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CC 03-03-2025 Item No. 1 FY 2025-27 CWP Prioritizatoin and Goal Setting Workshop _Written CommunicationsCC 03-03-2025 Item No. 1 FY 2025-2027 City Work Program Prioritization and Goal Setting Workshop Written Communications From:Srividya Sundaresan To:City Council; Pamela Wu; City Clerk; Chad Mosley; David Stillman; Rachelle Sander; Kristina Alfaro; Benjamin Fu Date:Friday, February 28, 2025 12:33:31 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 following letter in the written communications for the next city council meeting. Thanks! [Writing on behalf of myself as a Cupertino resident.] Dear Mayor Chao and City Council Members, I’m writing to ask the Council to avoid raising taxes on residents or hotels (TOT). The problem isn’t that we need more money—it’s that we need to spend better. Please don’t approve the CWP item that looks into adding new taxes. I also think it’s important that the Council keeps the current residents in mind when deciding on CWP items, especially since only 10% of staff time is available for CWP tasks. We should focus on things that really matter for: The people living here now (not future residents, visitors, or students at De Anza). The financial health of the city. Cupertino’s long-term success and reputation. With that said, I hope you can make the following Planning Commission items a top priority: Impact Fee Study – We need this done soon so developers don’t get away with avoiding fees, like what happened with The Rise. Without a solid fee study, we risk having to waive fees in the future, costing the city money. Streamline Single-Family Home Permits – Many homeowners are having a tough time with permits and inspections, while developers get fast approvals. It’s not fair that residents face so many challenges with city permits. Please simplify this process for the people living here. Better Notification and Outreach for Development Projects – One of the biggest complaints from residents is that they’re not kept in the loop about new projects, like housing developments and Builder’s Remedy applications. Many voters were frustrated by this issue in the last election. Please prioritize better communication with residents. Beyond the planning items, here are some other CWP items I believe deserve attention: Urban Forest Expansion – Adding more trees to Cupertino would be a big win for our future. It’s good for the environment, raises property values, and makes the city a nicer place to live. Please make this a priority. Memorial Park Plan – We don’t need to spend $80 million on redoing Memorial Park, especially if it means cutting down 65% of the trees. The park is fine the way it is. Let’s stop this project. Regarding City Hall, we don’t need a new project. Let’s just retrofit the current building and get started on that as soon as possible. Also, I don’t think we need more funding for Neighborhood Watch or Block Leaders. These programs aren’t doing much to improve public safety. Thank you for keeping residents at the forefront of your decisions. I hope you’ll vote based on what helps the community the most, not on personal interests. Thanks for your time and consideration. Sincerely, Srividya Sundaresan Cupertino resident From:Ravi Kiran Singh Sapaharam To:City Council; Pamela Wu; City Clerk; Chad Mosley; David Stillman; Rachelle Sander; Kristina Alfaro; Benjamin Fu Subject:Resident Concerns - City Council Meeting Date:Friday, February 28, 2025 10:29:16 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 below in the written communications for the next City Council meeting. Thank you. Dear Mayor Chao and City Council Members, I urge the Council to: Prioritize resident needs: Focus CWP efforts on current residents, city finances, and long-term success. Oppose new taxes: Avoid tax increases on residents or hotels. Retrofit City Hall: Avoid a new building. Refocus safety spending: Increase patrols, traffic enforcement, and technology, rather than Neighborhood Watch funding. Focus CWP on: Impact Fee Study Streamlining home permits Improved project notifications Heart of the City Plan update Urban forest expansion Retaining Memorial Park as is Extending Blackberry Farm access Traffic improvements Remove business development from CWP: Form an economic development committee. Please prioritize resident interests over personal interests. Thank you. Sincerely, Ravi Kiran Singh Cupertino Resident From:Santosh Rao To:City Council; City Clerk; Pamela Wu; Benjamin Fu; Rachelle Sander; Chad Mosley; Kristina Alfaro; Luke Connolly Subject:CWP priorities. Date:Friday, February 28, 2025 9:58:40 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 the below in written communications for the upcoming city council meeting. Thank you. [Writing on behalf of myself only as a Cupertino resident.] Dear Mayor Chao and Cupertino City Council Members, I strongly urge the Council to refrain from exploring any increase in taxes on residents or hotels (TOT). Cupertino does not have a revenue problem—it has a spending problem. Rather than imposing additional taxes, we must focus on responsible fiscal management and spending reductions. I urge you to reject the CWP item exploring additional tax policies. Additionally, I encourage the Council to evaluate CWP items through the lens of resident priorities. Given that only 10% of staff bandwidth is allocated to CWP work—beyond operational responsibilities—it is critical that these efforts are prioritized for maximum impact and relevance to: 1. Current residents (not future residents, transient populations, or daytime visitors like De Anza students). 2. The city's fiscal health. 3. Cupertino’s long-term legacy. With that in mind, I urge the Council to prioritize the following Planning Commission items: 1. Impact Fee Study – This is essential to complete as soon as possible to prevent future fee waivers for developers. Without a defensible nexus fee study, projects like The Rise will set a precedent for waiving impact fees, costing the city millions. 2. Streamlining Single-Family Home (SFH) Permits – I hear weekly from residents struggling with excessive delays, complex requirements, and inconsistent final inspections. Meanwhile, commercial developers receive ministerial approvals with little scrutiny. Subjecting homeowners to bureaucratic hurdles while streamlining approvals for developers is unacceptable. We must simplify and expedite the SFH permitting process for residents. 3. Notification & Outreach Policy for Development Projects – One of the most widespread concerns across Cupertino is the lack of resident awareness regarding Housing Element sites, Builder’s Remedy projects, and application amendments. The recent election demonstrated that voter frustration on this issue is significant. The Council must act urgently to establish clear and consistent notification and outreach policies to prevent further surprises for residents. 4. Heart of the City Specific Plan Update – Cupertino’s specific plans, written in the 1970s and 1980s, are outdated and in need of revision. We must strengthen policies to preserve retail, protect streetscapes, incorporate more prescriptive language, align with objective design standards, and ensure that specific plans provide meaningful guidance for development applications. Beyond planning-related matters, I urge the Council to prioritize the following CWP items: 1. Urban Forest Expansion – Investing in our urban forest is one of the most impactful long-term improvements Cupertino can make. A greener city enhances property values, improves environmental sustainability, and elevates residents' quality of life. I urge the Council to make this a top priority. 2. Memorial Park Plan – This project should be defunded and halted. Memorial Park is in good condition and does not require an $80 million redesign, especially when the plan proposes removing 65% of the trees. There is no justification for this level of expenditure. 3. Extending Blackberry Farm’s Year-Round Use – Blackberry Farm is a treasured community asset, yet its use is arbitrarily restricted to just 100 days a year. Expanding access year-round would significantly enhance residents' quality of life. This will require an EIR update, but it is well worth the effort. 4. Traffic Congestion and Roadway Improvements – Cupertino must focus on streamlining major thoroughfares to ease automotive traffic. This includes: Upgrading adaptive traffic signals. Removing unnecessary right-turn restrictions, which contribute to congestion. Reassessing intersection modifications at Wolfe and halting the recently approved changes. For too long, traffic policies have prioritized theoretical safety measures without real-world effectiveness. Physical barriers, such as concrete cinder blocks, do little to enhance safety at reasonable speeds. Additionally, certain intersection changes have led to riskier driving behaviors, such as abrupt turns and lane changes. A data-driven approach to improving traffic flow is necessary. With only 10% of staff bandwidth dedicated to CWP items, it is imperative that we prioritize initiatives that deliver the greatest benefit to residents. Regarding City Hall: The city does not need a CWP item for City Hall. Funding should be directed toward retrofitting the existing building, and this work should begin immediately. On Neighborhood Watch & Block Leader Funding: Additional funding is unnecessary. As a block leader who regularly attends meetings, I can attest that these programs provide little tangible benefit to public safety. Instead, funds should be allocated to: Expanding West Valley Patrols. Increasing traffic enforcement and neighborhood patrols. Installing more license plate readers, red-light cameras, and speed monitoring systems. Economic Development Items: These should be delegated to an economic development committee rather than occupying CWP bandwidth. I appreciate the Council’s commitment to serving residents and making decisions based on what will have the most meaningful impact on the community. I urge you to prioritize projects that directly benefit residents, rather than advancing individual passions or interests. Thank you for considering my feedback. Thanks, San Rao (Cupertino resident and voter) From:Ram Sripathi To:City Council; City Clerk; Chad Mosley; David Stillman; Pamela Wu; Kristina Alfaro Subject:Urgent Request to Defund Wasteful CIP Spending and Prioritize Fiscal Responsibility Date:Thursday, February 27, 2025 10:44:49 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. [Writing only on behalf of myself as a Cupertino resident] Dear City Clerk, Please include my mail in written communications for the upcoming city council meeting. Dear Mayor Chao and Council Members, I am writing as a Cupertino resident and voter to express deep concern over the city's escalating CIP expenditures, particularly on bike lane projects such as ATP, vision zero, 2016 ongoing bike plan, consultant contracts, and non- essential initiatives. Mayor Chao’s excellent State of the City presentation on February 26, 2025, highlighted the dramatic rise in CIP spending, yet residents have seen little return. The 2016 Bike Plan's green bars contrast sharply with the reasonable CIP spending in years before 2016—concrete cinder block bike lanes that no neighboring cities (San Jose, Sunnyvale, Milpitas, Fremont, Los Altos, Saratoga) seem to require. Why does Cupertino need such costly, unnecessary infrastructure? Immediate Actions Needed: DEFUND the Active Transportation Plan (ATP) and Vision Zero. These initiatives have ballooned costs with no measurable benefit. Reducing speed limits does nothing without enforcement—what we need is traffic enforcement at 30-35 mph, not lower limits that go unenforced. Targeted Speed Reductions Where It Matters. The one exception is Foothill Boulevard, where the 40 mph limit sees actual speeds of 50-55 mph—this is where speed reduction is necessary. Elsewhere, the focus should be on enforcing existing limits rather than arbitrarily lowering them. Cancel Wasteful Consultant Contracts. Immediately terminate contracts related to: Vision Zero and ATP Recycled Water Treatment Plant Public-Private Partnerships City Office Purchase Budget Reporting “Improvements” (The finance team’s existing format is effective—no need for costly changes.) Solar Panel Projects (If Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funding is canceled, it's time to cut losses and cancel these contracts.) Full Review of Active Contracts. Council must agendaize a full list of active consultant contracts, including approved amounts, funds spent, and remaining balances, with the intent to identify and cancel unnecessary spending. Bridge Repair, Not Bike Underpasses. Every infrastructure project seems to morph into another wasteful bike lane expansion. Bridge repair should mean just that—repairing the bridge—not a new bike underpass. We need a moratorium on further spending in this area. Reallocate Funds to Resident Priorities. Redirect savings toward traffic enforcement and increased neighborhood patrols, which directly benefit residents' safety and quality of life. Some of you ran on fiscal responsibility—but we have yet to see it in action. It’s time to deliver on your promises by cutting unnecessary spending and prioritizing what truly matters: core services, infrastructure, and public safety. March and April agendas must be deliberate, not reactive, with a clear focus on reducing costs and restoring essential services. Cupertino residents deserve better. Please act now. Sincerely, Ram sripathi Cupertino Resident and Voter From:Ravi Kiran Singh Sapaharam To:City Clerk; City Council; City Council; Chad Mosley; David Stillman; Pamela Wu; Kristina Alfaro Subject:Request to Defund Wasteful CIP Spending Date:Thursday, February 27, 2025 11:18:26 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. City Clerk Please include this in written communications for the next city council meeting. Dear Mayor Chao and Council Members, As a Cupertino resident and voter, I’m alarmed by the rising CIP costs—especially on bike lane projects like ATP, Vision Zero, and the 2016 Bike Plan—highlighted in Mayor Chao’s February 26, 2025, State of the City address. These expensive initiatives (e.g., concrete bike lanes, consultant contracts) show little benefit compared to pre-2016 spending. Neighboring cities like San Jose and Sunnyvale don’t need these—why does Cupertino? Immediate Actions Needed: Defund ATP and Vision Zero: Costly with no results. Lower speed limits are useless without enforcement—focus on 30-35 mph traffic enforcement instead. Targeted Speed Reduction: Reduce Foothill Boulevard’s 40 mph limit (where speeds hit 50-55 mph), not everywhere. Cancel Consultant Contracts: End spending on Vision Zero, ATP, Recycled Water, Public-Private Partnerships, City Office Purchase, Budget Reporting “Improvements,” and Solar Panels (cut if IRA funding is gone). Review Contracts: Agendaize a full list of active contracts—approve amounts, funds spent, balances—and cancel waste. Focus on Bridges, Not Bike Lanes: Repair bridges without adding bike underpasses. Pause this spending. Reallocate Funds: Use savings for traffic enforcement and neighborhood patrols— real priorities for residents. You ran on a commitment to fiscal responsibility, and I know you care deeply about our city’s future. I respectfully urge you to reflect that promise by trimming unnecessary spending and prioritizing core services and safety in the March and April agendas, rather than less essential projects. Cupertino’s residents would greatly appreciate your leadership on this—please consider acting soon. Regards Ravi Kiran Singh Cupertino resident and voter From:Yuvaraj Athur Raghuvir To:City Council; City Clerk; Chad Mosley; David Stillman; Pamela Wu; Kristina Alfaro Subject:Urgent Request to Defund Wasteful CIP Spending and Prioritize Fiscal Responsibility Date:Thursday, February 27, 2025 6:21:02 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. [Writing only on behalf of myself as a Cupertino Resident] Dear City Clerk, Please include my mail in written communications for the upcoming city council meeting. Subject: Urgent Request to Defund Wasteful CIP Spending and Prioritize Fiscal Responsibility Dear Mayor Chao and Council Members, I am writing as a Cupertino resident and voter to express deep concern over the city's escalating CIP expenditures, particularly on bike lane projects such as ATP, vision zero, 2016 ongoing bike plan, consultant contracts, and non-essential initiatives. Mayor Chao’s excellent State of the City presentation on February 26, 2025, highlighted the dramatic rise in CIP spending, yet residents have seen little return. The 2016 Bike Plan's green bars contrast sharply with the reasonable CIP spending in years before 2016—concrete cinder block bike lanes that no neighboring cities (San Jose, Sunnyvale, Milpitas, Fremont, Los Altos, Saratoga) seem to require. Why does Cupertino need such initiatives that are not emergency response friendly? Immediate Actions Needed: DEFUND the Active Transportation Plan (ATP) and Vision Zero. These initiatives have ballooned costs with no measurable benefit. Reducing speed limits does nothing without enforcement—what we need is traffic enforcement at 30-35 mph, not lower limits that go unenforced. Targeted Speed Reductions Where It Matters. The one exception is Foothill Boulevard, where the 40 mph limit sees actual speeds of 50-55 mph—this is where speed reduction is necessary. Elsewhere, the focus should be on enforcing existing limits rather than arbitrarily lowering them. Cancel Wasteful Consultant Contracts. Immediately terminate contracts related to: Vision Zero and ATP Recycled Water Treatment Plant Public-Private Partnerships City Office Purchase Budget Reporting “Improvements” (The finance team’s existing format is effective—no need for costly changes.) Solar Panel Projects (If Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funding is canceled, it's time to cut losses and cancel these contracts.) Full Review of Active Contracts. Council must agendaize a full list of active consultant contracts, including approved amounts, funds spent, and remaining balances, with the intent to identify and cancel unnecessary spending. Bridge Repair, Not Bike Underpasses. Every infrastructure project seems to morph into another wasteful bike lane expansion. Bridge repair should mean just that—repairing the bridge—not a new bike underpass. We need a moratorium on further spending in this area. Reallocate Funds to Resident Priorities. Redirect savings toward traffic enforcement and increased neighborhood patrols, which directly benefit residents' safety and quality of life. Some of you ran on fiscal responsibility—but we have yet to see it in action. It’s time to deliver on your promises by cutting unnecessary spending and prioritizing what truly matters: core services, infrastructure, and public safety. March and April agendas must be deliberate, not reactive, with a clear focus on reducing costs and restoring essential services. Cupertino residents deserve better. Please act now. Sincerely, Yuva Athur Cupertino Resident and Voter From:Snehal Panchal To:City Council; City Clerk; Chad Mosley; David Stillman; Pamela Wu; Kristina Alfaro Cc:Snehal Panchal Subject:Urgent Request to Defund Wasteful CIP Spending and Prioritize Fiscal Responsibility Date:Wednesday, February 26, 2025 11:13:08 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. [Writing only on behalf of myself as a Cupertino resident] Dear City Clerk, Please include my mail in written communications for the upcoming city council meeting. Subject: Urgent Request to Defund Wasteful CIP Spending and Prioritize Fiscal Responsibility Dear Mayor Chao and Council Members, I am writing as a Cupertino resident and voter to express deep concern over the city's escalating CIP expenditures, particularly on bike lane projects such as ATP, vision zero, 2016 ongoing bike plan, consultant contracts, and non-essential initiatives. Mayor Chao’s excellent State of the City presentation on February 26, 2025, highlighted the dramatic rise in CIP spending, yet residents have seen little return. The 2016 Bike Plan's green bars contrast sharply with the reasonable CIP spending in years before 2016—concrete cinder block bike lanes that no neighboring cities (San Jose, Sunnyvale, Milpitas, Fremont, Los Altos, Saratoga) seem to require. Why does Cupertino need such costly, unnecessary infrastructure? Immediate Actions Needed: DEFUND the Active Transportation Plan (ATP) and Vision Zero. These initiatives have ballooned costs with no measurable benefit. Reducing speed limits does nothing without enforcement—what we need is traffic enforcement at 30-35 mph, not lower limits that go unenforced. Targeted Speed Reductions Where It Matters. The one exception is Foothill Boulevard, where the 40 mph limit sees actual speeds of 50-55 mph—this is where speed reduction is necessary. Elsewhere, the focus should be on enforcing existing limits rather than arbitrarily lowering them. Cancel Wasteful Consultant Contracts. Immediately terminate contracts related to: Vision Zero and ATP Recycled Water Treatment Plant Public-Private Partnerships City Office Purchase Budget Reporting “Improvements” (The finance team’s existing format is effective—no need for costly changes.) Solar Panel Projects (If Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funding is canceled, it's time to cut losses and cancel these contracts.) Full Review of Active Contracts. Council must agendaize a full list of active consultant contracts, including approved amounts, funds spent, and remaining balances, with the intent to identify and cancel unnecessary spending. Bridge Repair, Not Bike Underpasses. Every infrastructure project seems to morph into another wasteful bike lane expansion. Bridge repair should mean just that—repairing the bridge—not a new bike underpass. We need a moratorium on further spending in this area. Reallocate Funds to Resident Priorities. Redirect savings toward traffic enforcement and increased neighborhood patrols, which directly benefit residents' safety and quality of life. Some of you ran on fiscal responsibility—but we have yet to see it in action. It’s time to deliver on your promises by cutting unnecessary spending and prioritizing what truly matters: core services, infrastructure, and public safety. March and April agendas must be deliberate, not reactive, with a clear focus on reducing costs and restoring essential services. Cupertino residents deserve better. Please act now. Sincerely, Snehal Panchal Cupertino Resident From:Roberta To:City Council; City Clerk; Cupertino City Manager"s Office Subject:City Work Plan and Leadership Academy Date:Wednesday, February 26, 2025 11:37:25 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 Council Members, At your FY 2025-2027 City Work Program Prioritization and Goal Setting Workshop I urge you to prioritize the adoption of Leadership Academy, formerly Leadership Cupertino. This program will serve the community by finding and developing leaders for the City of Cupertino and community organizations through education, communication, collaboration, and experience. The Leadership Academy will provide participants with the basic tools and information to become a member of a city board or commission, a local elected official, a member of a community board or organization and an informed citizen. Your inclusion of this program in your work plan will significantly benefit the city. Sincerely, Roberta Hollimon 11155 La Paloma Drive Cupertino, CA 95014 408-253-6078 From:Nancy Chang To:City Council; City Clerk; Pamela Wu; Luke Connolly; Piu Ghosh (she/her); Emi Sugiyama; City of Cupertino Planning Commission Subject:3/3 CWP and 3/4 City Council Meeting: Address High fire zone issue, community meeting, and additional notifications Date:Monday, March 3, 2025 2:00:26 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. Hello City of Cupertino, There is a Cupertino City Council workshop today 3/3 at 5pm on City Work Program (CWP) prioritization. One of the CWP items is public noticing and engagement. I would like to offer input to prioritize public noticing. Linda Vista, Evulich Ct. and part of Columbus are in Very High fire zone. Santa Teresa and Columbus area are in High fire zone. Fire safety is a very serious issue that the City of Cupertino address and take action. High density construction will create a very dangerous situation. If you look at the fire destruction drone clips in Pacific Palisades from highway 1 to inland areas, the landscape is very similar to open space in Linda Vista area toward Bubb road. Please address during the CWP meeting today and 3/4 upcoming city council meeting the following: 1. Please address the high fire zone issue as described above given the housing projects. 2. Please consider increasing the notification radius to 1,000 feet about major projects. 3. Please also consider a community meeting requirement for any major projects applications, especially those requiring a general plan amendment as some other cities have adopted already. 4. Please also consider additional notification requirements for any project application seeking concessions/waivers of existing standards such as building height. Thank you Nancy Wu Resident of Cupertino From:Tracy K To:City Council; City Clerk; Pamela Wu Subject:City Work Program Meeting Written Comments Date:Monday, March 3, 2025 12:10:10 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 Cupertino City Council and Staff, During today's Council Goals and Work Program meeting, please prioritize the following much-needed City Work Program initiatives: 1. City Hall Seismic Retrofit & EOC: The staff time and research was already done years ago to make our City Hall safer for workers and our city safer for residents. Please get this completed. 2. Memorial Park Renovation: The plan should never have been anywhere near $80M. Please prioritize paring back the plan to a fraction of the cost to make basic and needed upgrades to the playground and restrooms. There are a lot of unnecessary costs in the original plan, such as uprooting and replanting of trees, that could be eliminated. A renovated park will draw more foot traffic to the heart of our city and have a beneficial effect on local surrounding businesses. 3. Small business/retail/economic development strategy: This appears on most Councilmembers' top ten lists in different forms. As an example of what this could include, the City of Palo Alto worked on a Retail Zoning Strategy study which sought to address their similar challenges with retail. 4. Impact fee evaluation/Nexus study: This is an important initiative to ensure the city does not lose tens of millions in fee concessions to developer(s). 5. Streamline single family home permitting process: This is a win-win. Residents get their homes remodeled more quickly, and property values also increase more quickly, helping the city. 6. Financial, investment, and cash management policy review: Better cash/investment management can help the city close its structural deficit more quickly than relying solely on development and/or sales tax revenue to increase. Things I also support but they do not seem like work program items: - Restoring hybrid commission meetings/increasing transparency - Tree planting: Does this need to be an official city work program item? Shouldn't this just fall into ongoing operating costs/budget? I have confidence the Council will arrive at a plan with significant potential to help bring the city forward. Thank you for your service, Tracy Kosolcharoen