Submitted DocumentsStakeholder Meeting on Overflow Parking Plans
at McClellan Ranch Preserve
September 5, 2017
Residents in attendance:
Deanna Forsythe
Deborah Jamison
Glenn Kubacki
Pascal Vin
Sigrid Wehner
Rich Williams
Residents who stopped in to review plans
and comment after meeting:
Anne Ng
Staff in attendance:
Barbara Banfield
Kim Calame
Joanne McFarlin
Gail Seeds
Staff briefly presented both the original plan and the revised alternative plan to
stakeholders and opened meeting up to questions and comments. The questions and
comments can be grouped under these headings:
*favor maximizing & enhancing the riparian greenbelt
*favor doing more active restoration of the creek now or in the future; the creek in McClellan
has not been restored like BBF and Stocklmeir; there are lots of opportunities to improve it
*important to keep the driver sight lines unobstructed & vehicular traffic as safe as
possible. PW traffic division should check the planting plan to ensure that new trees or shrubs
do NOT impede sight distance.
*questions about what the city’s outreach process has been to date & how public input has been
invited
*various comments about improving existing conditions at McClellan Road along the Preserve
and McClellan Ranch West to improve safety
*check that the bus duckout will have good sight lines
*lots of comments relating to the creek corridor, McClellan Road sidewalks, Narnia, future trails
and other topics that were not about this project
Parking need and number of spaces provided
• Some questioned the need for as many parking spaces as shown on plans.
• A question was raised regarding the possible use of Blackberry Farm parking lot
as an alternative site to provide needed overflow parking spaces?
Environmental concerns and riparian protection
• As stewards of the site, the City of Cupertino should place parking area
as far from the creek as possible and use the least amount of hardscape as
possible, striving to maximize the portion of green (living) area in the
design.
• Does this plan allow enough room along west side of the creek to allow for
future creek restoration? The west creek bank in his area contains a lot
of concrete and asphalt fill and is unnaturally steep in areas.
• Design should be integrated with restoration plans for entire site.
• Consider drainage so car oil will not contaminate riparian area.
• All prefer the option of keeping parking spaces closest to the creek as
natural, meadow parking (cars on mowed native grass).
• All favor moving the primary/regular use parking and the 2-way aisle to the
southwest side of the parcel along McClellan Rd. The revised/alternate layout is
better.
• All favor making the area along the creek as green as possible, literally, and
striving to vegetate it per consultant recommendation to use structural soil.
• All favor lots of trees and vegetation, especially natives to enhance habitat value.
• Most favor moving all parking and drive routes as far from the creek as feasible (i.e.,
keep the drive route along the creek 1-way)
• All favor maximizing and enhancing the riparian greenbelt
• All favor doing more active restoration of the creek now or in the future; the
creek in McClellan has not been restored like BBF and Stocklmeir; there are lots
of opportunities to improve it
Pedestrian, cyclist, and vehicular safety
• Trees adjacent to bus pullout are a concerning that they may block vision
both of drivers in vehicles and cyclists coming down McClellan Road and
for drivers pulling out of the parking lot.
• Installation of a traffic signal that flashes when vehicles exceed posted
speed could improve safety would improve safety.
From:Barbara Banfield
To:Kim Calame; Kevin Khuu; Gail Seeds
Subject:FW: mcclellan ranch west parking lot "improvement"
Date:Thursday, September 07, 2017 2:03:34 PM
From: AnneNg@aol.com [mailto:AnneNg@aol.com]
Sent: Thursday, September 07, 2017 12:01 AM
To: Helene Davis <hdavis@cupertino.org>; Neesha Tambe <ntambe@cupertino.org>; Carol Stanek
<cstanek@cupertino.org>; Meenakshi Biyani <mbiyani@cupertino.org>; Judy Wilson
<jwilson@cupertino.org>
Subject: mcclellan ranch west parking lot "improvement"
Honorable Commissioners:
Sorry to be so tardy with this, but I just learned of the travesty to be visited upon
McClellan Ranch West, AKA the Simms property. I write from the perspective of one
of those "stakeholders" convened by the City years ago when it began considering
demolishing the Simms house. The Task Force's vision was green and greener,
for the property to be restored to a natural state as part of McClellan Ranch.
Relatively speaking, I was the despised "developer", hoping for an environment-
disrupting multi-use trail through it.
That was before the fine bridge from Scenic Circle into Blackberry Farm was built,
which satisfied my wish for multi-use ADA compliant access from Scenic Circle into
the park chain for residents west of the creek, especially Kennedy and Monta Vista
students. But I'd still like to see a simple path through McClellan Ranch West to
Scenic Circle.
McClellan Ranch does need more parking spaces, and the property in question,
currently being far from virgin wilderness, is a logical choice. But please back off from
the creek! Please expand that little strip of trees between the gravel road and the
creek. If there's got to be parking, choose Plan B, with the parking nearer the creek
being a more natural surface and used only occasionally for big events. If that means
fewer parking spaces, so be it.
Thanks for serving!
Anne Ng
6031 Bollinger Road
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To: barbarab@cupertino.org
From: anneng@aol.com
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• It is important to keep the driver sight lines unobstructed and vehicular traffic as
safe as possible. Public Works traffic division should check the planting plan to
ensure that new trees or shrubs do NOT impede sight distance.
• Various comments about improving existing conditions along McClellan Road
by McClellan Ranch Preserve and McClellan Ranch West to improve safety
• Check with bus drivers that the bus duckout will have good sight lines
Community and site amenities
• Include area under oaks (near the location where the Simms House stood) an
area for interpretive signage, a gathering spot, or a location for classes
(yoga, pilates, nature).
• Maintain access to Scenic Circle through property.
• Consider drinking fountain with water bottle filling design
General consensus
• Most at meeting seemed to prefer that daily parking be located along the
southwest side of the site along McClellan Road, leaving the parking
spaces closest to the creek for seasonal/ occasional use only.
• Some at meeting expressed concern that these plans differed from
recommendations made at previous stakeholders meetings regarding this site.
• Install gate to close site to after-hours use as Scenic Circle/Blackberry Farm
gate is closed to protect site form inappropriate use.
Other issues raised
• Questions about what the city’s outreach process has been to date and how
public input has been invited. Improvement of this outreach process is desired.
• Lots of comments relating to the creek corridor, McClellan Road sidewalks,
Narnia, future trails and other topics that were not about this project
From:Barbara Banfield
To:Kevin Khuu; Kim Calame; Gail Seeds
Subject:FW: Mc Clellan Ranch/Simms Master Plan Project Update
Date:Thursday, September 07, 2017 2:04:06 PM
From: Deanna Forsythe [mailto:djfsanjose1@gmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, September 06, 2017 3:21 PM
To: Gail Seeds <GailS@cupertino.org>; Barbara Banfield <BarbaraB@cupertino.org>
Subject: Mc Clellan Ranch/Simms Master Plan Project Update
As a follow-up to yesterday afternoon's meeting, please include the following as communityinput:
1. Off-set the new parking space area from the proposed Mc Clellan Ranch West Parking
Improvements Project (Project) with existing parking areas at the large Blackberry Farm Parklot off San Fernando Avenue. This off-set area could then be used to for additional orchard
area and/or possibly expand restoration areas since use of the existing large parking lot isrestricted by a settlement agreement with a nearby property owner.
2. Install a water fountain with a bottle filling station and a pet fountain within the Project on
the Mc Clellan Road side and east of the driveway for ease of use by bicyclists, runners, andpedestrians and their pets from the Mc Clellan Road side.
3. Install a bicycle rack near the water fountain in 2. to encourage bicyclists to travel the
preserve and park by foot.
Deanna Forsythe Cupertino Resident
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To: barbarab@cupertino.org
From: djfsanjose1@gmail.com
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