Cupertino Matters
- Local News
- UPCOMING – City Council, Tues., July 1, 2025, 6:45 p.m.; Closed Session, 5:30 p.m.
- RECAP – Planning Commission, Tues., June 24, 6:45 p.m.
Come celebrate the 4th of July at Memorial Park, with events starting with a pancake breakfast, the flag-raising, a concert with fireworks in the evening. Other west valley cities discontinued fireworks years ago due to the expense ($140,000 plus significant staff time), and concern over fire safety, a factor in the cancellation of fireworks in San Jose other than at Lake Cunningham. An innovation this year is the Dine Out for the 4th: Stars, Stripes & Sweet Savings: This 4th of July Weekend! Enjoy promotions at local restaurants during July 4-6.
In other news, the Chamber of Commerce has introduced a new Science and Technology speakers series, which featured Dr. Eugene L. Tu, Center Director of NASA Ames Research Center, with his enlightening talk, “Exploring Air and Space from Silicon Valley.” His insights on Silicon Valley’s role in aerospace innovation underscored how collaboration, strengthened by Cupertino’s unique position at the center of technology, is driving the future of exploration and discovery right here within our community, since 1939.
Housing continues to dominate city meetings. The council agenda for tonight’s meeting includes final approval for a SummerHill Homes project to build 59 townhomes on the rundown Staples/Pizza Hut/Fontana’s site. More townhomes are in the development pipeline, and can be reviewed on the city webpage at major residential projects. The Rise (Vallco) is also showing visible progress with soils and grading completion on the west side of the site.
The Planning Commission tackled the issue of RV/Oversized vehicles on city streets, and now the City Council agenda has a study session. The simplistic approach originally proposed by the interim city attorney focused on punitive actions which impact both residents with recreational vehicles as well unhoused residents. But research is lacking, focusing just on complaints, not seeking to identify the underlying problem of unhoused residents who live in (1) tents, (2) cars/vans, and (3) RVs/trailers. Mountain View has Safe Parking programs which differentiate between cars/vans which can be accommodated in church parking lots, and RVs in commercial areas which can provide more space and waste disposal services. What are the demographics? How many are “working poor” who have to live close to their work? What outreach has been done to the occupants of these vehicles? The San Mateo City Council adopted a “compassionate approach” to enforcing its ban on people sleeping in vehicles, prioritizing outreach and services before citations. Due to lack of affordable housing, “vehicle lodging” is a reality until more permanent housing is available through new housing developments.
UPCOMING – CITY COUNCIL, Tues., July 1, 2025, 6:45 p.m. Regular; 5:30 Closed Session
Closed Session: 5:30 p.m.
Item No. 1: Conference with legal counsel – existing litigation; California Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(1) and 54954.5(c): Lixin (Leon) Chen, et al. v. City of Cupertino, et al., Santa Clara County Superior Court, Case No. 25CV462857 and Yes In My Back Yard, et al. v. City of Cupertino, et al., Santa Clara County Superior Court, Case No. 25CV263924. This lawsuit regards the Vista Heights Builders Remedy development project on Linda Vista Drive that was deemed incomplete by the city, and not allowed to go forward.
Item No. 2: Conference with legal counsel – anticipated litigation; California Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(4) and 54954.5(c): (six cases). This is an enormous number of potential cases given Cupertino’s litigation history.
Open Session; 6:45 p.m.
Closed Session Report
The sole Ceremonial Item is a Proclamation recognizing July as Parks and Recreation Month. The Presentation will be a Project Update Presentation by Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (Midpen) Board Member. Oral Communications from the public on non-agenda items precede the Consent Calendar, which contains nine routine items including:
Item No. 8: Appoint a negotiator for the potential purchase of 10480 Finch Avenue, owned by the Cupertino Unified School District, adjacent to Sedgwick Elementary School. The school district has explored revenue options for the property, but is not pursuing any of them at this point.
Item No. 9: Award of a design professional services agreement to DIALOG Design LP for the City Annex Improvements project (420-99-248) for the renovation of an existing building located at 10455 Torre Avenue for a total not-to-exceed amount of $493,243, a questionable expenditure authorized by the majority council, which does not address the full cost of city hall renovations/rebuilding.
Members of the public may speak on any or all consent calendar items when the mayor asks for public comment on the Consent Calendar. If an item is pulled from the Consent Calendar, council’s procedural rules require it to be addressed after all regularly scheduled action items, unless council votes to reorder items on the agenda. Members of the public may comment on that item when it is considered.
Item No.12: Public hearing to consider a Development Permit, Use Permit, Tentative Map, Architectural and Site Approval, and Tree Removal Permit to consider the construction of a 59-unit townhome condominium development. The project utilizes Senate Bill 330 and provisions of State Density Bonus law. (Application No(s): DP-2024-002, U-2024-007, TM-2024-001, ASA-2024-005, TR-2024-024; Applicant(s): SummerHill Homes, LLC; Location: 20770, 20830, and 20840 Stevens Creek Blvd; APNs: 359-08-025, -026, -027, and-028 (partial).) This project was reviewed and unanimously approved by the Planning Commission on June 10, 2025. This area of Stevens Creek is long overdue for redevelopment. There are three derelict retail spaces at issue on the existing site–Fontana’s and Pizza Hut closed several years ago, with no new leases. Staples is unprofitable and its lease will come to an end in 2026. Moreover, Staples also declined an offer to relocate into the now-vacant Party City space immediately adjacent to the project site. Housing, instead, represents the best opportunity for redevelopment. Townhomes, in particular, are financially feasible under current economic conditions and remain in high demand, particularly for families. The properties are immediately adjacent to the Crossroads shopping center, with close proximity to other establishments which would benefit from increased foot traffic. The staff supplemental report shows that the current properties generate only $5000 to the city annually in property tax, while the post-construction property tax to the city will rise to $75,000. These amounts more than offset the $20,000 in annual sales tax averaged over the last seven years for all of the properties on the site before adding in an additional $10,000 in anticipated sales tax attributable to residents of the townhomes making purchases in Cupertino.
The total project site is approximately 3 acres, and consists of 59 units in eight three-to-four story buildings. Homes will range in size from 1,799 square feet to 2,723 square feet, with two car garages. Twelve units will be allocated as deed-restricted affordable units. The 28-page staff report provides detailed information regarding compliance with the Municipal Code, state housing laws, and other requirements.
Item No.13: Approval of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025-26 Fee Schedule Update (Continued from May 6, 2025). This is an annual process which adjusts fees based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI), Bay Area Construction Index (CCI) and labor costs. No new fees are proposed. Cost recovery is estimated at $654,569 which would otherwise be funded through the General Fund, diverting funds from resident services.
Item No. 14: Acceptance of FY 2025-26 Internal Audit Work Plan. Moss-Adams is the internal auditor for the city. The work plan has already been reviewed and approved by the Audit Committee, so this is a pro forma approval by city council.
Item No. 15: Introduce Municipal Code amendments to Cupertino Municipal Code, Title 2, Chapter 2.96, Sections 2.96.010 Established-Composition and 2.96.020 Terms of Office, pertaining to the Economic Development Committee. Resurrecting the Economic Development Committee has been on the majority council’s agenda and they did so on April 15, 2025. Then on June 17, Council elected to revisit the composition and member terms, by deciding to (a) replace one Councilmember representative on the EDC with a representative from the Planning Commission, and (b) establish one year term lengths for Commissioners and Councilmembers to ensure alignment with the terms of their respective Commissioner or Councilmember offices, and (c) clarify term lengths for industry sector representatives to stagger their four-year terms.
Item No. 16: Study Session regarding possible updates to oversized vehicle parking restrictions in the public right-of-way. The Planning Commission spent over two hours in a study session considering various options to address issues with the current ordinance. Ultimately, they approved the following recommendations:
- Parking oversized vehicles in the City’s right‐of‐way is prohibited, except that an oversized vehicle may park in the City right‐of‐way for 3 consecutive hours from 6 am to 8pm (day) and one hour from 8 pm to 6 am (night).
- The City will offer annual resident parking permits for oversized vehicles, allowing residents to park vehicles they own on a residential street for 72 hours. After 72 hours, the vehicle must be moved to a new location 1,500 feet from the first location. There should be no charge for the annual permit.
- Nonresidents may obtain five (5) 72‐hour parking permits per year, allowing them to park an oversized vehicle in the City right‐of‐way, but may not park within 1,500 feet of a commercial district. Staff is to determine the permit fee.
- The City should install signage at Alves and Bandley and other problem areas.
- The City should evaluate the program after one year.
Note that the options and deliberations did not address the underlying problem with unhoused residents. The staff report references 200 complaints, but does not identify the number of unique vehicles. There are roughly 15 RVs in the Alves/Saich area, and a handful in other areas of the city. Though several churches, including a Cupertino church, participate in a Safe Parking program, there is no provision for RVs. There has been no outreach to the residents of these vehicles so the demographics are unknown.
Item No. 17: City Manager Report, (now submitted in written form).
Item No. 18: Council Reports, (now submitted in written form) are provided by Mayor Chao, and Councilmembers Fruen and Mohan.
Future Agenda Items
RECAP – Planning Commission, Tues., June 24, 2025, 6:45 p.m., Regular
YouTube: 2 hr. 31 min.
Item No. 2: Study Session regarding possible updates to oversized vehicle parking restrictions in the public right-of-way. This was a two hour study session to make recommendations to the city council. Generally, the commissioners favored simple approaches, rather than unenforceable punitive measures. The final recommendation is referenced above in the council agenda. Approved 4-1 with Fung noting nay.
CUPERTINO COURIER: June 27, 2025
The front page and article on page 5 is entitled Joyful space: City cuts ribbon on inclusive playground on June 13: The project at Jollyman Park costs about $5.4 M. Community briefs are (1) Get green for growing green, and (2) League book club meeting. The sole legal notice is Second reading of ordinance adopting fire severity safety zone map.
Warm regards,
Jean Bedord
Cupertino Matters
Publisher and Editor
