CC 03-05-2024 Item No. 8 TBA list_Written CommunicationsCC 3-05-2024
Item No. 8
Consider list of agenda
items requested by City
Councilmembers
Written Communications
From:Lisa Warren
To:City Council; City Council
Cc:City of Cupertino Planning Commission; HousingCommission
Subject:Written Communication for 3/5/24 City Council Agenda Item #8-TBD Agenda List (#3) -- Critically Important to
schedule a public study session related to 3rd Draft of 6th Cycle Housing Element 2023-2031
Date:Monday, March 4, 2024 12:45:42 PM
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Mayor and Council,
I am sending the message below as I did not include you on Feb 23, 2024
email to staff and others.
I did remove some of my comments from the later part of the email, as
they do not apply to the message I am trying to send to you related to
your March 5, 2024 Agenda item 8.... from the 'Action Calendar'. I will
also comment that many residents would have preferred that this item be
a Public Hearing item.
Thank you.
Lisa Warren
----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Lisa Warren <la-warren@att.net>
To: Housing@cupertino.org <housing@cupertino.org>; housing@cupertino.gov
<housing@cupertino.gov>; cityclerk@cupertino.org <cityclerk@cupertino.org>; City Clerk
<cityclerk@cupertino.gov>
Cc: Luke Connolly <lukec@cupertino.org>; lukec@cupertino.gov <lukec@cupertino.gov>
Sent: Friday, February 23, 2024 at 03:45:59 PM PST
Subject: Fw: Comments related to 3rd Draft of 6th Cycle Housing Element 2023-2031
RE: 3rd Draft of 6th cycle Housing Element
Hello Luke and additional Staff.
I will start with a thank you for your continuing efforts to 'figure this mess
out'. I realize that many, many hours... and tax payer dollars have gone
toward this disturbing HE cycle.
I am honestly disgusted with HCD and the power they allowed to wield.
I am one that believes that Cupertino got off on a very bad foot with the
first consultant, EMC, under Ande Flowers.
I say this because I participated in the Housing Element discussions
beginning with the first public meeting with Flowers introducing things to
Housing Commission. This lead to several Planning Commission meetings
and numerous other study sessions/meetings, workshops, etc.
Once the city finally 'got rid of' EMC, it seemed like the huge, and not truly
defined (by HCD) task might be headed in a more productive direction.
I believe that it did. HOWEVER, communication from the city to the
Community, Housing Commission, Planning Commission and City Council
fell very, very short.
I know that this has expressed by many others over the last year or so.
Now, here we are with what is hoped to be close to the final product -
again, thanks to efforts/cartwheels ? from Planning dept and upgraded
consultant.
Much of the reason for the comments above is to emphasize that I do not
believe 'residents' -- probably the most effected 'stakeholders' -- are
getting a fair shake. With very little time to try to digest this current draft
of the Housing Element, and without the benefit of 'along the way'
information for over a year now, residents (including our electeds and
appointed) are at a great disadvantage. This could have, and should have,
been avoided. It fact, it could have made the staff's job 'easier' in the
end.
I believe that is accurate to say that the city did not fulfill all requirements.
"Local governments shall make a diligent effort to achieve public
participation of all economic segments of the community in the
development of the Housing Element, and the element shall
describe this effort. (Gov Code, 65583. sibd/ (c)(9).)"
"Public participation in the development, adoption and
implementation of the housing element is essential to effective
housing planning. Throughout the housing element process, the
City should CONTNUE to engage the community....."
I needed to put all of the above info/comments in the communication
here.
I hope that you understand that, and that you read far enough to get to
this additional comment/suggestion.
For Strategy HE-1.3.6 Encourage Missing-Middle Housing
Developments
Definitions of missing middle housing emphasize building at a human scale
and heights that are appropriate for single-family neighborhoods or
transitional neighborhoods.”
Change R3 to R2 (duplexes) to create a better transition for
neighborhoods. Duplexes often appear like a single home while they
double density. It increases the probability of owner-occupied units. The
combination of allowing R2, NOT R3 zoning, with the addition of ADUs on
duplex lots, allows for a combination of home ownership (duplex) and
rentals (ADUs), both of which provide opportunities for the “missing
middle” The current strategy as written, requires units to be rentals and
this should NOT be a goal when so much of the higher density housing
being added elsewhere, will NOT allow for ownership... except for
investors. Allowing R3-zoning as it is written today, allows for the use of
density bonus law to eliminate the height, setbacks and parking
requirements which would DESTROY the look and feel of neighborhoods.
Give everyday people/families a fighting chance to OWN property.
That is something every generation needs.
To : City Council March 4, 2024 - RE: An effort to have council direct
Staff to schedule a 'joint' study session.
NOTE that:
Additional comments have been removed from this forwarded email sent
to Staff in February as comments for Housing Element Draft 3 (6th
cycle)
Thank you.
Lisa Warren
From:Peggy Griffin
To:City Council
Cc:City Clerk; HousingCommission; City of Cupertino Planning Commission
Subject:2024-03-05 City Council Agenda Item #8-TBD List #3 STUDY SESSION for Current Housing Element
Date:Sunday, March 3, 2024 11:54:05 AM
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PLEASE INCLUDE THIS EMAIL AS PART OF WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS FOR THE ABOVE
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM.
Dear City Council,
I implore you to have a STUDY SESSION on our CURRENT DRAFT3 Housing Element submitted on
February 27, 2024.
Focus needs to be on Goals, Policies and Strategies.
ASAP before HCD has replied, not after!
Call a Special stand alone meeting so items can actually be presented, discussed, questioned and
ANSWERED!
Allow everyone, yes, even Councilmembers, to ask questions, provide suggestions, comments, etc.
Please note…
The city has had NO PUBLIC MEETINGS AT ALL to discuss, comment, question or provide
suggestions on the Housing Element Goals, Policies and Strategies in a public forum.
From Page 5 of the December 15, 2023 HCD Letter it specifically states that public participation is a
requirement!
On July 25, 2023 City Staff held a “Study Session and staff presentation on the 6th Cycle Housing
Element Update” BUT regarding the Goals, Policies and Strategies chapter - NO
PRESENTATION OR DISCUSSION WAS ALLOWED! The only discussion was to confirm
the sites selection. NOTHING else was allowed.
Since Mid-2022, almost 2 years, NO MEETINGS have been held/scheduled to allow the public or
our Housing and Planning Commissions to discuss, ask questions, and provide input to ANY of
the Goals, Policies and Strategies in the 2023-2031 Housing Element document!
The Housing and Planning Commissions are both tasked to provide input to our General Plan and
the Goals, Policies and Strategies within our General Plan yet they have NOT BEEN ALLOWED
TO DO SO – NOT ALLOWED to discuss and provide input publicly on the Housing Element
Goals, Policies and Strategies!
As far back as September 8, 2022, the Housing Commission was begging the City Council and
City manager to allow them to contribute to the Housing Element Update (Reference Housing
Commission Agenda on 9-9-2022, Item #2)
Nor have the members of our City Council had an opportunity to be presented with what is
proposed, discuss it, ask questions and provide input! NOTHING IN PUBLIC!
This latest DRAFT3 was posted on February 16, noticed and available for the minimum required
7-day period. That's it. Nothing else.
Please note in the DRAFT3 Housing Element (submitted Feb. 27, 2024), Appendix B1 – Public
Participation, PDF Page 16 of 18 (B1-12), they summarize comments and their response to LACK OF
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION is
What this says is:
We will NOT EVER have a discussion on Goals, Policies and Strategies! ZERO DISCUSSIONS
because rezoning and objective design standards will be the focus.
REQUEST:
Please have a focused Study Session on the current 2-27-2024 Housing Element Goals, Policies and
Strategies BEFORE the HCD response letter.
Sincerely,
Peggy Griffin
LINK to entire 2-27-2024 DRAFT3 Housing Element:
https://engagecupertino.org/public-documents
LINK to Appendix B1:
https://ehq-production-us-california.s3.us-west-
1.amazonaws.com/3fbb74739b7859007a6d2add636e0df829f613e6/original/1709076585/0971a9f9c13b
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