Sunnyvale_CommentLetter_VallcoAreaSP_NOP_FINALMarch 12, 2018
Piu Ghosh, Principal Planner
City of Cupertino
10300 Torre Avenue
Cupertino, CA 95014
piug@cupertino.org
Sunnyvale
456 West Olive Avenue
Sunnyvale, CA 94088-3707
TDD/TYY 408-730-7501
sunnyvale.ca.gov
Re: Comments on the Notice of Preparation for the Vallco Area Specific Plan
Dear Ms. Ghosh,
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Notice of Preparation (NOP) for the
proposed Vallco Area Specific Plan (Plan) in Cupertino. This letter includes all City of
Sunnyvale comments.
General Comments
1. The Plan proposes a development capacity of 600,000 square feet of commercial
uses, 2.0 million square feet of office uses, 339 hotel rooms, and 800 residential
dwelling units for the Vallco Special Area.
The City of Sunnyvale is concerned with the Plan's imbalance in non-residential
uses (commercial, office, and hotel) vs. proposed residential units, especially in
regards to recent substantial office development in the immediate area. Although
density may be regulated by the existing General Plan, the housing demand with
the proposed non-residential development and recent office development is
significant in size and may warrant additional housing units to be considered on the
site. Please consider an alternative in the Plan's Environmental Impact Report (EIR)
that includes additional residential units in an attempt to mitigate burden on the
housing market, and other environmental impacts, such as traffic and transportation
and greenhouse gas emissions.
Traffic and Transportation Comments
If you have questions on the following traffic related items, please contact Lillian Tsang,
Principal Transportation Engineer, Department of Public Works at
Itsang(a sunnyvale.ca.gov or (408) 730-7556.
The City of Sunnyvale uses criteria of the Valley Transportation Authority (VTA)
Transportation Impact Analysis (TIA) Guidelines as a basis for determining study
Heart of 51licon Valley"
Sunnyvale
intersections. Accordingly, municipal and Congestion Management Program (CMP)
intersections with ten or more project trips per approach lane should be analyzed.
Due to the project size and location, it is expected that project trips would travel to the
north through Sunnyvale, which is likely to trigger the need for intersection analysis
along Wolfe Road, Sunnyvale -Saratoga Road, Hollenbeck Avenue, and Mary
Avenue. The following intersections shall be included in the analysis:
• Wolfe Road & Homestead Road
• Wolfe Road & Inverness Way
• Wolfe Road & Marion Way
• Wolfe Road & Fremont Avenue
• Wolfe Road & EI Camino Real
• Quail Avenue/Tantau Avenue & Homestead Road
• Heron Avenue & Homestead Road
• Blaney Avenue & Homestead Road
• Blue Jay Drive & Homestead Road
• Sunnyvale -Saratoga Road & Homestead Road
• Sunnyvale -Saratoga Road & Alberta Avenue/Harwick Way
• Sunnyvale -Saratoga Road & Cheyenne Drive/Connemara Way
• Sunnyvale -Saratoga Road & Fremont Avenue
• Sunnyvale -Saratoga Road & Remington Drive
• Sunnyvale -Saratoga Road & Mathilda Avenue
• Mathilda Avenue & EI Camino Real
• Hollenbeck Avenue & Homestead Road
• Hollenbeck Avenue & Cascade Drive
• Hollenbeck Avenue & Fremont Avenue
• Hollenbeck Avenue & Torrington Drive
• Hollenbeck Avenue & Remington Drive
• Hollenbeck Avenue & EI Camino Real
• Mary Avenue & Homestead Road
• Mary Avenue & The Dalles Avenue
• Mary Avenue & Cascade Drive
• Mary Avenue & Fremont Avenue
• Mary Avenue & Torrington Drive
• Mary Avenue & Remington Drive
• Mary Avenue & Heatherstone Avenue
• Mary Avenue & EI Camino Real
Traffic conditions at the study intersections are typically conducted for the AM and
PM peak hours under existing and future analysis scenarios.
Heart of Silicon Valley" Page 2 of 4
Sunnyvale
2. The need for evaluating alternative modes of transportation needs to be emphasized
for this Plan. The VTA CMP Guidelines indicate that traffic analysis must include
transit facilities in terms of transit service availability, transit capacity relative to the
increased demand, impact of increased traffic delays on the service, and the need for
transit access improvements. According to the CMP Guidelines, the traffic analysis
must also evaluate bicycle and pedestrian facilities in terms of their availability, Plan
effects on future bike/pedestrian plans, and improvements proposed by the Plan.
Maps and information on existing and planned bicycle facilities can be supplied upon
request.
3. Analysis of potential cut -through traffic within the Birdland Neighbors residential area
and Ortega Park residential area. Streets to be analyzed should at least include
Marion Way, Dunford Way, Inverness Way, Quail Avenue, Heron Avenue, Canary
Drive, and Locksunart Way (refer to Figure 1).
4. The Plan area is located on the southerly boundary of the City of Sunnyvale. Relevant
approved projects within Sunnyvale and other neighboring jurisdictions need to be
included in the study estimates of the Background traffic volumes. This is consistent
with the CMP TIA Guidelines. Similarly, pending projects and/or the application of an
annual growth rate need to be incorporated in the Cumulative traffic volume estimates
to reflect the growth in both the local and regional traffic. Please be advised that the
City of Sunnyvale regularly updates a list of its approved and pending development
projects, and it can be provided upon request.
5. Besides capturing local and regional traffic growth, it should be noted that
Background analysis is typically conducted for the year of project completion and
occupancy, while the Cumulative analysis is performed for a longer term horizon year.
6. The Plan proposes a mixed-use development consisting of 600,000 square feet of
commercial uses, 2.0 million square feet of office uses, 339 hotel rooms, and 800
residential dwelling units. Construction of the proposed buildings and associated
amenities is expected to generate a significant amount of truck traffic. Truck routes
and construction related impacts on the City of Sunnyvale and regional corridors need
to be investigated and mitigated if necessary.
7. The NOP lists the EIR's requirement to identify the environmental consequences
including (a) any significant environmental effects which cannot be avoided, (b) the
growth inducing impacts, and (c) the cumulative impacts. Besides identifying the
individual and cumulative project impacts along with associated feasible mitigations,
it is important to also explain the project's full/pro-rata share financial contributions
towards the implementation of these mitigations.
Heart of Silicon Valley" Page 3 of 4
v
Sunnyvale
8. Any mitigation measures or proposed roadway improvements along Homestead
Road should be done in consultation with the City of Sunnyvale.
9. Detailed information on any proposed Transportation Demand Management (TDM)
initiatives need to be provided, especially if it is offered as Plan mitigation.
Assumptions regarding alternative means for traveling to/from this office development
need to be realistic and achievable in light of their implementation and monitoring
plan.
10. The Plan is significant in size and is expected to affect the Sunnyvale street system.
The City of Sunnyvale is requesting to review the proposed Scope of Work prior to
the Consultant starting on the traffic related analysis to ensure the TIA would include
all the necessary analyses within the City of Sunnyvale. Then, following the CMP
guidelines, the City of Sunnyvale is also requesting to review the draft TIA report. We
believe that the early review of the project's traffic analysis and potential impacts
could save time in the review and approval process of the EIR.
The City of Sunnyvale appreciates your consideration of the requested study scope
elements described above. Please contact Kelly Cha, Associate Planner, at (408) 730-
7408 or kcha(a-)-sunnyvale.ca.gov if you have any questions or concerns about items
discussed in this letter.
Andrew Miner
Assistant Director
Community Development Department
Cc: Trudi Ryan, Director, Community Development Department
Wayne Tanda, Interim Director, Department of Public Works
Amber Blizinski, Principal Planner, Community Development Department
Shahid Abbas, Transportation and Traffic Manager, Department of Public Works
Lillian Tsang, Principal Traffic Engineer, Department of Public Works
Heart of Silicon Valley' Page 4of4
City of Sunnyvale Comments to the NOP for Vallco Special Area Specific Plan EIR
Figure 1: Cut -Through Traffic Analysis
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