CC 09-20-2022 Oral Communications_Written CommunicationsFrom:E. Poon
To:City Clerk
Cc:Xiangchen (Minna) Xu; Sashi Begur; Gopal Kumarappan; Seema Swamy; Carol Stanek; Ilango Ganga; Vignesh
Swaminathan; Steve Poon; Susan Michael AIA
Subject:Future of Blackberry Farm Golf Course (Written communication for 9/20/22 City Council Meeting, non agenda
item)
Date:Monday, September 19, 2022 10:58:32 AM
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 Clerk,
I am a resident of Cupertino and have been following the Special Joint Meeting on 9/8/22 to
go over the results of the survey that ended on 7/15/2022.
Among the public speakers, there were two Audubon Society members who spoke in favor of
natural trails, and also Audubon Society members who spoke in favor of keeping the Golf
Course. I am not an Audubon Society member, but my interest in golf courses and the role
they have to play in the community has been piqued by the survey.
I would like to submit a photo that I took while I was at the Tilden Park Golf Course in
Berkeley. Note the Audubon sign on the upper left of the photo. Tilden Park Golf Course has
won the seal of approval from the Audubon Society. We should not fall under the impression
that to further the environmental goals of the Audubon Society, we have to do away with golf
courses. The two are not mutually exclusive.
Please present this photo to the City Council members on 9/20. I have copied the entire Parks
and Recreation Commission and the chairman of the Bicycle Commission as well as the
Sustainability Commission, adding Steve Poon, as I recognize he was present at the 9/8
meeting. (We share the same family name, but I am not acquainted with him until 9/8.)
On reviewing the Youtube video, I have added Susan M of Capital Improvement Projects, as
advised by the Director of Public Works.
Thank you in advance for your assistance.
Regards,
Emily Poon
Cupertino Resident since 2007
From:Peggy Griffin
To:City Clerk
Subject:Fwd: Blackberry Farm Golf Course Option A Savings to City!
Date:Sunday, September 18, 2022 8:38:37 PM
Attachments:Peggys Slides for CC on 9-20-22 r03.pdf
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Please add this to the Written Communications for Oral Communications for the 9-20-2022
City Council meeting.
Thank you,
Peggy Griffin
Begin forwarded message:
From: Peggy Griffin <Griffin@compuserve.com>
Date: September 18, 2022 at 8:19:38 PM PDT
To: City Council <CityCouncil@cupertino.org>
Cc: Don Halsey <donhalsey3021@gmail.com>
Subject: Blackberry Farm Golf Course Option A Savings to City!
City Clerk: Please include this as part of Written Communication for Oral Communication for
the 9-20-2022 City Council meeting this Tuesday night.
Dear Mayor Paul, Vice Mayor Chao and City Council Members,
Attached is the City’s analysis of the two options for the BlackBerry Farm Golf Course
property. It is from the City’s 25-year cost analysis of the 2 options studied. There are several
points I’d like to bring to your attention.
Please take a moment to review these numbers as it impacts the city’s finances.
Sincerely,
Peggy Griffin
Blackberry Farm Golf vs. Natural Habitat
25-Year Cost Estimates
9/20/22
https://engagecupertino.org/bbfgolfcourse
BUT Golf Course makes a LOT more money
Golf Course costs the city more!
Golf Course is $2 million less expensive
25 Year Outlook
from
Natural Habitat 25 year revenue
from Educational Programming
$500k = $20k/year * 25 years
Revision #1:
Educational Programming Revenue
Educational Programming consisting of a
variety of ranger programs in classroom or on
the trail:
•How different plants and animals interact in
an ecosystem
•How ancient people lived off the land
•How geologic processes have shaped the
landscape
•Ranger walks and interpretive programs
•Animals and plants on the trail, the creeks,
etc.
•Q: Are the $500K of courses duplicative to courses already being offered? Perhaps.
•Q: Is plowing up the fairways/greens required to give these courses? No
Revision #1: Offer these new courses whether or not there is golf.
•Add $500K to Option A side of the table, too
Current Educational Programming
Examples of courses and venues
(Parks and Recreation brochure, Fall 2022)
Revision #2: Irrigation water cost
From the NGF Report
•Replace irrigation system = $682,308 (p 12)
•Water waste (per NGF report) is from
o Pipe and head leaks
o Less efficient targeted watering and times
•Reduction in water cost “difficult to quantify
potential savings from a new system” ( p 17)
All these improvements must help reduce usage so
instead of zero reduction, use conservative 10%
•Reduce cost by $157,500 (10% reduction)
Irrigation water cost calculated from average
cost over past 5 years.
$1,575,000 = $63,000 * 25 years
NOTE: Does NOT include reduction in wasted
water cost after the repairs!
Summary of Revisions
to 25-year Outlook
Rev1 - Increase
by $500K to
$9,878,624
Rev2 - Decrease
by $157.5k to
$1,417,500
$1,417,500
--------------
$9,878,624
--------------
$17,468,750
----------------
$7,590,126
--------------
$9,560,126
-------------
With no changes to 25-year estimates
Golf Course saved our City $1,886,000
With revised estimates
Golf Course SAVES our City $2,543,293!
Some additional notes
•Golf fees are known to be too low.
Increasing fees, even $1, would add significantly to revenue.
•Parks & Rec beginning golf classes are waitlisted –
so demand is high.
•A beginning short course provides a unique activity for young and old.
•Golf course serves a function to the community that is not provided
anywhere else in Cupertino parks!
•Grant funding potential may be available
Golf Course (OPTION A) SAVES our City $2,543,293 + PLUS