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Reso 155 File No. 91-Z-63 ® Zone Change PLANNING COMMISSION RESOLUTION NO.. 155 RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF CUPERTINO RECOM- MENDING GRANTING A ZONE CHANGE FROM AN A ZONE TO AN R-24--H ZONE. WHEREAS, the attached application has been submitted to the City of Cupertino requesting a change of zone in the zoning regulations of the City from an A District to an R-24-H District; and WHEREAS, the Planning Commission has held at least one public hear- ing in regard to the application on the date as noted on said applica- 1 topm; and WHEREAS, the' Planning 'Commission has duly consideredand heard all evidence submitted in regard to said application; and WHEREAS, the necessary public notice have been given as required by the zoning ordinance of the City of Cupertino. I. WHEREAS the existing road pattern in the vicinity of Bubb Road and McClellan Road is completely inadequate for even the present mix- ture of R-1 and, agricultural uses because of the following situations: 1. Narrow two-lane paved strips without shoulders serving as as Bubb; McClellan; and Stelling; and handling not over ® 1,000 cars an hour eastward and northward; 2. Narrow two-lane paved strip without shoulders---McClellan- winding westward to the Mt. View-Stevens Creek Road; and 1 handling perhaps 300 cars an hour; 3. Narrow, substandard two-lane street---Byrne Avenue'---run- ning northward from McClellan to Stevens Creek Blvd. ; and handling perhaps 400 cars an hour; and, I.I. WHEREAS the major road construction now planned thru the area provides little or no local service for these reasons : 1. Plans announced so far for the West Valley Freeway provide only grade separations at McClellan and Bubb (rather than interchanges) , which distinction means that said freeway when built will fail miserably in serving, a landlocked area of about 2,000 acres; a land mass which could easily contain eight or ten thousand families owning more than 15,000 automobiles; this density being possible with fully developed R-1; 2. Jun.ipero Serra, now building, is no factor in serving this area for the obvious reason that it cannot be reached ex- cept thru existing bottlenecks; 3. There are no existing plans to develop the Southern Paci- fic right of way as a major thoroughfare at ground level grade to serve local traffic. People of good intention Ilk but limited information sometimes urge that if there is a ' traffic problem, this solution will solve it---the rail- , road track. This possible route is not currently planned as a street; on the contrary, the plan is to keep it as a railroad; and -1- • i File No. 91-Z-63 III. WHEREAS other jurisdictions have done little or nothing- to improve arteries in their territories which would improve local traf- • fic service in subject area as shown by these situations: 1. Sunnyvale,- Cupertino, the County, and the Division of -High- ways show'. no progress in developing a badly needed north- south route along the line of Mary Avenge and Bubb Road, despite the obvious need 'for such a. direct route to the junior college site on the Euphrat property, and to the large residential area southward from it. 2. San Jose has done nothing really decisive to date in tap- ping the trapped area, although the extension of Bollinger Road westward from Highway 9, and the piece-mealing of Rainbow Drive may eventually do a little good;. 3. The County has done next to nothing with Byrne Avenue, Orange Avenue, or Imperial Avenue 'tohandle more traffic between McClellan and Stevens Creek Blvd. ; and, IV. WHEREAS the Consultant, working on a Preliminary General Plan for Cupertino, has suggested the possibility of using light industrial zoning--rand resulting higher values--as an eventual solution to cer- tain local problems (including lack of traffic circulation) which problems either exist now, or are expected to develop in the Monta Vis- ta area on both sides of the railroad track; said light industrial land use being one that commonly generates 20 to 40 cars per acre per shift, a traffic load the area is ill-prepared to handle at present; and, V. WHEREAS no .applicant is as yet in sight willing to undertake the consolidation of plottage into industrial acreage; one who might subsequently make dedications or other arrangements for new major ar- teries to handle an expanded local traffic plus a considerable resi- dential traffic wishing to pass on through the projected industrial area to other destinations northward and eastward; and, VI. WHEREAS the current applicants (who are exclusively interested in multiple- and wholly disinterested in the industrial suggestion) do recognize the need for outlets to the north and east if their Gaglias- so parcel is to reach its best potential, and have accordingly expres- sed these thoughts: 1. A willingness to dedicate land next to the railroad tracks for four lanes of traffic; some being their own traffic and some coming from areas beyond; the possibility exist- ing of running three lanes one way and one the other de- pending on which direction of flow dominates morning and night.; . 2. A suggestion that traffic beyond could make better use of their new street if Bubb Road were ..bent across- the rail- road tracks a bit south of McClellan so that a signal light with stacking lanes could control at:McClellan just east of the tracks; 3. A suggestion that they might be in a position -to secure the land for one loop of,; an interchange between McClellan and the West Valley Freeway; any .provision for access on411 and off the projected freeway being a considerable help to the area's many traffic problems; 4. A suggestion that they would do their part in developing McClellan as a 90 ' 4-lane street provided plan lines are established immediately, making McClellan a 90 ' street -2- File No . 91-Z-63 from Byrne Avenue to Stelling Road, or beyond; and making Stel- ling Road subject to a 90 ' plan. line from McClellan to Stevens Creek Blvd. or beyond; , 5. •A suggestion that existing structures on the south side of Mc- Clellan and the east side of Stelling might make it necessary to take most of the widening from the Euphrat orchard earmarked for use by the junion college district; and, VII. WHEREAS present owners are past their most active years and plead that their life expectancy scarcely permits their waiting for the ultimate re-do of the Monta Vista area; that they have a sound buyer if the annexation is concluded and the multiple zoning granted; and that they have no alternate buyer if these events fail; and, VIII. WHEREAS simple denial of the application on grounds that it is "premature", or would "lead to too much multiple" might be an easy way out for the moment, neither is a course of action that really comes to gripe with the fundamental problem of 2,000 acres, much of which is in Cupertino; the underlying problem being, road pattern or circulation; which problem is generally recognized as a major cornerstone of plan- ning, the shirking of which is close to laziness or even intellectual cowardice; and, IX, WHEREAS referring our key problem back to the City Manager, or the Engineer, or the Council, or anyone else for that matter, asking for a report, may be a help in studying the problem, the Commission Ill still has the duty to face the facts and the problems and make their recommendation.; and, X. WHEREAS the immediate breaking of a crippling traffic bottle- neck of long duration seems in the best interests of all concerned, even though part of a package to grant more multiple zoning, and de- spite the fact that any application for multiple anywhere is usually protested by at least a few people; and, XI. WHEREAS the Commission is well aware of its own hopes for the eventual development of a fine light industrial park in the approxi- mate area of this application, and granting of multiple on the current application would reduce the acreage potential; a reduction that can perhaps be offset by adding like acreage of! M-1-H elsewhere as has been suggested in a study session; and, 9 XII. WHEREAS the Commission feels that the Consultant will concur with them in believing that the current long range large view for the ultimate solution near Monte Vista is impossible of attainment unless we now make a practical compromise to achieve , a real breakthrough on road' pattern which can be expanded; which same breakthrough can be achieved now by holding applicants to what they say they will do to improve access to an area many times larger than the parcel they con- trol. NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that this Commission recommend the 410 rezoning applied fo.r subject to the following conditions: 1 = 12 Schedule B, the regular list of requirements; 13 Dedication of land for a 4-lane 90 ' right of way; develop- er to provide the usual improvements for a 60 ' street Flit Nu. 91-L-63 paving whatever width is recommended by the City Engineer 40 to handle the traffic developed by the multiple in this project, but not less than the 40 ' which is normal for a 60 ' right of way; paving of 'the' rest of the 90 ' width to be by whatever formula is recommended by. the City Engineer and adopted by' the Council with respect to the through traffic which is hardly this developer's responsibility; 14 Reservation of any land these applicants control which could be used for a loop or a diamond or other configura- tion needed to provide some interchange of Bubb-McClellan traffic with the West Valley Freeway, 15 Filing of a tentative subdivision map clearly establishing the 4-lane through street; the plan line for McClellan and. Stevens Creek Blvd. ; and the reservation of land for a diamond or loop; 16 Filing of improvement plans with the Cupertino Sanitary District so they may obtain any easements needed for dis- trict trunks; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that it is the view of this Commission that these matters are of sufficient importance to be brought to the attention of other agencies and persons, and that a copy of this reso- lution be sent to them for 'their study and comment, and with high hopes for their, fullest cooperation in solving a knotty problem which is plaguing all of us alike: 1. City Engineer of Cupertino, with particular reference to plan lines for 90' sections for McClellan and Stelling where he feels appropriate within Cupertino boundaries; 2. Head of the Department. of Public Works, Santa Clara County, with particular reference to the need for further study of the need for interchanges on the West Valley Freeway to serve the area in question, and with the hope that by con- certed effort proper representations can be made to the Division of Highways before design is complete and con- tracts let; 3. Division of Highways, as a preliminary, indication that a recommendation, will probably be developed after the var- ious jurisdictions have studied the problem and, agreed on a preferred solution; 4. Board of Trustees of Foothill Junior College, with 'parti- cular reference to the fact that their use will generate a lot, of traffic from all sides, and that it would not be realistic to ignore very real problems at their back door, or to argue that someone else would have to surrender whatever land is required to solve a public need; 5. City Engineer of San Jose, with -an earnest request for any guidance, they may offer based on, plans and studies not yet announced with respect to work they hope to do within their boundaries which would help circulation in this particular area. 6. Other owners of undeveloped property on both sides of the railroad track from McClellan to Homestead, with refer- - ence to the fact, that their holdings present comparable difficulties which same can perhaps be solved a bit sooner by a concerted effort at this time. -4- File No. 91-Z-63 110 PASSED AND ADOPTED, this 23d day of September, 1963, at a regular meeting of the Planning Commission of the City of Cupertino by the fol- lowing call vote: AYES : Commissioners : Adamo, Fitzgerald, Leonard, Rampy, Small, Snyder, Frolich NOES: Commissioners : None ABSENT: Commissioners : None /s/ Donald Frolich Chairman, Planning Commission ATTEST: /s/ Robert S. Shook Secretary, Planning Commission 411 -5-