CC 01-22-2025 Item No. 7 Joint Use Agreement for Continued Public Access to Santa Clara Valley Water District_Written Communications (2)CC 01-22-2025
Item No. 7
Joint Use Agreement for
Continued Public
Access to Santa Clara
Water District property
Written Communications
From:Sunil Malkani
To:Shuling Weng
Cc:City Clerk; Theresa Horng; Liang Chao; Kitty Moore; Ray Wang; Sheila Mohan; J.R. Fruen; Neeta Malkani;
minbai@gmail.com; Santosh Rao
Subject:Re: Request that item #7 on the 1/22/2025 agenda be pulled and voted on separately.
Date:Tuesday, January 21, 2025 7:37:13 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:
I would also like to be included in written communications for the upcoming city council
meeting regarding this matter.
Sunil and Neeta Malkani
On Tue, Jan 21, 2025 at 7:30 PM Shuling Weng <lucyweng2009@gmail.com> wrote:
Dear City Clerk:
I would like to be included in written communications for the upcoming city council
meeting regarding this matter.
Thanks,
,
Best regards,
Shuling Weng
Cupertino resident
Sent from my iPhone
On Jan 21, 2025, at 2:51 PM, Sunil Malkani <sunil.malkani@gmail.com>
wrote:
Dear Cupertino Mayor Chao, Cupertino Vice Mayor Moore and City Councils
members:
I too second this. Please remove #7 from the 1/22 agenda. Besides all the points
mentioned by Shuling and Theresa below, there are many legal and safety
ramifications of this and those need to be addressed before making any ruling
on it.
I have as recently as last week seen a couple of people walking with torches late
at night around 9:30 on this illegal trail and the police dept is not willing to
patrol that area. The creekside area being a riparian area also needs to be
protected. The creek being a very important part of the biodiversity and
ecosystem also will have no protection from dog walkers (seeing a few off leash
dogs) or random people venturing into it out of curiosity.
Sunil & Neeta Malkani
On Thu, Jan 16, 2025 at 10:24 PM Shuling Weng
<lucyweng2009@gmail.com> wrote:
Dear Cupertino Mayor Chao, Cupertino Vice Mayor Moore and City
Councils members:
We fully endorse everything Theresa mentioned in her email. She has clearly,
concisely, and directly addressed our points. Additionally, we would like to
emphasize a few more points:
First, Cupertino already has numerous parks and trails for people to walk or
hike. The special interest groups who illegally created a trail in our
neighborhood do not live here. They show no regard for preserving natural
landscapes or considering the impacts and concerns their actions bring to our
communities. The actions of these groups can have long-lasting negative
effects on our community. Their lack of consideration for local residents'
concerns and the environment demonstrates a disregard for our well-being.
Unauthorized trails can become a financial burden for Cupertino, as they
require maintenance and oversight. These resources could be better allocated
towards preserving natural areas and addressing more pressing community
needs.
Furthermore, natural landscapes often hold historical and cultural
significance. Preserving these areas honors our local heritage and maintains
the natural beauty that defines our community.
We strongly demand that item #7 on the 1/22/2025agenda be pulled and voted
on separately.
Thanks !
Shuling Weng ( Cupertino resident)
Sent from my iPhone
On Jan 16, 2025, at 8:48 PM, Theresa Horng
<theresahorng@gmail.com> wrote:
Dear Cupertino Mayor Chao, Cupertino Vice Mayor Moore and
City Councils members:
Our neighbors demand that item #7 on the 1/22/2025 agenda
be pulled and voted on separately.
Due to global warming, we strongly believe that preserving
natural landscapes is crucial for environmental health and
community resilience. The Valley Water District Property and
the entire Stevens Creek riparian zone play a vital role in our
ecosystem and should be maintained in their natural state for
several reasons:
1. Biodiversity Conservation: Natural areas support a wide
variety of plant and animal species. Preserving these areas
helps maintain biodiversity, which is essential for
ecosystem balance and resilience.
2. Water Quality Improvement: Natural riparian zones act
as buffers, filtering pollutants and sediments from runoff
before they enter water bodies. This process improves the
quality of water in streams and reservoirs, benefiting both
wildlife and human populations.
3. Flood Control: Maintaining natural vegetation along
waterways helps absorb and slow down runoff during
heavy rains. This reduces the risk of flooding, particularly
in areas like ours that are prone to such events.
4. Climate Regulation: Trees and other vegetation sequester
carbon dioxide, a major greenhouse gas contributing to
global warming. By keeping these areas natural, we can
help mitigate climate change effects by absorbing carbon
emissions.
5. Erosion Prevention: Natural vegetation stabilizes soil and
prevents erosion. This is especially important in riparian
zones, where erosion can degrade water quality and harm
aquatic habitats.
Given these significant benefits, we urge that the Valley Water
District Property and the Stevens Creek riparian zone be
preserved in their natural state. This approach aligns with broader
environmental goals and ensures the sustainability and safety of
our community in the face of global warming.
Additionally, regarding the Cupertino Draft Joint Use Agreement
#7 on Graffiti Removal, the city is supposed to have primary
responsibility for removing graffiti on the premises related to trail
use. However, I have concerns about Cupertino City's ability to
manage this effectively. Many of us have lived in Cupertino for
more than two decades, and the graffiti under Stevens Creek
Blvd has remained untouched by the city for twenty years.
Please see the attached pictures showing the graffiti under the
bridge.
Again, we strongly demand that item #7 on the 1/22/2025 agenda
be pulled and voted on separately, see follows:
Agenda
7. Subject: Authorization to execute a Joint Use Agreement
for Continued Public Access to Santa Clara Valley Water
District property situated along a portion of Stevens Creek
Trail.
Recommended Action: Authorize the City Manager to
execute a new Joint Use Agreement with Santa Clara
Valley Water District for ongoing access to the
District's property situated along a portion of the Stevens
Creek Trail.
Attached pictures of graffiti under the bridges for decades and
City agenda and agreements.
cc the neighbors who are concerned about this issue.
We appreciate your attention to this matter.
Best regards,
Theresa Horng
Cupertino Resident
theresahorng@gmail.com
408-772-2328
<Agenda.pdf>
<Staff Report.docx>
<A â???? Draft Joint Use Agreement.pdf>
<IMG_3921.HEIC>
<IMG_3917.HEIC>
<IMG_3909.HEIC>
<IMG_3916.HEIC>
--
Sunil Malkani
--
Sunil Malkani
From:Shuling Weng
To:City Clerk
Cc:Theresa Horng; Liang Chao; Kitty Moore; Ray Wang; Sheila Mohan; J.R. Fruen; Neeta Malkani;
minbai@gmail.com; Santosh Rao; Sunil Malkani
Subject:Re: Request that item #7 on the 1/22/2025 agenda be pulled and voted on separately.
Date:Tuesday, January 21, 2025 7:31:33 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:
I would like to be included in written communications for the upcoming city council meeting
regarding this matter.
Thanks,
,
Best regards,
Shuling Weng
Cupertino resident
Sent from my iPhone
On Jan 21, 2025, at 2:51 PM, Sunil Malkani <sunil.malkani@gmail.com> wrote:
Dear Cupertino Mayor Chao, Cupertino Vice Mayor Moore and City Councils
members:
I too second this. Please remove #7 from the 1/22 agenda. Besides all the points
mentioned by Shuling and Theresa below, there are many legal and safety
ramifications of this and those need to be addressed before making any ruling on
it.
I have as recently as last week seen a couple of people walking with torches late
at night around 9:30 on this illegal trail and the police dept is not willing to patrol
that area. The creekside area being a riparian area also needs to be protected. The
creek being a very important part of the biodiversity and ecosystem also will have
no protection from dog walkers (seeing a few off leash dogs) or random people
venturing into it out of curiosity.
Sunil & Neeta Malkani
On Thu, Jan 16, 2025 at 10:24 PM Shuling Weng <lucyweng2009@gmail.com>
wrote:
Dear Cupertino Mayor Chao, Cupertino Vice Mayor Moore and City Councils
members:
We fully endorse everything Theresa mentioned in her email. She has clearly,
concisely, and directly addressed our points. Additionally, we would like to
emphasize a few more points:
First, Cupertino already has numerous parks and trails for people to walk or
hike. The special interest groups who illegally created a trail in our
neighborhood do not live here. They show no regard for preserving natural
landscapes or considering the impacts and concerns their actions bring to our
communities. The actions of these groups can have long-lasting negative effects
on our community. Their lack of consideration for local residents' concerns and
the environment demonstrates a disregard for our well-being.
Unauthorized trails can become a financial burden for Cupertino, as they
require maintenance and oversight. These resources could be better allocated
towards preserving natural areas and addressing more pressing community
needs.
Furthermore, natural landscapes often hold historical and cultural significance.
Preserving these areas honors our local heritage and maintains the natural
beauty that defines our community.
We strongly demand that item #7 on the 1/22/2025agenda be pulled and voted
on separately.
Thanks !
Shuling Weng ( Cupertino resident)
Sent from my iPhone
On Jan 16, 2025, at 8:48 PM, Theresa Horng
<theresahorng@gmail.com> wrote:
Dear Cupertino Mayor Chao, Cupertino Vice Mayor Moore and
City Councils members:
Our neighbors demand that item #7 on the 1/22/2025 agenda be
pulled and voted on separately.
Due to global warming, we strongly believe that preserving natural
landscapes is crucial for environmental health and community
resilience. The Valley Water District Property and the entire
Stevens Creek riparian zone play a vital role in our ecosystem and
should be maintained in their natural state for several reasons:
1. Biodiversity Conservation: Natural areas support a wide
variety of plant and animal species. Preserving these areas
helps maintain biodiversity, which is essential for ecosystem
balance and resilience.
2. Water Quality Improvement: Natural riparian zones act as
buffers, filtering pollutants and sediments from runoff before
they enter water bodies. This process improves the quality of
water in streams and reservoirs, benefiting both wildlife and
human populations.
3. Flood Control: Maintaining natural vegetation along
waterways helps absorb and slow down runoff during heavy
rains. This reduces the risk of flooding, particularly in areas
like ours that are prone to such events.
4. Climate Regulation: Trees and other vegetation sequester
carbon dioxide, a major greenhouse gas contributing to
global warming. By keeping these areas natural, we can help
mitigate climate change effects by absorbing carbon
emissions.
5. Erosion Prevention: Natural vegetation stabilizes soil and
prevents erosion. This is especially important in riparian
zones, where erosion can degrade water quality and harm
aquatic habitats.
Given these significant benefits, we urge that the Valley Water
District Property and the Stevens Creek riparian zone be preserved
in their natural state. This approach aligns with broader
environmental goals and ensures the sustainability and safety of our
community in the face of global warming.
Additionally, regarding the Cupertino Draft Joint Use Agreement
#7 on Graffiti Removal, the city is supposed to have primary
responsibility for removing graffiti on the premises related to trail
use. However, I have concerns about Cupertino City's ability to
manage this effectively. Many of us have lived in Cupertino for
more than two decades, and the graffiti under Stevens Creek
Blvd has remained untouched by the city for twenty years.
Please see the attached pictures showing the graffiti under the
bridge.
Again, we strongly demand that item #7 on the 1/22/2025 agenda
be pulled and voted on separately, see follows:
Agenda
7. Subject: Authorization to execute a Joint Use Agreement for
Continued Public Access to Santa Clara Valley Water
District property situated along a portion of Stevens Creek
Trail.
Recommended Action: Authorize the City Manager to
execute a new Joint Use Agreement with Santa Clara Valley
Water District for ongoing access to the District's property
situated along a portion of the Stevens Creek Trail.
Attached pictures of graffiti under the bridges for decades and City
agenda and agreements.
cc the neighbors who are concerned about this issue.
We appreciate your attention to this matter.
Best regards,
Theresa Horng
Cupertino Resident
theresahorng@gmail.com
408-772-2328
<Agenda.pdf>
<Staff Report.docx>
<A â???? Draft Joint Use Agreement.pdf>
<IMG_3921.HEIC>
<IMG_3917.HEIC>
<IMG_3909.HEIC>
<IMG_3916.HEIC>
--
Sunil Malkani
From:Liang Chao
To:City Clerk
Cc:Pamela Wu
Subject:Fw: Reservoir Concerns
Date:Tuesday, January 21, 2025 6:26:46 PM
Attachments:image001.png
image003.png
Please enter the following resolves from the Water District into the written communication of the 1/22 council meeting.
Liang Chao
Mayor
City Council
LChao@cupertino.gov
408-777-3192
From: Roseryn Bhudsabourg <RBhudsabourg@valleywater.org>
Sent: Tuesday, January 21, 2025 5:58 PM
To: Liang Chao <liangchao@cupertino.org>; Liang Chao <LChao@cupertino.gov>
Cc: Genevieve Yip <GYip@valleywater.org>
Subject: RE: Reservoir Concerns
Good evening Mayor Chao,
I hope you were able to enjoy the extended holiday weekend. I am reaching out because our Government Relations team was looped in
regarding your inquiry below to the County Fire Department about the water levels at Stevens Creek Reservoir. I would be happy to provide you
with some helpful background on this, especially in light of the wildfires impacting Los Angeles.
Valley Water does own and operate 10 reservoirs throughout Santa Clara County, and we partner with fire protection agencies and local water
retailers (such as San Jose Water Company) to supply water that may be used for fire protection purposes. Due to a dry January, our reservoirs
are a little below normal levels; however, what may look very low is not as low as it seems. In fact, Stevens Creek Reservoir is currently 62% full—
equivalent to a volume of 1,900 acre-feet of water. Rest assured, though, that this is more than enough water needed for an emergency
situation, and this is not counting our supplies from nine other reservoirs across the County that are collectively at 36% of their full capacity.
From a firefighting perspective, each acre-foot (or about 325,000 gallons) can fill over 100 firefighting aircrafts depending on their tank size.
What this means is that any of our reservoirs has an immense firefighting capability even when the water level seems low from its bank.
We coordinate frequently in interagency planning efforts including water supply and emergency response planning, even though our reservoirs’
primary functions are for water supplies, fish and aquatic habitat, and the incidental benefit of flood risk reduction. I understand the concerns
around releasing any water from our reservoirs, but this is never done unless it is absolutely necessary or is providing an environmental benefit.
The water levels in our reservoirs are governed by operational rule curves based on scientific models to help balance our reservoir levels at
different times of the year. For example, controlled releases do happen to prevent the creeks from going dry or to help with groundwater
recharge and percolation. During very wet seasons when our reservoirs are much more full and closer to 100% capacity, we might release some
water to reduce the risk of flooding in surrounding communities. But again, I emphasize that we do not release water from our reservoirs if it is
not beneficial or scientifically justified.
Our Communications team is currently putting together an informational one-pager and FAQ on this topic that I will share with you as soon as it
is finalized. In the meantime, please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have further questions. Please know that Valley Water has and will
continue to allow the use of the water in the reservoirs for fire agencies to use for emergency fire protection purposes.
Thank you,
ROSERYN BHUDSABOURG
SUPERVISING PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR
Office of Government Relations
RBhudsabourg@valleywater.org
Tel. (408) 630-3099 Cell. (408) 693-8739
SANTA CLARA VALLEY WATER DISTRICT
5750 Almaden Expressway, San Jose CA 95118
www.valleywater.org
Clean Water . Healthy Environment . Flood Protection
From: Andres Acevedo <AAcevedo@valleywater.org>
Sent: Friday, January 17, 2025 2:32 PM
To: Alexander Gordon <AGordon@valleywater.org>
Subject: FW: Reservoir Concerns
Alex,
Here is the email that we spoke about earlier this morning. There was some confusion about my email address so there was a delay in
getting it to me. Please let me know if you need any additional information.
Andrés
From: Arthur Tomasetti <arthur.tomasetti@sccfd.org>
Sent: Friday, January 17, 2025 2:00 PM
To: Andres Acevedo <AAcevedo@valleywater.org>
Cc: Mark Shumate <mark.shumate@sccfd.org>; Hector Estrada <hector.estrada@sccfd.org>
Subject: Reservoir Concerns
*** This email originated from outside of Valley Water. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. ***
Hello Andre,
Thank you for your time this morning and providing information that you would like to share with the Mayor of Cupertino on
behalf of Valley Water.
Here is the email below and the address of the Mayor to assist you with answering questions or concerns.
Is it possible to find out what is the reason for the drop in water levels at Steven’s Creek
reservoir. Which agency is responsible for the reservoir water levels. If you know and/or
have contact info I can also reach out to them.
Liang Chao
Mayor
City Council
LChao@cupertino.gov
408-777-3192
Arthur Tomasetti
Acting Deputy Chief
Administration & Planning Division
Santa Clara County Fire Department
Office: 408.341-4463 Cell: 408 656-9055
