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CC 05-29-20 Item No. 1 Vallco Property Owner LLC v. City of Cupertino_Late Written CommunicationsCC 05-29-20 #1 Pending Litigation; Vallco Property Owner LLC v. City of Cupertino Written Communications 1 Lauren Sapudar From:Tessa Parish <liangscampaign@gmail.com> Sent:Friday, May 29, 2020 2:09 PM To:City Clerk; City Council Subject:couldn't raise my hand-please read this to council at your convenience CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Dear Council Members, I tried to raise my hand but there was no button as there usually is. My comment: I wanted to express my disagreement with the verdict and express my perspective on it. I don't know if the judge is aware of the precedent she set or if she is fully aware of the consequences of her decision to ALL of California. Her decision basically says that Council had not decision authority over the matter but the bill does specify "if qualified". So what does that mean then? The items in questions are qualifying items from what I can tell. If she was right, Developers could literally ask for WHATEVER they wanted and YOU would have to approve. Judges are challenged all the time and while I don't think a citizens' group can afford to go up against the deep pockets of this developer, I give you my perspective. Be your own council, be your own judge and always keep the residents' best interest in mind within the boundaries of the law. You were elected by the residents for your moral character and judgement. I am sad that Coucil Member Chao has recused herself. She was specifically elected for this matter. Her removal was highly fought for a reason. We all know why. Moving forward, I'd like to suggest that the neighborhood (Opticos) evaluation be investigated for its legitimacy in promotion, for process accuracy & record keeping. Consider re‐doing it for real response from all the stakeholders. Best Regards, Tessa Parish Resident of Cupertino 1 Lauren Sapudar From:Joseph Fruen <jrfruen@gmail.com> Sent:Friday, May 29, 2020 1:30 PM To:Deborah L. Feng; Heather Minner Law Email; Kirsten Squarcia; City Clerk; City Council Subject:Fwd: Re today's closed session CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Council and staff: In light of correspondence from Mr. Jim Moore in today's written communications, I refer you back to, and incorporate herein by reference, my comments to you on this same matter on May 15, 2020 for today's closed session. Mr. Moore's assertion that discussion of litigation over the August 20, 2019 and September 3, 2019 actions downzoning the Vallco site is covered by the FPPC's Advice Letter 19‐032 to then‐Vice‐Mayor Liang Chao finds no basis in fact and fundamentally misunderstands the immunity afforded by the Commission's section 1090 advice letters under Government Code section 1097.1(c)(5). In order for a public official to enjoy the immunity of that provision of the Political Reform Act, such official have "truthfully disclosed all material facts" that led to the generation of the advice letter on which she relies. Here, that is an impossibility because any project in question is necessarily smaller and less dense than the two potential projects examined in Advice Letter 19‐032. At a bare minimum, it presents different material facts from those presented in Advice Letter 19‐032. Whatever commentary was offered at a Commission hearing is not reflected in the letter itself, which is the only legal basis on which section 1097.1(c)(5) offers immunity. Accordingly, absent a new advice letter, Councilmember Chao would participate in today's discussion at her own risk. Many thanks, ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Forwarded message ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ From: Joseph Fruen <jrfruen@gmail.com> Date: Fri, May 15, 2020 at 12:29 PM Subject: Re today's closed session To: City Clerk <cityclerk@cupertino.org>, Kirsten Squarcia <KirstenS@cupertino.org>, <citycouncil@cupertino.org>, Deborah L. Feng <debf@cupertino.org>, <manager@cupertino.org>, <liangchao@cupertino.org>, <dpaul@cupertino.org>, <sscharf@cupertino.org>, <rsinks@cupertino.org>, <jwilley@cupertino.org> Cc: City Attorney's Office <CityAttorney@cupertino.org>, Heather M. Minner <minner@smwlaw.com> Council and staff: I note today's closed session to discuss pending litigation in Vallco Property Owner LLC v. City of Cupertino, Santa Clara County Superior Court, Case No. 19CV355457, concerning the city council's August 20, 2019 and September 3, 2019 actions to downzone the Vallco site. As Councilmember Chao recused herself from the underlying actions, it would be likewise inconsistent with the requirements of the Political Reform Act under Fair Political Practices Commission Regulation 18702.2 for her to participate in today's session. Though the FPPC provided Advice Letter 19‐032 clarifying that Councilmember Chao could participate in matters related to the 2018 Vallco Specific Plan and the 2018 Vallco SB 35 project litigation, that advice was predicated on the facts presented in the request for advice. The FPPC based its advice on the "public generally" exception to the materiality standards in Regulation 18702.2 linked to the similar effects of these two very large projects on a purported significant segment of the public and Councilmember Chao's property 939 feet from the Vallco site. The council actions at issue in 2 the litigation being discussed today regard dramatically smaller potential development not addressed by the FPPC's advice and which would have different impacts. Advice Letter 19‐032 is therefore inapposite to Councilmember Chao's eligibility to take part in today's discussion. A search of the FPPC's advice letter online database reveals no new advice letters related to Councilmember Chao's eligibility to participate in this discussion. Accordingly, should Councilmember Chao participate today, she does so at her own risk and imperils any decision council may make today. I further note that in substantiating the city's request to stay this litigation, one of the reasons presented to the Court in its joint stipulation with Petitioners was the fact that the city was "commencing an additional planning effort for the Vallco property." The other was the ongoing litigation over the Vallco SB 35 project‐‐a matter on which the court has now ruled. Discussion of the Vallco SB 35 project litigation is conspicuously absent from the notice for today's session, which would seem to leave only question of the "additional planning effort" as an item for discussion. As a preliminary matter, any detailed discussion of an "additional planning effort" should only occur at a properly noticed public meeting, and I would ask that the city attorney and the city manager work diligently to avoid the discussion of anything that should occur in a noticed open public meeting. Many thanks for your service, ‐‐ J.R. Fruen, Esq. 408-828-2859 ‐‐ J.R. Fruen, Esq. 408-828-2859 1 Lauren Sapudar From:Lisa Warren <la-warren@att.net> Sent:Friday, May 29, 2020 12:44 PM To:City Council Cc:Cupertino City Manager's Office; City Attorney's Office; City Clerk Subject:CUSD Letter to State Legislators - Please help to Reinforce the message NOW Attachments:Letter to Evan Low CUSD May 2020.pdf CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Our community and public education is in trouble. The Cupertino Union School District has sent a letter to all six of our state legislators with a plea for help. Attached, you will find a copy of the letter as addressed to Assemblymember Evan Low. Below is the list of recipients of the same letter. I am writing to make a strong suggestion/request that the City of Cupertino draft a letter that essentially endorses what is put in to words in the 2+ page letter. Further, I request that Cupertino - whether it be the Mayor or someone else, formally reach out to the electeds of each of the other five cities that CUSD supports, and encourage them to do the same outreach. Thank you. Lisa Warren The Honorable Evan Low 28th Assembly District Office 20111 Stevens Creek Blvd Ste 220 Cupertino, CA 95014 ecopy:assemblymember.low@assembly.ca.gov, patrick.ahrens@asm.ca.gov The Honorable Marc Berman 24th Assembly District Office 5050 El Camino Real #117 Los Altos, CA 94022 ecopy: assemblymember.berman@assembly.ca.gov, Zachery.Ross@asm.ca.gov The Honorable Kansen Chu 25th Assembly District Office 1313 N. Milpitas Blvd Ste #255 Milpitas, CA 95035 ecopy assemblymember.chu@assembly.ca.gov,linda.vo@asm.ca.gov The Honorable Jim Beall 15th Senate District Office 2 2105 S. Bascom Avenue Ste 154 Campbell, CA 95008 ecopy Senator.Beall@senate.ca.gov,estevanginsburg@sen.ca.gov The Honorable Jerry Hill 13th Senate District Office 1528 South El Camino Real Ste 303 San Mateo, CA 94402 ecopy - Senator.Hill@senate.ca.gov,jano.dekermenjian@sen.ca.gov The Honorable Bob Wieckowski 10th Senate District Office 39510 Paseo Padre Parkway Ste 280 Fremont, CA 94538 ecopy - Senator.Wieckowski@senate.ca.gov, rocky.fernandez@sen.ca.gov 6XSHULQWHQGHQW %RDUGRI(GXFDWLRQ &UDLJ%DNHU /RULHQ&XQQLQJKDP 6\OYLD/HRQJ -HUU\/LX 6DWKHHVK0DGKDWKLO 3K\OOLV9RJHO &XSHUWLQR8QLRQ6FKRRO'LVWULFW 2IILFH$GGUHVV60DU\$YHQXH6XLWH6XQQ\YDOH&$ 0DLOLQJ$GGUHVV9LVWD'ULYH&XSHUWLQR&$ 7HOHSKRQH 0D\ 'HDU$VVHPEO\PHPEHU/RZ 7KDQN\RXIRU\RXUVHUYLFHWRRXUFRPPXQLW\KHUHLQ$':HZULWHWR\RXWRGD\WRGHILQHDQ DQRPDO\WKDWRQO\DKDQGIXORIRWKHUVFKRROGLVWULFWVLQWKHHQWLUHVWDWHIDFHULJKWQRZ2XUGLVWULFWWKH &XSHUWLQR8QLRQ6FKRRO'LVWULFWLVWKHODUJHVW7.VFKRROGLVWULFWLQ1RUWKHUQ&DOLIRUQLD6HUYLQJ 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