CC 01-08-07
APPROVED MINUTES
CUPERTINO CITY COUNCIL
Regular Adjourned Meeting
Monday, January 8, 2007
CUPEIQ"INO
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
At 2:00 p.m. Mayor Kris Wang called the meeting to order in the Council Chamber, 10350 Torre
A venue, Cupertino, California, and led the Pledge of Allegiance.
ROLL CALL
Present: Mayor Kris Wang, Vice-Mayor Patrick Kwok, and Council members Richard
Lowenthal, Orrin Mahoney, and Dolly Sandoval. Absent: none.
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS - None.
GOAL SETTING WORK SESSION
1. Staff presentation: Organization and Work Program.
A. Budget and Economic Horizon - Acting City Manager Carol Atwood said that the
city's fiscal outlook is currently balanced, in part because of income from the
better-than-expected sales tax from Apple Computer, Inc., and also because of
recent legislative changes regarding tax equity allocations, which will bring in
$1.35 million more in property taxes each year. She said staff will make a
presentation in May about ways the Council can consider paying for other costs
expected later in the year.
Atwood discussed the financial impacts of the recent referenda against two
condominium developments. Those impacts included the loss of $930,000 in
park dedication fees from ValIeo, which were slated for the Stevens Creek
Corridor, and the loss of a 3.5 acre park in the Toll Brothers' project and an
additional $30,000 per year in retail sales tax.
B. Development Activity - Community Development Director Steve Piasecki
highlighted current development activity, including the following:
. 125 residential units on Tantau Avenue
. 115 apartments and open space added to Villa Serra apartments
. 25 residential units on Stelling Road.
. 10,000 sq. ft. of retail buildings added to the comer by Target
. 8,000 sq. ft. of retail building on the northeast comer of Tantau and Stevens
Creek Boulevard (in lieu of providing cafeteria space for their employees)
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Cupertino City Council
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. ValIeo has continuing projects
. Expansion of the retail uses at the Oaks Shopping Center, and possibly the
addition of a hotel.
C. Major Capital Improvement Project (CIP) projects - Public Works Director Ralph
Qualls said that there is a $17.3 million CIP budget spreading over 7 years, and
the two largest are the Stevens Creek Corridor and the Mary A venue Pedestrian
Bridge.
D. Reorganization Efforts - Parks and Recreation Director Therese Smith said that
her department was down from five supervisors to four, and there are four
coordinator vacancies. She would be proposing the creation of a management
position between the director and the supervisors, which would serve as a training
opportunity for her possible replacement when she retires in 17 months.
Community Development Director Steve Piasecki said that the city had been
unsuccessful in filling the new position of Redevelopment/Economic
Development Manager, mostly because the city's retirement system is no longer
competitive with other cities in the county. Piasecki reviewed the plans for the
new employee, who will work closely with the planning staff as well as the
development community. He handed out a proposed organizational chart, and said
the city would recruit for the position again in March.
E. Employee Morale
Carol Atwood reported that employee morale is very good. The city has been
working diligently to provide supervisor training and performance measures, and
salary negotiations will begin soon.
2. Public comments.
Jennifer Griffin, Cupertino resident, asked that the city purchase property on Sterling and
Barnhardt to create a park for the Rancho neighborhood. She also complained about the
density at a Santa Clara project called Rivermark, and asked that the Council not allow
such density in Cupertino. She also encouraged preservation of the trees and limiting
development in the north Vallco area.
3. Council Work Program for 2007 and beyond.
Council members reviewed the document titled 2006 Work Program, revised on January
4, 2007, and gave the following direction to staff.
Maior Developments/Vallco
. Add an item to the first City Council agenda of each month called ValIeo Update, at
which time the ValIeo representatives will be encouraged to give an update to the
community.
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Cupertino City Council
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. See if there was a way to require the developer to provide buildings that match
architectural renderings shown to Council.
. Recommend some ways that the city may be able to provide more aggressive help for this
project
. Provide status reports regarding development agreement approvals.
Major Developments/Toll Brothers
. Change this item's title to read HP site (Stevens Creek Boulevard) with a notation that the
zoning approval was denied by referendum only for residential uses, and the developer
can still propose retail and/or office uses.
Maior Developments/McDonald/Dorsa Quarry site
. This category was deleted
Capital Improvements and Plans/Parks
. Add a goal that the City will enhance its outreach efforts regarding environmental
improvements and tree replacement.
Capital Improvements and Plans/Rancho Rinconada Park
. Modify the goal to say that work shall commence on the Lawrence Expressway Linear
Park, with a note that the city should leverage future annexations and TEA (Tax Equity
Allocation) / ERAF (Education Relief Augmentation Fund) inequity in negotiations.
Council members Sandoval and Lowenthal will serve on the subcommittee.
Capital Improvements and Plans/Quinlan Community Center Fountain
. Add this goal, and direct staff to propose a project to replace the broken fountain.
Options should include an active space, which may include a water feature, seating, stage,
or other components.
Organizational Improvements/Fiscal Strategic Plan
. Pursue correction of ERAF (Education Relief Augmentation Fund) percentage for TEA
(Tax Equity Allocation) funding.
. Schedule a public hearing to adopt safes as a standard conditions on residential
development
. Prepare ballot issues for an amended business license fee (to add quarries) and a Users'
Utility Tax ordinance for the November 2007 election
. Analyze a possible entertainment tax and bring back to Council for review
Organizational Improvements/Community Development Services Review
. Delete this category and add new sections under Planning.
Public Safety/Law Enforcement
. Distribute neighborhood watch maps on a quarterly basis
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Public Safety/Traffic Safety
. Require pedestrian access between Whole Foods Market, Peet's Coffee and Panera
Breads.
. Review the current status of technology for a Red Light Running Prevention program
. Delete reference to HP condominiums
Economic Development/Redevelopment
. Propose options to assist Vall co
. Promote the AMC Theaters grand opening
Planning
Add the following categories:
. Green building standards
. Prepare a Historic Preservation policy
. Propose a policy for tree topping as a part of the property maintenance standards
CIP /Parks/Rancho Rinconada Park
. Provide a timeline for the completion of this project
. This year's plan should include the resolution of the trail alignment along the Stocklmeir
property.
. Consider amending property maintenance standards for trees not included in the tree
ordinance
CLOSED SESSION
4. Labor negotiations - Government Code Section 54957.6 regarding the evaluation of the
City Manager.
At 5:40 p.m. the Council went into a closed session for the City Manager's evaluation,
and reconvened at 7:00 p.m. No action was taken, and the item was continued to January
16 at 5:30 p.m.
ADJOURNMENT
At 7:00 p.m. the meeting was adjourned to January 16, 5:30 p.m.
January 8,2007
Cupertino City Council
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For more information: Staff reports, backup materials, and items distributed at the meeting are
available for review at the City Clerk's Office, 777-3223, and also on the Internet at
www.cupertino.org.Click on Agendas & Minutes/ City Council/ Packets.
Most Council meetings are shown live on Cable Channel 26, and are available at your
convenience from our web site. Visit www.cupertino.org and click on View Meetings Online.
Videotapes are available at the Cupertino Library, or may be purchased from the Cupertino City
Channel, 777-2364.