, 2026 Town Council Meeting.

approved5-0Oct 20, 2026

Receive the August 2026 Expenditure and Revenue Reports

approved5-0Oct 20, 2026

Receive the Monthly Financial and Investment Report for August 2026.

approved5-0Oct 20, 2026

Approve and Ratify the Accounts Payable Check Registers and Payroll Report.

Voting record (33)

27 yes5 no1 abstained

Oldest to newest — hover a bar for the item.

Voted yesNov 2, 2026

Consent Agenda Items 1-7 (minutes, check registers, service contracts, TEA salary amendment)

Voted yesNov 2, 2026

North Forty Specific Plan Amendment A-26-005 (density, unit cap, guest parking)

Voted yesNov 2, 2026

Street Naming and Address Numbering Policy (Item 9)

Voted yesNov 2, 2026

Interim Urgency Ordinance Prohibiting Custodial Detention Facilities (Item 10)

Voted noOct 20, 2026

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

Voted yesOct 20, 2026

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.

Voted yesOct 6, 2026

Receive July 2026 financial reports and adopt monthly and quarterly reporting formats

Voted yesOct 6, 2026

Direction to staff on disclosure policy amendments (Council Policy 2-04 and 2-19)

Voted yesSep 1, 2026

Consent Items 1-9 Approved

Voted yesSep 1, 2026

Adopted Updated Objective Design Standards (Resolution 2026-054)

Voted yesSep 1, 2026

Approved $3,674,187 Budget Adjustment from Sale of 4 Tait Avenue

Voted noAug 4, 2026

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

Voted yesAug 4, 2026

Consent Agenda Items 1-13

Voted yesAug 4, 2026

2026 Weed Abatement Program Assessment (Resolution 2026-049)

Voted yesAug 4, 2026

ADU Ordinance (Application A-26-001) Continued to October 6

Voted yesAug 4, 2026

Introduction of Omnibus Ordinance 2385

Voted yesAug 4, 2026

Electronic Pet Containment Ordinance Direction

Voted yesAug 4, 2026

CASSY Grant Cut and Supplemental Sustaining Grant Allocation (Item 18)

Voted noAug 4, 2026

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.

AbstainedJun 16, 2026

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

Voted yesJun 16, 2026

Consent Calendar Items 1-18

Voted yesJun 16, 2026

Continue West Valley Muslim Association CUP Appeal to August 18 (Item 19)

Voted yesJun 16, 2026

Brush Abatement Hearing — 100% Compliance, Recognition Motion (Item 20)

Voted yesJun 16, 2026

Landscape and Lighting Assessment Districts Nos. 1 and 2, FY 2026-27 (Item 21)

Voted yesJun 16, 2026

Chamber of Commerce Services Agreement at $88,000 with Direction to Return at up to $108,000 (Item 23)

Voted yesJun 16, 2026

Adopt-a-Bench Fee Schedule Resolution (Item 22)

Voted yesJun 16, 2026

Remote Public Access Disruption Policy, Agenda Rules Amendment, and Public Participation Resolution (Item 25)

Voted yesMay 5, 2026

Consent Items 1-5 (minutes, brush nuisance resolution, LLD assessments, fountain and hazardous waste agreements)

Voted yesMay 5, 2026

Five-year FieldTurf USA turf maintenance agreement for Creekside Sports Park (Item 6)

Voted noApr 21, 2026

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

Voted yesApr 21, 2026

Approval of Consent Items 1-8

Voted noApr 21, 2026

Alternative motion to continue Item 9 two weeks (failed)

Saw no new information coming in two weeks.

Voted yesApr 21, 2026

Adoption of Resolutions 2026-020 and 2026-021 granting the Luxe and Arya appeals