Foster City Council District 1 · Nov 3, 2026

Art Kiesel

Candidate for City Council District 1 (incumbent)

3 candidates · 2 seats10 sourced positions

Art Kiesel, the incumbent, is running for Foster City Council District 1 in the Nov 3, 2026 election, against Phoebe Shin Venkat.

Vote-by-mail ballots mailed; early vote centers open · Mon, Oct 5, 2026

Today

Art Kiesel and Phoebe Shin Venkat, both sitting councilmembers, are running against each other for the District 1 seat. San Mateo Daily Journal

Where Art Kiesel stands: positions on the record

Board of Appeals2 sourced positions

Voted no on Ordinance 693, which gives the Planning Commission the duties of Board of Appeals (passed 4-1, September 2025).
Council voteFoster City Council minutes, Sept. 15, 2025 · Sep 15, 2025
Voted no on Ordinance 694, which designates the Planning Commission as the Board of Appeals for building official decisions (passed 4-1, September 2025).
Council voteFoster City Council minutes, Sept. 15, 2025 · Sep 15, 2025

Audit Committee1 sourced position

Voted no on disbanding the city's Audit Committee (passed 4-1, March 2026).
Council voteFoster City Council minutes, March 2, 2026 · Mar 2, 2026

Geese management1 sourced position

Voted no on accepting the Canada goose management plan update and directing staff to reissue the bid request with expanded scope (passed 4-1, April 2025).
Council voteFoster City Council minutes, April 21, 2025 · Apr 21, 2025

Parks fees1 sourced position

Voted no on amending the Parks and Recreation fee schedule for fiscal years 2026-27 and 2027-28 (passed 4-1, May 2026).
Council voteFoster City Council minutes, May 18, 2026 · May 18, 2026

Tenant protections1 sourced position

Seconded the motion to introduce an ordinance adding just-cause eviction and tenant relocation rules for below-market-rate housing (passed 4-1, April 2025).
Council voteFoster City Council minutes, April 21, 2025 · Apr 21, 2025

State housing mandates1 sourced position

as reported by the San Mateo Daily Journal
Daily Journal reports Kiesel views the state's housing mandates as overly strict and as favoring multiunit rentals over single-family homes.
“The American dream of owning a house is becoming further and further away”
Own statementSan Mateo Daily Journal

City budget1 sourced position

as reported by the San Mateo Daily Journal
Told the Daily Journal the city should focus on cost-cutting to address long-term deficits.
“Expenses are way out of control, and we have very little way of controlling it.”
Own statementSan Mateo Daily Journal

Street design1 sourced position

as reported by the San Mateo Daily Journal
Told the Daily Journal he has concerns about narrowing the city's wide roads to make room for non-vehicle infrastructure.
“We’re trying to narrow the lanes, which I’m not so sure I’m so happy with because we’re going to go from 12-foot-wide lanes to 10.5”
Own statementSan Mateo Daily Journal

Priorities1 sourced position

Lists his priorities in the county voter pamphlet statement, including protecting the General Fund and a unified e-bike safety plan.
“protecting our General Fund, developing a unified E-Bike safety plan”
Own statementArt Kiesel candidate statement (San Mateo County voter pamphlet filing) · Jul 31, 2026

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