BPC 11-16-00
MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING OF THE
CUPERTINO BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE
November 16, 2000
Cupertino City Hall, Council Chambers
START
7:30pm
ROLL CALL
Committee members present: David Greenstein, Doug Herrick, Chris Klein, Anne Ng, Phil Underwood,
Joseph Walton
Committee vacancies: I
Staff: Raymond Chong, Ralph Qualls, Diane Arrants
Public: (see testimony)
APPROVAL OF MINUTES - October 26, 2000
Motion by Joe, Second by Anne, Minutes approved
WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS
None
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
None
CONSENT CALENDAR
None
OLD BUSINESS
Mary Avenue Bicycle Footbridge - Recommendations
(refer to attached "Discussion Notes" for full text)
Motion by David, Second by Joe
Approved: Staffrecommendation option #3 with addendum to include community advisory panel.
ADJOURNMENT
Motion by Joe, Second by Phil, Meeting adjourned
END
8:46pm
Next Meeting Thursday, December 21,2000, 7:30pm
Page I of3
Regular Meeting of Cupertino Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee - November 16, 2000
Discussion Notes
MARY A VENUE BICYCLE FOOTBRIDGE - RECOMMENDATIONS
DISCUSSION NOTES
Doug: Turn chair over to Anne.
Anne: Transcript copies of Oct 26 meeting available at City Hall. Public speech rules are 3 minutes per
speaker.
Gary Beership: Cupertino resident, in favor of footbridge to avoid cycling with car traffic.
Scott Beership: Son of Gary. In favor of footbridge.
Colin Beership: Son of Gary. In favor offootbridge.
Anna Polman-Black: Cupertino resident, in favor of staff option #2 (abandon project), against footbridge.
Christian Wong: Cupertino resident on Nathanson Ave. Supports widening Stelling. Concerned with
visibility of Mary ramp into his bedrooms. If project goes forward, wants to be on feasibility
committee.
Monty Turner: Cupertino resident, lives near proposed footbridge. Had bad experience with footbridge in
Almaden Valley: trash, lower property values, graffiti, dog dung. Against proposed footbridge.
Bud Kundich: Sunnyvale resident on Laurentian Way. In favor of staff option #3 if amended with public
participation of citizen panel during feasibility study.
John Ciccarelli: Palo Alto resident. In favor of footbridge. It connects two reaches of Stevens Creek Trail.
Access to Homestead High is amenity for Cupertino residents.
Kevin Jackson: Sunnyvale resident. Favors footbridge. Wants Sunnyvale to share in cost with Cupertino.
Judith Briggs: Wants residents to have a voice in process. Wants to know ifpetitioo of 134 people
opposed to footbridge will be included in the public record.
Michael Ludwig: Project will promote less pollution, less car use, higher home values, less crime, will be
used all day.
Thomas Buchanan: Concerns from last Oct 26 meeting not resolved, must be explored and answered.
Would like to get involved in the solution. Agrees with Bud Kundich's position. Why is
footbridge so important?
Frank Bartuccio: Nathanson Ave resident 28 yrs. Footbridge will heavily impact backyard. Does not want
strangers looking in. Why spend money after improving Stelling bridge? Home values will go
down. Has had 3-4 burglaries while at home and expect problern to increase with footbridge.
Sashi Boinapalli: Lives near proposed footbridge. Option #3 proposes a delay, has doubt if consultants will
be worth money spent. Footbridge next to high school and great possibility of kids loitering. This
concern was not listed from Oct 26 meeting. Residents do not want the footbridge. He takes issue
with Cupertino creating structures for the enjoyment of non-Cupertinians at the detriment of
residents. Does not see cost/benefit offootbridge and supports using Stelling instead.
Cathy Brendli: Cupertino resident. Against footbridge. Was erroneously put down as neutral in Oct 26
minutes. Quiet neighborhood does not need more traffic. Do not open all parts of the city to
outsiders. Loc-N-Stor will get more problems from the high school.
Steve Bronstein: Cupertino resident and bike commuter. Mary footbridge would be nice, quiet alternative.
He works with students at Homestead and Monta Vista High and thinks kids are not vandals.
Dave Simons: Sunnyvale resident. Footbridge would take the place of any potential auto bridge. Bike
projects mean low noise, low accidents. Wants Sunnyvale to take part in process. Wants
footbridge project to be safe and provide accessibility.
Nataraj: Nathanson Ave resident next to start of proposed footbridge. Concerns about safety and security.
Issues have not been addressed by committee. No studies have been done. Against footbridge.
That concludes public testimony. Turn chair back to Doug.
Any communications to staff?
Staff received 3 written communications, and 134 signature petition to be made part of the record.
Will forward to City Council.
David: Motion to approve staff recommendation #3.
Anne:
Doug:
Ralph:
Page 2 of3
Regular Meeting of Cupertino Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee - November 16, 2000
Discussion Notes
Joe:
Doug:
Joe:
Second motion.
Discussion?
Recommend providing citizens review panel. Mitigations be reviewed by this panel. Propose this
as an amendment to staff recommendation.
Ralph: Citizen panels are common practice on studies. Recommend to solicit interested parties, but advise
to keep the group small. Have group report findings back to the public. Kick off after Jan 1, 2001
and report back around March.
Anne: Issue about safety. According to testimony there were rITes, vagrants, vandals, parties at ramp
sites. Opening this to foot traffic will lower problems. On speeding cars, footbridge will not
produce more cars. High school redistricting not affected by footbridge. Privacy is legitimate
concern, should get residents on Nathanson and Laurentian involved in design. Graffiti handled by
Cupertino graffiti abatement plan. Trash needs to be addressed as an ongoing concern by the city.
Is footbridge worth $4M? No if only to Cupertino, but yes to the west side of valley. Stelling has
too many cars during rush hour and difficult for bikes. Footbridge will reduce number of cars. To
clarify a point made earlier, two members of City Council used to be on CBPAC. Advisory
committee did receive petitions and letters from residents. Anne is in favor of footbridge. Due to
opposition and concerns ofresidents, Anne will go along with staff recommendation option #3.
Was Mary Avenue connected before Rt 280 was constructed?
Rt 280 was constructed in 1 960's. Auto overcrossing was proposed but killed and not raised again.
Has read the testimony, email, and letters. CBPAC brought up similar concerns when footbridge
was initially proposed. After some research the committee felt the concerns could be resolved.
Traffic has grown in Silicon Valley. If we take 20 cars/day off the road, then the footbridge has
value.
David: Walked the neighborhood and found residents that would use footbridge. DeAnza students and
bike commuters would also use the footbridge. Thinks footbridge will make area more safe and
accessible.
Committee is made of bike, pedestrian, and alternative transportation advocates. Committee views
footbridge encouraging bike commuting and reducing commute by 1.5 miles. Committee is in
favor offootbridge.
Ralph: Amendment to include informal advisory panel into staff recommendation. Staff advises to keep
group and meetings manageable. Staff will create and forward a recommendation on how to
manage this process.
Doug: All in favor of motion with amendment?
(6 yes, 0 no)
Motion with amendment passed
Doug:
Ralph:
Doug:
Joe:
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