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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPC 06-23-2026 MinutesAPPROVED MINUTES CUPERTINO PLANNING COMMISSION Tuesday, June 23, 2026 At 6:45 p.m. Chair Tracy Kosolcharoen called the regular Planning Commission meeting to order and led the Pledge of Allegiance in the Cupertino Community Hall Council Chamber, 10350 Torre Avenue and via teleconference. ROLL CALL Present: Chair Tracy Kosolcharoen, Vice Chair Steven Scharf and Commissioners David Fung, Seema Lindskog and Santosh Rao. Absent: None. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1.Subject: Approval of the May 26, 2026 Planning Commission Minutes. Recommended Action: Approve the May 26, 2026 Planning Commission Minutes. MOTION: Rao moved and Lindskog seconded to approve the May 26, 2026, Planning Commission Minutes. The motion carried with the following vote: Ayes: Kosolcharoen, Scharf, Lindskog, Rao. Noes: None. Abstain: Fung. Absent: None. POSTPONEMENTS – None ORAL COMMUNICATIONS – Jennifer Griffin discussed Highway 17. OLD BUSINESS – None NEW BUSINESS – None STUDY SESSION 2.Subject: Study Session on Housing Element update to add capacity at all income levels. Recommended Action: Receive staff’s presentation and provide direction on housing site selection strategies to add capacity to accommodate the City’s moderate- and Planning Commission Minutes June 23, 2026 lower-income Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA), as required by state law. Written communications for the item included a staff presentation. Assistant Director of Community Development Luke Connolly gave a presentation. Chair Kosolcharoen opened the public comment period and the following people spoke: • Greg Endom • Ken Bell • Muni Madhdhipatla • Vicky T. • Esther Wong • Jonathan Cheng • Jennifer Griffin Chair Kosolcharoen closed the public comment period. Commissioners asked questions which Assistant Director of Community Development Luke Connolly and Planning Manager Piu Ghosh responded to. Commissioners made the following recommendations: • Explore whether zoning or General Plan amendments could maximize opportunities for conversion ADUs on R3 parcels, up to the 25% limit allowed for non-habitable space. • Develop an objective scoring system to evaluate housing sites based on neighborhood compatibility, including adjacency to single-family neighborhoods, proximity to industrial uses, and fire and evacuation considerations, to improve transparency and public understanding. • Evaluate retail potential when considering housing sites and encouraging site designs that better support successful commercial and mixed-use development. • Prioritize Class B and Class C office properties over retail properties when identifying potential Housing Element sites to help preserve retail uses. • Contact local hotels to inquire whether they’re interested in being potential Housing Element sites, while keeping TOT impacts in mind. • Look at gas stations, hotels, North De Anza Boulevard, and De Anza College as potential Housing Element sites. • Evaluate additional office properties along the west side of De Anza Boulevard north of Stevens Creek Boulevard as potential Housing Element sites, regardless of current occupancy, to provide greater flexibility in meeting Housing Element Planning Commission Minutes June 23, 2026 requirements. • Consider the single-story banks near the Marina Plaza site and the Wells Fargo and Chase Bank sites at Torre and Rodriguez. • Consider whether grocery stores can be integrated into vertical mixed-use projects • Consider whether Pho Ha Noi (former Armadillo Willy’s) can be a potential site • Consider creating retail clusters, establishing zoning standards and policies to support them, and focusing density around them along the main corridors. At 8:46 p.m., Chair Kosolcharoen recessed the meeting. The meeting reconvened at 8:54 p.m. with all Commissioners present. • Engage with landowners regarding potential Housing Element sites. • Instead of focusing on all available sites, strategically consider the overall appearance of the City, using a top-down approach. • Prioritize higher-density housing on sites with fewer compatibility constraints, including sites not adjacent to single-family neighborhoods and located along major corridors. • Consider the value of existing community-serving uses, including medical offices, retail centers, and entertainment uses, when evaluating potential Housing Element sites, and preserve those uses where feasible. • Consider an approach which proposes retail clusters with consideration for proximity to single-family homes, and other relevant factors, like Downtown Campbell or Santana Row. • Rank sites or use a point system showing high redevelopment potential and low neighborhood impacts, even if it is a qualitative ranking. • Focus on creating retail cluster strategy which will result in supporting successful businesses and better accommodate the relocation of displaced small restaurants and retail uses. • Focus on low-density sites along De Anza Boulevard, Stevens Creek Boulevard, Homestead Road, and other gateway corridors, prioritizing non-retail sites, Class C office properties, gas stations, and other low-density commercial uses. • Avoid forcing retail where developers don’t want it. • Save potential Housing Element sites for the next cycle. • Protect affordable housing and older multifamily residences. Retain residential amenities. • Focus on economic development initiatives that help businesses succeed. • Consider outreach options such as mass mailings to communicate potential impacts to the public, particularly those who would be most affected. • Make it clear to the McClellan applicant that there is the option and desire to downzone the property (A straw poll was conducted on this matter and all Planning Commission Minutes June 23, 2026 Commissioner’s agreed). • Be very cognizant of the fire evacuation bottlenecks in high fire severity zones. STAFF AND COMMISSION REPORTS Planning Manager Piu Ghosh reported on the progress of objective design standards. Vice Chair Scharf reported on the May 28, 2026 Housing Commission meeting. Commissioner Rao reported on pickleball. Commissioner Fung reported on the groundbreaking for the SummerHill project. FUTURE AGENDA SETTING Commissioners added the following future agenda items. • Subcommittee to consider whether data centers should be considered as it’s own category and make recommendations to allow/disallow such a use in Cupertino (Rao, Lindskog) • Bring pickleball back to the body for a balanced set of recommendations from the Commission. (Rao, Kosolcharoen) ADJOURNMENT At 9:49 p.m. Chair Kosolcharoen adjourned the regular Planning Commission Meeting. Minutes prepared by: Lindsay Nelson, Administrative Assistant