CC 05-07-19 #9 Options for Vallco Referendum Petitions_Written CommunicationsCyrah Caburian
From: City of Cupertino Written Corresponde11Le
cc 4/2/19
Item #9
Subject: FW : Resending, Recipient Correction: Agenda Item 9, Request to Repeal/Rescind Vallco
Town Center Specific Plan Approvals, 5/7/2019 City Council Meeting
From: Liana Crabtree [mailto :lianacrabtree@yahoo.com)
Sent: Friday, May 03, 2019 5:06 PM
To: Steven Scharf <SScharf@cupertino.org>; Liang Chao <LiangChao@cupertino.org>; Darcy Paul
<DPaul@cupertino.org>; Rod Sinks <RSinks@cupertino.org>; Jon Robert Willey <JWilley@Cupertino.org>
Cc : City Clerk <CityClerk@cupertino.org>; City Attorney's Office <CityAttorney@cupertino.org>; R Wang
<RWang@cupertino.org>; Vikram Saxena <VSaxena@cupertino.org>; David Fung <DFung@cupertino.org>; Kitty Moore
<Kmoore@cupertino.org>; Alan Takahashi <ATakahashi@cupertino .org>
Subject: Resending, Recipient Correction : Agenda Item 9, Request to Repeal/Rescind Vallco Town Center Specific Plan
Approvals, 5/7/2019 City Council Meeting
Dear Office of the City Clerk:
Please consider this letter as the public record document. The previous version included a recipient error.
Thank you,
Liana Crabtree
representing myself only
Honorable Mayor Scharf, Vice Mayor Chao, and Council Members Paul, Sinks, and Willey:
Please add my letter to the public record for the 5/7/2019 City Council meeting, Agenda Item 9, "Options Regarding 3
Referendum Petitions Challenging Approvals Related to the Vallco Town Center Specific Plan".
Please accept my request for Council to repeal/rescind the Val/co Town Center legislation that was challenged
successfully by residents in October 2018 in accordance with the State of California's referendum process.
Repeal/Rescind the following pending Val/co Town Center legislation: Development Agreement (Ordinance 18-2179};
General Plan Amendment (Resolution 18-085}; and Specific Plan (Resolution 18-086).
As the dependent ordinances (Municipal Code, Ordinance 18-2177; Zoning, Ordinance 18-2178} cannot be enacted
independent of the General Plan Amendment and Specific Plan that are subject to the referenda effort, initiate the
process to repeal/rescind these ordinances following lawful procedures including, but not necessarily limited to, a
Planning Commission hearing and advisory vote, a follow-up · City Council hearing and vote, and final vote by Council
as part of the consent calendar.
The Vallco Town Center Specific Plan, if enacted as specified in Resolution 18-086, would increase demand for housing
by adding approximately 3x the jobs relative to the housing provided . The Specific Plan also shortchanges the
community by severely undercutting the General Plan requirement to add 3 acres of parkland for every 1,000 new
residents anticipated by this development plan. The resulting ground-level parkland shortfall affects neighborhoods that
many already describe as "park-starved".
While the Valko Town Center Specific Plan may enjoy support by the Property Owner and various special interest
groups, the urban development plan is unpopular with residents who vote, as evidenced by the following:
1
(A) On December 4, 2014, Four (4) Council Members approved a General Plan amendment affecting the retail-only
Vallco Shopping District site to add 2 MILLION square feet of office, a placeholder amount of housing, and the right of
the Property Owner to set its own height limit for structures to be built there. (Ma ximum building height had been 45
feet, with an exception to accommodate an inexplicably tall sign to advertise a movie theater.) In 2019, only one (1) of
the approving Council Members remains as an elected representative in Cupertino (Rod Sinks). Two (2) approving
Council Members have termed out (Gilbert Wong [2016], Barry Chang [2018]) and have been replaced by two (2) Council
Members who openly opposed efforts to add office and urbanize the Vallco Shopping District site (Steven Scharf [2016],
Jon Willey [2018]). One (1) approving Council Member ran for re-election in 2018 (Savita Viadhyanathan) but was
defeated by a newcomer who openly opposed efforts to add office and urbanize the Vallco Shopping District site AND
received the 2nd highest number of votes ever cast during a Cupertino City Council election (Liang Chao [2018], 8,529
votes). The one (1) Council Member who opposed the approval ofthe 2014 General Plan amendment that added the
office, housing, and open -ended building height to the Vallco Shopping District site and who opposed 5 of 6 legislative
documents required to move forward the Vallco Town Center Specific Plan was re-elected in 2018 with the highest
. number of votes ever cast during a Cupertino City Council election (Darcy Paul, 9,518 votes),
(B) In November 2016, voters rejected the Property Owner's Specific Plan ballot measure that would have built urban
towers 20+ stories tall to include 2 MILLION square feet of office, 800 housing units, and half the retail square footage
that was included as part of the existing Vall co Mall. The Property Owner's ballot measure was defeated despite a total
marketing budget estimated at $7 MILLION.
(C) In October 2018, three (3) Council Members approved the 5 legislative documents that would have allowed the
Property Owner to build its Vallco Town Center. As stated previously, only one (1) of the three (3) approving Council
Members remains on Council today.
(D) By the end of October 2018, residents had gathered sufficient referenda signatures to undo the Council approvals of
the Vallco General Plan Amendment (16% of voters signed the referendum petition to undo Resolution 18-085), the
Specific Plan (14% of voters signed the referendum petition to undo Resolution 18-086), and the Development
Agreement (14% of voters signed the referendum petition to undo Ordinance 18-2179).
Consider that residents who opposed the urbanization of the Vall co Shopping District site in 2014 have channeled their
opposition to unbridled growth into action to bring forward a future plan that will serve the needs and interest of the
residents who live here.
I encourage Council to follow lawful procedures and timelines to repeal/rescind all aspects of the October 2, 2018
approval of the Val/co Town Center Specific Plan. With unpopular legislation removed, move forward with an
independent community engagement process that results in a Specific Plan for the Val/co Town Center site, including:
(a) flat, ground-level, public-access parkland as required by the General Plan; {b) inclusive housing--if/when the site is
cleared for residential use--that provides at least 15% total below market rate housing, which would be comparable in
size and quality with market rate housing and offered equitably to individuals and families with extremely low
income, very low income, low income, and moderate income; and (c) other elements as decided through the
independently operated community engagement process.
Sincerely,
Liana Crabtree
Cupertino resident
representing myself only
To tal Co nt ro l Pa n e l
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From: li ana crabtree@yahoo.com
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Cyrah Caburian
From: City of Cupertino Written Correspondence
Subject: FW: Request to Repeal/Re sc ind Vallco To w n Center Specific Plan, 5/7/2019 City Council
. r Meeting
From: Eric Schaefer [mailto :sericar7@gmail.com]
Sent: Friday, May 03, 2019 11:01 PM
To: Steven Scharf <SScharf@cupertino.org >; Liang Chao <LiangChao@cupertino .org>; Darcy Paul
<DPaul@cupertino.org>; Rod Sinks <RSinks@cupertino .org>; Jon Robert Willey <JWilley@Cupertino.org>
Cc: City Clerk <CityClerk@cupertino.org>; City Attorney's Office <CityAttorney@cupertino.org>; R Wang
<RWang@cupertino.org>; Vikram Sa xena <VSaxena@cupertino .org>; David Fung <DFung@cupertino .org >; Kitty Moore
<Kmoore@cupertino .org >; Alan Takahashi <ATakahashi@cupertino.org>
Subject: Request to Repeal/Rescind Vall co Town Center Specific Plan, 5/7/2019 City Council Meeting
Dear Mayor Scharf, Vice Mayor Chao, and Council Members Paul, Sinks, and Willey:
Please add my letter to the public record for the 5/7/2019 City Council meeting, Agenda Item 9,
"Options Regarding 3 Referendum Petitions Challenging Approvals Related to the Vallco Town
Center Specific Plan".
It is time to repeal and rescind the Vallco Town Center plan that was challenged by residents in
October 2018 by California's referendum process .
The Vallco Town Center Specific Plan (VTC) is unpopular with residents who vote, as evidenced by
the 2018 council elections . The voters overwhelmingly chose candidates that oppose the VTC plan :
-Councilman Darcy Paul was in the minority when he voted against the VTC plan n 2018. Then he
received the most votes of any candidate in Cupertino Council history.
-Councilwoman Liang Chao was a vocal opponent of the VTC plan and received the 2nd most votes
of any council candidate.
-Councilman Jon Willey was also a vocal opponent of the VTC plan. Without significant previous
exposure in local elections, Willey was preferred over the incumbent Savita Vaidhyanathan.
-The three candidates that were proponents of the VTC plan--Mahoney, Wei, Vaidhyanathan--were
rejected by voters in 2018.
Voters in 2018 were catalyzed by the referenda against the VTC plan. The referenda were
enthusiastically embraced by voters, and offer further evidence of the popular rejection of the VTC
plan .
It's time to put the failed VTC plan behind us and move forward with a plan for Vallco that has broad
appeal. Now is the time to prepare the way for a plan that is responsive to all stakeholders and
worthy of a vote in the general election of 2020.
Repeal/Rescind the following pending Vallco Town Center legislation: Development Agreement
(Ordinance 18-2179); General Plan Amendment (Resolution 18-085); and Specific Plan (Resolution
18-086).
1
Because the dependent ordinances (Municipal Code, Ordinance 18-2177; Zoning, Ordinance 18-
2178) cannot be enacted without the General Plan Amendment and Specific Plan that are subject to
the referenda effort, initiate the process to repeal/rescind these ordinances also.
It's time to move forward. It's time to honor the will of the constituents.
Sincerely,
Eric Schaefer
Cupertino resident
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Cyra h Ca buri a n
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Dane ssa Techman ski < dane ssa @pa cbell.n et >
Saturday, May 04, 2019 12 :4 1 PM
St even Sc harf; Li ang Chao; Jon Robert Willey; Darcy Paul ; Rod Sinks
5/7/2019 City Co u n cil meeting , Ag end a Item 9, " Options Regarding 3 Refe rendum
Petitions Ch all e ngin g Approvals Rel ated to th e Va llco Town Cent er Specific Plan ".
Dear Mayor Scharf, Vice Mayor Chao , and Council Members Paul , Sinks , and Willey:
I implore you to support the majority will of our residents by repealing and rescinding the Vallco Town
Center Specific Tier II Plan that was clearly opposed by our residents as per their support of the
October 2018 Referendum .
Our 2018 election results further evidence the unpopularity of the Vallco Town Center Specific Plan
(VTC):
-Councilman Darcy Paul was in the minority when he voted against the VTC plan n 2018. Then he
received the most votes of any candidate in Cupertino Council history.
-Councilwoman Liang Chao was a vocal opponent of the VTC plan and received the 2nd most votes
of any council candidate .
-Councilman Jon Willey was also a vocal opponent of the VTC plan. Without significant previous
exposure in local elections , Willey was preferred over the incumbent Savita Vaidhyanathan.
Note that the three candidates who were proponents of the Vallco Tier Two Plan, Mahoney, Wei, and
Vaidhyanathan were not only rejected by voters , but they also lost a great deal of credibility for siding
with the developer and against the residents whom it is their job to support and represent. The 2018
Referenda was a turning point and hallmark that both solidified and clarified resident sentiment about
what the public will and will not tolerate at one of the largest developments in Cupertino 's history
(beyond Apple ii).
The failed charrettes process and the ensuing very unpopular Vallco Tier II plan generated much
mistrust and disappointment among ou r residents. This is clearly an opportunity to restore confidence
in our City governance and change the course of our City's future . By repealing or rescinding the
pending Vallco Town Center legislation : Development Agreement (Ordinance 18-2179); General Plan
Amendment (Resolution 18-085); and Specific Plan (Resolution 18 ,.086) we can finally clear the air to
move forward with a plan that is more fitting , sustainable, viable, and beneficial to the people who
matter the most: our residents . How we move forward with this will be a game changer for the future
of our City. It also gives us the opportunity to clean up elements of our General Plan that are grey or
deficient in terms of what constitutes park space, tree removal , and most critically our balance of
office to housing .
Because the dependent ordinances (Municipal Code, Ordinance 18 -2177 ; Zoning, Ordinance 18-
2178) canno t be enacted without the General Plan Amendment and Specific Plan that are subject to
the referenda effort, it is imperative that you p lease initiate the process to repeal/rescind those
ordinances as well.
1
I see this not as an end, but as a new beginning and a golden opportunity to set things right for the
betterment of both our City's and our community 's future.
Please add my letter to the public record for the 5/7/2019 City Council meeting, Agenda Item
9, "Options Regarding 3 Referendum Petitions Challenging Approvals Related to the Vallco Town
Center Specific Plan".
Sincerely,
Danessa Techmanski
30-year Cupertino resident
T ota l C o ntrol Pa ne l
T o : sscharf@cupertino.o rg
From: danessa@p ac b ell.n et
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Cyrah Caburian
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Caryl Gorska <gorska@gorska .com>
Monday, May 06, 2019 2:00 PM
Steven Scharf; Jon Robert Willey; Liang Chao; Rod Sinks; Darcy Paul
Grace Schmidt, MMC; City Clerk
Please rescind/ repeal all VTC legislation
Dear Mayor Scharf and City Council Members ;
Please add my letter to the public record for the 5/7/2019 City Council meeting, Agenda Item 9,
"Options Regarding 3 Referendum Petitions Challenging Approvals Related to the Vallco Town
Center Specific Plan".
The 2018 elections and referenda petitions tell the story: Cupertino residents DON'T want the Vallco Town
Center plan.
Please repeal or rescind ALL resolutions and ordinances passed by the former city council last year in
approving the VTC plan.
Like many residents , I want to spend the next year and a half making a plan the community can get behind,
NOT impatiently waiting for the 2020 election to vote this one down.
Regards,
Caryl Gorska
10103 Senate Way
Tot;i l C o ntro l Pan el
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Cyrah Caburian
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GEOFFREY PAULSEN <geoffpaulsen@yahoo .com >
Monday, May 06 , 2019 9:28 PM
City Council
Cc: City of Cupertino Planning Commission; Grace Schmidt, MMC; Jean Bedard; Danessa
Techmanski ; Sandra James; Cupertino City Manager's Office
Subject: Please let the people vote on Vallco.
Hello, Honorable members of the Cupertino City Council.
I recommend that you give the citizens of Cupertino an opportunity to vote in November
2020 on Vallco. Here's why:
1) In a time when "listening to the people" has become a popular concept (and for good
reason), an election will give the people an opportunity to thoughtfully consider all the
issues and make a decision through the peaceful and private process of marking their
ballots.
2) As the staff report states, it will save money.
Best regards, Geoff
Geoffrey Paulsen
Former Chair, Cupertino Planning Commission
Board member, Canopy.org
408/ 480-7509 cell
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Dear Council Members :
Wynne Dobyns <wdobyn s@jfwmdoby.com >
Monday, May 06, 2019 10:03 PM
City Council
Steven Scharf; Liang Chao; Rod Sinks; Darcy Paul; Jon Robert Willey; Cupertino City
Manager's Office; City of Cupertino Planning Commission
Referenda regarding the Vallco Specific Plan
I will not be able to attend the City Council meeting on Tuesday, May 7, at which you are scheduled to vote on
the referenda regarding the Vall co Specific Plan, but I want you to e aware of my opinion in this matter. I am a
35-year resident of Cupertino and I DO NOT favor your rescinding approval of the Specific Plan. We need
managed development of the Vall co site, and many Cupertino residents provided their recommendations in
developing the various options for the site and diligently reviewed those options before selecting the plan that
became the Specific Plan. This is a far more beneficial plan for Cupertino than the state-mandated SB35 Vallco
Town Center project. We need more housing and retail in Cupertino . We can work to manage growth, and the
Specific Plan includes provisions for more housing, lower building heights , less office space, more retail space,
traffic mitigation, bicycle and pedestrian trail improvements, substantial school benefits, and a new city hall. All
of this benefits Cupertino and our residents . I favor placing the Plan and its related ordinances before the voters
as a ballot measure on the March 2020 primary election. Waiting until the November general election is too
long. This issue has already been under consideration and discussion for far too long. We need to approve the
Specific Plan and move forward .
Respectfully,
Wynne Dobyns
10117 Lamplighter Square
Cupertino , CA 95014
Tota l Contro l Panel
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Chi Yeh <ckyeh@sbcglobal.net>
Tuesday, May 07, 2019 6:14 AM
City Council
Why another referendum of past issue
Dear council members, when is the time to stop wasting the community money of keeping the referendum
coming back again and again?
Growing is the trend of the whole world, please keep in mind -the community could have stopped us coming to
Cupertino if they rejected us to come to this city, Cupertino should be still an orchard city if that's what your
thought -we should all move out and keep Cupertino as it used to be then!
Please stop the referendum proposal !
You want everybody's voice to be heard, my voice is keep our community as peaceful as it used to be, stop
wasting our tax money on issues which were passed already!
Best,
Chi Yeh
Sent from my iPhone
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Dear City Council,
Brock Carpenter < brockcarpenter@comcast.net >
Tuesday, May 07, 2019 7:00 AM
City Council
Moving forward on the Vallco Specific Plan
I supp01i placing Vallco Specific Plan before the voters as a ballot measure at an upcoming election and
strongly urge you to do the same. Since Staff currently recommends the least expensive option at $153,741 for
putting the resolutions on the November 2020 general election ballot, we all should support that option to
conserve precious city dollars.
We must avoid letting the state-mandated SB 35 Vallco Town Center project be built instead of the Specific
Plan. The SB 35 Plan is based on the state's priorities and the developer's preference not our citizens' views.
The Specific Plan has more housing, lower building heights, less office space, plus traffic mitigation, substantial
school benefits, a new city hall, bicycle and pedestrian trail improvements, and more retail space .
Sincerely,
Brock Carpenter
20776 Greenleaf Drive, Cupertino
Total Contro l Pane l
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With respect,
Gary Jones <gjoneshome@yahoo.com >
Tuesday, May 07, 2019 10:49 AM
Cupertino City Manager's Offi ce; City of Cupertino Planning Commission; City Clerk;
Grace Schmidt, MMC; City Council; Steven Scharf; Liang Chao; Rod Sinks; Darcy Paul; Jon
Robert Willey
cupertino2040@icloud.com
Letter for tonight's council meeting Vallco agenda item
High
My wife Barbara and I submit the request that the council move tonight to put the Vallco Specific Plan to the voters by
placing the Referenda on the June 2020 ballot.
Respectfully
Gary & Barbara Jones, 43 year residents of Cupertino
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Cyrah Caburian
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City of Cupertino Written Correspondence
FW: The residents have already voted
From: Rahul [mailto:rahulvasanth@protonmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, May 07, 2019 10:51 AM
To: City Council <CityCouncil@cupertino .org>
Subject: The residents have already voted
Honorable Mayor and Councilmembers,
I am writing to support a complete repeal of the October 12 , 2018 Vallco Town Center legislation (GPA,
Resolution 18-085; SP , Resolution 18-086; Development Agreement, Ordinance 18-2179).
I also request that Council then begin the process of undoing the dependent ordinances (Municipal Code,
Ordinance 18-2177; Zoning 18-2178) contingent on the GPA and VSP .
Significant poliions of the voting population of Cupeliino signed the referenda in a matter of weeks. Given
more time, the prop01iion would have been much greater. The election itself saw Councilmember Darcy Paul,
who spoke and voted against the VTC plan both in 2014 and 2018, re-elected with the highest number of votes
any Cupeliino candidate has ever received. Councilmember Liang Chao and Councilmember Jon Willey took
strong positions against VTC with Councilmember Chao receiving the second highest number of votes any
Cupeiiino Councilmember has ever received and Councilmember Willey defeating an incumbent who
suppolied and voted for the VTC plan.
Despite the developer spending around $7M in 2016 on marketing, voters r,ejected the ballot measure which
included 2M sq ft in office space. The current plan is even worse and exacerbates the affordable housing crisis it
claims to solve. The voters have spoken.
It would be a "win-win" for the developer--which has repeatedly expressed interest in hearing out the residents
and suppoliing the community--for you to Repeal/Rescind Vallco Town Center Specific Plan Approvals.
Losing a year and a half until 2020 to waste millions and be rejected once more does not "pencil-out."
The signatures and election results are a clear indicator on how Cupeliino residents truly feel. We shouldn't
remain frozen in time for a year and a half for residents to once again vote (many signed referenda and voted in
a pro-resident majority) to reject a plan that we don't want. Would it not be better to have an open process,
accountability, and a chance to vote for something we do want? Let us move forward and begin an independent
process of genuine community engagement.
Sincerely,
Rahul Vasanth
Representing myself only.
Tora! Co n t r ol Panel
To: cirvcouncilcrocupertino.org
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Dear Councilman Willey,
Lori Ekman <lori.ekman@gmail.com >
Tuesday , May 07, 2019 12:13 PM
Jon Robert Willey
Vallco refe rendum
I have really appreciated your integrity and ethical behavior you have exhibited during your time on council so
far . It is very refreshing to see this in politics these days and I commend you for this.
When you were campaigning this past fall you supported the referendum and your campaign flyer said that you
would put it before the the voters to choose in either 2020 or a special election earlier.
' I I
Please remain true to the statements and promises that you made during your campaign and vote to put the
referendum on the ballot. Let the residents decide .
Thank you for all the time you have given our community in trying to make it a better place. I know it can be a
time consuming and thankless job.
Lori Ekman
Resident of Cupertino
"A fooli sh con sistency is th e hobgoblin oflittle minds "~Ralph W aldo Emers on
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Vice Mayor Chao,
Lori Ekman <lori.ekman@gmail.com >
Tuesday, May 07, 2019 1:37 PM
Liang Chao
Vallco referendum
I urge you to uphold your campaign promises tonight and put the referendum on the ballot. As I am sure you
are aware, our community is very divided at this time. The best way to mend this divide is to put the
referendum on the ballot and let the community decide this . As your campaign flyer promised.
5. RE SIDENTS DECIDE
At thn hallo t in 2070 or ;i -;rnr:ia l r.;k,c t ior1 P.,Hli,,r, the voters could choose between a better Vallco
plan o r the 2018 mega Vallco Specific plan .
You also promised a to let the residents be the drivers . If you truly believe this you will let the referendum go to
ballot.
I hope you remain true to the promises you made during your election. Integrity is important and honoring your
promises would be a sure way to demonstrate your
integrity.
Thank you,
Lori Ekman
Cupertino Resident
, , , Tra n sparency, evidence-ba se d decision making and fi sca l re spons ibility for equitable
so lutions that benefit residen ts an d local bu·sinesses .
, , ,, W e, the peopl e -not outsid e forces -should decide wh at w e build. or
don't bui ld , in our own city. There is no excuse for toleratinc hy per -c r owth that w i ll permanently
burden infras tructur e.
• Sc hool overcrowd in g an d traffic conges tion aff ec t our famil y
lives every day. Our children depen d on us for qua l ity education and safety.
"A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin oflittle minds"~Ralph Waldo Emerson
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Cyrah Caburian
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Dear Councilman Darcy,
Lori Ekman <lori .ekman@gmail.com >
Tuesday, May 07, 2019 1:47 PM
Darcy Paul
Vallco Referendum
On your website you state "I do my best to be honest and responsive to anyone who asks for help." I am
writing today to ask for your help in healing our community. Our community has been torn apart by Vallco.
By voting to put the referendum on the ballot you would be taking great strides in helping to heal our
community . In allowing the referendum go to the ballot everyone would get to feel like their voice is heard.
I am of the belief that residents not feeling like they have a voice is what is causing this divide in our
community. Residents getting to be able to vote and have their say will lead to healing within our
community.
Please vote to have the referendum on the ballot and let the healing begin.
Thanks,
Lori Ekman
Cupertino Resident
"A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds"~Ralph Waldo Emerson
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Mayor Scharf,
Lori Ekman <lori.ekman@gmail.com >
Tuesday, May 07, 2019 2:03 PM
Steven Scharf
Vallco referendum
I urge you to vote to put the referendum on the Ballot. Our community is divided and the best way to heal this
divide is to let residents have a voice and decide the fate of the Vallco Specific Plan.
Thanks,
Lori Ekman
"A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin oflittle minds".,..,Ralph Waldo Emerson
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ATTOOOOl
Dear councilman sinks,
I urge you to vote in favor of putting the vallco referendum on the ballot.
Thank you,
Lori Ekman
Cupertino Resident
"A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds"~Ralph Waldo Emerson
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Cyrah Caburian
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To Whom it may concern,
Lori Ekman <lori.ekman@gmail.com >
Tuesday, May 07, 2019 2:13 PM
Cupertino City Manager's Office; City of Cupertino Planning Commission; City Clerk
Vallco referendum
Follow up
Flagged
I am wliting to urge the city to put the Vallco referendum to ballot. Referenda is a direct vot e in which an
entire electorate is invited to vote on a particular proposal. The entire electorate should get to make this decision not
just the council.
Thank you,
Lori Ekman
Cupertino Resident
"A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin oflittle minds"~Ralph Waldo Emerson
Total Control P;1n el
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Liz Mulford <lmulford@pacbell.net>
Tuesday, May 07, 2019 2:14 PM
Steven Scharf; ljanchao@cupertino.org; Rod Sinks; Darcy Paul; Jon Robert Willey;
Cupertino City Manager's Office; planningcommission@cupertino.or; Grace Schmidt,
MMC; City Council
Development of Vallco
As a 3 8 year residents of Cupe1iino, I strongly urge you to support the General Plan Amendment, and the
Specific Plan to allow the development ofVallco in accordance with the previous agreement between Sand Hill
and the City.
Having participated in several sessions, I know all the thought and expe1iise that were brought to bear on the
decision. To allow a small group to cost us anything in legal fees (and I am a retired lawyer!) is simply to waste
money which would be far more wisely spent on other things-such as development more housing to serve the
needs of all segments of our community.
Respectfully,
Liz Mulford,
10366 Tonita Way,
Cupertino
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Dear Council Members,
Lori Ekman <lori.ekman @gmail.com >
Tuesday, May 07, 2019 2:20 PM
City Council
Vallco Referendum
I am writing to urge the city to put the Vallco referendum to ballot. Referenda is a direct vote in which an
entire electorate is invited to vote on a particular proposal. The entire electorate should get to make this decision not
just the council.
Thank you ,
Lori Ekman
Cupertino Resident
"A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds"~Ralph Waldo Emerson
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Dear City Council:
Connie Cunningham <cunninghamconniel@gmail.com>
Tuesday, May 07, 2019 3:03 PM
City Council
Item 9 Vallco-Vote March 2020
Of the choices available, the Option to choose March 2020 will give you supp01t of Cupe1tino voters in your
final decision. At a reasonable price. The Million dollar option would cost you funds that many constituents
would like for urgent city needs like safety, traffic, and bicycle paths.
Sincerely,
Connie Cunningham
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Joe Cleaver <joepacleaver@gmail.com >
Tue sday, May 07, 2019 3:41 PM
City Council
Vallco
I'm a concerned Cupertino citizen and urge you to suppo1i with yo ur vote on the Vallco specific plan. There is
too much to lose , by ignoring its value to Cupertino.
Joe Cleaver
22105 Dean Court; Cupertino
(408) 838-5982
T ota l Co n tro l Panel
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Tom Scanne ll <tscannel l0l@earthlin k.net>
Tuesday, May 07, 2019 3:43 PM
City Council
Cc:
Subject:
Cupertino City Manager's Office; City of Cupertino Planning Commission; City Clerk
Agenda Item #9
To the members of the City Council
As a close to 40 year resident of Cupertino, I cannot think of a single agenda item as ciitical to the future of our
City than agenda item #9 tonight.
I am wiiting you to support the putting of the Vall co Specific Plan resolutions to the voters of Cupertino. Too
much community effort was put into these and it is too ciitical of an issue to simply be reversed by a vote by
The City Council.
I also fear that if they are simply reversed it will result in the developer being able to equally simply impose
their SB35 plan on the City ·
I also support putting it on the ballot in the March 2020 piimary election. This appears to be the low cost
solution and gives enough time for the issues to be thoroughly vetted amongst the voters of Cupertino.
Tom Scannell
10208 Cass Place
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From: David Fung <dfung@symian.com >
Tuesday, May 07, 2019 3:40 PM Sent:
To:
Cc:
City Council; Steven Scharf; Liang Chao; Rod Sinks ; Darcy Paul ; Jon Robert Willey; City of
Cupertino Planning Commission; Cupertino City Manager's Office; City Clerk
David Fung
Subject: Approve a VOTE on the Vallco Specific Plan
Dear Council and Staff -
I'm writing to ask that you place the Vallco Specific Plan elements contested by referendum before the voters in
an upcoming election, Item #9 on your agenda tonight. I cunently serve as a member of the Planning
Commission, but I'm speaking in this message as a 33-year involved resident and voter in Cupertino .
There are a number of reasons why putting the Vallco Specific Plan to a vote is your only real choice :
1. The referendum was brought forward under the claims of its proponents that a decision by only 5 people
-even though they were duly elected and met all governmental standards granting the approval -could
not render an equitable decision in a divided community. Today, the community continues to be divided
on this issue, and the only difference today are the names of the Council members.
It is hypocritical to say that the situation is different today, especially if you are newly elected to the
Council based on a campaign that that challenged our elected officials'•right to approve the Vallco
Specific Plan.
2. The qualification level to bring a referendum to voters is only 10% of registered voters ; the final
signature levels represented 14-16%. There is no realistic conclusion that can be drawn conelating the
referendum signers to a majority of the general electorate.
Signature collection fo r the referendum occuned during height of the high-turnout Nov 2018
election, when there were 29,914 total voters. Both Liang Chao and Jon Willey campaigned in
opposition to the Vallco Specific Plan approval, yet the referendum signature numbers reflect only
HALF the number of votes cast fo r Chao.
The only way to know the true motivations of the voters on this issue is to let them vote.
3. The last time the issue ofVallco redevelopment was before the voters was in Nov 2016 with the
competing Measures C and D . Both those measures differ from the question of the Vallco Specific Plan
approval today, but qualitatively, this measured the public's sentiment on a large-scale mixed-use
redevelopment at Vallco vs . no redevelopment action which does correlate to the current situation. In
the 2016 election, Measure D supporting Vall co redevelopment received more than + 10% more votes
than Measure C opposing redevelopment, so it's clear that voters considered what was before them and
made a choice for redevelopment. There is no fact-based reason to believe the situation is different
today.
Some would argue that there were active campaigns on both sides to influence the decisions of
voters . This , of course , will also happen heading into a future referendum vote. Allowing advocates to
1
promote their viewpoints leading in to an election is as much a part of the process as allowing the voters
to decide, and is why you should put the VSP up to public vote.
4. The claims about the cost of election being a factor are not legitimate. The estimated cost of a public
v ote on VSP in 2020 ran from $153,741-$185,223. This pales in comparison to the approximately $1.8
million already spent on the development and approval of the Vallco Specific Plan. Should the VSP be
rescinded, there will be additional major costs in development of an alternative plan -and with calls that
that be an "independent" specific plan that is not reimbursed by the property owner, this can be a $ lM+
expense to the taxpayers . While hardly trivial, the cost of an election time is minimal in the overall
program cost and the only way to detennine the real sentiment of the people.
As a further benchmark of cost, I will note that the cost to taxpayers in the unsuccessful legal challenge
of the election booklet verbiage was over $225,000. The cost of democracy was not cheap, but
necessary, both in then and now.
The choice before you is simple . There is simply no way to know what the public's opinion is on this issue
without holding an election.
As our duly elected representatives, you have a chance to recognize a genuine divide in the community and
your responsibility to represent ALL voters . That can only happen when the Vallco Specific Plan is put to a
vote.
Thank you,
David Fung
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With respect,
Gary Jones <gjoneshome@yahoo .com >
Tuesday, May 07, 2019 10:49 AM
Cupertino City Manager's Office; City of Cupertino Planning Commission; City Clerk ;
Grace Schmidt, MMC; City Council; Steven Scharf; Liang Chao; Rod Sin ks; Darcy Paul; Jon
Robert Willey
cupertino2040@icloud.com
Letter for tonight's council meeting Vallco agenda item
High
Follow up
Completed
My wife Barbara and I submit the request that the council move tonight to put the Vall co Specific Plan to the voters by
placing the Referenda on the June 2020 ballot.
Respectfully
Gary & Barbara Jones, 43 year residents of Cupertino
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Hello Council of Cupertino,
Eleanor Chan <e 1eanorchan6@yahoo.com>
Tuesday, May 07, 2019 4:17 PM
City Council
Agenda item #9
I was made aware that you are planning to vote to throw away all the work the Community did working on the
Vallco plan because of your friends at Better Cupertino. There were many more residents working many hours
with the developer making suggestions and tweaking the plan to come up with something for everyone. Doesn 't
that count for anything?
This project is not for you to decide. And it is not for BC to decide.
So, it is in the best interest of the City of Cupertino to let the residents decide by placing the item on the March
2020 ballot.
Thanks.
Eleanor Chan
Sent from my iPhone
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David Roi nick < daverol @sbcglobal.net >
Tue sday, May 07, 2019 4 :2 3 PM
City Council; Steven Scharf; Liang Chao; Darcy Paul ; Rod Sinks ; Jon Robert Willey
City Clerk ; Cupertino City Manager's Office
Vallco Specific Plan Initiatives
Follow up
Flagged
Members of the Cupertino City Council,
I urge you to vote to place the three initiatives regarding the Vallco Specific Plan on the ballot in March 2020. Bette r
Cupertino campaigned on allowing a vote of the citizens. This pledge should be honored . It is also important to have a
vote before it is too costly for Sand Hill Properties to do anything else other than build their 5B35 plan .
Regards,
David Rolnick
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Cupertino ForAII <cupertinoforall@gmail.com>
Tuesday, May 07, 2019 4:48 PM
City Council; City Clerk; Cupertino City Manager's Office; Jon Robert Willey; Darcy Paul;
Steven Scharf; Rod Sinks; Liang Chao
Public Comment for 5/7/2019 Council Meeting, Agenda Item 9
Mayor Scharf and members of the City Council ,
I write to you on behalf of Cupertino for All , a grassroots organization of Cupertino residents and neighbors that advocates for a more
sustainable, equitable, and vibrant Cupertino . Today we ask that you honor past campaign pledges and public statements, and the
referenda themselves (see attachment at end), by setting the Vallco referenda before the voters at the earliest reasonable opportunity.
As our city council, you act in the best interests of the whole city. You're all well aware that the Vallco issue has divided this
community for years, and it's time to give our city the opportunity it needs to put this behind us and to heal. That can only happen if
we allow the entire community to choose. As I've said before in public comment, the 15% of voters who signed the referenda do not
constitute a majority-allowing them to decide for the rest ofus will only widen the divide . Given how important this is, we should do
everything we can to mitigate the possibility of the vote happening after project-specific work ha s already begun at Vallco . That
would render the vote meaningless , and we think that's a waste of everyone's time and money.
That said a special election costs far too much . We believe the best choice here is to set the referenda to the ballot for March 2020 .
Holding it then instead of November recognizes the urgency ofresolving this as soon as possible, while keeping costs reasonable . If
the city can justify spending $15,000 on Vice-Mayor Chao's property appraisal so she could vote on Vallco, the city can justify the
cost of the March election so its voters can vote on Valko. And ultimately, $30,000 is a small price to pay for community healing and
for democracy.
Marie Liu -Chair
Cupertino For All
An example of a referenda flyer calling for a vote .
1
The only way to put Vallco to a pubilic v1
1. WHAT IS A REFERENDUM?
A referendum ·~ .:i t i nie-ho r ·)red t rad i,i on in Ca liforn •,a
pol it ics ,i.:•t'itt en i!1l o l~i,: Cal ifomia Constitution to provi de '. .. -~
n Li c h -neede d chtc k-and-balance \/'.'hen the p l b lic is
f r us t rated b :; an L.r,r e soo nsi1,,,·e o ver nm ~nt
)owerhd e!ite s. T h e referendu m would pu t 21 ci ty cour16 l
( C I ' ' ~ . • • ~ ca ,not _t ra y t'.)c ,a·, co m ,nt0; ma1or1ty o i vot er;. ,:,;1s 11e;;_
2. HOW I CAN SUPPORT IT?
SIGN : C u pe r t inc Rr::g i,t ered ViJte ,s ~·)eas e s,si' '11 ' L::,u,
ptt i ti ons ·'.RE D . , GR EE . BLU E'• ;n O -:;:c-b-2r ,r· .-,:::,r ·_ -~-f
C. uperti no ~i br,,ry. R. dc r to ww~t~rcupertino .c,-9 fo -
u p dat@d ir'.ro rmat ion .
DONATE t o h elo t h e refr:re nd ui-n at J
www. bett ~, ,·cupertino. org /donate
'-•1"11. ■ I • ._ ·~-.. ..-• -
2
3. WHAT IS THE NEXT 51
Aft e r V'/e collec t the require d n um ber
Cu pen ino vote rs) for .all 4 d ocunt ent;
P lan vv·i tl b e vo t e d on i n a f utu re e l ec ti <
res id en t s wil l h ave a chance to vo t e to
the plan. It cou ld 2.lso )e adop t ed b y (
THE TRUTH ABOUl
VALLCO SPECIFIC Pl
• Do tible o r even tr ip le t h e traffic,
• 7,ooo ~-10 ,000 add e d wor kers
• 7,800 new res idents (in 2.668 ~
• l .d.~storv buadines tower i n o Over
W I ~~ .::,:
ou r n e 1g h!::-'='~h ,:,r:,,·J (
• No rea l park -j us t co ncrete pla:
with a L-·4 •acre lavm a rea
• Only 400 ,000 sq. h. of retail (1
\.'Vestgate Va ll ey Fair will hav e 1 r
• No free parking , causing peo p le ·
n eigh bo rhoo ds
ONLY DARCY PAUL .
STEVEN SCHARF VC
Thi s aggress iv e Valko plan p ass ed c.
Council on Se p te n"'lbe r 19 t h, with R
Chang and Sa vita Va ic l,ya nath a 1 v<
Cyrah Caburian
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Fredi Whiteside <frediwhiteside@gmail.com >
Tuesday, May 07, 2019 5:01 PM
City Council; City Clerk; planningcomission@cupertino.org
Valeo Development
It is important for all CUPERTINO residents to give input on the Vallco Specific Plan which is a
community driven plan. The city council needs to place this issue for vote on the March 2020 ballot. This
is the least expensive option to give all residents a voice. Please do the right thing.
Total Control Panel
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