Part Two — Evan Kubota
In Part One of “Know Who You’re Seating,” we looked at campaign contributions, public records, development interests, and the connections surrounding Gina Fortino Dickson’s previous campaign.
But if we’re going to ask these questions, we need to ask them consistently.
So, in Part Two, we’re looking at Evan Kubota — current Chair of the Windsor Planning Commission and a candidate for Windsor Town Council, District 1.
Who has financially supported him? What does his record on the Planning Commission show? How has he voted on significant development projects? And how has he engaged with residents on one of the biggest land-use issues currently facing our community?
For Evan, we have something valuable to look at: a public record.
And we also have firsthand experience.
Evan Kubota and the Planning Commission
Evan Kubota has served on the Windsor Planning Commission since January 2023 and currently serves as Chair.
The Planning Commission reviews land-use matters including development applications, subdivisions, use permits, zoning issues, and General Plan matters. Depending on the application, the Commission may make a final decision or make a recommendation to the Windsor Town Council.
Because Evan has served on the Commission for several years, residents have an existing record of his participation in Windsor planning decisions to review.
One of those decisions was Cora Creek.
Cora Creek: A Documented Vote
On April 22, 2025, the Windsor Planning Commission considered Cora Creek, a proposed 106-unit apartment development at 8975 Conde Lane by Gallaher Community Housing.
The application included Site Plan and Design Review, a density bonus, affordable-housing waivers, and an incentive.
According to the official meeting minutes, commissioners discussed issues including emergency access through the Windsor Creek Elementary School site, traffic and residential street standards, creek-development standards, architecture, creek visibility and access, neighboring roads, landscaping, and the potential future development of Windsor Creek Elementary.
Before the hearing, Kubota disclosed that he had spoken with both the applicant and Windsor resident Kevin Scanlon. Fortino Dickson disclosed that she had visited the site and received correspondence from the applicant’s representative.
When it came time to vote, Fortino Dickson made the motion to approve Cora Creek. Commissioner Rennie seconded the motion.
The final vote was:
YES: Fortino Dickson, Rennie, Richards
NO: Zahner, Kubota
Evan Kubota voted against approval of Cora Creek.
The official minutes do not attribute every comment made during deliberations to individual commissioners, so the minutes alone do not establish Kubota’s specific reasons for voting no. What they do establish is his vote.
The minutes also state that Vice Chair Zahner disclosed before the hearing that he had visited the project site with the applicant and had met with Rich Carnation.
Then Came Windsor Creek
On July 14, 2026, with Evan serving as Chair, the Planning Commission received a presentation specifically addressing the General Plan land-use and zoning designation for 8955 Conde Lane — the Windsor Creek Elementary School property.
The presentation addressed the property’s existing General Plan and zoning designations, Windsor’s Housing Element and RHNA obligations, and the state-law framework affecting potential housing development on school district property.
It also confirmed something important in understanding Windsor Creek’s place in the Town’s current housing planning:
Windsor Creek was not included as a housing inventory site in Windsor’s certified Housing Element.
For residents who had spent months trying to understand what could happen to this property, this meeting put the land-use and zoning questions surrounding Windsor Creek into a public Planning Commission meeting.
But our experience with Evan and Windsor Creek hasn’t been limited to what happens at Town Hall.
Our Experience With Evan
Our group, Save Windsor, has had many opportunities to speak directly with Evan about Windsor Creek, development, open space, infrastructure, and the priorities that matter to the surrounding neighborhoods.
Those conversations haven’t happened just once.
Evan has attended our neighborhood meetings. He has taken individual calls. He has spoken separately with members of our group, answered questions when he could, and made himself available when residents wanted to better understand the planning process.
Through those conversations, we have found significant alignment between many of the priorities Evan has discussed with us and the concerns we have repeatedly heard from residents — particularly around listening to affected neighborhoods and considering the impacts development can have on the surrounding community.
There have also been questions Evan has not answered because of his role on the Planning Commission and the possibility that matters involving the property could ultimately come before the Commission.
These are firsthand observations based on our interactions with Evan throughout the Windsor Creek process.
And there’s another important distinction we want to make clear:
Most of us involved with Save Windsor and the Windsor Creek neighborhood are in District 4. We cannot vote in the District 1 Town Council race.
But a Town Councilmember’s decisions don't exist within the boundaries of one district.
Councilmembers collectively make decisions affecting Windsor’s development, infrastructure, parks, public spaces, finances, and future. What happens in one district can affect residents throughout the Town.
That’s why we believe it’s important for residents across Windsor to understand the people asking to serve on the Council — even when they don’t personally get to vote in that particular race.
Following Evan’s Campaign Money
Evan has run for Windsor Town Council before.
In early 2022, he formed “Kubota for Windsor Town Council 2022; Elect Evan” and filed to run for an at-large Town Council seat. His campaign disclosure identifies the office sought as Windsor Town Councilmember — At-Large.
His campaign disclosure covering January 1 through February 26, 2022 reports $2,600 in monetary contributions, along with a $400 loan from Evan to his campaign, for $3,000 in total contributions received during that reporting period.
The reported monetary contributors were:
Chris Dahl — $500, identified as a Planner with Devincenti Concrete
Darcie Dahl — $500, with “Mother” listed in the occupation field
Michael Kubota — $100, identified as an Accountant with Kaiser
Kathryn Kubota — $500, identified as retired
Marshall Kubota — $500, identified as Medical Director with Partnership Health Plan
Russell Kubota — $500, identified as an Attorney with the Law Office of Russell T. Kubota Evan2
A separate contribution report also documents the $500 contributions from Chris and Darcie Dahl and Evan’s $400 campaign loan. Russell Kubota’s $500 contribution is separately documented as well.
The campaign filing shows that Evan’s $400 loan was subsequently forgiven. It also reports $3,000 in expenditures and a $0 ending cash balance for the reporting period.
The filing later records a $499.74 return of funds to Russell Kubota, described as “Candidate Withdrew.”
These are the contributors identified in the campaign records we reviewed. The filings themselves do not establish development interests in Windsor for these contributors, so we are not making that assertion.
And that distinction is important.
If we’re going to follow the money, we should follow everyone’s money.
The point isn’t to treat every campaign contribution as suspicious. It’s to make the information available and look deeper when the public record gives us a reason to.
Look at the Complete Record
For Evan Kubota, the records we reviewed establish several things.
He has served on the Windsor Planning Commission since 2023 and currently serves as Chair.
He voted against approval of the 106-unit Cora Creek development.
He chaired the July 2026 Planning Commission meeting where the Windsor Creek Elementary property’s land-use and zoning designations were publicly discussed.
His available 2022 campaign filings identify who financially supported his previous Town Council campaign and how much they contributed.
And then there is something that doesn’t necessarily appear in Town minutes or campaign filings:
He has repeatedly shown up to meet with residents directly affected by the Windsor Creek issue.
Our group has had many opportunities to speak with Evan about his priorities. He has taken the time to talk with us collectively and individually, listen to our concerns, and answer our questions.
We have found areas where the priorities he has discussed with us align with priorities Save Windsor and many residents have expressed.
That is also part of our experience, and we believe it belongs in the conversation alongside the campaign filings, meeting minutes, and voting record.
Know Who You’re Seating
That’s what this series is about.
Don’t rely solely on campaign mailers or yard signs. Don’t assume one vote, one contribution, or one meeting tells you everything about a person.
Follow the contributions. Read the minutes. Watch the meetings. Look at the votes. Ask questions. And pay attention to who shows up.
We’ll continue looking at the public record and sharing what we find so Windsor residents have the information to reach their own conclusions.
This post is not paid for by or in support of any candidate. It is meant to create transparency and help residents understand candidates and who is funding them.