CC 07-15-2025 Item No. 11 Study Session - ELI & BMR housing units_Written CommunicationsCC 07-15-2025
Item No. 11
Study Session -
Application to develop
ELI and BMR housing
units
Written Communications
From:Peggy Griffin
To:Public Comments
Cc:Gian Martire
Subject:2025-07-15 City Council Meeting-ITEM11 Mary Ave ELI Housing Study Session
Date:Sunday, July 13, 2025 5:10:13 PM
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Dear City Council and Staff,
Following questions/requests/comments regarding the Staff Report and Plan Set:
IMPORTANT – Power outages
Disabled people often have medical equipment that needs power either to run or to charge. I
see solar panels but no reference to batteries for power outages. CPAP machines, hospital
beds, elevators for wheelchair bound residents, charging for electric wheelchairs, lifts, etc.
These are essential for everyday living. Loss of power can be very serious.
Q1: Can/will this project provide battery backup so at minimum, the elevators work?
Q2: Will the windows open in case power goes out on a very hot day?
DOG PARK AREA – parking across from it
Currently, there are parking spaces on the east side of Mary Ave directly across from the dog
park.
Q3: Why are these being removed?
The bike lane could continue along the edge of the sidewalk as it does right now. Please
preserve what few spaces that can be preserved on Mary Ave.
CONFUSION
There is a major confusion on the Plan Set regarding Mary Ave street parking
Q4: Are all the parking spaces on the east side of Mary Ave that are directly across from the
ELI project being removed?
Page 3 of 16 (Overall Illustrated Plan), shows no parking on the east side of Mary Ave across
from this ELI project BUT…
Page 11 of 16, Proposed ViewPoint A, right picture is the “after of Building #1” shows parking
remaining on the east side of Mary Ave.
Page 11 of 16, Proposed ViewPoint B, right picture is the “after of Building #2) shows parking
remaining on the east side of Mary Ave.
Page 12 of 16, Proposed ViewPoint C – same issue – shows parking remaining on east side
Page 12 of 16, Proposed ViewPoint D – same issue – shows parking remaining on east side
Disappointment with the Staff Report
Key facts are left out regarding this project. Minor details/numbers don’t match the plan set.
It refers to a non-existent Figure 1. Not to mention the following:
The Staff Report just mentions diagonal parking spaces being removed and replaced
with parallel parking. It does not mention that all the parallel street parking spaces will
be dedicated to the project to provide a total of 55 spaces.
There is no discussion or even a mention that Mary Ave will be re-configured in a major
way as a result of this project.
Since this is a BMR funded project, the units are typically available for 55 or 99 years but
this is on public land, using public funds. I’ve heard these are “forever units” but I have
not seen it in writing. This is a VERY important reason to support this project. Why is this
not mentioned?
REQUEST1: For this Study Session, can staff provide “before” and “after” diagrams of Mary
Ave showing all the changes they are proposing for this street?
REQUEST2: Please make sure as part of the lease agreement that the units are “forever units”
and that the land will always remain publicly owned (not turned over to someone after so
many years in exchange for developing this project)?
Thank you,
Peggy Griffin
Just for reference…
COMMENT #1 – Staff Report and Plan Set differ
Staff Report says 20 units per building
Plan Set says Building #1 has 19 units and Building #2 has 21 units
COMMENT #2 – Staff Report and Plan Set differ
Staff Report says 18 units for disabled
Plan Set says 19 units for disabled
COMMENT #3 – Missing “Figure 1”
Staff Report says “..a Vicinity Map is provided as Figure 1” but there is no Figure 1
Plan Set has a Vicinity Map on Page 1 of 16 (lower left corner)
From:Mahesh Gurikar
To:City Council; Tina Kapoor; City Clerk; Benjamin Fu; Luke Connolly
Subject:No new buildings on Mary Ave
Date:Thursday, July 10, 2025 2:40:55 PM
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Dear Council Members
I am a long time resident of Cupertino and I live just off Mary Ave.
The city should not permit any new construction on west side of Mary Ave which will encroach on the current Mary
Ave and parking slots. Memorial park hosts many events throughout the year which attracts lot of local and out of
town visitors. Reducing the parking will make the situation worse for visitors.
Please do not permit any new construction on Mary Ave.
Thank you,
Mahesh Gurikar
Cupertino resident