CC Item No. 12 FY 22-23 City Work Program_Written CommunicationsCC 4-05
#2
Consider Council
Goals and Prioritize
Fiscal Year
2022-2023 Work
Program Items
Written Comments
From:Jian He
To:City Council
Cc:City Clerk
Subject:Agenda item #12 Please add the Carmen Bridge to the CIP priority list for next year
Date:Tuesday, April 5, 2022 4:28:31 PM
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Dear Mayor Paul and City Councilmembers,
My name is Jian He. My family has lived near the Blackberry Farm for 17 years. Like
many of my neighbors, my whole family likes to bike and walk for commuting and
exercises, and we are strong supporters for building walk & bike safe routes.
You may have heard of a recent tragedy, a 13-yr old bicyclist was killed by a truck at
a busy intersection. A few months ago, my younger son’s water polo friend was
seriously injured by a car when biking to school, also on a busy street. I personally
saw cars bump into each other at the crossing on Stevens Creek Blvd, when the first
car stopped for the pedestrians but the second car crashed behind, likely being
blinded by the strong sunlight over the steep hills. We need more safe routes, that
are away from the busy streets to meet the Vision Zero goal. The Carmen Bridge
will be such a great project to provide safe crossing over the busy Stevens Creek
Blvd, but now it is not in the list of the City Work Plan this year. Would you please
add it back to the priority list?
Since 2017, hundreds of local residents have signed the petition to support the
Carmen Bridge project. It’s ranked very high in priority for the 2018 Pedestrian
Transportation Plan. In 2019, the feasibility study was completed with successful
community outreach efforts and well-documented questions and solutions. Many
residents (including students and parents) showed up in person to voice their support
at the city council meeting on Nov 5th 2019, and all the present city council members
were moved by their testimonies to vote yes to support the project. Many thanks to
the city council and city staff for making these great milestones!
In addition, various local organizations and school PTA/PTSA/PTOs have officially
endorsed the Carmen Bridge project because of its benefits on safe routes, traffic
reduction, and park access etc. A few weeks ago, another great news arrived that the
city actually owns the landing sites for the Carmen Bridge, so all the right-of-way
issues have been resolved! It’s been 7 years since the city kicked off the project.
Now, it is time to add it back to the priority list and move to the next milestone
for the design.
Thank you for listening to our community and doing all the good work for our city!
Best regards,
Jian He
From:Larry Dean
To:City Clerk
Cc:City Council; Larry Dean
Subject:Please Place the Carmen Bridge Project into the 2023 CIP
Date:Tuesday, April 5, 2022 4:28:14 PM
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Dear Mayor Paul and Fellow Council -
As a 40 year resident of Cupertino, an avid cyclist and community
supporter, I urge you to put the Carmen Bridge Project into the 2022-23
Capital Improvement plan;
The highly rated project:
Has been in the planning process and queue for nearly 8 years;
There is very strong community support;
Just missed being funded by last year’s VTA's Measure B;
The technical land entitlement/use issues have been solved;
Much of the cost will likely be subsidized by outside funding
sources;
We realized that city staff is currently stressed, but we ask you - our
city council - to make a hard commitment to the project. Put the
Carmen Bridge project into this year’s CIP and have the project
committed with the funding ear-marked. This will allow the project
development team to find the outside sources for full funding.
Perhaps we can get started on the engineering in 22/23, start
construction in 23.
Again, please put the Carmen Bridge Project into this year's CIP - it’s
up to you!
Thank You,
Larry Dean
Walk-Bike Cupertino
From:mingrui bao
To:City Council; City Clerk
Subject:comments for Safe Gun Stoarage Law
Date:Tuesday, April 5, 2022 4:21:42 PM
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Hi,
I heard city of cupertino is considering to include Safe Gun Stoarage Law in the work program and wonder if that's really needed.
If you take a look at current gun crime, mostly of them come from illegal guns. If we adopt safe gun policy, in my opinion, it wont' make
any change since it doesn't put control on those illegal guns. Instead that will put more restriction on regular citizens who can purchase
gun which i don't think it's necessary.
The initiative of safe gun policy is good but i don't think it will work as what the policy makers think. So personally I am against to include
safe gun policy.
Thanks,
Ming
From:Ping Gao
To:City Council; City Clerk; City of Cupertino Public Safety Commission
Cc:Ping Gao
Subject:Regarding Safe Gun Storage Law
Date:Tuesday, April 5, 2022 2:55:33 PM
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Dear City Council and Public Safety Commissioners,
I'm writing to you to express my opposition to more safe gun storage laws or prioritizing it in
our city's work programs.
As you have probably known that California has already been very strict regarding safe
gun storage, such as firearms and ammunition have to be stored separately in your home. You
should never put a loaded gun in a storage box. The gun owner has to make sure their
firearms can’t be accessed by their kids or any adults who doesn’t have permit to use
firearms.
My big concern is that making extra rules to stop residents from unlocking their firearms may
encourage burglaries since we are adding more obstacles to prevent residents from fighting
back. I don't know if you are aware of the trespasser which resulted in the neighbors fighting
back by firing gun shots. I don't want to comment on this incident, but I do know that the only
tool that the senior couple could use to protect themselves while facing intruders will be their
firearms.
Please do more community outreach before putting it in the City work program or make it a
higher priority. Please consult with groups for gun rights and do more research to make sure
such law won’t conflict with the US constitution before making any decision.
It will cost our city a lot of money to do all the research, consultation and community outreach
for more strict gun safe storage laws. I'm sure there are other more urgent and important topics
to discuss in Cupertino. Instead of wasting time and money on this topic, I would rather the
city council to focus more on safety issue.
My neighbors are very concerned about safety nowadays, I would rather the City Council and
Safety Commission to revamp the neighborhood watch program, and use this program to
continue educating Cupertino residents about safety and crime prevention. Ever since
Stephanie and Laura retried, this program was moved to be under Citizen Corp which focused
more on emergency preparedness. Emergency preparedness is also important but my
neighbors are very concerned about safety in the neighborhood.
Thank you very much.
Ping
From:Taghi Saadati
To:City Council
Cc:City Clerk
Subject:Carmen Bridge
Date:Tuesday, April 5, 2022 2:53:13 PM
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The purpose of this email is to urge you not to postponed the priority for the design and construction of the bridge
over Stevens Creek Boulevard at Carmen Rd.
Pedestrian and biking safely should be the Council’s top priority. Crossing the Stevens Creek Blvd. at Carmen is
currently hazardous for pedestrians and bicycles.
By constructing the bridged more student and others walk and bike to school and Blackberry Farm. I occasionally
bike from Carmen road crossing Stevens Creek Blvd. to the path to Blackberry Farm and find it not safe to cross.
Please make this a top priority for this year.
Thank you
Taghi Saadati
Sent from my iPhone
From:Liana Crabtree
To:Darcy Paul; Liang Chao; Kitty Moore; Hung Wei; Jon Robert Willey
Cc:City Clerk; HousingCommission; City of Cupertino Planning Commission
Subject:2 of 3, written communication: Council Meeting, 4/5/2022, Agenda Item 12, 2022-2023 Work Program, Empty Home Tax
Date:Tuesday, April 5, 2022 1:04:53 PM
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Honorable Mayor Paul, Vice Mayor Chao, Council Members Moore, Wei, and Willey:
Please add this letter as written communication for the 4/5/2022 Council Meeting, Agenda
Item 12, 2022-2023 Work Program, Empty Home Tax.
For your consideration, people in urban and suburban communities locally and
worldwide are challenged to find affordable, safe, long-term homes because we
have allowed an investor market set housing prices. As a result, housing costs
are decoupled from what regular people can afford to pay for housing.
As Council considers its work priorities for 2022-2023, I encourage Council Members to
support Housing Program items that would include adding an EMPTY HOME TAX to the
November 2022 ballot:
with data gathered through a housing audit, the City can consider the feasibility of an
empty home tax
proceeds from an empty homes tax can be used by the City to purchase its own land to
be used to develop long-term (99-years) below market rate housing for individuals and
families with low, very low, and extremely low income
other communities have implemented or are considering tax measures for homes that
are not occupied as long-term residences, including: Vancouver, BC; Oakland; San
Francisco; Santa Cruz
count short-stay rental use (less than 30 days of continuous occupation by a single
renter) as vacant or "empty" use of the home
Please consider how Council's introduction of an Empty Home Tax ballot initiative could
further the City's objectives to encourage long-term housing use of local homes and also
provide funding to buy land for the development long-term (99-years) public benefit housing
for residents with moderate, low, very low, and extremely low incomes.
Sincerely,
Liana Crabtree
Cupertino resident
RESOURCES, Empty Home Tax
City of Santa Cruz, 2022 Empty Home Tax Initiative marketing and details:
https://emptyhometax.org/
City of Santa Cruz, Empty Home Tax Ballot Title and Summary:
https://www.cityofsantacruz.com/home/showpublisheddocument/86670/637707442873000000
City of Oakland, Vacant Property Tax (VPT):
https://www.oaklandca.gov/topics/vacantpropertytax
"Vacant-home tax could appear on San Francisco’s November ballot" by J.D. Morris, San
Francisco Chronicle, 2/10/2022: https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/Vacant-home-tax-
could-appear-on-San-Francisco-s-16841536.php
"Many homes would be exempt from the tax, which is aimed largely at investors,
real estate speculators and anyone else who is 'buying units like they buy stock,'
[San Francisco Supervision Dean]Preston told The Chronicle.
'They have a business model that involves holding it vacant and reselling it in the
future,' he said. 'That doesn’t benefit anyone in the community. It hurts the entire
community. Those homes should be filled.'"
City of Vancouver, BC, Vacant Homes Tax: https://vancouver.ca/home-property-
development/empty-homes-tax.aspx
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From:Liana Crabtree
To:Darcy Paul; Liang Chao; Kitty Moore; Hung Wei; Jon Robert Willey
Cc:City Clerk; HousingCommission; planningcommission@cupertino.com
Subject:3 of 3, written communication: Council Meeting, 4/5/2022, Agenda Item 12, 2022-2023 Work Program,
Community Land Trust
Date:Tuesday, April 5, 2022 1:04:45 PM
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Honorable Mayor Paul, Vice Mayor Chao, Council Members Moore, Wei, and Willey:
Please add this letter as written communication for the 4/5/2022 Council Meeting,
Agenda Item 12, 2022-2023 Work Program, Community Land Trust
For your consideration, people in urban and suburban communities locally
and worldwide are challenged to find affordable, safe, long-term homes
because we have allowed an investor market set housing prices. As a
result, housing costs are decoupled from what regular people can afford to
pay for housing.
As Council considers its work priorities for 2022-2023, I encourage Council Members
to support Housing Program items that would include the establishment of a
COMMUNITY LAND TRUST--where the City of Cupertino is the entity that owns the
land for development--to enable the construction of local below market rate housing
for long-term public benefit (99 years):
proceeds from an empty home tax could provide initial and on-going funds for
the Community Land Trust
homes built on Community Land Trust property could be owner-occupied, for-
sale homes (condominium) or rental homes
Please consider how the establishment of a Community Land Trust for the benefit
of Cupertino residents could further the City's objectives to support the creation of
more homes for first-time home buyers and for renters with low, very low, and
extremely low incomes.
Sincerely,
Liana Crabtree
Cupertino resident
REFERENCE
"Menlo Park to Consider Forming a Community Land Trust to Enable Affordable
Homeownership" by Kate Bradshaw, The Almanac, 5/12/2021:
https://www.almanacnews.com/news/2021/11/12/menlo-park-to-consider-forming-a-
community-land-trust-to-enable-affordable-homeownership?utm_source=express-
2021-11-12&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=express
"A community land trust is an entity that controls the ownership of a
property and is responsible for its stewardship, according to staff. These
usually make homeownership more affordable because the homeowner is
buying just the house, not the land that the property sits on. The
homeowners lease the land long term from the community land trust and
agree to sell the home at a restricted price to keep it affordable in
perpetuity, but may be able to realize the appreciation from improvements
they make while living in the house, according to an explanation by
Grounded Solutions Network, a Bay Area-based housing policy nonprofit."
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From:Liana Crabtree
To:Darcy Paul; Liang Chao; Kitty Moore; Hung Wei; Jon Robert Willey
Cc:City Clerk; HousingCommission; City of Cupertino Planning Commission
Subject:2 of 3, written communication: Council Meeting, 4/5/2022, Agenda Item 12, 2022-2023 Work Program, Empty Home Tax
Date:Tuesday, April 5, 2022 1:04:36 PM
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Honorable Mayor Paul, Vice Mayor Chao, Council Members Moore, Wei, and Willey:
Please add this letter as written communication for the 4/5/2022 Council Meeting, Agenda
Item 12, 2022-2023 Work Program, Empty Home Tax.
For your consideration, people in urban and suburban communities locally and
worldwide are challenged to find affordable, safe, long-term homes because we
have allowed an investor market set housing prices. As a result, housing costs
are decoupled from what regular people can afford to pay for housing.
As Council considers its work priorities for 2022-2023, I encourage Council Members to
support Housing Program items that would include adding an EMPTY HOME TAX to the
November 2022 ballot:
with data gathered through a housing audit, the City can consider the feasibility of an
empty home tax
proceeds from an empty homes tax can be used by the City to purchase its own land to
be used to develop long-term (99-years) below market rate housing for individuals and
families with low, very low, and extremely low income
other communities have implemented or are considering tax measures for homes that
are not occupied as long-term residences, including: Vancouver, BC; Oakland; San
Francisco; Santa Cruz
count short-stay rental use (less than 30 days of continuous occupation by a single
renter) as vacant or "empty" use of the home
Please consider how Council's introduction of an Empty Home Tax ballot initiative could
further the City's objectives to encourage long-term housing use of local homes and also
provide funding to buy land for the development long-term (99-years) public benefit housing
for residents with moderate, low, very low, and extremely low incomes.
Sincerely,
Liana Crabtree
Cupertino resident
RESOURCES, Empty Home Tax
City of Santa Cruz, 2022 Empty Home Tax Initiative marketing and details:
https://emptyhometax.org/
City of Santa Cruz, Empty Home Tax Ballot Title and Summary:
https://www.cityofsantacruz.com/home/showpublisheddocument/86670/637707442873000000
City of Oakland, Vacant Property Tax (VPT):
https://www.oaklandca.gov/topics/vacantpropertytax
"Vacant-home tax could appear on San Francisco’s November ballot" by J.D. Morris, San
Francisco Chronicle, 2/10/2022: https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/Vacant-home-tax-
could-appear-on-San-Francisco-s-16841536.php
"Many homes would be exempt from the tax, which is aimed largely at investors,
real estate speculators and anyone else who is 'buying units like they buy stock,'
[San Francisco Supervision Dean]Preston told The Chronicle.
'They have a business model that involves holding it vacant and reselling it in the
future,' he said. 'That doesn’t benefit anyone in the community. It hurts the entire
community. Those homes should be filled.'"
City of Vancouver, BC, Vacant Homes Tax: https://vancouver.ca/home-property-
development/empty-homes-tax.aspx
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From:Liana Crabtree
To:Darcy Paul; Liang Chao; Kitty Moore; Hung Wei; Jon Robert Willey
Cc:City Clerk; HousingCommission; City of Cupertino Planning Commission
Subject:1 of 3, written communication: Council Meeting, 4/5/2022, Agenda Item 12, 2022-2023 Work Program, Housing
Audit
Date:Tuesday, April 5, 2022 1:04:26 PM
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Honorable Mayor Paul, Vice Mayor Chao, Council Members Moore, Wei, and Willey:
Please add this letter as written communication for the 4/5/2022 Council Meeting,
Agenda Item 12, 2022-2023 Work Program, Housing Audit.
For your consideration, people in urban and suburban communities locally
and worldwide are challenged to find affordable, safe, long-term homes
because we have allowed an investor market set housing prices. As a
result, housing costs are decoupled from what regular people can afford to
pay for housing.
As Council considers its work priorities for 2022-2023, I encourage Council Members
to support Housing Program items that would include a HOUSING AUDIT to record:
who owns each home in Cupertino? Include single family homes; multi-family
apartments, condominiums, town homes; accessory dwelling units
how many owner-occupied homes? investor-owned homes? corporate-owned
homes?
how many homes sit empty in Cupertino? empty at a point in time? empty for
120 days or longer?
how many homes are empty except when rented for short stays of 30 days or
less?
How can a community know how much housing it needs without first counting its
existing housing and recording how much of its existing housing is used for non-
housing purposes: short-stay rental, vacant, or unavailable due to demolition or
construction?
Sincerely,
Liana Crabtree
Cupertino resident
REFERENCES
"Editorial: The 'Financialization' of Housing Puts Profit over People" by Andréanne
Chevalier, Community Housing Transformation Center, 2/7/2022:
https://centre.support/editorial-better-understand-the-financialization-of-housing/
"Blackstone Best $6 Billion on Buying and Renting Homes" by Peter Grant, Wall
Street Journal, 6/22/2021: https://www.wsj.com/articles/blackstone-bets-6-billion-on-
buying-and-renting-homes-11624359600
"The [single-family home rental] business is attractive to investors
because growth can come from both rising home prices and rent
increases. The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller National Home Price Index,
which measures average home prices in major metropolitan areas across
the nation, rose 13.2% in the year that ended in March, up from a 12%
annual rate the prior month."
"The Real Reason House Prices Are Skyrocketing: What the Real Estate Industry
Won't Tell You" by John Wake, 4/1/2022:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnwake/2022/04/01/the-real-reason-house-prices-are-
skyrocketing-what-the-real-estate-industry-wont-tell-you/?sh=66859fbe5da4
"...There’s more. Because houses are partially an investment good for
live-in homeowners and are 100% an investment good for landlords,
house prices can act more like stock prices than consumer goods prices.
Like with stocks, fast price increases cause optimistic buyers to buy
expecting prices to go even higher. Unfortunately, the most optimistic
buyers set the prices for both stocks and houses."
RESOURCES, Housing Audit
City of Minneapolis Vacant and Condemned Homes Dashboard:
https://www.minneapolismn.gov/government/government-data/datasource/vacant-
condemned-property-dashboard/
View in full screen, then click "Before You Begin". To view the map and data, select
the "VBR Property Inventory" tab.
City of Vancouver, BC, Declaring Your Property Status: https://vancouver.ca/home-
property-development/declare-property-status.aspx
Video, 00:01:26: How to Submit Your Empty Homes Tax Property Status Declaration:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRo7VTGZjGo
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From:Anne Ezzat
To:Darcy Paul; Liang Chao; Jon Robert Willey; Kitty Moore; Cupertino City Manager"s Office; City Clerk
Subject:Item #12 City Work Plan
Date:Tuesday, April 5, 2022 12:22:56 PM
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Dear Mayor Paul, Vice Mayor Chao, Council Member Wiley, and Council Member Moore,
I am writing to request that the following items are added to the city's work plan for the
upcoming year:
Housing Audit- as it stands that city does not have current statistics on the types of
houses, condos, multi-family homes, vacant land in Cupertino. Knowing what the
current housing stock is, will better enable the city to plan for the future.
Vacancy Tax-in the US residential properties are being used as investment vehicles for
hedge funds and the like, are not occupied and simply allowed to sit. Please consider
imposing a vacancy tax on Cupertino units that are not occupied, with the tax revenue
going toward establishing a fund for affordable housing. Housing affordability is not
based on the lack of housing but on the fact that investors are taking single family
homes off the market and thereby putting pressure on both the for-sale market and the
rental market. The following article highlights the problem
https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnwake/2022/04/01/the-real-reason-house-prices-are-
skyrocketing-what-the-real-estate-industry-wont-tell-you/?sh=158c40aa5da4
Developer accountability agreements. Please force developers to live up to their
agreements and fine those that do not. As a resident, if I destroy a protected tree, I will
be fined and expected to make it right. Corporations and businesses should not have a
different standard applied to them than residents.
Thank you for your time and attention.
Best regards,
Brooke Ezzat
From:du vote
To:City Council
Subject:Strong against safe Gun Storage Law
Date:Monday, April 4, 2022 11:30:27 PM
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Dear city Council members,
We recently heard that people start to talk about safe Gun storage law. Cupertino is a very
peaceful city and people
in Cupertino are very responsible and thoughtful for what they do and what they will not do.
There is very few Asian
people here in Cupertino having gun and if they do, it must be a very thoughtful process for
them and gun needs to be there to be able to help them quickly in case needed. Making extra
rules to stop residents from unlocking their firearms adds more obstacles to prevent residents
from fighting back.
In California, we already have many State laws for Safe Gun Storage. We don't need to repeat
them in city laws. And before putting it on the city council meeting's agenda, we hope our city
can let the safety commission evaluate first, and hear opinions from sheriff. Let the
professionals do the evaluation.
Across U.S., the criminal events are dramatically increased in past two years which makes
people very concern about their own safety. Please let people be able to protect themselves
rather than prevent this.
Thank you very much for your time and consideration.
Cupertino citizen,
Du
From:Zicheng Hu
To:City Council; City Clerk; City of Cupertino Public Safety Commission
Subject:Against Safe Gun Storage laws
Date:Monday, April 4, 2022 9:35:32 PM
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To whom it may concern,
I am writing to express my voice AGAINST a more strict gun storage law. We need to
quickly access our firearms when there is a home invasion. A more strict gun storage law will
greatly reduce our ability to defend my family in a timely manner.
In recent years, the Bay Area has seen an increased number of crimes, especially crimes
against Asian Americans. Firearms that are readily accessible are essentially the last line of
defense of the victims. Therefore, I urge the city to take measures to:
1. Stop going after the guns of law-abiding citizens and residents.
2. Instead, put more efforts and resources into fighting against the criminals.
Zicheng Hu
From:Frank Yang Admin
To:City Clerk; City Council
Subject:Agenda item #12 Please add the Carmen Bridge to the CIP priority list for next year
Date:Monday, April 4, 2022 8:15:49 PM
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Dear Mayor Paul and City Councilmembers:
We are asking today that you add the Carmen Bridge to the list of priorities for the city
Workplan and CIP for next year.
The Feasibility Study was completed in 2019, and since then the city has not moved forward
with this project. With the recent and happy news that the city owns the land needed for the
bridge construction (no land swaps or right-of-way negotiations are needed as previously
expected), now is the time to move to an actual design.
This project has been on the VTA list and narrowly missed funding because it was not yet
approved to move forward by the Cupertino City Council. If it does move forward to the
design phase, as I am requesting, it is likely that grant funding will come through for
construction.
Students, families and seniors will all need this new safe pedestrian and bike crossing at
Stevens Creek. I ask you today to go forward and add this to the list of work for our city in the
coming year. Thank you.
Regards,
Cupertino resident
Pad & Ken
From:Jane Aw Yang
To:City Council
Cc:City Clerk
Subject:Agenda item #12 Please add the Carmen Bridge to the CIP priority list for next year
Date:Monday, April 4, 2022 7:50:20 PM
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Dear Mayor Paul and City Councilmembers:
I am asking today that you add the Carmen Bridge to the list of priorities for the city Workplan
and CIP for next year.
We moved to Creston Neighborhood in 2018, my kids, my wife and I occasionally walked to
Blackberry Farms/Mclellan Ranch but each time my kids crossed the road, our hearts raced
very fast because we are NERVOUS with oncoming traffic on both sides. My wife drives on
that part of Stevens Creek Blvd as well occasionally but she would avoid it as much as
possible especially near sunset times because it is VERY DIFFICULT to notice pedestrians
even on the cross walk sometimes, not to mention there are MANY pedestrians who do not
use the crosswalk. Oncoming cars from Foothill Blvd are going downhill on Stevens
Creek Blvd will naturally speed up without the driver realizing it sometimes, even myself.
One time we saw an elderly person sped across the road out of nowhere.
Our 2 children will be attending Kennedy Middle in a few years time and we absolutely
cannot rest easy knowing the traffic / pedestrian situation on that stretch of the road. Thus, we
have no choice but to drive them to the already very congested section of Bubb Rd to attend
school. Furthermore, with the closure of Regnart Elementary, more families will attend
Lincoln Elementary and create MORE traffic. We are only allowed to drop off our children
within a very short window of time before they are issued 'late slip'. This is very stressful
from the morning get go. If more families and children could cross to the other side of
Stevens Creek safely, it would definitely help!
Students, families and seniors will all need this new safe pedestrian and bike crossing at
Stevens Creek. I ask you today to go forward and add this to the list of work for our city in the
coming year. Thank you.
Best Regards,
Frank & Jane
A Homeowner in Creston Neighborhood and parents of 2 kids currently attending Stevens Creek
Elementary
From:Abhijit Neeta
To:City Council
Cc:City Clerk
Subject:Agenda item #12 Please add the Carmen Bridge to the CIP priority list for next year
Date:Monday, April 4, 2022 7:30:31 PM
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 Mayor Paul and City Councilmembers:
I am asking today that you add the Carmen Bridge to the list of priorities for the city Workplan and CIP for next
year.
The Feasibility Study was completed in 2019, and since then the city has not moved forward with this project. With
the recent and happy news that the city owns the land needed for the bridge construction (no land swaps or right-of-
way negotiations are needed as previously expected), now is the time to move to an actual design.
This project has been on the VTA list and narrowly missed funding because it was not yet approved to move
forward by the Cupertino City Council. If it does move forward to the design phase, as I am requesting, it is likely
that grant funding will come through for construction.
Students, families and seniors will all need this new safe pedestrian and bike crossing at Stevens Creek. I ask you
today to go forward and add this to the list of work for our city in the coming year. Thank you.
Abhijit and Neeta Khinvasara
From:Dan Pan
To:City Council; City Clerk; City of Cupertino Public Safety Commission
Subject:Please vote NO on "Safe Gun Storage Law"
Date:Monday, April 4, 2022 5:50:38 PM
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 Mayor and City Councils:
We already have many State Laws for Safe Gun Storage. We don’t need too many laws for
gun in city level.
The strict gun safe storage law is very hard to enforce. Before putting it on the city council
meeting’s agenda, we hope our city can let the Safety commission do their job first, and
listen to the sheriff and police officers if such a law can be practically executed.
Making extra rules to stop residents from unlocking their firearms may encourage more
burglars since we are adding more obstacles to prevent residents from fighting back. There
are much more cases of burglars in nowadays in Cupertino than gun suicide cases. So we
believe such laws will do harm more than having benefit.
This law will bring more bureaucracy and cost to our city. Our city has more urgent things to
do. Is it appropriate to pass some laws which are almost impossible to enforce but wasting
so many tax dollars?
Please vote No on “Saft Gun Storage Law” in Cupertino city.
Thanks,
_______
Dan Pan
Cell: 408-334-1148
From:Jenny Griffin
To:City Council
Cc:grenna5000@yahoo.com
Subject:City Council Meeting, Agenda Item 2- Adus in Public Utility Easements, 4/5/22
Date:Monday, April 4, 2022 5:07:26 PM
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 City Council:
Agenda Item 2 in the City Council Meeting for 4/5/22 is for items of Interest for Discussion.
One item that I think that should be discussed and put on the program is the issue of Adus
Being built very close to public utility easements, like the five foot P G and E public utility
Easements in the back yards of neighborhoods in Cupertino. This is not a good area to
Build adus so close to a utility easement.
Los Angeles requires a ten foot setback for adus from the public utility easement.
We need to have a discussion about this issue of building adus so close to easements here.
Thank you very much.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Griffin
From:Linda vanderhule
To:City Council
Cc:City Clerk
Subject:Agenda item #12 Please add the Carmen Bridge to the CIP priority list for next year
Date:Monday, April 4, 2022 5:01:43 PM
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 Mayor Paul and City Councilmembers:
I am asking today that you add the Carmen Bridge to the list of priorities for the city Workplan and CIP for next
year.
The Feasibility Study was completed in 2019, and since then the city has not moved forward with this project. With
the recent and happy news that the city owns the land needed for the bridge construction (no land swaps or right-of-
way negotiations are needed as previously expected), now is the time to move to an actual design.
This project has been on the VTA list and narrowly missed funding because it was not yet approved to move
forward by the Cupertino City Council. If it does move forward to the design phase, as I am requesting, it is likely
that grant funding will come through for construction.
I personally have to fight my way across the street 4-5 times a week. It is the closest access for me to get over to Los
Altos. The increased school morning and afternoon traffic has made crossing the street EXTREMELY
HAZARDOUS! An over crossing is needed.
Students, families and seniors will all need this new safe pedestrian and bike crossing at Stevens Creek. I ask you
today to go forward and add this to the list of work for our city in the coming year. Thank you.
Linda Vanderhule
Long time resident, biker and hiker
From:yangfranky@gmail.com on behalf of Frank Yang"s Office
To:City Clerk; City Council
Subject:Agenda item #12 Please add the Carmen Bridge to the CIP priority list for next year
Date:Monday, April 4, 2022 4:47:27 PM
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 Mayor Paul and City Councilmembers:
This is Joyce & Jasmine here.
We are asking today that you add the Carmen Bridge to the list of priorities for the city
Workplan and CIP for next year.
The Feasibility Study was completed in 2019, and since then the city has not moved forward
with this project. With the recent and happy news that the city owns the land needed for the
bridge construction (no land swaps or right-of-way negotiations are needed as previously
expected), now is the time to move to an actual design.
This project has been on the VTA list and narrowly missed funding because it was not yet
approved to move forward by the Cupertino City Council. If it does move forward to the
design phase, as I am requesting, it is likely that grant funding will come through for
construction.
Students, families and seniors will all need this new safe pedestrian and bike crossing at
Stevens Creek. I ask you today to go forward and add this to the list of work for our city in the
coming year. Thank you.
Joyce & Jasmine
From:Srini Belligundu
To:City Council
Cc:City Clerk
Subject:Agenda item #12 Please add the Carmen Bridge to the CIP priority list for next year
Date:Monday, April 4, 2022 4:29:21 PM
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 Mayor Paul and City Councilmembers:
I am asking today that you add the Carmen Bridge to the list of priorities for the city Workplan and
CIP for next year.
The Feasibility Study was completed in 2019, and since then the city has not moved forward with
this project. With the recent and happy news that the city owns the land needed for the bridge
construction (no land swaps or right-of-way negotiations are needed as previously expected), now is
the time to move to an actual design.
This project has been on the VTA list and narrowly missed funding because it was not yet approved
to move forward by the Cupertino City Council. If it does move forward to the design phase, as I am
requesting, it is likely that grant funding will come through for construction.
Students, families and seniors will all need this new safe pedestrian and bike crossing at Stevens
Creek. I ask you today to go forward and add this to the list of work for our city in the coming year.
Thank you.
Regards
Srini Belligundu
Mobile :: +1 (408) 656 4348
From:Trent Poltronetti
To:City Council
Cc:City Clerk
Subject:Agenda item #12 Please add the Carmen Bridge to the CIP priority list for next year
Date:Monday, April 4, 2022 4:27:27 PM
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 Mayor Paul and City Councilmembers:
Now that its become clear that the city owns the land needed for the Carmen bridge construction,
please add this back to the agenda.
Even though this would increase pedestrian and bike traffic on my street, I fully support it for safer
neighborhood access for all.
Thanks!
Trent and Lorraine Poltronetti
10201 Hillcrest Rd, Cupertino
Trent Poltronetti
Ardent Impressions Inc.
Cell 650 799 5009
From:Tom Scannell
To:City Council
Cc:City Clerk
Subject:I support the Carmen Street Bridge for the CIP priority list for next year
Date:Monday, April 4, 2022 4:20:08 PM
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 Mayor Paul and City Councilmembers:
I am asking today that you add the Carmen Street Bridge to the list of priorities for the city Workplan and CIP for
next year.
I live the neighborhood of the bridge since 1980 and my child attended Stevens Creek, Kennedy and Monta Vista. I
walk in the neighborhood of the bridge two to three times a week, often crossing Stevens Creek
I have been a strong supporter of safe pedestrian access in Cupertino for many years, especially students. I supported
the installation of the first set of traffic mitigation street “bumps” in Cupertino and the opening of the Scenic Circle
access for students of Kennedy and Monta Vista. I previously spoke in favor of the Carmen Bridge at the City
Council November of 2019
I support the bridge for two reasons.
First, it will make the access to above names schools easier and safer for students who live on either side of Stevens
Creek. A few years back, on one of my neighborhood walks, I unfortunately witnessed a boy and his bike thrown to
the ground by a car while trying to "jaywalk" across Steven Creek to get SC Elementary. Fortunately, he was more
shaken up than hurt but it cemented my desire to build a safer, shorter route amongst the schools. I hope you will
support it as well.
My second reason for supporting the bridge is that it will facilitate the building of a fantastic safe walking route on
the West Side of the city. With this bridge, a new safe route all the way from SC Elementary through Blackberry to
Linda Vista park on the recently opened Lowenthal trail. I am sure you would agree this is would be a great addition
to the City!
I understand that this project has been on the VTA list but missed funding because it was not yet approved to move
forward by the Cupertino City Council. If you were to approve it , I am hopeful that grant funding will come
through for construction.
Best regards
Tom Scannell
10208 Cass Place
Cupertino, CA 95014
Resident since 1980
From:Frank Yang
To:City Council
Cc:City Clerk
Subject:Agenda item #12 Please add the Carmen Bridge to the CIP priority list for next year
Date:Monday, April 4, 2022 4:14:52 PM
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 Mayor Paul and City Councilmembers:
This is Frank & Jane Yang family in Cupertino.
I am asking today that you add the Carmen Bridge to the list of priorities for the city Workplan
and CIP for next year.
The Feasibility Study was completed in 2019, and since then the city has not moved forward
with this project. With the recent and happy news that the city owns the land needed for the
bridge construction (no land swaps or right-of-way negotiations are needed as previously
expected), now is the time to move to an actual design.
This project has been on the VTA list and narrowly missed funding because it was not yet
approved to move forward by the Cupertino City Council. If it does move forward to the
design phase, as I am requesting, it is likely that grant funding will come through for
construction.
Students, families and seniors will all need this new safe pedestrian and bike crossing at
Stevens Creek. I ask you today to go forward and add this to the list of work for our city in the
coming year. Thank you.
Frank & Jane Yang
10300 Stonydale Dr
ᐧ
From:Ross Heitkamp
To:City Council
Cc:City Clerk
Subject:Agenda item #12 Please add the Carmen Bridge to the CIP priority list for next year
Date:Monday, April 4, 2022 3:54:52 PM
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 Mayor Paul and City Councilmembers:
You probably have no cheaper and easier way to remove a dangerous bicycling and walking
barrier than to build a bridge at Carmen Rd. I am asking today that you add the Carmen Bridge
to the list of priorities for the city Workplan and CIP for next year.
The Feasibility Study was completed in 2019, and since then the city has not moved forward
with this project. With the recent and happy news that the city owns the land needed for the
bridge construction (no land swaps or right-of-way negotiations are needed as previously
expected), now is the time to move to an actual design.
This project has been on the VTA list and narrowly missed funding because it was not yet
approved to move forward by the Cupertino City Council. If it does move forward to the
design phase, as I am requesting, it is likely that grant funding will come through for
construction.
Students, families and seniors will all need this new safe pedestrian and bike crossing at
Stevens Creek. I ask you today to go forward and add this to the list of work for our city in the
coming year. Thank you.
-----
Ross Heitkamp
From:Heidi Griesshaber
To:City Council
Cc:City Clerk
Subject:Agenda item #12 Please add the Carmen Bridge to the CIP priority list for next year
Date:Monday, April 4, 2022 3:12:36 PM
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 Mayor Paul and City Councilmembers:
I am asking today that you add the Carmen Bridge to the list of priorities for the city Workplan and CIP for next
year.
The Feasibility Study was completed in 2019, and since then the city has not moved forward with this project. With
the recent and happy news that the city owns the land needed for the bridge construction (no land swaps or right-of-
way negotiations are needed as previously expected), now is the time to move to an actual design.
This project has been on the VTA list and narrowly missed funding because it was not yet approved to move
forward by the Cupertino City Council. If it does move forward to the design phase, as I am requesting, it is likely
that grant funding will come through for construction.
Students, families and seniors will all need this new safe pedestrian and bike crossing at Stevens Creek. I ask you
today to go forward and add this to the list of work for our city in the coming year. Thank you.
Heidi Johnson
Sent from my iPhone