PSC 09-11-03 CITY OF
CU?E INO
MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY
COMMISSION, SEPTEMBER 11, 2003
1. CALL TO ORDER
At 7:00 p.m., Commissioner Darknell called the meeting to order.
2. SALUTE TO THE FLAG
3. ROLL CALL
Commissioners:
Staff':
Absent:
Guests:
Emma Darknell, Nolan Chen, Philippe Dor, Hugh Riddell
Glenn Goepfert, Assistant Director of Public Works
Hal Rooney, Deputy Chief of Support Services, Santa Clara County Fire
Department
Barry Chang
Robert Bergman
4. MINUTES
Commissioner Darknell made a motion to approve the minutes from the August 14, 2003 regular
meeting. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Riddell and passed unanimously.
5. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS - Resident Robert Bergman appeared and expressed his concerns
with the proposal of 51 town homes in the Oaks Shopping Center. Reading from his notes, he
expressed and commented on what was presented at the Planning Comanission dealing with
driveway locations and removal of parking as a health and safety issue. And the narrowing of Mary
Avenue, concerning bicycle use, sharing the road, and parallel parking. Commissioner Dor thanked
resident Bergman for bringing this to our attention. However, the Public Safety Commission was
not officially requested by the Planning Commission to review this proposal.
WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS - Commissioner Dor received an electronic letter from
Resident Robert Bergman, who is concerned with the safety issues surrounding the proposal of 24
duet homes along Mary Avenue. This proposal would require narrowing the road, which would
create an impact on the neighborhood. Assistant Director Goepfert described the two proposals and
indicated that the Planning Commission is currently discussing the proposal for the 51 town homes
in the Oaks Shopping Center in which, parking will be reduced considerably. The Planning
Commission should vote this project on October 13, 2003.
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REPORTS
A. Santa Clara County Fire District - Deputy Chief Rooney reported on July Statistical Data for
call outs and property dan~tage; note was made of the fact that single-fmTdly damage was low.
Current Activities:
1. Based on shared information from the Office of Emergency Service (OES), the Fire District
is staffing up "brush patrol" in anticipation for low humidity, high temperatures, and
possible wind driven events (i.e. fire) through the weekend of September 16th and 17th .
And, Chief Lopes has notified all the agencies in the county to consider staffing up as well.
In addition, County Santa Clara Fire District has assigned three strike teams and one OES
strike team for deployment anywhere in California.
2. Truck No. 1, 100' aerial has arrived and training (three shifts) will commence during the
week of September 15th and should be in operation in October 2003. The other truck has
been sold to the City of Fortuna.
B. Santa Clara County Sheriff- No oral report. Written August Law Enfomement reports were
presented to the Commission.
8. OLD BUSINESS
A. Goals and Objectives for fiscal year 2003/04
Street Improvements Policy Staff Report - Assistant Director Goepfert briefly described
the history of the recommended street improvement policy and direction from the Cupertino
City Council to develop a policy within a year, in connection with the memorandum dated
September 4, 2003 (in packet). The report shall contain elements such as listing street
improvement projects, policy, and standards for street lighting, sidewalks, curb, and gutters.
And become part of the General Plan Revision. However, the General Plan Revision has not
been approved.
Commissioner Darknell asked for clarification of the semi-rural and rural designations, at
first glance it appears to have very little differences. Assistant Director Goepfert provided
an example of a rural condition and further described that it would have no roadside
improvements and no possibility of City services, such as street sweeping. Discussion
followed concerning lot developments, locations, new house, 25% improvements,
recognized an informal route or pathway to school (not always suggested route), street
lighting, drainage, and definition of a neighborhood and its boundaries. Remaining rural
areas within the City of Cupertino are county areas, Monta Vista, the hills, and Columbus
and Vai.
Assistant Director Goepfert recommended that the Public Safety Commission consider the
policy to allow neighborhoods to petition the City to adopt rural or semi-rural street
standards with some combination of street elements and to review the criteria for adoption
of such standards, and forward a recommendation on the policy and criteria to City Council.
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Commissioners as a whole suggested that the policy for street improvements be amended to
include a time limit on petition, better definition of the limits of the neighborhood,
assessment of the the and adequacy and presence of school children, and once the
neighborhood is defined and one or two or few improved lots that will void the right to
petition.
Motion -
Vote -
That the street improvements policy be accepted as amended by
Commissioner Dor.
Motion was seconded by Commissioner Darknell.
Unanimous (all in attendance)
2. School Traffic and Parking - No presentation, ongoing.
9. NEW BUSINESS
A. Clarification on Commissioner responsibilities per handbook.
10. OTHER A. Commissioner Chen reported that he will be working on draft recommendations for health and
safety.
B. Commissioner Riddell still has forty-foot storage containers.
11. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 9:06 P.M.
Vicki Guapo, Rec~rd~,~ Secretary
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