2020-05-12 Planning Commission Meeting- Agenda Item 2 The OaksWestport desk item.msg1
Beth Ebben
From:Joseph Hauser <cuptjoe2@comcast.net>
Sent:Monday, May 11, 2020 2:57 PM
To:City of Cupertino Planning Commission; Cupertino City Manager's Office; City Attorney's Office; City
Clerk; Gian Martire; City Council
Subject:2020-05-12 Planning Commission Meeting- Agenda Item 2 The Oaks/Westport
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Please add this letter to written communications for the Planning Commission meeting scheduled for Tuesday May 12,
2020. The letter addresses Agenda Item 2. “Development proposal to demolish a 71,250 square foot retail center ( The
Oaks )”.
1. The project, being on Stevens Creek between Mary Ave and the entrance to 85/280 will negatively impact access to
the main corridor toward the city center, and access to and from Highway 85/280.
2. The area surrounding the proposed project is already a highly‐impacted area for the following activities.
a The main entrance to De Anza College
b Cupertino Senior Citizens Center
c The main entrance to Memorial Park where there are numerous city events each year
d Entrance to two major highways (85 and 280)
e Access to the city yard facility
f Access to the city dog park
g Access to over 300 residential homes
h Access to a condo complex
i Access to the Glenbrook Apartments
j Bicycle path to the Mary Avenue Bridge
3. This project requires several General Plan amendments. (Setbacks, Height restrictions etc.) Why have a general plan,
if every developer asks for amendments?
4. There is only one other exit area from the area being impacted. Those exits are on to Stelling Ave., and only has one
traffic light on Greenleaf and Stelling. Greenleaf has a dangerously sharp S‐curve right by Garden Gate Elementary
School. The other exits onto Stelling require drivers to try to get onto Stelling when there is a break in the traffic. This is
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virtually impossible during rush hour. With the additional traffic to be generated by this project, many drivers will find an
alternative route through the neighborhood and past Garden Gate School. During rush hour, many parents use
Greenleaf to let their children disembark from their cars, or cross streets to the school. This is already dangerous and
will only get worse.
5. The proposed height limitation of this project is not in keeping with height limitations along other nearby highway 85
freeway entrances.
6. At times the number of cars in the turn lane from Stevens Creek on to Mary Ave. already exceeds the amount of
space allocated, thereby causing backups onto regular traffic lanes. This will only get worse.
7. There are no buildings in this area with heights larger than 2 stories.
I hope the city will take these points into consideration. As a longtime resident of Cupertino, I have witnessed the area
becoming a traffic nightmare, and with city promises to better resident’s life being largely ignored so that developers
can get their way. I am not against reasonable growth, but this project is massive, and does not fit into the area being
allocated. It will not only impact the immediate area, but will impact the entire city. Recent events have indicated that
residents are mostly fed up with the type of projects the city has approved. I hope this project will be an example of a
new attitude by the city.
Thank you.
Joseph Hauser