The Cupertino Courier

Commission pursues the city's 'pink elephants'

By Pam Marino

So-called pink palaces, large homes being built throughout Cupertino that have come under increasing fire from residents, will face official city scrutiny soon, the Planning Commission was told last week.

The city staff is working on a report about the ordinance that regulates homes built in residential areas of the city--called the R-1 ordinance--and will be able to present findings to the commission in January or February.

Earlier this month, residents of John Way successfully petitioned the city to prohibit the construction of two-story homes without review by the Planning Commission and the surrounding community.

During the election campaign, City Council candidates got an earful from residents who complained that the large houses don't fit into older, single-story neighborhoods.

"People with existing homes feel like their homes should still fit in, and that their privacy shouldn't be violated," Planning Commission Chairwoman Andrea Harris told the Commission.

Director of Community Planning Bob Cowan said the R-1 ordinance has not been changed since 1988.

"We intend to go back and pick out a number of houses that were built before and after that date to see what's wrong, what's positive and negative about the style of houses built recently," Cowan said.

He also said the staff will look at changing the process for reviewing the building plans of the houses.

Harris said any review should include looking at house colors and how they fit with existing neighborhoods. The houses have gotten their nicknames, such as "pink palaces" and "pink elephants," from some new homes that have been painted in pink or other pastel hues, which are different from the earth tones of many existing Cupertino homes.

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