Fairfax residents divided over recall election amid tensions over housing development

By Kenny Choi

With just over a couple of weeks left before a special recall election in Fairfax, residents are divided.

Recall organizers said city officials could have done more to reject a proposed housing development. But the Mayor and supporters say they’re following state housing law requirements.

Signs both supporting and opposing the recall of Mayor Lisel Blash and Vice Mayor Stephanie Hellman line the streets in front of homes in Fairfax.

Longtime Fairfax resident Michael Rosenthal rejects the recall attempt.

“It’s an unfortunate abuse of the recall system, which I think should only be used in cases of serious misconduct,” Rosenthal said.

Rosenthal said recall organizers are abusing the system for political purposes.

The recall leader is Candace Neal-Ricker, who is a manager at Nave’s, a local downtown bar.

“Gentrification occurs, growth occurs. It’s about logical growth. It’s about moderate growth,” Neal-Ricker said.

Neal-Ricker blames town leaders for allegedly mismanaging funds, neglecting needed infrastructure fixes, and paving a path toward high-density housing.

“I do not want to see developers gifted Fairfax on a silver platter, which is what I see right now,” Neal-Ricker said.

State housing rules require the town of Fairfax to plan for at least 490 new units through 2031.

“It’s really interesting to be targeted with a recall, basically, for following state laws that we are required to follow,” Blash said.

Developers have proposed a 249-unit apartment complex on 95 Broadway, near downtown, which includes market-rate and affordable units.

Recall supporters believe Blash is caving into developers’ demands.

“I wanted to live in a small town, and now I found out that our town was going to be rezoned for high-rise development, and there were no height limits,” said Sean Fitzgerald.

Blash said the town could lose even more local control of housing development if state mandates aren’t met.

“They could fine us a huge amount every month, we could be sued by third-party advocacy groups, who have often been suing to the tune of several million dollars, and we could also make ourselves open to builders’ remedy, which would allow almost unchecked development in our towns,” said Blash.

It’s a town divided, balancing growth and preservation.

“The cost and wins have to balance out here. Right now, that’s not how it’s looking,” Neal-Ricker said.

“Everybody in town, pretty much, is opposed to a six-story building being developed. They’re trying to blame it on the mayor and the vice mayor,” said Rosenthal.

It’s another recall on the ballot, as a town grapples over what’s best for its residents.

Late Thursday, the Fairfax Planning and Building director sent a letter to the developers requiring major changes to the developers’ plans for the housing proposal at the center of this recall effort.

The letter lists 25 changes the developers would have to make to be considered for approval. The developers have one month to respond.

Mayor Blash and the vice mayor have both come out in support of the letter.

Recall supporters say their lawsuit forced the town to acknowledge the deficiencies in the developers’ proposal.

They also say other votes and approvals for high-rise zoning by the Mayor and vice mayor have enabled “massive builds” at 13 sites in town.

If the recall succeeds, the town council can appoint interim replacements until a special election takes place. If it fails, Blash has suggested she will not seek re-election in the next election cycle.