• School Board and Council Forums
• TONIGHT – City Council, 6:45 Regular, 5:00 Special
• RECAP – Planning Commission, Oct. 11, 2022, 6:45 p.m.

Mail-in ballots should have arrived last week. If your ballot has not arrived or has an error, contact the Registrar of Voters for Santa Clara County. The LWV VotersEdge.org is particularly useful. Just put in your voting address to obtain a personalized list of candidates and ballot issues. Note that redistricting may have changed the candidates for whom you are voting. Most importantly, vote! Only 36% of voters returned their ballots for the June 7 primary.

In addition, Mercury News endorsements for the Nov. 8 election are available. Of particular note for Cupertino, the Mercury News stated the issues and its endorsements of JR Fruen, Sheila Mohan and Claudio Bono in this article Editorial: Cupertino needs overhaul. Elect Fruen, Mohan and Bono: Voters should end Better Cupertino’s devastating, NIMBY hold on the City Council. The Council of Mayors sent an additional flier this week entitled “Better Cupertino” is leading Cupertino to Financial

A complete list of candidate forums can be found at the League of Women Voters of Cupertino-Sunnyvale website. In addition, the League also has 2022 California State Propositions Pro’s & Con’s scheduled for Sat., Oct. 22, 10 a.m. and Wed. Oct. 26, 7 p.m.

UPCOMING – CITY COUNCIL – Tues., Oct. 18, 2022, 6:45 p.m. Regular; 5:00 Special

The 5:00 special session is a special meeting, rather than a study session, since council has to vote to approve these items.

Item #1: Amendment to Title 16, Buildings and Construction, of the Cupertino Municipal Code adopting the California Buildings Standards Code and Fire Code as mandated by the State of California and making local exceptions to those standards as warranted.  This is a routine annual update to building codes to comply with state and county standards.

Item #2: Consider program and funding revisions for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2021-22 Capital Improvement Programs (CIP) project, City Hall Annex (10455 Torre Avenue Improvements). The city purchased a property at 10455 Torre Avenue an approximately 5,000 sq. ft. building, now called the City Hall Annex in 2021 to provide additional space for the too-small current city hall. This item would authorize two professional contracts to proceed with programming, design, and construction of the building as the City’s Permit Center and Emergency Operations Center (EOC), the most public-facing business functions.

Ceremonial Matters and Presentations are to (1) Consider a proclamation recognizing October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month, to (2) Consider a proclamation declaring the 2nd week in October as Code Enforcement Officer Appreciation Week, and to (3) Consider acceptance of Cupertino Library Foundation donation for the Cupertino Library Expansion Project and certificate of appreciation for the donation.

Oral Communications then follow. Reports should be routine. There is an additional City Manager’s Office Update. The Consent Calendar has 6 items and appears to be routine, though some items may be pulled for more discussion.

Item #15: Consider the second reading of Municipal Code Amendment to establish a streamlined permitting process to electric vehicle charging (EV) stations, in order to comply with State Laws AB 1236 and AB 970  This should be a pro forma approval since it was previously unanimously approved.

Item #16: Application for Tentative Subdivision Map and planning permits for the development of six single-family homes on the parcel located at 20860 McClellan Road (Application No.(s): TM-2021-006, R-2021-040 to R-2021-045, RM-2022-015, -016, -022 to -025; Applicant(s): District McClellan LLC, c/o Alok Damireddy; Location: 20860 McClellan Road; APN: 359-20-030). The proposed project is a subdivision of a 1.25 acre parcel for six single family homes with attached ADUs. The project was invoked under the Housing Accountability Act, which allows a project consistent with general plan density standards without rezoning. The project qualifies for a CEQA exemption. The Planning Commission approved this project 3-2 (Kapil and Wang voting no) on September 13, 2022.

Item #17: Consider: 1. Review crosswalk options across Rodrigues Avenue in the vicinity of the public pedestrian walkway easement through Tract 9405 (Campo De Lozano subdivision), located near 20138 Rodrigues Avenue; and 2. Review the proposed language for signage to be posted at each end of the pedestrian walkway easement through the Campo De Lozano subdivision (continued on September 20, 2022). This is a continuation of a follow-up to the March 1, 2022 council meeting when vacation of a public pedestrian walkway easement through the Campo de Lozano subdivision was proposed. Vacation was not approved, but the council proposed a crosswalk and requested alternatives. Staff does not recommend implementation (if justified) until usage data is collected. In addition, additional signage was requested, and a study of actual usage of the Regnart Creek Trail a year after it opens about Nov. 2022.

RECAP – Planning Commission – Tues., Oct. 11, 2022, 6:45 p.m. Regular

YouTube: 3 hr. 49 min.

Item #2: Sign Exception to allow three (3) wall signs where two (2) are permitted and to further allow two (2) of the three (3) wall signs to be oriented towards the freeway on two separate storage facility buildings. (Application No(s): EXC-2022-003; Applicant(s): David Ford, All Sign Services; Location: 20565 Valley Green Dr.; APN: 326-10-044). The Planning Commission approved one sign for this project, but rejected the application for two lighted signs facing the 280 freeway, citing aesthetic concern about I-280.

Item #3: Consider an ordinance to implement new state legislation (Senate Bill 9), that provides for ministerial approval of up to two units and/or a lot split in a residential single-family zone (Application No.: MCA-2022-001; Applicant: City of Cupertino; Location: Citywide in all residential single-family zones). Discussion on this item was lengthy, with the commission accepting staff recommendations including  these items (1) Lot splits acceptable, (2) Balconies not permitted under SB9, but can be permitted under the normal process, (3) No basements, (4) No ADUs, and (5) Grade change no more than 12 inches from the existing natural grade. Approved 4-1, with Wang voting nay.

CUPERTINO COURIER, October 14, 2022

The front page photo and article on page 5 is entitled Driven to Success: De Anza College to offer its first-ever baccalaureate degree in automotive technology. Community briefs include (1) City gets state funds (2) Pizza and Politics, and (3) Hidden Treasures. Legal notices include two items for the Planning Commission on Oct. 25, 2022: (1) Modification of Use Permit for Gates of Heaven cemetery and (2) Application for redevelopment of 19191 Vallco Parkway. In addition, there are notices for (1) Application to serve on the city Economic Development Committee, (2) Funding available for capital housing projects and (3) Environment Impact Report for demolition of 1566 S. DeAnza Blvd (Coach House site) by Environmental Review Committee on Oct. 20,2022.

Warm regards,
Jean Bedord
Cupertino Matters
Publisher and Editor