The Cupertino Courier

News

New fee to petition council for rehearings

By HUGH BIGGAR

Cupertino residents will have to pay $149 beginning July 1 to request thatcity council reconsider its decision.

At its June 20 regular meeting, the Cupertino City Council unanimously voted to impose the fee for rehearings.

"It's not so much as a cost recovery, just to make sure we have reconsideration hearings that are serious," said Carol Atwood, Cupertino's finance director, while introducing the topic. "Staff is seeing a trend of spending a lot of time processing reconsideration hearings."

According to the city, each request for a reconsideration costs about $5,000. Initially, the city requested a $500 fee when a hearing is requested to offset some of the costs.

Residents concerned $500 might favor those with deep pockets protested that amount.

As part of that concern, resident Jennifer Griffith told the council, "I'm concerned we are going to be scaring people away from doing what they need to do democratically."

Instead, Griffith advocated some $50.

"If anyone had a valid concern, more people would be able to afford that," she said.

The council settled on the $149 amount, noting an existing $149 fee for land-use appeals.

"We need to make sure there is some hurdle for [reconsiderations] that are without merit," Mayor Richard Lowenthal said, adding most cities don't have an option for a rehearing.

"I think we need people to recognize the severity of what staff goes through. ... The issue is about spending taxpayers' money wisely," Councilwoman Dolly Sandoval said in voting for the measure.