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CC 09-04-2024 Late_Written CommunicationsCC 9-04-2024 Oral Communications Written Comments From:Neil Park-McClintick To:City Council; City Clerk Subject:Re: Council owes the community honest around BR projects and the HE Date:Wednesday, September 4, 2024 7:19:56 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Apologies—this was meant for oral communications On Wed, Sep 4, 2024 at 7:03 PM Neil Park-McClintick <neil.parkmcclintick@gmail.com> wrote:Dear Mayor and Members of the City Council, My name is Neil Park-McClintick, and I am writing as a member of the community with deep roots in Cupertino, having lived, worked, and gone to school for over 15 years combined. Thank you staff and Council for bringing our city into compliance around the housing element, which is more than just meeting some kind of legal mandate. This is a contract that can and will bring us together as a community, around issues of planning which have long divided our neighborhoods and led to hate, bullying, harrassment, and a degradation of our values. We have a real opportunity to heal deep wounds in our politics, but it starts with ALL members of the City Council being honest with the public by setting the record straight when it comes to the Housing Element update and the resulting builder's remedy discoure that threatens to bring back that toxicity and division. Honesty in this case means being willing to tell the numerous residents—who presently feel caught off guard and agitatted around the builders' remedy—the truth: that we lost our local control because of the last City Council's poor governance around the housing element and the repeated obstructionism of Councilmembers presently still on the dais, like Councilmember Moore, who had the privilege of getting to use the rest of Council as a protective buffer as she repeatedly abstained or voted no throughout the housing element process. Cupertino was subject to the Builder’s Remedy because the city did not have a state- certified Housing Element providing for 4,588 homes by the state deadline of January 31, 2023 because leaders like CM Moore and former Commissioner Ray Wang failed to take meaningful action around housing. But beyond this too, we need to continue to be honest with our community that we have to build homes at all income levels, even when it might feel unnatural at certain densities or in certain neighborhoods, and even if it's not politically opportunistic to do so. We deserve leaders who prioritize the rule of law and housing community members above their own personal political agendas. From:Sherman Wang To:City Clerk Subject:Fwd: Please Postpone Lane Reductions on De Anza Blvd Date:Wednesday, September 4, 2024 5:34:37 PM Attachments:A. Project Area De Anza Blvd.pdf B. Project Plans De Anza Blv.pdf D. July 16, 2023 Minutes.pdf C. Dec 22, 2022 Minutes.pdf E. June 6, 2023 Staff Report.pdf F. April 16, 2024 Staff Report.pdf CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Dear City Clerk, Please include the email below in written communications for oral comments for today's (9/4/24) City Council meeting. Thank you, Sherman ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Sherman Wang <sherman.wang@gmail.com> Date: Tue, Aug 6, 2024 at 11:52 PM Subject: Please Postpone Lane Reductions on De Anza Blvd To: <smohan@cupertino.gov> Dear Mayor Mohan, I am a 35-year resident of Cupertino living on Rodrigues Ave. A recent news article on San Jose Spotlight brought to my attention a very concerning change to De Anza Blvd slated for construction later this month. I am asking that you please postpone this project until City Council has had a chance to further study its impact on all residents and local businesses. Details of the De Anza Blvd buffered bike lane project are attached and below: City website describing the project Attachment A: the project on De Anza Blvd spans from Homestead to Bollinger Attachment B: the project plans to: Reduce traffic lanes from 4 lanes down to 3 lanes going northbound between Stevens Creek and Lazaneo (see pages 8-10 of the pdf); Reduce traffic lanes from 4 lanes down to 3 lanes going southbound between Stevens Creek and Bollinger (see pages 11-17 of the pdf). The news article incorrectly states that lane reduction will only happen between Stevens Creek and McClellan. Narrow existing lanes in 3-lane traffic areas on De Anza Blvd City's 2016 Bicycle Transportation Plan from the Bicycle Pedestrian Commission that describes the origins of the project Reasons to postpone this project for further study: Traffic Effect: De Anza Blvd is the major corridor in Cupertino serving residents going northbound towards 280/Sunnyvale and southbound towards 85/Saratoga. De Anza Blvd is severely jammed during morning and afternoon rush hours and weekends. What effect would narrowing existing lanes and removing one lane altogether have on our traffic? In my conversation with the City's Transportation Manager David Stillman, David said (paraphrased): "No recent traffic study has been done to calculate the effect of this project." David pointed me to the 2016 Bike Plan. However, the 2016 Bike Plan does not have or reference any traffic simulations performed or data collected. In fact, the meeting minutes from the Bicycle Pedestrian Commission meeting on December 22, 2022 and July 19, 2023 (Attachment C & D, highlighted on Page 4 for both pdfs) confirms that no simulation or data collection was performed for this project even though it was planned to be done. "Reducing lanes does not affect traffic flow. Timing of lights will be done so that no meaningful impact on traffic will occur." Respectfully, and anecdotally, I disagree. There are a number of retail, office and after-school care businesses along De Anza Blvd in which entering cars back up onto the street or slow down traffic significantly. Reducing a lane on De Anza Blvd is undoubtedly going to cause further congestion. Also, if lights will be better timed to help traffic flow, why isn't that already being done? Outreach to Residents: According to Suyesh Shrestha, the Public Works project manager on this project, he is not aware of any notification or solicitation of input from residents or businesses for this project. When I asked David, he stated that the 2016 Bike Plan received input from the public during Bicycle Pedestrian Commission meetings. This seems to me, at its best, an oversight. Imagine if the Teen Commission decided to make Memorial Park only available for Teens and no other residents during the weekends, stating that they received input from the public during Teen Commission meetings. Understandably, the wider public is not expecting a commission's decision to have such far-reaching effects, and they should have a chance to voice their support or opposition. City Council Review: As far as I can tell, the only discussions that City Council has had regarding this project occured on June 6, 2023 and April 16, 2024 (Attachment E & F) related to funding. The staff reports do not provide an accurate description of the lane reductions and only describe the effect as "narrowing existing vehicle traffic lanes." The project description on the city website similarly only states that the project will result in "narrower vehicle lanes." If it hasn't already, City Council (I imagine) would want to perform further diligence on the effects of permanently narrowing its major corridor. Timing is of the essence. While City Council is currently on summer hiatus, David Stillman said that the contractor for this project has already been hired and will likely start in a few weeks at the end of August. I respectfully ask that you consider postponing this project until City Council, residents and local businesses can further study and provide input on its lasting effect. Thank you, Sherman Wang *I find it important here to note that I am not opposed to the spirit of this project, which is to provide further means of safe bike transportation in our city. I support that goal but am concerned that the project as currently designed will be detrimental in ways that should be studied more thoroughly. CITY OF CUPERTINO CITY OF CUPERTINO DE ANZA BLVD BUFFERED BIKE LANES STRIPING PLANS FOR THE CORRIDOR OF DE ANZA BLVD CITY PROJECT NO. 2023-01 VICINITY MAP CALTRANS STANDARD PLANS & STANDARD SPECIFICATIONS (DATED 2023) AND THE CITY OF CUPERTINO STANDARD DETAILS AND SPECIFICATIONS 6/11/2024 © 2023 Microsoft Corporation © 2023 Maxar ©CNES (2023) Distribution Airbus DS CITY OF CUPERTINO © 2023 Microsoft Corporation © 2023 Maxar ©CNES (2023) Distribution Airbus DS CITY OF CUPERTINO © 2023 Microsoft Corporation © 2023 Maxar ©CNES (2023) Distribution Airbus DS CITY OF CUPERTINO © 2023 Microsoft Corporation © 2023 Maxar ©CNES (2023) Distribution Airbus DS CITY OF CUPERTINO © 2023 Microsoft Corporation © 2023 Maxar ©CNES (2023) Distribution Airbus DS CITY OF CUPERTINO © 2023 Microsoft Corporation © 2023 Maxar ©CNES (2023) Distribution Airbus DS CITY OF CUPERTINO © 2023 Microsoft Corporation © 2023 Maxar ©CNES (2023) Distribution Airbus DS CITY OF CUPERTINO © 2023 Microsoft Corporation © 2023 Maxar ©CNES (2023) Distribution Airbus DS CITY OF CUPERTINO © 2023 Microsoft Corporation © 2023 Maxar ©CNES (2023) Distribution Airbus DS CITY OF CUPERTINO © 2023 Microsoft Corporation © 2023 Maxar ©CNES (2023) Distribution Airbus DS CITY OF CUPERTINO © 2023 Microsoft Corporation © 2023 Maxar ©CNES (2023) Distribution Airbus DS CITY OF CUPERTINO © 2023 Microsoft Corporation © 2023 Maxar ©CNES (2023) Distribution Airbus DS CITY OF CUPERTINO © 2023 Microsoft Corporation © 2023 Maxar ©CNES (2023) Distribution Airbus DS CITY OF CUPERTINO © 2023 Microsoft Corporation © 2023 Maxar ©CNES (2023) Distribution Airbus DS CITY OF CUPERTINO © 2023 Microsoft Corporation © 2023 Maxar ©CNES (2023) Distribution Airbus DS CITY OF CUPERTINO © 2023 Microsoft Corporation © 2023 Maxar ©CNES (2023) Distribution Airbus DS CITY OF CUPERTINO CITY OF CUPERTINO BIKE BUFFER DETAIL (TYP) DETAIL 39 DETAIL 39A 12" DIAGONAL WHITE @24' O.C. TYP DETAIL 27B 1 Bicycle Pedestrian Commission  Regular Meeting  December 21, 2022    FINAL MINUTES                MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE  BICYCLE PEDESTRIAN COMMISSION  December 21, 2022  Final Minutes  The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m.  ROLL CALL:  Present: Jack Carter (VC), Gerhard Eschelbeck, Ilango Ganga (C), Grace John, Erik  Lindskog  Absent: None  Staff:  David Stillman, Staff Liaison  Others Present: Marlon Aumentado, Assistant Engineer  APPROVAL OF MINUTES  1. November 16, 2022 Bicycle Pedestrian Commission Minutes MOTION: Commissioner Eschelbeck moved, seconded by Vice Chair Carter to approve the  minutes as presented.  MOTION PASSED: 5‐0  POSTPONEMENTS  No Postponements  ORAL COMMUNICATIONS  Jennifer Shearin, public speaker sent the Bicycle Pedestrian Commission a letter with  proposed locations for new bike racks. It was important that bike racks be placed in  locations that were useful. She also mentioned debris found in bike lanes, and the bike  lanes did not seem to ever be cleaned.  Chair Ganga mentioned that the comments were received and there was a plan to bring  this item on the agenda in January 2023.   2 Bicycle Pedestrian Commission  Regular Meeting  December 21, 2022  WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS  None  OLD BUSINESS  2.Future Agenda Items (Ganga) Carmen Road Bridge Education on How to Use Two‐Stage Left Turn Boxes Path between Lincoln Elementary and Monta Vista High School The Impact of Semi‐Rural Designation on Bike and Ped Projects/Priorities Reassess the Intersection at Bubb Road/McClellan Road Stevens Creek Boulevard, Phases 1‐3 Vision Zero (Workplan Item) Lead Pedestrian Walk Interval (LPI) (start the pedestrian green before vehicles) Lawson Middle School Bike Path Input from Seniors on the Bicycle Pedestrian Improvements Bollinger Road Safety Corridor Project AB 43 – Summary and how Commission can support implementation (to what extent we can reduce speed limits) Bicycle Licensing (to prevent bike theft) Bicycle Facilities (Workplan Item) Land Donation from Richard Lowenthal (Carter) Review Progress toward BPC Objectives (Six months to annually) BPC Input at the VTA BPAC Meeting Regarding Adult Bicycle Education (Lindskog/Ganga) League of American Bicyclists Application – Due 2/2023 Review Bicycle/Pedestrian Improvements and Provide Input from the Public Pedestrian Safety around Shopping Centers Update from Safe Routes to School (SR2S) Examine Pedestrian Walkways for Safety Chair Ganga wanted a link of the future agenda items posted on the website. David  Stillman, Transportation Manager said that could be done.  3.Cristo Rey Drive Bicycle Striping Improvements (Stillman) David Stillman, Transportation Manager gave a presentation on Cristo Rey Drive Bicycle Striping Improvements. Jennifer Shearin, public speaker said the road was extremely curvy and that made it a safety  risk. A hybrid option was the most confusing, and most expensive; Class 2 lanes were the best  for cyclists.  3 Bicycle Pedestrian Commission  Regular Meeting  December 21, 2022  Matt W, public speaker relied on Cristo Rey Drive to access to the City of Cupertino. He echoed  Ms. Shearin’s comments and said there should be some physical separation, but of the options  presented, Class 2 bike lanes were the best.  Commission Lindskog inquired if a Class 2 bike lane were installed, were there places that the  bike lane would be along where cars were parked. Mr. Stillman said there was no parking on  the section of Cristo Rey Drive within the City limits and the City had no jurisdiction over the  portion of Cristo Rey within the City of Los Altos city limits. Commissioner Lindskog thought  Class 2 bike lanes would be the best solution.  Vice Chair Carter recalled there was about 30 feet of pavement, which left five feet on either  side for bicyclists. Bicyclists were going at speed when going downhill and having to ride on  five feet of road was tight.  Commission John felt it was hard to maneuver around cars when going downhill. Cristo Rey  Drive was like Bollinger Road. She did notice cars parked on the street. She was not convinced  about staff’s proposal but did not have answers either.  Commissioner Eschelbeck repeated that there were constraints and agreed that the Class 2 bike  lane was the best option. Chair Ganga thought, ideally, it was good to have Class 2 bike lanes  on both sides and it was confusing to divide the road into segments where some parts were  Class 2, and some parts were sharrows. There was a lot of traffic on the weekends, and he  wanted to make sure the roads were safe for bicyclists.  Chair Ganga inquired if it was possible to widen the road to add a Class 2 bike lane on both  sides, and secondarily, would the other jurisdictions be able to share the cost. Mr. Stillman  clarified that Class 2 bike lanes could exist with the existing road width. It was not practical to  widen the roads currently due to substantial grade changes, and it would be an expensive  project. That option was a possibility but that would be a much longer‐term solution.  Vice Chair Carter preferred a Class 2 bike lane going uphill and sharrows going downhill. That  allowed for more room in the road. Chair Ganga preferred to do Class 2 on both sides.   Commissioner Eschelbeck inquired if it was possible to further reduce the speed for vehicles.  Mr. Stillman said a speed survey would need to be done to determine what the speed was, and  he needed to follow the California Vehicle Code recommendations. Commissioner Eschelbeck  asked, assuming the Commission settled on a Class 2 bike lane tonight if the speed reduction  survey could be done independently. He did not want to delay the one for the other. Mr.  Stillman said the striping of the bike lanes would help in reducing the speed limits because it  provided a visually narrower lane for vehicles to drive in, which forced drivers to slow down.  Chair Ganga asked about the parking issue. Commissioner John did see cars parked. Mr.  Stillman said it was illegal to park along the Cupertino section of Cristo Rey Drive. He saw  them parked outside the City’s boundary and there were no parking signs as well.  4 Bicycle Pedestrian Commission  Regular Meeting  December 21, 2022  Chair Ganga wanted to know if there was any data about vehicle counts and bicycle usage. Mr.  Stillman said there were some counts done back in 2018 and 2019 but he did not have any data  at hand. There were not bike counts on Cristo Rey Drive.  Commissioner Lindskog commented that if a Class 2 lane was made on the downhill side, the  bicyclists could take the vehicle lane. If there were problems with the parking, the installation of  a Class 2 bike lane discouraged that. He suggested a buffered bike lane along where there were  parked cars.  Chair Ganga was concerned about hazards in relation to the vehicle shoulder because there was  only five feet on either side. Mr. Stillman understood there was a standard curb and gutter on  both sides. A thorough look into the area was to be done before striping started. If the  Commission wanted additional studies, this could be done, and then this item could be brought  back to the Commission.  MOTION: Commissioner Eschelbeck moved, seconded by Commissioner Lindskog to  recommend that:   1. Staff survey the street for unsafe conditions prior to installation of Class II bike lanes;  and   2. Recommend to the City Council to:   a. Install Class II bike lanes in both directions on Cristo Rey Drive in Cupertino;  and   b. Survey and adjust, if appropriate, the speed limit following Class II striping  installation.    MOTION PASSED: 3‐2, Carter and John No    NEW BUSINESS  4. De Anza Boulevard Buffered Bike Lane Project  Marlon Aumentado, Assistant Engineer gave a presentation on the De Anza Boulevard  Buffered Bike Lane project.   Vice Chair Carter wanted to know what happened to the bicycles going north, after the lane  reduction, understanding some cars needed to do a lane change to get onto the freeway. Mr.  Aumentado replied there was still a bike lane there and it was easy to put a two‐foot buffer.  Chair Ganga wanted to know if any traffic studies were done. Mr. Aumentado said not lately.   Seema Lindskog, public speaker wanted to know why there were separated bike lanes being  proposed, as opposed to protected bike lanes; separated bike lanes were worse. Given that  striping the road did not work, why would separated bike lanes be pursued.  Jennifer Shearin, public speaker agreed with Ms. Lindskog. The bolt down barriers were  cheaper than what was done on McClellan Road. The buffered bike lanes were going to be a  5 Bicycle Pedestrian Commission  Regular Meeting  December 21, 2022  vast area of conflict between cars merging on the freeway and bicyclists going straight. She  wanted to know if there was going to be a change in signals.  Commissioner Lindskog pointed out that the City of San Jose made buffered bike lanes on De  Anza Boulevard and reduced their lanes, so he did not see why the City could not do the same.  He wanted the vehicle lanes as narrow as possible to make room for bicyclists, as well as  removing a lane on the road. Vice Chair Carter agreed and said taking a lane away right before  Home Depot eliminated the bottle neck in that area. He was more concerned about the area by  the freeway.  Commissioner Eschelbeck wondered why bollards would not be placed on De Anza Boulevard  in this phase. Mr. Aumentado commented that the budget was the main constraint and agreed  to look at the cost. Commissioner Eschelbeck asked if one side could have a separated bike lane  installed and then have the other side installed later. Mr. Aumentado said that was not in the  Work Plan. Mr. Stillman remarked that the intent of the project was to fulfill the objective of the  Bike Plan, which was vetted through the Commission. There were some other reasons why the  buffered bike lanes were moving forward, as opposed to the protected bike lanes. These  included higher speeds on De Anza Boulevard, which introduced other potential safety  problems, additional cost, and ongoing maintenance and upkeep of the protected bike lanes. He  recommended continuing with the buffered bike land and said it provided an extra layer of  protection beyond what was there now. This did not preclude installing a protected bike lane in  the future. Chair Ganga agreed with Mr. Stillman and said this project was already approved by  the Council.  Vice Chair Carter asked about bus stops and wanted to know if the proposed work was going  to make it harder to install bus stops later. Mr. Aumentado said no.  Commissioner Lindskog remarked that if there was a concern for high speeds on De Anza  Boulevard, was it not better to install the concrete barriers. If more aggressive planning was  made, was there a possibility for grants. Mr. Stillman reiterated that the project that was  approved was the buffered bike lane.  Chair Ganga asked about studies and remarked that it was always good to have data on hand.  Mr. Aumentado said traffic collection data was to be done.  NO ACTION TAKEN    5. Bicycle Safety Aspects Including Stop Sign Behavior, Lights and Helmet Use,  Education and Enforcement (Ganga)  David Stillman, Transportation Manager gave a presentation on bicycle safety aspects in the  City of Cupertino.  Seema Lindskog, public speaker suggested using data to guide decisions. The best way to make  things safer was to build safer cycling infrastructure.  6 Bicycle Pedestrian Commission  Regular Meeting  December 21, 2022  Jennifer Shearin, public speaker thought improving safety was good but giving away items  such as bike lights or helmets worked. Education was needed for motorists as well as bicyclists.  Commissioner Lindskog remarked that both cars and bicyclists did not follow the rules but the  impact for vehicles not following the rules had a much bigger impact. It was difficult to enforce  bicyclists stopping at stop signs. He suggested having the police encourage bicycle safety rather  than enforce it. He suggested focusing on vehicle safety first, then bicycle safety.  Commissioner Eschelbeck thought enforcement needed to be equal to both parties. He  commented about the hours of darkness, especially in the winter, and the lack of lighting for  bicyclists. This was a problem.  Vice Chair Carter felt rules did not seem to apply to bicyclists. He found that because so many  bicyclists did not follow the rules that it confused drivers when bicyclists did follow the rules.  Both groups needed to follow the rules. Since bicycle tests were not required like vehicle tests  were required, people did not know how to ride on the roads.  Commissioner John thought bike safety was everyone’s responsibility. There needed to be some  type of program to encourage bike safety and the resources needed to be easily available.  Proactive education programs needed to be encouraged more. She suggested having the rules  posted on the website.  Chair Ganga remarked that the discussion was not about motorists verses the bicyclists. While  pedestrian infrastructure was being made safer, it also needed to be ensured that bicyclists  followed the right guidelines so accidents were avoided. Preventative measures were the  subject at hand, it was better to be defensive, so collisions did not happen. He saw people not  following the correct guidelines for bicyclists, which could cause harm. He discussed resources  available and referenced Valley Transportation Authority, Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition, and  others in San Francisco. He encouraged continued partnership with Safe Routes to School.  Regarding enforcement that was established, he wanted to have an open discussion and ensure  things were done safely.  Commissioner Lindskog pointed out that there were violations for vehicles, which needed to be  enforced better, such as speeding and many others. Education was needed for drivers, but it  was clear they did not know what rules to follow.  Vice Chair Carter felt that if there were classes for drivers that got ticketed, then there should be  classes for bicyclists. The same was the case for pedestrians needing to follow traffic laws.  Enforcement was needed for all groups.  MOTION: Commissioner Lindskog moved, seconded by Vice Chair Carter to recommend that  staff consider the following action plan:  1) Bicycle and pedestrian safety education resource availability   2) Encourage third‐party education classes to come to the City of Cupertino  7 Bicycle Pedestrian Commission  Regular Meeting  December 21, 2022  3) Driver safety education with respect to bicyclists and pedestrians, for example flyers  4) Programs related to bicycle lights    MOTION PASSED: 5‐0    STAFF AND COMMISSION REPORTS   6. Staff Update and Commission Activity Report (All)  David Stillman, Transportation Manager relayed that there was a kick‐off meting with the  Vision Zero consultant. The first public meeting and an update to the Bicycle Pedestrian  Commission was coming soon. A survey was to be open from January 6‐30, 2023, for the  naming of the I‐280 trail. The pedestrian scramble at Bubb Road/McClellan Road was expected  to be activated January 23, 2023.    Commissioner Lindskog gave a presentation on the VTA BPAC Meeting on December 7.    Vice Chair Carter reported that the Mayor’s meeting was cancelled and the Safe Routes to  School meeting did not happen for December. Vice Chair Carter volunteered to attend these  meetings in January 2023.    ADJOURNMENT  Meeting adjourned at 9:40 p.m.    SUBMITTED BY:    ____________________________  David Stillman, Staff Liaison      Note: Any attachments can be found on the Cupertino Website  https://www.cupertino.org/our‐city/agendas‐minutes    1 Bicycle Pedestrian Commission  Regular Meeting  July 19, 2023    FINAL MINUTES                MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE  BICYCLE PEDESTRIAN COMMISSION  July 19, 2023  Final Minutes  The meeting was called to order at 7:02 p.m.  ROLL CALL:  Present: Ilango Ganga, Hervé Marcy (VC), Joel Wolf (C), John Zhao  Absent: Grace John  Staff:  Marlon Aumentado, Staff Liaison  Others Present: Timothy Weisburg, Deputy Director, Marketing  APPROVAL OF MINUTES  1.June 21, 2023 Bicycle Pedestrian Commission Minutes MOTION: Commissioner Zhao moved, seconded by Vice Chair Marcy to approve the minutes  as presented.  MOTION PASSED: 3‐0, Ganga, John Absent  POSTPONEMENTS  No Postponements  ORAL COMMUNICATIONS  None  WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS  None  OLD BUSINESS  2.Future Agenda Items (Wolf) Work Plan  Vision Zero – In Progress Bicycle Facilities – In Progress 2 Bicycle Pedestrian Commission  Regular Meeting  July 19, 2023   Lawson Middle School Bikeway – Completed    New Bicycle Pedestrian Plan (FY 24‐25)  Grants   Know/Understand Fed Grant Funding with Caltrans on updated bike ped  planning   Understand/Educate on what funding standards are (Fed/State)  Studies / Plans   Staff update ‐ Rodrigues Ave Speed Study and Street Crossing Behavior   Staff update ‐ Stevens Creek Corridor Vision Study   Path between Lincoln Elem and Monta Vista HS   Examine Pedestrian Walkways for Safety  Projects   Staff update ‐ Stevens Creek Boulevard, Phases 2‐3   Staff update ‐ Safe Routes to School (SR2S)    Carmen Road Bridge    Homestead Bike Lane Study (City of Sunnyvale Project)  Education   Impact of Semi‐Rural Designation on Bike and Ped Projects/Priorities – more  information required   Leading Pedestrian Walk Interval (LPI) – Start pedestrian green before vehicles   AB 43 – Summary: How commission can support implementation to reduce  speed limits – more information required   Adult Bicycle Education  Miscellaneous   Status – VTA BPAC Adult Bicycle Education (Lindskog)   Bicycle Licensing (Theft Prevention)   Review Progress toward BPC Objectives & Grant Applications (6mo)   Review Bike Ped Improvements and Gather Public Input / Senior Input   VTA Pedestrian Access to Transit Plan – Focus Area J: Cupertino (SCB & Stelling)    Commissioner Ganga joined the meeting at 7:14 p.m.    NO ACTION TAKEN    NEW BUSINESS  3 Bicycle Pedestrian Commission  Regular Meeting  July 19, 2023  3. Go Safely, California – Education Program Presentation from the California Office  of Traffic Safety (Weisburg)  Timothy Weisberg, Deputy Director Marketing, California Office of Traffic Safety gave a  presentation on Go Safely, California, an education program from the California Office of  Traffic Safety.  Vice Chair Marcy asked about a graphic on the PowerPoint that was greyed out. Mr. Weisberg  replied that represented the total fatalities since 1980.  Commissioner Ganga noticed a steep rise in crashes. There were three main causes, driving  under the influence, distracted driving and speeding but he wanted to know who the most  affected were. Mr. Weisberg said pedestrians because they did not have the protection a person  would have in a vehicle, such as seatbelts and airbags. There was a drastic increase involving  pedestrians since 2010. Before 2010 fatalities in California were below 3,500, after 2010, they  increased between 4,200 and 4,300; impairment and speeding made things dangerous.  Commissioner Ganga wanted to know how COVID‐19 effected this data. Mr. Weisberg said  there was a plateau in 2019, then there was an increase in vehicle speeds because people were  not facing the traffic they had before the pandemic. It’s speculated that during the pandemic,  alcohol played a part in reckless driving. When the pandemic was over, reckless driving  continued. There were a lot more people walking and biking during the pandemic as well.  Commissioner Ganga wanted to know if there was anything specific the City of Cupertino  could do, such as partnering with other programs through Go Safely. Mr. Weisberg proposed  bike rodeos, bike programs, outreach, and said Go Safely was promoting their survey; he  suggested having City staff fill out their survey. This December, Go Safely was able to fund  some grants for education programs but the money was only to support events related to safety  awareness, no capital improvements.  Commission Zhao suggested sharing the survey at the Bike Fest in September 2023. Mr.  Weisberg agreed to table an event. Vice Chair Marcy asked if it was possible to promote the  survey in the Cupertino Scene. Marlon Aumentado, Assistant Engineer agreed to check that.  Chair Wolf heard that the Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) gave out grants for large amounts of  money. Mr. Weisberg commented that the Federal government was heavily invested in  pedestrian and bicycle safety and there were a lot of funds being given out. Go Safely worked  with over 100 agencies and processed over 450 grant applications.  Commissioner Ganga wondered if the grant funds were able to be used for the development of  Cupertino’s Vision Zero program. Mr. Weisberg said it depended on what the money was  specifically used for; if it was used to educate, inform, or develop some type of plan that had an  objective for Vision Zero, such as an education campaign, then yes. Go Safely was pushing  education on new infrastructure, such as the two‐way bike boxes Cupertino has.  4 Bicycle Pedestrian Commission  Regular Meeting  July 19, 2023  Commissioner Ganga suggested adding an item on Future Agenda Items regarding education  programs and grants the City could apply for.  NO ACTION TAKEN  4. Cupertino Transportation Division Presentation (Aumentado)  Marlon Aumentado, Assistant Engineer, gave an overview of the Transportation Division, who  the team is and what projects were being worked on.  Commissioner Zhao asked about McClellan Road Ph. 3 and wanted to know the scope. Mr.  Aumentado said it was an intersection modification where the effort was to connect the two  Class 4 bike lanes on McClellan Road and Pacifica Drive. The intersection needed to be  realigned, vehicle movements reconfigured, new mast arm poles were installed, the road was  widened, amongst other things. Commissioner Ganga asked if the plan was on the website. Mr.  Aumentado was in the process of building a webpage.  Chair Wolf inquired about the simulation (sim) project on Bollinger Road. Mr. Aumentado  explained there was going to be a micro‐sim of the corridor, which was a small model of the  roadway used to understand what would happen to the traffic with proposed changes, in this  case a road diet. For Bollinger Road, the simulation showed traffic impacts if the road was  reduced from two lanes to one.  Commissioner Ganga inquired if the sim took real data and projected ‘what if’ scenarios. Mr.  Aumentado replied that the sim would be fit into the scope of work for the project. The sim was  able to use existing traffic data. He explained a Request for Proposals would be initiated for  traffic consultants, then staff would choose which company had the best approach to simulate  the corridor.  Chair Wolf wanted to know if a demonstration could be done where lanes were narrowed to  one, temporarily. Mr. Aumentado did not think that was advisable.  Commissioner Ganga wanted to know if a micro‐sim was put in place on De Anza Boulevard  for the De Anza Buffered Bike Lane Project. Mr. Aumentado said a sim was not performed for  that project, and the information for that project was based off existing traffic data and traffic  observations.  Vice Chair Marcy asked if the Transportation Planner was working part‐time on the Via  Cupertino Shuttle (now Silicon Valley (SV) Hopper). Mr. Aumentado replied that the  Transportation Planner mainly worked on the SV Hopper amongst a number of other things.  Vice Chair Marcy wanted to know if the recent grant of $8.6 million covered the entire cost of  SV Hopper. Mr. Aumentado said yes and commented that the City of Santa Cara was also  participating in an expansion phase. Vice Chair Marcy wanted to know how big the fleet was  for SV Hopper. Mr. Aumentado did not have that information at this time.  5 Bicycle Pedestrian Commission  Regular Meeting  July 19, 2023  NO ACTION TAKEN  STAFF AND COMMISSION REPORTS   5. Staff Update and Commissioner Activity Report (All)  Marlon Aumentado, Assistant Engineer relayed that the Pavement Maintenance Project was  finishing, there were new buffered bike lanes as part of that on Prospect Road. The City Council  approved the Cristo Rey Bike Lanes project and work for that was going to start in the fall. Last  night the City Council approved the Highway Safety Improvement Project (HSIP) grant.    Commissioner John was supposed to attend the Mayor’s meeting. Commissioner Zhao wanted  to know if there was an update from the Subcommittee on the Bike Fest. Vice Chair Marcy said  there was communication to have the Public Works Director set up a meeting with a  representative of the Rotary Club and Chamber of Commerce for installation of the bike racks  on private property. When racks were installed on private property, the City still had input  because they contributed money toward the racks. The Rotary Club was looking at artistic bike  racks.     Chair Wolf announced the thirteenth annual Bike Summit on August 24. There was a $40  registration fee. They were going to discuss various bike issues in Santa Clara County.     Vice Chair Marcy planned to attend next month’s Mayor’s meeting and Safe Routes to School  (SR2S) meeting.     Mr. Aumentado reported that Erik Lindskog, VTA BPAC representative, said there was no VTA  BPAC report.     ADJOURNMENT  Meeting adjourned at 9:01 p.m.    SUBMITTED BY:    ____________________________  Marlon Aumentado, Staff Liaison      Note: Any attachments can be found on the Cupertino Website  https://www.cupertino.org/our‐city/agendas‐minutes    CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT Meeting: June 6, 2023 Subject Consider adoption of a Resolution to request the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) allocate Fiscal Year (FY) 2023/2024 Transportation Development Act Article 3 (TDA 3) Pedestrian/Bicycle Project funding for the De Anza Boulevard Buffered Bike Lanes Project. Recommended Action Adopt Resolution No. 23-XXXX (Attachment A) requesting the MTC allocate $166,259 from FY 2023/2024 TDA 3 Pedestrian/Bicycle Project funding to the City of Cupertino’s De Anza Boulevard Buffered Bike Lanes Capital Improvement Programs (CIP) Project. Reasons for Recommendation The Transportation Development Act (TDA) has long been a cornerstone of California State (State) transit funding. The State TDA funding allows counties to establish a quarter-cent sales tax to finance a wide variety of transportation projects. Specifically, TDA 3 provides funding annually for bicycle and pedestrian projects. Santa Clara County’s (County) “Guarantee” is a share of MTC’s TDA 3 funds, which are distributed to jurisdictions based on 2022 California Department of Finance population figures. These funds may be saved for up to four years, plus one year for the programing of funds. The City has accumulated a total of $414,955, which includes saved funds and rescinded funding requests from prior years. Proposed TDA 3 projects must be ready to implement within one year of their submittal in the application cycle. The following project types are eligible for TDA 3 funding: 1. Construction and/or engineering of bicycle or pedestrian projects. 2. Maintenance of a Class I shared-use path and Class IV separated bikeways. 3. Bicycle safety education programs (no more than 5% of County total). 4. Development of comprehensive bicycle or pedestrian facilities plans (allocations to a claimant for this purpose may not be made more than once every five years). 5. Restriping of Class II bicycle lanes and buffered bicycle lanes. In 2019, the Public Works Department requested $166,259 to help fund a Bike Boulevards Project but rescinded the funding request in February 2022 because the scope of the project had changed. Since TDA 3 funds may only be saved for up to four years, the City must program the rescinded funds, at the latest, in FY 2023/2024 to avoid having the funds revert to the Countywide pool in the next cycle. The Department of Public Works recommends $166,259 of FY 2023/2024 TDA 3 Pedestrian/Bicycle Project funding be allocated to the De Anza Boulevard Buffered Bike Lanes Project. The project was initiated in FY 2022/2023 as part of the approved CIP project fund and is currently funded by the City at $525,000. The TDA program requires each participating jurisdiction to have a Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee review and prioritize TDA 3 bicycle and pedestrian projects and plans. On April 19, 2023, Cupertino’s Bicycle Pedestrian Commission recommended that the City Council approve Cupertino’s TDA 3 allocation request for use on the De Anza Boulevard Buffered Bike Lanes Project. In accordance with MTC Resolution 875, all claimants that have received an allocation of TDA 3 funds are required to submit an annual fiscal and compliance audit to MTC and to the Secretary of the Business and Transportation Agency within 180 days after the close of each fiscal year. All TDA audits are due to MTC by December 31 of each year. Sustainability Impact The recommended improvements are intended to encourage bicycle use, which will reduce single occupancy vehicle trips and lead to reduced vehicle emissions. This will help the City achieve air quality and greenhouse gas emission reduction goals. Fiscal Impact The approval of this Resolution satisfies the MTC/TDA requirement, resulting in the City receiving TDA 3 funds in the amount of $166,259. These funds will be appropriated to the De Anza Boulevard Buffered Bike Lanes CIP Project (420-99-262 440-438). The project’s current City-funded appropriation ($525,000, explained above) can be offset by the amount of the grant funds received. The balance of the TDA 3 funds are targeted to complete an update and consolidation of the City’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plans. California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) This project was found to be categorically exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section number 15301, existing facilities, as bicycle lanes previously existed within the same right-of-way of the project. _____________________________________ Prepared by: Marlon Aumentado, Assistant Civil Engineer Reviewed by: David Stillman, Transportation Manager Reviewed by: Susan Michael, Capital Improvement Programs Manager Reviewed by: Chad Mosley, Interim Director of Public Works Reviewed by: Matt Morley, Assistant City Manager Approved for Submission by: Pamela Wu, City Manager Attachments: A – Draft Resolution and Application CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT Meeting: April 16, 2024 Subject Award a construction contract for the De Anza Boulevard Buffered Bike Lanes Project in the amount of $529,680 and approve a budget modification in the amount of $5,533. Recommended Action 1. Award a construction contract for the De Anza Boulevard Buffered Bike Lanes Project (Budget Unit 420-99-262) in the amount of $529,680 to Chrisp Company; 2. Authorize the City Manager to execute the contract when all conditions have been met; and 3. Adopt Resolution No. 24-XXX approving budget modification #2324-237, approving an appropriation of $5,533 in the Capital Improvement Fund (420) and a transfer of $5,533 from the Capital Reserve Fund (429) to the project (budget unit 420-99-262 900-905) for a total authorized project expenditure of $529,680. Reasons for Recommendation In June 2016, the City Council adopted the Bicycle Transportation Plan (BTP). The BTP is a long-range planning document designed to address the present and future needs of bicycling within the City of Cupertino. Infrastructure projects are identified in the BTP and organized into three tiers. Tier 1 projects have the highest priority with expected implementation within five years. Tier’s 2 and 3 projects score lower than Tier 1 projects with respect to priority, however, implementation of these tiers can be initiated sooner to take advantage of funding or other opportunities, or to complement the development of other transportation improvements. The construction of Class II buffered bike lanes on De Anza Boulevard between Homestead Road and Bollinger Road (Project) is identified in the BTP as the highest- ranking Tier 2 project. De Anza Boulevard is a major north-south principal arterial across Cupertino, a designated truck route along most of its length, and has a posted speed limit of 35 mph. Currently, standard Class II bike lanes exist along both directions of De Anza Boulevard within Cupertino, and no buffer zone exists to increase the separation between bicycle and vehicle traffic. The project will enhance the safety of existing Class II bikeway facilities on De Anza Boulevard between Homestead Road and Bollinger Road by narrowing existing vehicle travel lanes and installing a painted buffer zone to create separation between the bicycle lanes from the vehicle lanes. Recently the City of San Jose completed the installation of a painted buffer zone separating the Class II bike lanes from vehicle traffic lanes along De Anza Boulevard within their City limits south of Bollinger Road. The improvements from the project will enhance safety for cyclists by providing a continuation of buffered bike lanes into the City’s jurisdiction in addition to calming vehicular traffic speeds. The Project was included in the approved Fiscal Year (FY) 2022-2023 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) budget, with a total funding amount of $525,000. The project funding was supplemented by $166,259 in funding from the Transportation Development Act Article 3 (TDA 3), administered by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC). The TDA 3 funding does not increase the overall CIP project budget but does decrease the amount of City funds required to construct the project. The City advertised the Project for bid on February 16. On March 12, the City received one responsive bid (detailed in the table below). Bidder Total Bid Amount Chrisp Company $529,680.00 The Department of Public Works reviewed the Chrisp Company bid documents for completeness, confirmed the contractor’s experience and qualifications, and determined the bid to be responsible, per the Instructions to Bidders, and the Cupertino Municipal Code. Therefore, staff recommends awarding a construction contract to Chrisp Company for a total contract amount of $529,680. Since this contract amount exceeds the project funding by approximately $5,000, a budget modification will be required if this contract is awarded. A construction contingency allows for unforeseen conditions and is a typical contracting practice. Due to the nature of the project and scope of work, staff is not recommending a construction contingency for this project. A draft construction contract is included as Attachment A, while the full project specifications can be found on the City’s “Business Opportunities” webpage and https://apps.cupertino.org/bidmanagement/index.aspx. Construction is expected to begin in May 2024 and be completed in June 2024 in tandem with CIP Project 2020-12, De Anza Boulevard and McClellan Road/Pacifica Drive Intersection Modifications. Sustainability Impact The recommended improvements are intended to encourage bicycle use, which will reduce single-occupancy vehicle trips and lead to reduced vehicle emissions. This will help the City achieve air quality and greenhouse gas emission reduction goals. Fiscal Impact The FY 2022/2023 budget allocated $525,000 for the Project, which is partially offset by grant funds received ($166,259). Awarding a construction contract to Chrisp Company for a total contract amount of $529,680 exceeds the project funding by $5,533. A budget modification and transfer of $5,533 from the Capital Reserve Fund (429) to the Capital Improvement Fund (420) is required to address the funding shortfall. Current Fiscal Summary: Current Funding Status Amount Budgeted Funds for De Anza Boulevard Buffered Bike Lanes $525,000 TDA 3 funding allocated $166,259 Reduction of City Funding required for the project ($166,259) Traffic Data Collection ($800) CEQA Filing Fee ($53) Design (In-house) ($0) Remaining Budget: Funding available after Expenses/Expenditures to date $524,147 Estimated Funding Impact Amount Estimated Construction Total (this agreement) ($529,680) Proposed Budget Modification: transfer from Capital Reserve $5,533 Remaining Budget: projected Funding available after Construction Contract award $0 California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) This project is categorically exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15301 (maintenance of existing facilities), as bicycle lanes previously existed within the same right-of-way of the project. _____________________________________ Prepared by: Marlon Aumentado, Assistant Civil Engineer Reviewed by: Chad Mosley, Director of Public Works Reviewed by: Matt Morley, Assistant City Manager Approved for Submission by: Pamela Wu, City Manager Attachments: A – Draft Contract B – Draft Resolution From:Sherman Wang To:City Clerk Subject:Fwd: Inappropriately approved CIP Project Date:Wednesday, September 4, 2024 5:32:18 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Dear City Clerk, Please include the email below in written communications for oral comments for today's (9/4/24) City Council meeting. Thank you, Sherman ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Sherman Wang <sherman.wang@gmail.com> Date: Mon, Aug 19, 2024 at 12:27 AM Subject: Inappropriately approved CIP Project To: <CityManager@cupertino.org>, <CityAttorney@cupertino.org> Cc: <tinak@cupertino.org>, <smohan@cupertino.gov> Hi Pamela and Christopher, I am a Cupertino resident concerned about the inappropriately approved De Anza Buffered Bike Lane Project. This CIP was originally approved by City Council in the FY2022- 2023 budget on June 9, 2022, with a budget modification and contract awarded on April 16, 2024. In both instances, when Staff presented this project to City Council for budget approval, there was specifically no mention of lane reductions that would occur on De Anza Blvd to accommodate the buffered bike lanes. This was a blatant omission of a key element to this project that would have likely changed or garnished additional discussion from City Council on the project's merits. In fact, I have confirmed with at least one Councilmember present for both meetings that they were unaware of the lane reductions associated with the project. I would ask that you: 1. Postpone any scheduled work on lane reductions on De Anza Blvd. According to the City Transportation Manager, work is likely to start in the next week or so. 2. Add this to the next City Council agenda for discussion. Councilmembers must be apprised of the full scope of the project and vote on whether to keep it in the CIP budget. Please see below regarding the historical communications that were provided to City Council regarding this project: On June 7, 2022, the supplemental staff report described the project as: "The scope of this project includes adjustment of current lanes along DeAnza Boulevard, which will provide the space for the addition of a buffer to separate the bike lanes from the vehicle travel lanes, as recommended in the bike plan and by the Bicycle Pedestrian Commission. The project does not include physical delineators or barriers in the buffer area." On April 16, 2024, the staff report described the project as: "The project will enhance the safety of existing Class II bikeway facilities on De Anza Boulevard between Homestead Road and Bollinger Road by narrowing existing vehicle travel lanes and installing a painted buffer zone to create separation between the bicycle lanes from the vehicle lanes." The 2016 Bicycle Transportation Plan that is referenced in both staff reports does not actually describe the scope of the project. On Page 3-13, the notes on the project state: "Study reconstruction of medians and/or lane reduction in both directions to accommodate buffered bike lanes; coordinate with City of San Jose & VTA. See Studies section" Thank you, and I look forward to your reply. Sherman Wang From:Yoshio Chou To:City Clerk Subject:Fwd: Object to Summer-hill home (on Linda vista Dr) and Vista Heights Date:Thursday, September 5, 2024 1:51:37 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Dear City Clerk: Please include in written communications for the next city council meeting. Much appreciated, Tom Chou ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Yoshio Chou <chouyu@gmail.com> Date: Wed, Sep 4, 2024 at 11:00 PM Subject: Object to Summer-hill home (on Linda vista Dr) and Vista Heights To: <citycouncil@cupertino.gov>, <cityclerk@cupertino.gov> Dear Cupertino City Council members, I am a Cupertino resident living in Linda Vista Dr for more than 15 years. All of my neighbors and I are worrying about potential fire hazards and irreversible environmental impact. We would like to further emphasize a few points demonstrating the infeasibility of, and therefore strong objection, to these plans. My family and neighbors could see wild deer walk down from the ridge near Linda Vista Park to the neighborhood from time to time. The ridge adjacent to Linda Vista Park is the safe passage for wild deer to access the park and roads around Monta Vista. This open-space, low- elevation habitat is rare for wildlife animals in the Bay Area, in our human-crowded South Bay - when was the last time you got to see wildlife roaming in low-elevation close to human habitat these days in Bay Area cities? It is simply rare and precious. Second, this development proposal would bring many more people into the neighborhood. They would have to access Bubb and McClellan road for daily commute. Every day, there are numerous students that need to use these two roads to get in and out of Abraham Lincoln Elementary School, John F. Kennedy Middle School and Monta Vista High School. The traffic congestion around schools is already a severe problem, with a student getting killed just a few years ago in front of 7-11 because of heavy traffic on McClellan. We can't worsen traffic conditions on these main artilleries of the neighborhood any further. Allowing such plans next to this neighborhood design where existing traffic infrastructure already cannot sustain and has led to student death is simply irresponsible. We ask council members to change the zone back to R1 and remain the original residential density. Sincerely yours, Tom Y.H. Chou Linda Vista Dr. Cupertino From:WILL To:City Clerk Subject:Re: Opposition to Proposed 20-Unit Condominium Development at 20739 Scofield Drive Date:Thursday, September 5, 2024 12:21:00 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Dear City Clerk, Please include my previous email in written communications for the next city council meeting. Thank you. On Wed, Sep 4, 2024 at 10:41 PM WILL <renbohan0129@gmail.com> wrote: Dear Officer, I hope this email finds you well. My name is Bohan Ren, a homeowner at 20671 Rodrigues Ave in Cupertino, and I am writing to express my strong opposition to the proposed development at 20739 Scofield Drive. The recent proposal to replace a single-family home with a five-story, 20-unit condominium in an R1-10 zoning district raises significant concerns for me and many of my neighbors. First and foremost, the safety of our community is a critical issue. The proposed site is just two blocks away from William Faria Elementary School, an area already congested during the morning and afternoon school rush. The introduction of a multi-family building of this scale will inevitably lead to increased traffic, further exacerbating these congestion issues and posing serious risks to children and families. Additionally, the narrow residential streets will not be able to accommodate the increased volume of vehicles, and there will likely be insufficient parking for 20+ cars, leading to further strain on the neighborhood’s infrastructure. Moreover, this project would dramatically change the character of our neighborhood. Cupertino’s R1-10 zoning districts are intended for single-family homes, which contribute to the quiet, suburban atmosphere that residents cherish. A five-story multi-family building is completely out of scale with the surrounding properties and would create a precedent for further high-density developments in areas where they are not suitable. I strongly believe that this site should remain dedicated to single-family homes, as altering it to a multi-family development would fundamentally change the character of our community. Additionally, I am concerned about the environmental impact of this project. The removal of trees and the construction of a large building will alter the landscape significantly, potentially disrupting local ecosystems. The loss of green space and mature trees, which provide essential shade and contribute to air quality, is not something to be taken lightly. The long-term effects on the environment must be carefully considered before proceeding with such a development. While I understand the need for housing, I believe that developments should be thoughtful and considerate of the existing community. This proposal, however, is not in harmony with our neighborhood’s character and would introduce a host of safety, environmental, and aesthetic issues that could degrade the quality of life for current residents. I respectfully urge the city to reconsider this proposal and work towards a solution that better aligns with the needs and values of our community. I would be grateful for the opportunity to discuss this matter further and to share the concerns of my fellow neighbors. Thank you for your time, consideration, and respect for our neighbors' opinions and interests. Sincerely, Bohan Ren -- Cheers, Bohan Ren From:Nancy Chang To:City Clerk; Benjamin Fu; Luke Connolly; Piu Ghosh (she/her); Pamela Wu; City Council Subject:Oppose Summer-Hill Homes and Vista Heights Project Date:Wednesday, September 4, 2024 11:47:37 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Dear City Clerk and Members of the Cupertino City Council, Please include in written communications for the next city council meeting. Thank you. We are writing to express my deep concerns regarding the proposed redevelopment of 10857 Linda Vista Drive and Linda Vista Park (Summer-Hill Homes and Vista Heights) area into a higher-density residential neighborhood. While we understand the need for housing, we strongly believe that this project would significantly harm the quality of life in our community, which has long been cherished for its quiet and peaceful environment. Traffic and Safety Concerns Linda Vista Drive and its surrounding streets are small, residential roads that are not designed to handle the increased traffic that hundreds of additional housing units/cars would bring. The influx of cars would create significant congestion, particularly during school drop-off and pick-up times. Our community is home to three schools where young children walk and bike to school every day. The safety of these children should be our top priority. In addition to the daily traffic, the construction phase of this project would introduce heavy machinery and trucks to our streets for several years. This not only endangers pedestrians, particularly young students, but also poses a serious risk of accidents. We must not forget the tragic death of Ethan Wong, a Monta Vista High School student on October 27, 2014, who lost his life after being struck by a construction truck while biking to school. The proposed development increases the likelihood of such heartbreaking incidents, bringing to light the serious safety risks that arise when construction and increased traffic intersect with areas heavily used by students. This incident underscores the dangers that come with increased vehicle presence, particularly large construction trucks, in residential and school zones. The tragic loss of a young life is a stark reminder that safety must be prioritized when planning any developments in our community. Environmental and Fire Safety Hazards Cupertino is a community that values its natural environment, and the current low-density neighborhoods contribute to our city’s green spaces and tranquility. Increasing the density of housing in this area would put a strain on local infrastructure, including emergency services. Higher density inevitably brings more people, more vehicles, and potentially more fires. In the event of an emergency, evacuation could become chaotic and life-threatening, particularly given the narrow streets that could easily become gridlocked. Increased congestion, both from residents and construction vehicles, can slow down emergency response times. In an emergency, even a few minutes can make the difference between a small emergency and a catastrophic one. Moreover, higher density housing means more combustible materials in a smaller area, leading to a greater fire load. In the event of a fire, this could cause the fire to spread more quickly and intensely, making it harder for firefighters to control. The very nature of townhomes, often being built close together, increases the risk of a fire spreading from one unit to another. This close proximity reduces the effectiveness of firebreaks and makes it easier for flames to leap from roof to roof. Moreover, the added pressure on our water supply, sewage systems, and other utilities could lead to long-term environmental degradation, reducing the livability of our community. This development could also disturb the local wildlife and increase pollution levels, further detracting from the peaceful and healthy living conditions we currently enjoy. Impact on Community Character The character of Cupertino has always been defined by its quiet, suburban feel—a refuge from the hustle and bustle of the surrounding urban areas. Transforming the Linda Vista area into a high-density neighborhood would fundamentally alter this character. We would lose the very essence of what makes Cupertino special: a safe, family-friendly environment where neighbors know each other and where children can play outside without fear. We urge the City Council to reconsider this proposal. While we recognize the need for additional housing, we believe that there are more appropriate areas in Cupertino for such developments—areas that would not compromise the safety of our children, the peace of our neighborhoods, or the environmental integrity of our city. Thank you for considering our concerns. We look forward to your response and hope that you will prioritize the well-being of our community in your decision-making process. Regards, Nancy Wu Resident at Castleton St.,Cupertino