[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 175 (Wednesday, December 11, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1834]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  IN RECOGNITION OF CORALIN FEIERBACH

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JACKIE SPEIER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 11, 2013

  Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Coralin Feierbach for 14 
years of outstanding service on the Belmont City Council, serving as 
mayor in 1999, 2007 and 2011. Coralin was first elected in 1995 for one 
term. She joined the council again in 2003 and has served continuously 
since that date.
  Coralin's hands-on and passionate style make her one of the most 
memorable leaders in Belmont. She always strives to see the side of 
residents, and works hard to ensure that their interests rather than 
the interests of others are the central focus of the council's 
deliberations. She will listen to Belmont residents on any topic, at 
any time of the day or night.
  Coralin has been a longtime advocate of open space. She first made a 
name for herself in the community in the mid-1970s when a plan to build 
housing on Sugarloaf Mountain in San Mateo on the border with Belmont 
was proposed. She and others won the fight to protect open space and 
Coralin has spent much of her life since protecting the Belmont hills 
from development.
  During her tenure on the council, she was instrumental in getting 
both Measure F, the Hillside Preservation Ordinance, and the Slope 
Density Ordinance, passed. She assisted in the acquisition of 35 acres 
in San Juan Canyon which are now permanent open space. The canyon was 
slated to have 1,000 homes built and Coralin helped reduce the number 
of lots for homes down to about 60. She succeeded in preserving the 
land for its beauty and recreational purposes, making it a sanctuary 
for the area's wildlife and residents.
  She also worked on a revision of the city's tree ordinance, the 
smoking ordinance, design review, code enforcement, the noise 
ordinance, construction time limits and green initiatives. Literally, 
if you look at the lush trees and canyons that distinguish Belmont, you 
see Coralin's clarity of purpose throughout the community.
  Coralin served during some of the most difficult economic times for 
Belmont. She always wanted a balanced and fair budget. She worked hard 
to prevent Caltrain's evolution from changing the character of the 
community, and her service did not begin with the council. Coralin 
served on the Planning Commission from 1986-1987 and 2001-2003.
  Coralin has a Bachelor's in Mathematics from San Francisco State 
University and did two years in the graduate program in mathematics at 
San Francisco State. She was a software developer and part owner of a 
software development firm.
  In her well-deserved retirement, Coralin is looking forward to 
spending more time with her husband Gary, their daughter and 
grandchildren. And she plans to take music classes at Notre Dame de 
Namur University in Belmont and to start a quartet as she plays 
classical piano.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask the House of Representatives to rise with me to 
honor Coralin Feierbach for her outstanding public service to the 
residents of Belmont. She has preserved and nurtured the city's spirit 
in order to produce tranquility amidst the urban din, and a small town 
appeal that makes Belmont a gem on the San Francisco Peninsula.

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