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Director's ReportOFFICE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CUPERTINO CITY HALL 10300 TORRE AVENUE • CUPERTINO, CA 95014 -3255 (408) 777 -3308 • FAX (408) 777 -3333 • planninq(�!_)cupertino.org Subject: Report of the Community Development Director, Planning Commission Agenda Date: Tuesday, March 9, 2010 The City Council met on March 2, 2010 and discussed the following item(s) of interest to the Planning Commission: 1. 2010 -2011 Planning Commission Work Program -The City Council accepted the report. Miscellaneous Items: 1. Panasonic Lease at 10900 Tantau - Panasonic Research & Development is moving to Cupertino from San Jose, leasing the 2nd story of Cupertino's newest office building at 10900 Tantau. Panasonic will have 135 employees, with room to expand. The 50,000 square foot lease is significant to Cupertino and the region because it signals that mid- size tenants are starting to lease space again. The Planning, Building and Economic Development staff contributed to Panasonic's decision, assuring them that the City could meet their aggressive schedule, which calls for a late -April move -in date. The tenant was also interested in city ambiance, with the proximity of restaurants being an important site consideration. The Cupertino Crossing building was built to LEED Silver standards. This transaction was highlighted in a half -page article in the February 12th Business Journal, and addresses the City's role in helping to secure the lease. 2. New Building Official - We are pleased to announce the appointment of our new building official, Albert Salvador. Albert is a licensed civil engineer and a certified building official with more than 20 years experience working in the public and private sectors. Albert started on March 1st. Upcoming Dates: March 24 -26 League of CA Cities - Planner's Institute conference in Monterey April 3 Big Bunny Fun Run, Cupertino Civic Center, 9 a.m. Enclosures: News Articles G: \ Planning \ AartiS \ Director's Report \ 2009 \ pd3- 9- 10.doc I —DR Council wants to see more diverse streetscape along Stevens Creek - San Jose Mercury N... Page 1 of 1 theA ercurg News MercuryNews.com Council wants to see more diverse streetscape along Stevens Creek By Matt Wilson mwilson @community - newspapers.com Posted: 02 %23/2010 06.03:55 PM PST Updated: 02/23/2010 06:03:56 PM PST Cupertino's key commercial district could be getting a more diverse streetscape with more retail sites in coming years. On Feb. 16, the council updated the city's development guidelines to promote more diverse building designs and retail developments in an approximately 250 -acre area that includes Stevens Creek Boulevard. The changes have essentially steered the city's guidelines away from promoting a sense of sameness for residential, office and commercial developments in the area known as the Heart of the City and encourage a more retail focus with less residential development. The changes are reflected in the Heart of the City Specific Plan, a document that sets guidelines and development goals for Stevens Creek Boulevard between Highway 85 and the eastern end of town near Lawrence Expressway. Cupertino's lack of a downtown has made the area the city's de facto major hub of activity. The area is regarded by the city as the most important commercial development corridor in the city. Goals over the years have been to promote a pedestrian - friendly thoroughfare while creating a greater sense of place with a park -like setting. In the past, city planners wanted to promote a fairly consistent design scheme for development along the thoroughfare, rather than have a variety of different designs. The council also agreed with city staff and voted to keep the S. De Anza Boulevard area as its own development area with its own set of guidelines. For more information about the Heart of the City Specific Plan, go to www.cupertino.org/hoc. Advertisement Read ruing scores and survey comments of top rated companies. ` "�- . Go To wwwMiamondlCcrtified.org Print Powered By c;. 1 = 1at C3°nt rl s 2_ -DR http://www.mercurynews.com/san-jose-neighborhoods/ci-14457554 2/24/2010 Developers put groundbreaking of Cupertino luxury hotel on hold again - San Jose Mercu... Page 1 of 2 3 themrCum-Ntwo MemuryNews com Developers put groundbreaking of Cupertino luxury hotel on hold again By Matt Wilson mwilson @community- newspapers.com Posted: 02/23/2010 06:04:19 PM PST Updated: 02/23/2010 06:04:21 PM PST The March ground- breaking of a much anticipated luxury hotel planned for the corner of De Anza Boulvard and Alves Way has been postponed — again. Dipesh Gupta, CEO of Cupertino -based developer Shashi Corp., said the Cupertino project has been delayed and there is no firm groundbreaking date in the works. Gupta would not provide further comment. According to a city development activity report, Shashi Corp. had anticipated breaking ground on the 138 -room hotel in March, after signing on with an unspecified luxury hotel operator. City planner Colin Jung said the last he heard was that the developers were struggling to finance the project in the down economy. The five -story hotel project, unanimously approved by city council in January 2009, was tentatively slated to break ground last summer with a fall 2010 opening date. The project began with a minor delay in late 2008 as the planning commission di not like the hotel's architecture and asked developers to return with a more luxurious and timeless design. Plans include demolishing an existing gas station and car wash to make way for the 84,000- square- foot luxury hotel near Apple's world headquarters. When pitching the plan to the city, developers described the future lodge as a five -star venue on par with the Four Seasons hotels. The Shashi project isn't the only hotel project the city is anticipating. It has approved two other hotels, one for the Oaks Shopping Center and the other for the Main Street Cupertino project in the South Vallco area on Stevens Creek Boulevard. Kelly Kline, the city's economic development director, said the city benefits greatly from hotel revenues in the form of transient occupancy taxes, which are used for local needs. The city currently h as four hotels, which brought in about $2.7 million in TOT revenue in the 2007 -2008 fiscal year, according to the city's budget report from last May. Due to the recession, the city budgeted for a 10 percent decline in TOT revenue this fiscal year. Last month, the city council made a budget adjustment as it expects to bring in about $400,000 less than in TOT revenue this fiscal year. "[The taxes] are a great revenue source, and having another hotel in the mix now would a big positive for us," said Kline. Kline said Silicon Valley is lacking in hotels, and demand could rise greatly if the San Francisco 49ers move to Santa Clara. Kline said Cupertino is a strong location for hotels as the city's central location, numerous high -tech corporations and proximity to major highways make it an easy and important Advertisement React rating scores and survey continents of top rated companies. -`''-- ,(Gaa . 4a,zsr;.iftza ^, ±i�at T Go To wwwMia mondCertified.org, Print Powered By 014 I ` w t Dynamic -4-DR http://www.mercurynews.com/san-jose-neighborhoods/ci—I 4457560?nclick check =l 2/24/2010 4 66 BAY AREA NEWS GROUP 100 C wants more, say 111 building-.- - R r it s ord net" By Tiffany Carney Sunnyvale Mayor 1VIelinda Bay Area News. Group Hamilton and Councilman Sunnyvale leaders want a Dave Whittum opposed the say in what neighboring cit- motion:' ies are doing along the town's ..Such projects as Kaiser borders. The council plans Permarnente inanta'Clara to, ask Cupertino, Los Altos , and Cupertino,'illae iii Mountian View, Santa Clara Cupertino ' are -just outside and San Jose to get approval Sunnyvale's border, but have from Sunnyvale for projects affected the city's roads;traf proposed. just outside the. fie, schools and :u neggl bar city's borders. hoods, according o8S� The request isn't one- vale City Council TS sided, however. Sunnyvale is also residenk �o_teesk'�r willing to do the same, and g ask permission from its neigh -, s hors before proceeding with . S projects along its borders, S The proposal is part of an ef- fort to reduce the impact on residents of projects beyond Sunnyvale's . borders. The` council voted 5 -2 on Tuesday t&propose a memorandum of t understanding stating that t Qfy future project within ° 1,-,000 feet of. a Sunnyvale border would require the ap- proval of city councils on both sill„ es of a- city's limits before moving forward. Each of the adjoining cities will have the opportunity to approve or reject the agree- ment. at land -use opttapsanan¢ jm nig changes as par of a ; dy nssue in 2009: but Viee ygir Chris Moylan said. dur ig he Tuesday meeting that he city' needs to do ` He . proposed that *Sy tlm vale seek an agreement vvith neighboring cities S Acc ©r -` Ong to ; city attorney ; David: Kahn, there may 'bez,Iegal is -, sues with ` allowing another elected 'governi body to make decisions for the `> and the charter inay=reg� ire an update as a result. 4 —DR � lfl L.; A�� it AMWIP If SAM zz A makeover for El Camino Real ' . Room iersidewa|hs. skinniortraffic lanes and more space for bicyclists, pedestrians and buses. That's the future envisioned for BCamino Real |nan ambitious report ainnodatupdating the 42'rni|e boulevard that links Daly City with Silicon Valley. The main recommendation from the Grand Boulevard Initiative includes making the existing t friendlier to |ki bicycle riding and taking mass transit. Traffic lanes would likely be narrowed and future ~' ' ^ ` developments set back farther from the street. --- And skinny trees would bea welcome addition. See story, Page 6. PATRICK rsx^w/wsnoon,NEWS , GRAND BOULEVARD INITIATIVE �� w°_ � | �� . ��L - 46��»� � _/ _DR Bra BAY A REA NEVUS G Q inn ��r�i�� a �� El ��,rnino meal High priorities: Pedestrians, bike lanes, mass transit form the historic but aging and often inaccessible road- way into a "grand boulevard" that links San Francisco and Silicon Valley. The findings will be dis- By Mike Rosenberg tributed to each city and mrosenberg @bayareaneusgroup.com vetted by their policymakers Imagine an El Camino through, a task force. The Real with roomier sidewalks, report paves the way for an- narrower traffic lanes and other study, now under way, . -more space for bicyclists, pe- on the potential for busi- destrians and buses. nesses and homes along the A new report on the future roadway. V f state Highway 82 from Daly While the study's details City to San Jose sees just that vision for the pivotal 42 -mile stretch, which is. known as The Alameda in San Jose. But because of challenges posed by crammed corridors, funding shortages and dif- ferences among cities, it will likely take years for travelers to notice any upgrades. The state Department of Transportation, the counties of San Mateo and Santa Clara and planning consultants re- leased the 119 -page report in mid- February as part of the Grand Boulevard Initiative. The initiative brings to- gether officials from each city through which El Camino Real runs in an effort to trans- focus on such aspects_ as streetlights, intersection de- sign and tree clearance, its main conclusion is simple: El Camino Real needs to accom- modate people who don't get around by car — pedestrians, bicyclists and bus and train riders. With nowhere left to build thoroughfares, cities' ability to make -the road accessible to all will be pivotal, advo- cates say. "Like it or not, El Camino's what we got," said Russell Hancock, president of Joint Venture: Silicon Valley Net- work, who is co- chairing the initiative's task force. "If we're serious about our issues _ population growth, density, the critical need we have to address our climate issues by develop - ing more transit- oriented lifestyles, affordable housing — El Camino has to be the answer," he said. , In Santa Clara County, MERCURYNEWS various options in the report are' designed to allow_ for bus rapid transit, a system the Valley , Transportation Authority is studying, with- ou t hurting other modes of travel. To view the plan, visit grandboulevard.net. . b -DR Tvach,er au rested in aeath of b Woman who ran over: tention, Ms. Ma caused the death student charg `vitll of this youngster," Santa Clara g County District Attorney_ Dolores Vehietllar nl�,ns laughter- Carr said in a statement. "We be- lieve the evidence supports charg- By Linda Goldston ing her with vehicular manslaugh- Igoldston@merczirynett)s.com mercurynetos.com ter." A Cupertino day care teacher Amy Cornell, spokeswoman -for was arrested Tuesday and charged the District Attorney's .office, said with vehicular manslaughter after Ma was not cYiarged iritil now be- running over one of her students . cause prosecutors were - conduct- 5 -year -old Nelson Wei, in front of ' Elite Chinese School in October..`' `'` Hong Ma, 47, of Cupertino, The 47 ypu alc tlrned faces a maximum sentence of one herself into authorities year in jail if convicted of the mis- demeanor charge. She was also an was ta charged with a violation of the ve - ".Custody hicle code.. for transporting a child without a proper car seat That has a maximum penalty`of a $100 fine ing a thorough review of facts and., 4 Ma, who turned herself m;to au : evidence mi - tt a case ' thorities around .5:15p.m.'itiiesday, "Certainlywheaar " urs thacc;� could not immediately be reached our review of the a eablela* b, kt for comment She was. taken into an d facts may be m�rr' g . f after her arrest Bail was detailed;" Ca el say# r ` set at $5,000, and Ma vas expected Sacramento, fi to be Tuesday right. Dreyer,' who -, r'epr° e Arraignment is scheduled for, parents, said "this - tragic ease h_ Zs 1:30 p.m. Friday. "Although it was not her in -. See CHARGED. Page 9 k , 91 Cha rged on schools to do the right thing 'boys wlto got out made it safely everyone' involved,, including to safeguard our children This gu to the door - .the school N61- .our deputies and our traffic school did not uphold its re- sonwas'knocked down detectives," Sung sa_ id ".-Our Continued from Page 1 sponsibilities." 'aver; according to'tawenforce -, detectives did an . extensive The family has declined_ to trierit offieialfs. ' " = =amount of follow vp :, on . the irreparably damaged this fam- discuss the case since Nelson's One of he otherlioys yelled 'case" -' ily and I support Santa Clara death, which came shortly be- � at' Ada," ,saying "Hey; f tlsere's Elite'Chmese School, which County law. enforcement's of -- fore his sixth birthday. someone under car " was at 1Q601 S. De An Blvd., forts to bring justice to this When Nelson was run ,y. Santa "Clara, Coun sheriffs was not lipenspd by the state ty family." over, . Ma had just returned spokesri an S&JOi* said g aud had never been inspected. Dreyer also. said: "We be- from picking up him and "at- the- time ;_ ,_The, school,: one, of dozene lieve strongly there are' addi- three other boys, ages% to S, A�fa..stopped bier, Vehicle that have,opened in Cupertino tonal responsible parties than . at Lincoln Elementary School about 40 to et 50 fe away from .- recently; =:was` cited for unli- contributed to the death of this for the after - school program . where sl a dropped oTthe chil eeiised operation'by. the Com- littleboy in that school aiztliori- at Elite Chinese. School, eTren, ponce` said at the time i it ruty dare Lieensmg Dmsion ties who had responsibility for which closed shortly after the For several nnnt�tes, while lt!fa of the State Dep!Arne'ht of So- him failed to properly train incident. was uiside Elite G`hiYi &0 School q Services an i agreed to'vol- their employees in how to safe- When she arrived in the' thed with aco-aw�rierofaycare, u arsly`close E}waiers -did not guard these students." parking lot of the school, three . Hut Zhen jiang,. the young boy respond to ag e' mail from the Nelson, he said; was the only of the .children got out of , her ' was 1eft:alone on the pavement Mercury News an �'uesday. child of an older couple "who SLV to enter the school and outside, Sfing confirmed Tuesr = put everything into this child'. the ' other boy waited in the car day Contact Linda Goddston_at He added: "We as parents rely to be driven home. Two of the "This was a painfaii case for 408-920,W2. r/ —DR