CC 03-18-2025 Late CommunicationsCC 03-18-2025
Oral
Communications
Written Comments
From:Mithun Vd
To:chengpearl@fhda.edu; godfreyterry@fhda.edu; casaslaura@fhda.edu; landsbergerpeter@fhda.edu;
gvatuaalexander@fhda.edu; maitlandcarla@fhda.edu; City Clerk; City Council
Subject:Urgent Request to Halt McClellan Terrace Purchase and Redirect Funds to Critical Campus Infrastructure Needs
Date:Tuesday, March 18, 2025 4:30:36 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 FHDA staff/clerk,
Please include the below in written communications for the upcoming FHDA board meeting.
Please share the below with FHDA board trustees for their urgent consideration without
waiting till the next board meeting.
Writing on behalf of myself only as an FHDA voter and taxpayer, as well as a parent of a 9th-
grade student & 3rd Grade student will be significantly impacted by this decision.
Foothill-De Anza Community College District
Board of Trustees
12345 El Monte Road
Los Altos Hills, CA 94022
Subject: Urgent Request to Halt McClellan Terrace Purchase and Redirect Funds to Critical
Campus Infrastructure Needs
Dear FHDA Board of Trustees,
I am writing to express my strong opposition to the proposed $66.7 million purchase of
McClellan Terrace Apartments, along with an estimated $28.2 million in renovations. This
nearly $100 million expenditure represents a substantial misallocation of taxpayer-approved
Measure G funds, diverting resources away from the urgent infrastructure needs of De Anza
College and Foothill College. Rather than investing in a high-priced real estate acquisition that
does not expand student enrollment or provide direct academic benefits, FHDA should
prioritize capital improvements that address longstanding deficiencies in core educational
facilities.
Major Concerns with the McClellan Terrace Purchase
Exorbitant Cost for Limited Housing Impact
The $66.7 million purchase price equates to $709,780 per unit, significantly higher than
market prices for comparable rental units in the area.
The additional $28.2 million renovation budget brings the total cost to approximately $95
million, yet the project will not increase student enrollment at De Anza or Foothill.
With 332 beds across 94 units, the cost per bed exceeds $285,000, an unsustainable financial
model for student housing.
Questionable Justification and Market Conditions
FHDA’s own market research identified 109 comparable rental properties within a 10-mile
radius, totaling over 22,000 units, with approximately 707 vacant two-bedroom units available
at market rates.
The current McClellan Terrace rental rates average $3,481 per unit, nearly identical to
comparable local properties, further negating the claim that this purchase will provide
significantly more affordable housing.
The location is only 0.3 miles from De Anza, but survey data from FHDA students and faculty
shows that on-campus housing is preferred over off-campus housing, making this purchase a
lower-priority investment.
Deferred Maintenance and Infrastructure Needs Ignored
FHDA is proposing to allocate nearly $100 million to a real estate acquisition while failing to
address pressing campus infrastructure needs, including:
Road and parking lot repaving at De Anza College—severely degraded conditions pose
accessibility and safety hazards.
Renovation of De Anza’s Physical Education Complex—aging and outdated facilities fail to
meet modern fitness and sports training standards.
Tennis court reconstruction at De Anza College—courts are in poor condition and require full
resurfacing to remain usable for students and the community.
Foothill College’s Smithwick Theater Renovation—a 60-year-old facility in dire need of
upgrades to remain a functional performance and lecture space.
Legal and Environmental Uncertainties
The McClellan Terrace property has a history of roof defects and concealed damage
discovered in recent years.
The purchase relies on a Categorical Exemption under CEQA, which limits the scope of future
renovations and could create legal challenges.
The swimming pool will be filled in, eliminating an amenity rather than adding value to the
site.
Call to Action: Prioritize Core Campus Investments
The FHDA Board has a fiduciary duty to ensure that taxpayer funds are used efficiently and
directly contribute to improving education and student services. Instead of spending nearly
$100 million on an overpriced apartment complex, FHDA should focus on critical campus
infrastructure needs that will benefit all students, faculty, and staff.
I urge the Board to cancel the McClellan Terrace purchase and reallocate these funds to
address long-overdue campus facility upgrades, including road and parking lot paving, sports
and recreation facility improvements, and the enhancement of core academic and student
service buildings.
Investing in education—not speculative real estate—is the only responsible path forward.
Sincerely,
Mithun
FHDA resident
From:Pam Hershey
To:Liang Chao; Kitty Moore; J.R. Fruen; Sheila Mohan; R "Ray" Wang
Cc:City Clerk
Subject:Submission of Petiton opposing of the N Portal Sound Wall
Date:Tuesday, March 18, 2025 5:33:21 PM
Attachments:PETITION package-N Portal Sound Wall.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.
March 18, 2025
Cupertino City Council
10300 Torre Ave.
Cupertino, CA 95014
Subject: Submission of Petition Opposing the Opening of the N. Portal Sound Wall
Dear Mayor Chao, Vice Mayor Moore, and Councilmembers Fruen, Mohan, and Wang,
We are writing on behalf of the residents of the Portal neighborhood to formally submit
the attached petition, signed by over 500 community members, opposing any proposal to
open the Sound Wall separating N. Portal from Wolfe Road Housing development and
The Rise.
As detailed in the petition, the opening of the sound wall would significantly impact the
character, safety, and livability of our neighborhood. The scale of the adjacent
development—introducing over 3,000 residential units, nearly 2 million square feet of
office space, and hundreds of thousands of square feet of retail—necessitates careful
planning to mitigate adverse effects on surrounding residential areas. The Sound Wall
has long served as a critical buffer, preserving the integrity of our R-1 zoned
neighborhood by preventing excessive traffic, noise pollution, parking overflow, and
security concerns.
The strong community response reflected in this petition underscores the deep concerns
shared by our residents. We urge the City Council to uphold existing zoning protections,
honor the long-standing covenant maintaining the sound wall, and conduct thorough
environmental and traffic impact assessments before considering any changes that could
fundamentally alter our neighborhood.
We appreciate your time and attention to this matter and welcome the opportunity to
engage in an open dialogue to explore alternative solutions that support urban
connectivity without compromising community welfare. Please feel free to reach out if
further discussion is needed.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely ,
North Portal Neighborhood
March 18, 2025
Cupertino City Council
10300 Torre Ave.
Cupertino, CA 95014
Subject: Submission of Petition Opposing the Opening of the N. Portal Sound Wall
Dear Mayor Chao, Vice Mayor Moore, and Councilmembers Fruen, Mohan, and Wang,
We are writing on behalf of the residents of the Portal neighborhood to formally submit the
attached petition, signed by over 500 community members, opposing any proposal to open the
Sound Wall separating N. Portal from Wolfe Road Housing development and The Rise.
As detailed in the petition, the opening of the sound wall would significantly impact the
character, safety, and livability of our neighborhood. The scale of the adjacent
development—introducing over 3,000 residential units, nearly 2 million square feet of office
space, and hundreds of thousands of square feet of retail—necessitates careful planning to
mitigate adverse effects on surrounding residential areas. The Sound Wall has long served as a
critical buffer, preserving the integrity of our R-1 zoned neighborhood by preventing excessive
traffic, noise pollution, parking overflow, and security concerns.
The strong community response reflected in this petition underscores the deep concerns shared
by our residents. We urge the City Council to uphold existing zoning protections, honor the
long-standing covenant maintaining the sound wall, and conduct thorough environmental and
traffic impact assessments before considering any changes that could fundamentally alter our
neighborhood.
We appreciate your time and attention to this matter and welcome the opportunity to engage in
an open dialogue to explore alternative solutions that support urban connectivity without
compromising community welfare. Please feel free to reach out if further discussion is needed.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely ,
North Portal Neighborhood
Each RED DOT represents ONE OR MORE signatures.
Petition for Preserving the
Sound Wall
North Portal Neighborhood
Goal of this presentation
●Supplement “Petition for Preserving the Sound Wall”.
○Petition Statistics
○Background of the petition
○Supporting facts not detailed in the Petition.
Petition Statistics
●Number of signatures: 525
●Number of households
with at least one signature: 297
●100% in-person, handwritten signatures
●Most collected in 2 weekends.
●Only 18-years or older
Household with at least one signature
The Sound Wall
●Built at the start of development of Vallco
Mall in 1974, mandated by the
development agreement.
●Separating N Portal residential district
from commercial district
●Historically, there were attempts to open it
multiple times.
New development: Wolfe Road Housing & The Rise
●Unprecedented density
○3,000+ residential units
■~10X of N Portal households
■16% ~ 21% of Cupertino population
○1.95M+ sqft. office space
○200K+ sqft. retail space
Wolfe Road Housing
The Rise
wikipedia
(2023)
Our petition
●We are not opposed to these projects themselves.
○The housing crisis is real.
■Home price & rent is skyrocketing.
○Diversity is our core value.
○Our teachers deserve better housing.
○We must find solutions together.
●Given the unprecedented scale of the projects and the current plan of
projects, what may seem like a small change can have a significant impact on our
neighborhood.
Summary of Petition
Due to the massive scale of the combined projects, maintaining the sound
wall serves as a basic safeguard against significant changes to the
character, safety, and livability of the N Portal neighborhood.
Key Concerns
1.Traffic & Safety
Increased cut-through traffic—whether by vehicles, bicycles, or pedestrians—poses a
significant safety risk, particularly to children and seniors. The surrounding streets
were not designed to absorb additional volume of traffic, and an open sound wall
would exacerbate these hazards.
Key Concerns
2.Existing Alternative Connectivity Options
The Tamien Innu Trailhead and Class IV
Bike Lane along Stevens Creek Boulevard
already provide safer, designated routes for
pedestrians and cyclists.
One of the Tamien Innu Trailheads is on the
Wolfe Rd Housing property, making it very
convenient.
Class IV Bike Lane on Stevens Creek Blvd
Opening being considered
(Auburn)
Tamien Innu Trailhead (planned)
Class IV Bike Lane (planned)
Key Concerns
3.Parking & Overflow Concerns
Wolfe Road Housing and The Rise projects lack sufficient parking to
accommodate their own residents, workers, and visitors. Without proper enforcement of
Cupertino’s municipal code regarding zoning buffers, our neighborhood will face
unmanageable parking overflow.
○Less than 1 parking stall per household. (source: planning documents of projects)
○Project leaders expect tenants to use public transportation.
Other Key Concerns
4.Preservation of Neighborhood Character & R1 Zoning
Our community is zoned R-1 to ensure privacy, compatibility, and a low-intensity
residential setting.
5.Security & Privacy
Unlike enclosed apartment complexes, our neighborhood relies on limited access
points for safety and privacy.
6.Sound Wall Protection & Established Covenant
The sound wall exists due to a long-standing covenant designed to mitigate noise and
traffic impacts from adjacent high-density developments.
Our requests
1.We ask the City to reject any proposal to open the sound wall and instead explore
alternative solutions that support connectivity without compromising
neighborhood safety and character.
2.We request formal documentation and enforcement of the long-standing covenant
preserving the sound wall, as recognized during the site’s earlier development.
Thank you for your service and consideration.
CC 03-18-2025
Item No. 10
Confirm language for two new
City Council Strategic Goals;
Finalize FY 2025-2027 City Work
Program
Written Communications
From:Vinod Balakrishnan
To:City Council; Pamela Wu; City Clerk
Subject:Focus Point: Quality of Life
Date:Tuesday, March 18, 2025 4:28:00 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 Mayor Liang Chao, Vice Mayor Kitty Moore, and Cupertino City Council Members,
When it comes to the priority going forward, Quality of life comes first
Here are my recommendations
1. Curb down the ongoing burglaries. The number of house robberies had gone up recently,
the burglars think Cupertino is an easy target. Can we have Our own Law enforcement
office going forward ? Recently there were 3 house break-ins in my North Blaney
neighborhood
2. Ordinance against homeless encampments .
3. Ordinance against RV encampments in our city.
4. Wiser spending on pedestrian and bike safety than concrete barriers that create more
problems than solving.
-Vinod