Reso 4662 CITY OF CUPERTINO
10300 Torre Avenue
Cupertino, California 95014
RESOLUTION NO. 4662
(Minute Order)
OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF CUPERTINO RECOMMENDING
APPROVAL OF THE OUTLINE OF THE HILLSIDE PRESERVATION STRATEGY
The approval is based upon Exhibit A attached, accepting the following next steps:
1. Each of the cities will delineate their long term growth boundaries.
2. Joint land use objectives for the study area will be developed.
3. Recommendations for the potential public acquisition of key undeveloped sites will be
identified.
4. Mechanisms for resolving interjurisdicational land use issues will be adopted.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 1 lth day of December, 1995, at a Regular Meeting of the
Planning Commission of the City of Cupertino by the following roll call vote:
AYES: COMMISSIONERS: Doyle, Harris, Mahoney, Austin •
NOES: COMMISSIONERS:
ABSTAIN: COMMISSIONERS:
ABSENT: COMMISSIONERS: Roberts
ATTEST: APP p:
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Robert Cowan David Doyle, C irman
Director of Community Development Cupertino Planning Commission
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EXHIBIT A
West VaIIe Hillsides
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DR.AFT OUTLINE OF
"HILLSIDE
PRESERV�TION
ST�;ATE GY"
A collaborative planning project involving:
The City of Cupertino The Town of Los Gatos
The City of Monte Sereno The City of Saratoga
The County of Santa Clara
November 1995
BACKGROUND
Origins of Study
, The West Valley Joint Hillsides Planning Review is an interjurisdictional planning
project involving the Cities of Cupertino, Monte Sereno, and Saratoga, the Town of Los
Gatos, and the County of Santa Clara.
It was established earlier this year for the purpose of developing and implementing a
joint "Hillside Preservation Strategy" for preserving the predominantly natural
appearance of the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains most visible from the valley
floor.
Purpose of This Draft Outline
This draft outline of the "Hillside Preservation Strategy" indicates the six major
elements proposed to be included in the final Strategy and implemented by the
participating jurisdictions:
• Develop joint hillside land use objectives
• Limit expansion of urban development into hillside areas
• Minimize the visual impacts of hillside development
• Encourage public acquisition of key hillside lands
• Provide mechanisms for the resolution of hillside land use issues
• Adopt additional implementation mechanisms, if necessary
The purpose of this draft is to provide the participating �urisdictions and the public an
opportunity to review the proposed elements of the Strategy before the project staff
and the individual jurisdictions proceed to take the actions necessary to develop the
final Strategy document.
Next Steps
Once the elected officials of the five participating jurisdictions have reviewed and
approved this draft outline:
• Each of the four cities will delineate their long term growth boundaries
• The County will review the adequacy of its current policies and procedures
regarding minimizing the visual impacts of hillside development
• The joint project staff will:
• Develop a set of joint land use objectives for the study area
• Prepare recommendations concerning potential public acquisition of key
undeveloped sites
• Develop proposals for mechanisms for resolving future interjurisdictional
land use issues
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� SUMMARY OF GOALS, ISSUES, AND SOLUTIONS
GOAL OF PROJECT
• To protect the predominantiy natural visual character of the West Valley hiilsides
by:
• Confining urban uses to flatland areas most appropriate for urban development,
• Allowing in the hillsides only development appropriate to rural, hillside areas, and
• Minimizing the visual impacts of non-urban hillside development.
ISSUES
• How to protect the predominantly natural character of the West Valley hillsides
against urban development.
• How to protect the predominantly natural character of the West Valley hillsides
against the visual impacts of non-urban hillside development.
• How to resolve interjurisdictional land use issues affecting the West Valley hillsides
that may arise in the future.
SOLUTION
- • Develop and implement a joint West Valley "Hillside Preservation Strateg�'
[see "Proposed Elements of a Joint West Valley Hillsides Preservation Strateg�' on
next page]
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PROPOSED ELEMENTS OF A
HILLSIDES PRESERVATION STRATEGY
S TRATEGY #1: � Develop joint hiliside land use objectives
Purpose : ..................To assure basic consistency of hillside land use policies
among the various jurisdictions
Implementation:.....Adoption of joint hillside land use objectives by each
jurisdiction as a part of its General Plan (as a supplement to
existing policies)
Implementors:........The West Valley cities and the County
STRATEGY #2: Limit expansion of urban development into hillside areas
Purpose : ..................To protect the natural appearance of the West Valley hillsides
by preventing the further expansion of urban development into
hillside areas
Implementation:.....Delineation by each city of a long term growth boundary
Implementors:........Each of the West Valley cities individually _
� STRATEGY #3: Minimize the visual impacts of hillside development
Purpose : ..................To protect the natural appearance of the West Valley hillsides
by assuring that the visual impacts of future development will
be minimized
Implementation:.....Review, and refinement where necessary, of current policies,
procedures, and guidelines regarding the visual impacts of
hillside development
Implementors:........The County and the West Valley cities
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STRATEGY #4: Encourage public acquisition of key hiliside lands
Purpose : ..................To provide permanent open space protection for key hiilside
lands
Implementation:.....Development of general recommendations to public parks and
open space agencies regarding acquisition of key parcels that
would contribute to the protection of the natural scenic
backdrop of the West Valley cities � �
Implementors:........Development of recommendations: The County and the cities.
Implementation of recommendations (contingent upon
availability of funding): Midpeninsula Regional Open Space
District and the Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation
Department
STRATEGY #5: Provide mechanisms for resolution of hillside land use issues
Purpose :..................To provide means for resolution of interjurisdictional hillside
land use issues that may arise
Implementation:.....Develop procedures for the cities and the County to discuss
and resolve future hillside land use issues that may arise
regarding interpretation of the jointly-adopted hillside land use
objectives and/or specific developments that may be pr000sed
Implementors:........The cities and the County
STRATEGY #6: Adopt additional implementation mechanisms, if necessary
Purpose : ..................To allow flexibility for additional implementation mechanisms to
address special situations or issues (e.g. issues that can be
addressed more effectively on a bilateral basis between an
individual city and the County)
Implementation:.....Will depend upon the specific implementation mechanisms
proposed. May occur after the final Preservation Strategy is
adopted.
Implementors:........Will include the affected jurisdictions
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