Exhibit CC 04-05-2016 Study Session Item No. 2 Written Communication Lauren Sapudar CC, L//Sf i (0 1-1-ern No. 2
Subject: AN:Written Communication:April 5, 20161 Se_S,S Ion
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From:Susan Sievert[mailto:
Sent:Tuesday,April 05,2016 11:34 AM
To:City Council
Cc:City Clerk
Subject:Written.Communication:April 5, 2016
Subject: Review the Stevens Creek Boulevard to McClellan Road Creek Corridor Master Plan (Stevens Creek
Corridor Master Plan) Draft preferred alternative.
Some of the following questions have been asked many times over the years, but left unanswered. And, when
elected representatives have asked, e.g., how much will it cost to make the lone vehicular entrance/exit driveway
into Blackberry Farm "safe," the answer of record is, "I don't know, but we can find out for you."
According to Cupertino's 2006 Public Works Director, the onsite costs will be "over a million, if it's even
feasible." All things considered, that's a pretty big "if" coming from a professional in the field, while 10-years is a
remarkable amount of time for the taxpayers to wait for an answer.
PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST, dated April 5, 2016:
There does not appear to be a traffic study in tonight's agenda packet. Therefore, the study of record is located in
a February 3, 2015 agenda packet. Source,
G: https://cupertino.leoistar.com/LeoislationDetail.asnx?ID=2144918&GUID=8C790509-63A9-496F-8774-
1 D848COFF235&Options=&Sea rch=
Questions:
1) Northbound Byrne Avenue from McClellan Road is the - current - route to Blackberry Farm. Therefore, why
was northbound Byrne Avenue omitted from the above study "to establish the baseline and to describe the
current transportation setting including potential issues and opportunities"?
2a) The project area has now been expanded to the San Fernando and Byrne Avenue intersection. Is it feasible
to make this expansion in use, both on and offsite, ADA compliant (Americans with Disabilities Act)?
2b) If not, would it be unlawful to expand programming requiring vehicular access off San Fernando Avenue
beyond the current 100-days/year season. Note: "100-days" has been a neighborhood mitigation for 60-years,
and it predates the Town of Monta Vista's annexation by the City of Cupertino approximately 14-years ago.
3a) Will the offsite ADA compliant expansion in use require the dedication of any private property?
3b) If yes, and the private property owner(s) choose not to dedicate any land, is the City of Cupertino prepared,
and/or preparing to take any private property, i.e., eminent domain?
4) What is the total cost of making this on/offsite expansion in use ADA compliant?
Susan Sievert •
Lauren Sapudar (' I-/Jq/i(n 1' A)0 • 2--
From:
From: Toni Oasay-Anderson . -M1 �SSicn
Sent: Tuesday, April 05,2016 11:06 AM
To: City Clerk
Subject: FW: Draft Preferred Alternative for Stevens Creek Corridor Master Plan (April 5th 2016 Agenda)
Attachments: SCVAS-CupertinoSCC-April 2016.pdf
From: shani kleinhaus [mailto:shani@scvas.org]
Sent: Monday, April 04, 2016 1:58 PM
To: Barry Chang; Darcy Paul; Savita Vaidhyanathan; Rod Sinks; Gilbert Wong
Cc: City Council; Gail Seeds; Carol Atwood; Barbara Banfield; Ralph Schardt
Subject: Draft Preferred Alternative for Stevens Creek Corridor Master Plan (April 5th 2016 Agenda)
Dear Mayor Chang and Cupertino City Council.
Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society(SCVAS) has reviewed the Draft Preferred Alternative for the Stevens Creek
Corridor Master Plan that is scheduled for your consideration on April 5. Overall we are pleased with the focus on
preserving and restoring habitat, while providing public access and learning opportunities in a manner that remains
compatible with wildlife values. In the attached letter we propose some modest modifications that will help serve the
community and allow for a healthy, flourishing ecosystem to continue into the future.
Thank you,
Shani Kleinhaus
Environmental Advocate
Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society
22221 McClellan Rd. Cupertino 95014
Tel. (650) 868 2114
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Santa Clara Valley
Audubon Society
April 3rd,2016
Re: Draft Preferred Alternative for Stevens Creek Corridor Master Plan(April 5th 2016 Agenda)
Dear Mayor Chang and City Council members, •
The Stevens Creek Corridor Master Plan will shape the future of"The Gem of Cupertino"-nearly 65
acres of public open space,nature and wildlife habitat along the creek. Indeed, the Stevens Creek
Corridor is special among city parks in the diversity of birds and wildlife it supports,the opportunities it
provides for environmental education, and access to a remarkable wildlife viewing opportunities.
Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society (SCVAS)has reviewed the Draft Preferred Alternative for the
Stevens Creek Corridor Master Plan that is scheduled for your consideration on April 5. Overall we are
pleased with its focus on preserving and restoring habitat,while providing public access and learning
opportunities in a manner that remains compatible with wildlife values. With some modest
modifications,we feel it will serve the community and allow for a healthy, flourishing ecosystem to
continue into the future.
We suggest the following:
• New golf clubhouse location: move the building northward, to restrict the amount of road
construction, asphalt, traffic and night-lighting closer to Stevens Creek.This should also provide
greater distance from the creek channel and from the new backwater area, which is a particularly
wildlife-sensitive location and meant to provide refuge for birds and for aquatic species.
• New golf clubhouse design: any new building should incorporate bird-friendly glass and bird-
friendly design, and have lighting that does not cause impacts on nocturnal wildlife and migratory
birds. It should also be operated in a manner that avoids wildlife disturbance,particularly for
nocturnal wildlife.
• Golf course renovation: we support the smaller footprint of the proposed golf course,and the
incorporation of naturalized areas to replace turf. We encourage use of native plant species and
plant species that provide high habitat value for birds and pollinators in the naturalized areas,and
design choices that are specifically wildlife-compatible. We believe that all improvements should
prioritize providing habitat along the creek banks as much as possible. If the City Council
supports a non-golf alternative,we would actively support conversion of the golf course into oak
woodland habitat instead.
• New bridge to Stocklmeir: we suggest not pursuing this bridge until it is actually needed.
Presumably that is when a future Legacy Farm is implemented and better access to the Stocklmeir
Ranch is needed. We reiterate our request to place the bridge as close to Stevens Creek Blvd.as
is feasible, to avoid segmenting habitat. At a minimum it should be placed north of the current
22221 McClellan Road,Cupertino,CA 95014 Phone: (408)252-3748 * Fax: (408)252-2850
email: scvas@scvas.org * www.scvas.org
golf course driving range structure,and in a manner that preserves the existing large healthy
native trees.
• Parkin;: we encourage `right-sizing' the parking areas and planning for routine parking demand
rather than special events. We support the concept of"green"parking at McClellan Ranch West
and at the renovated Gold Course parking area,and encourage incorporation of oak woodland
• trees, `meadow' parking,pervious materials,native plantings, and creek-friendly solutions.
• Wildlife blind: the Master Plan allows for a wildlife"viewing structure"to be added at the
Stocklmeir site near the backwater.We supported this idea in the past,but no longer see a need
for such structure(there are ample opportunities for viewing birds and wildlife from the trail and
a new structure may actually disrupt wildlife movement.
• Proposed creek restoration at McClellan Ranch West,22050 Stevens Creek Blvd, and elsewhere:
we encourage the City Council to prioritize the restoration activities noted in the Master Plan.
The work done on Stevens Creek Corridor Phase 1 and Phase 2 has been exemplary and has
deservedly won numerous awards. We are proud of the City Council's continuing commitment
to creating an outstanding creek restoration.It is inspiring to others and has won national
recognition. Please continue the restoration work!
SCVAS has been a long-term tenant at McClellan Ranch Preserve and we are highly committed to the
Stevens Creek Corridor. We would be very happy to co-sponsor grant applications for further creek
restoration or environmental education. We co-sponsored a successful grant for the Phase 1 restoration
that provided approximately$400,000 in State funding for the project. We would be delighted to
collaborate with the City in this manner again.
SCVAS urges the City Council to approve the Draft Preferred Alternative incorporating our
recommendations, and to move forward with environmental clearance and completion of a finalized
Stevens Creek Corridor Master Plan. We believe that there is consensus that it is a balanced plan and the
right choice for the community. We feel that it can easily be incorporated into the recently launched
citywide parks and recreation master plan. Please take advantage of the good work that has been done to
develop an appropriate plan for the creek corridor and move forward without delay.
Thank you for your consideration of these recommendations.
Sincerely, 7"2
Shani Kleinhaus,Ph.D.
Environmental Advocate
22221 McClellan Road,Cupertino,CA 95014 Phone: (408)252-3748 * Fax: (408)252-2850
email: scvas@scvas.org * www.scvas.org