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CC 04-06-04 CUPEI\1INO APPROVED MINUTES CUPERTINO CITY COUNCIL Regular Adjourned Meeting Tuesday, April 6, 2004 CALL TO ORDER At 3:10 p.m. Mayor James called the meeting to order in Conference Room C, 10300 Torre Avenue, Cupertino, California. ROLL CALL City Council members present: Mayor Sandra James, Vice-Mayor Patrick Kwok, and Council members Richard Lowenthal, Dolly Sandoval, and Kris Wang. Council members absent: none. Staff present: City Manager David Knapp, Administrative Services Director Carol Atwood, City Attorney Charles Kilian, Public Works Director Ralph Qualls, Community Development Director Steve Piasecki, Parks and Recreation Director Therese Smith, and Deputy Clerk Grace Johnson. STUDY SESSION 2. Community festivals Mayor James reordered the agenda to take up item number 2 first. Parks and Recreation Director Therese Smith gave a PowerPoint presentation titled, "Special Events." The PowerPoint covered special events policies; listed the annual festivals held each year and how long each festival has been running; events in other cities; permits required; and how events are managed at Memorial Park. Smith distributed a handout titled, "City of Cupertino Special Events for 2004." This calendar covered all of the events scheduled in Cupertino for 2004 and included dates, times, location, and contact information. Smith distributed a handout showing the fee waiver breakdown for the Cherry Blossom Festival, Art and Wine Festival, Moon Festival, Iranian Federated Women's Committee Festival, and the Oktoberfest for 2002. She said these festivals are currently subsidized by Cupertino. April 6, 2004 Cupertino City Council Page 2 Smith distributed a copy of a letter dated January 30, 2004, ITom Therese Smith to Eleanor Watanabe notifYing her that City funds may not be available for the Oktoberfest after July 1,2004. Mayor James said that the festival item was informational only and that another discussion would occur in June during the budget talks. Council and staff had a brief discussion regarding process and criteria for community festivals. Wang said that the Tsin-Chu Sister City Committee and the Moon Festival Committee would be merging, and that community event would be a fundraising event to support the student exchange program to Tsin-Chu City. She explained that it was similar to the Toyokawa Sister City Committee using the Cherry Blossom Festival as a fundraiser for sending exchange students to Japan. She said the committee would be co-chaired by Lucia Wu and David Fong. Discussion followed regarding the role of Council members when serving on community events. The City Attorney said that although it was not required, it was advisable that when Council members were participating in such a manner, they should clarify that they are doing so as a private citizen and not as a Council member. Staff was directed to prepare an accounting of all the festivals, including how the festivals are used to build community spirit, celebrate cultural diversity, and raise funds for worthy causes, as well as to identify the specific causes that are supported. 1. Val1co development plans Mike Rohde, Val1co Fashion Park property manager, distributed a handout showing the proposed development for Val1co. He said that Val1co improvements would increase sales tax in Cupertino, and that it was important to break ground this year. He said that Vallco has a movie theater operator lined up and ready to sign a lease, and that the theater would bring 15 other high-end tenants to Val1co, including a bookstore. He said that the theater would be placed on a 3m story of the mall and that the entrance would be ITom inside the mall. He said that a mixed-use project would be added in the Rose Bowl area, near JC Penny, which would have retail and housing uses. He explained that the housing would pay for the theater parking structure. Todd Stoutenborough, Principle Architect ITom Perkowitz + Ruth Architects, talked more about the Val1co development. He said that the movie theater would have 3,500 seats and 16 screens in 80,000 square feet of space, with a state-of-the-art projection system and wall-to-wall seats and screen. He said the location of the theaters was designed to activate April 6, 2004 Cupertino City Council Page 3 the mall since the entrance to the theaters would be ITom inside the mall, and the lobby looks out over Wolfe Road. He said there would be 95,000 square feet of new retail and 204 residential units above the retail, and the restaurants and retail in the downstairs mall area would create a pedestrian feeling on both sides of Wolfe Road. Council and staff discussed the options and necessary requirements to move forward with the theater, including amending the current Vallco Development Agreement and doing a focused Environmental Impact Report (EIR). Stoutenborough talked about the design handout, the parking and noted that there would be a new steak-house restaurant in the space that El Torito used to occupy. He said that the applicant would like to add additional housing behind Macy's in the back parking lot, but those units are not currently reflected in the General Plan. He said that a l20-unit hotel was also being planned. In response to a question ITom Council regarding the need for mixed-use, Stoutenborough said that the housing is needed to pay for the parking structure for the new theater. Council and staff discussed options and the timelines requirements with Stoutenborough and the Val1co owners, Emily Chen and Alan Wong, including time needed to amend the Development Agreement, complete the EIR, take the project to the Planning Commission, have Council conduct the first and second readings of the ordinance, and allow for full public process and disclosure. Mike Rohde commented on the sewer lines and the need to change them ITom 12" to 15". Public Works Director Ralph Qualls said that he would meet with the Sanitary District to discuss this issue. Council member Lowenthal said that he likes the project and that it would provide good service to the residents. He said he was okay with the number of housing units planned, and he thought the heights would work in this area without negatively impacting the residents. He said he was concerned with traffic circulation, especially the on and off- ramps at Wolfe and 280. He said he would do whatever he could to move the project forward responsibly. Council member Wang said that she had no issue with the theater location. She said she would like to see a continuation oftraffic and public safety studies. Council member Sandoval said she likes the project and the theater location is a minor issue. She said she would like to see a quick time-line without skirting any laws or restrictions. She said she was concerned about traffic and suggested making lanes that were dedicated directly into Val1co, and she also asked that bike racks be made available. April 6, 2004 Cupertino City Council Page 4 Council member Kwok said that he was excited about the project and that the community would definitely benefit ITom it. He said he would like to work with the developers to be flexible and to help expedite the project with the legal constraints in mind. He said that he would like to see the housing be as affordable as possible and didn't have any issues with the parking ratio. He said he was concerned about the hotel and wanted to be sure not to drive away business from the other hotels in the community. He questioned the reason for clustering the development on the west side of Wolfe Road, rather than spreading it out to the JC Penny side. Rhode explained that there were different property owners on JC Penny side. Kwok said that he was happy to see a bookstore planned and would like to see some Mexican restaurants in the new development. Mayor James said that she would like to see a skate park as part of the development. She said that she was excited that local people bought the property. She said that there is a need for healthy businesses in order to improve the growth of the City and to encourage people to shop in Cupertino. She said that the project would need support ITom the residents and other businesses in order to make the development successful. She said that she would do everything she could to escalate the project using the public process. Dennis Whittaker said that there is a need for a place for people to go that stays open after 10:00 p.m. He said that noticing and advertising for the project is important and that he would help to promote the project. He said that Wolfe Road is a major artery onto 280 and to not take that for granted. He said that he is not against mixed-use, but only where and how it is put in. He said that there is a need for affordable housing for seniors and younger families. Barbara Rogers said that she appreciated the local development and looked forward to it. She said that she is happy to see the project fast-tracked through. Nicol Lea said that she encouraged the developers to work with other groups, like De Anza College, and to encourage the new shops to do joint fundraising for the new Cupertino Library. She suggested having premier movie nights, for example, to help raise money for community events. Homer Tong said that he appreciated the local ownership of Vall co. Jody Hansen, Executive Director of the Chamber of Commerce, said that the Chamber supported the project, and didn't want too many requirements on the developers in order to make the project successful. Rhode said that they could submit plans to Community Development within 10 days, and that time is the most important thing in order to move the project forward quickly and take advantage of the opportunity. April 6, 2004 Cupertino City Council Page 5 City Manager David Knapp said that he looks forward to begin making changes to the Development Agreement and getting started on the EIR as soon as possible. ADJOURNMENT At 5:55 p.m. the meeting was adjourned to Monday, April 19 at 5:15 p.m. in Conference Room C, 10300 Torre Avenue, for an update meeting with Supervisor Liz Kniss. @wJf~ Grace Johnson, Deputy City Clerk 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 Watch Meetings. Videotapes are available at the Cupertino Library, or may be purchased ITom the Cupertino City Channel, 777-2364.