CC 07-19-2022 Oral Communications_Written CommunicationsFrom:sunnysideupnow1@gmail.com
To:City Council
Subject:Please don"t take away our golf course
Date:Tuesday, July 19, 2022 12:22:21 PM
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Dear Council members,
I’m pleading for you not to tear down our beloved golf course. For years, my family and I have
enjoyed spending family time playing golf at BBF golf course. I grew up having a place to develop a
healthy and active hobby with friends and family, thanks to having the course in my neighborhood. I
also enjoy jogging at the Stevens Creek Trail and feel that the addition of more space from tearing
down the course does not add anything to the already vast and sufficient outdoor trail.
The golf course is run and managed by very kind people that I adore. To think that they would be out
of their retirement job is saddening. I also know that the restaurant is a very popular local spot for
the retired to go dancing and meet up. Taking away the restaurant would take away the social venue
that the elderly in our community cherish.
Please keep the golf course, instead, the community is fine with more water saving measures to
maintain the course such as putting artificial grass on certain less traveled parts of the course. Hope
enough people in the community can get heard on this important decision today.
Alicia Sia, Cupertino Resident
10358 Leola Court, Cupertino.
From:Don Halsey
To:City Council
Subject:Possible future homeless site in Cupertino - Blackberry Farm Golf Course
Date:Tuesday, July 19, 2022 12:18:46 PM
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To the Cupertino City Council:
Below is the City's image of Blackberry Farm golf course and the surrounding areas.
No homeless 'encampments' exist on the BBF golf course, for several practical reasons.
One can wonder if converting BBF to Natural Habitat would invite homeless persons, and the usual
attendant problems, to this part of Cupertino. The riparian width runs about 100 to 200 feet.where the
creek borders the golf course. If the current BBF acreage were added, that would increase the width to
250 to 600 feet.
As a "what if" we can look at Los Lagos golf course in San Jose, which straddles Coyote Creek. Below is
a picture. The riparian width runs about 150 to 490 feet.where the creek borders the golf course.
Los Lagos has about twice greater riparian width - about 320 feet vs 150 feet. More room to camp. Los
Lagos has more homeless, too. I suggest they are related.
Below are a few 'encampments' adjacent to the Los Lagos golf course.
It seems likely that widening the Stevens Creek riparian path would invite a homeless problem, if
Cupertino already has a homeless problem. But we do!
Here is a link to the full article. https://www.svvoice.com/the-dilemma-of-homeless-encampments-in-
cupertino/
Given this information, it is less risky to keep BBF as a golf course than to convert it to Natural Habitat.
The City Council needs to be aware of this.
Don Halsey
650 996 3021
From:Don Halsey
To:City Council
Subject:Blackberry Farm greens fees
Date:Tuesday, July 19, 2022 6:04:49 AM
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Blackberry Farm non-resident greens Fee is $18.00
Sunken Gardens, a similar course, has a weekday non-resident rate of $23.00.
(For residents it is $16 and $21.)
This suggests BBF could achieve 28% [23/18 = 1.278] more revenue if it raised its rates to
match Sunken, assuming no price elasticity of demand.
The City's Use Analysis points to a $2 million total cost advantage by keeping Blackberry
Farm open (over 25 years) compared to converting it to Natural Habitat. That's $2 million of
taxpayer dollars saved. For any City Council member to vote for Natural Habitat given the
numbers just doesn't make sense. But if you changed the BBF revenue projection to be 28%
higher, that would be .28 x $9.4M = $2.6M more revenue, hence $4.6M advantage over
Natural Habitat.
Some golfers may be so passionate about the game that they ignore financial considerations.
Likewise some habitat lovers.
From the viewpoint of a taxpayer, though, keeping BBF open is the financially responsible
thing to do.
Don Halsey
650 996 3021
From:Munisekar
To:City Council
Cc:City Clerk; Cupertino City Manager"s Office; Munisekaran Madhdhipatla
Subject:Help protect local residents home ownership.
Date:Monday, July 18, 2022 5:20:33 PM
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Dear Mayor & Council,
My name is Muni Madhdhpatla, an engaged resident of Cupertino and vice chair of the
planning commission. I am writing this email as a resident representing myself; not in any
official capacity.
I have sent multiple emails in the past on this topic; this is one more email on it. I will
continue diving this point until I see something done about it.
I would like our city to explore ways to enable home ownership to hard working local
residents of our community. It is unfair to allow foreigners not living in this country to
purchase beautiful homes in our city totally unhindered and rent it back to our residents at
unaffordable levels. Who knows how those foreigners acquired that wealth as the financial
controls are not as stringent as ours; it could be drugs or bribery or blood money acquired
through the mafia.
Foreign Buyers Rebound, Purchase Nearly $60B in U.S. Properties - DSNews
Please do something to help our local residents realize the American dream of owning and
living in a home instead of becoming perennial renters subjected to unfair competition from
overseas. Many countries and provinces around the world have implemented several schemes
such as Foriegn ownership tax to help on this front.
I understand this is a free market and we should allow the market to work; unfortunately, it is
not a free market when people are subjected to different sets of rules. The foreign investors
can buy stocks and other products available in the free market; but not the homes that are
essential for living.
Thank you.
Muni Madhdhipatla
Cupertino Resident