The Cupertino Courier
Letters & Opinions
Speak Out
Few shopping choices
at a condo complex
Referencing Hugh Biggar's story (Courier, Aug. 30) about the Vallco Mall: We YIMBYs (yes in our backyards) were confused about Vallco's backup plan for a new hotel, since Vallco said many times it had no backup plan if its effort to rezone the retail property in Macy's back parking lot to housing failed. What wasn't clear in the article: Is this hotel the one that already passed, unopposed, in Penney's back parking lot? Is it in place of the mixed-use 203 Rosebowl condos/retail it already got but hasn't started building (unopposed, because it included retail)? Or would it be in place of the additional 137 condos it asked for on land it wants rezoned just for housing in Macy's back parking lot?
No on Measures D & E is not about stopping new housing--low-income, senior or any other. No on D & E is about not rezoning tax-generating land that pays for infrastructure and city services to housing. Rezoning from retail does not support upkeep of streets, parks, etc. One or two hotels would bring in needed tax dollars, but occupancy is down. The YIMBYs ask: Why not just bring in more stores? We can't shop at a condo in Vallco's parking lot.
Stuart Chessen
Cupertino
Mayor says projects are
good for Cupertino
In letters to the editor (Courier, Aug. 30), there were some statements that clearly demonstrate a lack of understanding of land use planning.
The reason the Sierra Club supports Measure E is precisely that it limits sprawl, the spreading of development over a large area. The best way to avoid sprawl is to have increased density in downtown areas. That's what protects our hillsides and our neighborhoods.
It is ludicrous to think that Measures D and E would cause tax problems. The exact opposite is true. The revitalization of Vallco and using the old Tandem property for a new shopping center, parks and housing will create millions of dollars of revenue increases for the city.
As much as the opponents of these fine projects continue to try to twist words to make it look otherwise, the Sierra Club is on record supporting Measure E, and the Chamber of Commerce and I support both projects wholeheartedly. We support them because they are good for Cupertino. They'll bring great new retail, parks, affordable senior rentals and family housing.
The real question is whether we want to prevent all change and thereby decay, like today's Vallco, or if we want to allow change and revitalize like Panera, Pete's, Le Boulanger, BJ's, Elephant Bar, Alexander's and our new civic plaza.
Richard Lowenthal
Mayor, City of Cupertino
Stop signs are excessive
barrier to traffic flow
Mayor Lowenthal's arguments at the open council forum Sept. 5 about not removing the excessive stop signs in Cupertino for reasons of public safety were woefully misleading and inane.
The most egregious examples are the stop signs on Stelling Road, at its T intersection with Waterford Drive, with stop signs for all three flows of traffic.
Stelling is adjacent to the railroad tracks, with no crossings available there. There is no sidewalk (nor dirt path) on the western side of Stelling, from Seven Springs Parkway, past Waterford, all the way south to Prospect. There are plantings, power poles, weeds and private property near the street, but no sidewalk. Ergo, no reasonable need ever should exist for pedestrians to cross Stelling thereabouts. I frequently travel that route, and I never have seen a pedestrian cross Stelling at that intersection since those stop signs were installed 20 or 30 years ago.
Pigs will fly in formation over city hall before the mayor will convince me there is a safety hazard at that intersection that the hated stop signs on Stelling mitigate rather than aggravate. They merely are classic (relic) examples of the prevalent traffic impediments in Cupertino designed to frustrate the Saratoga commuters before the 85 freeway opened.
Gordon Frolich
Cupertino
Sierra Club local chapter
is confused on sprawl
The Loma Prieta Chapter of the Sierra Club doesn't understand the difference between high-density housing in urban areas, and high-density housing in suburban areas. There is a distinct difference between what the Loma Prieta Chapter is advocating in terms of development, and the national Sierra Club's position.
The national Sierra Club states its position against suburban sprawl on its website: "Sprawl creates crowded schools in the suburbs and empty, crumbling schools in center cities. New development puts more children in suburban schools, but does not pay for the new schools that inevitably must be built."
This is precisely what is happening in Cupertino (the suburb), and San Jose (the center city). San Jose is closing schools in its urban center as residents move to suburbs such as Cupertino and Fremont, and to San Jose's own suburbs. We have decaying, empty school campuses in the center city, and overcrowding in the suburbs, just as the Sierra Club warned.
As the Sierra Club stated, the new development doesn't generate sufficient revenue to pay for the new schools that would alleviate both overcrowding and traffic congestion. If we want more condos in the suburbs, then we need to build more schools and roads.
Instead of building new schools, the district is forced to place more portables at existing school sites. Unfortunately, school libraries, computer labs, cafeterias, auditoriums, playgrounds and playing fields are not expanded to accommodate the increased student population. School principals have warned parents that more portables are coming as new condo complexes are completed. The Sierra Club's web site states, "20 percent of school kids in California learn in temporary classrooms," but some Cupertino schools have nearly 40 percent of students in portables.
I was a member of the Loma Prieta Chapter of the Sierra Club for more than 20 years, including serving in leadership roles in two of their activity sections. I even met my wife on a Sierra Club hike. The Loma Prieta Chapter lost its way when it teamed with developers to advocate for suburban sprawl.
Vote No on D & E. Stop suburban sprawl and save our schools.
Steven Scharf
Cupertino
A recent cultural event at
DeAnza College was too loud
On Saturday, Sept. 09, 2006, the Hindu Sangam 2006 event was held at De Anza College. It was too loud. I have no issues with cultural events like this being held in my community, but does the entire city have to hear it? From 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., all my family and neighbors could hear was this very loud event.
This is unacceptable.
In the future, events like this held in our community must keep the volume down to a respectable level. I strongly feel that this should be a code violation and the promoters of the event should be cited and possibly prohibited from doing an event like this again in our community.
Bob Hayes
Cupertino
A city maintenance ordinance
would spruce things up here
Cupertino boasts superb schools, world-class businesses and home prices that reflect it. However, due to the lack of a citywide property maintenance ordinance, our city, outstanding in so many ways, has a few residences that are blatantly not cared for. A lawn need only be mowed if it is dead in Cupertino, otherwise it isn't considered a fire hazard. Short, dead lawns-- while unappealing and still flammable--are allowed.
Likewise with overgrown shrubs. There is no ordinance on having a lot be a messy jungle unless there are rodents visible. While most homeowners understand painting the house protects the siding, there is no ordinance regarding exterior upkeep so the paint can be in a very poor, peeling state.
An owner's lack of care can cost the neighborhood in home devaluation as well. I am sure there is some agreeable maintenance ordinance that will address a minimum of issues and not excessively infringe on our rights. We deserve to have our home investments protected and give the Code Enforcement Division a little bit of authority to ensure that our city looks as bright as it is.
Catherine Moore
Cupertino
