CITY COUNCILMEMBER REPORT Meeting: Tuesday, April 17, 2025 Reporting Councilmember : Mayor Liang Chao Report Dates : 3/26/25 to 4/7/25 ● Last Activity Report in the April 2, 2025 Council Meeting Agenda. Section 1: Announcement - Message from the Mayor : ❖ Mayor’s Initiatives ➢ You are welcome to submit entries to CupertinoStories.org ➢ Look for Mayor’s Initiatives Booth at April 5 Earth Day Festival and April 26 & April 27 Cherry Blossom
Festival
➢ The first Dance at the Plaza will be held on Saturday April 12 from 2:30-5:30pm ➢ The Cupertino Art Show will be held on Saturday May 24, from 12pm to 4pm in collaboration with the
APPI
Multicultural
Festival
❖ Monthly Mayor’s Coffee Community Meetings: These meetings will be generally held on the second Monday
at
5pm
each
month,
but
it
might
be
moved
to
other
Mondays
if
needed.
The
location
will
rotate
so
1 that we cover different businesses each month. ➢ The next Mayor’s Coffee will be on Monday April 14th at 5pm. The location is Jade Tea Garden, 10911
N.
Wolfe
Road,
Cupertino,
Ca
95014.
■ Sheriff Captain Neil Valenzuela will attend too to answer questions.
❖ FY 2025-27 Work Program Prioritization : The staff has proposed a new process for Work Program Prioritization in an info memo. Check the Work Program page for updates. ➢ At the March 18 Council Meeting, the Council adopted a list of Work Program items for consideration for the FY 25-26 budget. ➢ The final decision will likely be made in April/May before the Council adopts the FY 25-26 budget in
June
2025.
❖ Revised Council Procedures Manual: Back in 2023, the City Council adopted the Council Procedures Manual
to
summarize
some
long-standing
practices,
but
that
version
also
included
some
measures
never
done
before.
On
March
18,
the
Council
adopted
a
revised
version
to
restore
some
long-standing
good
practices and also added some improvements. Find the clean and redlined versions at the March 18 agenda. Here are some important changes:. ➢ Restore the ability of any councilmember to file a Public Record Act request, as any member of the public
➢ Restore the Info Memos item to the Council Agenda Packet, since they are often memos requested by
councilmembers
at
the
council
meetings
➢ Any councilmember can pull an item off the Consent Calendar, although they are encouraged to notify
staff
by
12pm
on
the
day
of
the
meeting
➢ The Future Agenda Item at each council meeting would include a document with upcoming agenda
items
and
requested
agenda
items,
not
yet
agendized
➢ Restore the long-standing practice that any written communications on non-agenda items will be added
to
the
Written
Communications
document
as
long
as
the
sender
requests
such,
rather
than
only
including
the
ones
forwarded
by
a
councilmember.
❖ Process to Request Certificate of Recognition or Commendation: 2
➢ To ensure such requests are handled as smoothly and efficiently as possible, the City Manager’s Office
has
implemented
a
dedicated
process.
➢ We kindly ask that you complete the following form, which will allow Mayor Chao to present a certificate of recognition: https://cupertino.gov/councilmeetingrequest ❖ Proclamations at Council meetings : This year, I plan to follow a tradition upheld by some former Cupertino
mayors
and
other
mayors
in
recognizing
organizations
or
individuals
with
proclamations
during
Council
meetings.
My
goal
is
to
honor
those
who
have
made
consistent
and/or
significant
contributions
to
Cupertino,
with
an
emphasis
on
those
who
are
less
well-known.
If
you
have
any
suggestions,
please
feel
free
to
me
at
Proclamations for contributions will generally be presented at the second Council meeting of each month, while
the
first
meeting
will
continue
to
recognize
special
observances
(e.g.,
awareness
months
or
weeks)
as
before.
You
are
also
welcome
to
submit
suggestions
for
these
recognitions.
Section 2: Committee Assignment - Nothing to report Section 3: Activities by Date (Date, Title, and Description): NOTE: ● This list does not include internal meetings with staff only, such as prep sessions or meetings with the City Manager. ● This list includes activities to “represent the community I am elected to serve”, “to respond to community needs and complaints,” and “to communicate policies and programs to residents,” among other responsibilities of a City Councilmember. ● Due to my work schedule, I have cut down on the event attendance for ceremonial purposes, especially those I have attended
almost
every
year
in
the
past.
Instead,
I
focus
more
of
my
time
on
constituent
services.
2024-03-27 Meeting with Amy Chan on potential modification for the Marina Plaza project
- They are hosting a Community Meeting on April 2 to collect community input before they finalize the project.
- The project will likely add more units, slightly reduce retail space, deliver over smaller for-sale starter homes
under
1500
sq.
ft.
and
an
outdoor
amphitheater
2025-03-28 Attended Chefs of Compassion by West Valley Community Services at Computer
History
Museum
● The annual fundraising Gala for West Valley Community Services. They shared heart-warming stories of clients
they
have
helped
2025-03-29 Attended the Elected Official Meet-and-Greet by the League of Women Voters
-
Cupertino/Sunnyvale
- County Supervisor Abe-Koga, State legislatures like Patrick Ahrens, De Anza College President
Omar
Torres
made
remarks.
Most
of
the
CUSD
and
FUHSD
board
members
attended
too
2025-03-29 Attended a Community meeting at McClellan Terrace - The community members are concerned about the potential purchase of McClellan Terrace by the Foothill-De
Anza
Community
College
Board.
The
Board
has
voted
to
purchase
it
and
they
have
entered
3 into the 120-day due diligence. 2025-04-04 Meeting with Mike Ducote, Director of Development, Prometheus Real Estate - Myshelle Vineira, Chamber Member, connected me to Mike Ducote - Learn the properties own by Prometheus and their long-term holding strategies - They intentionally choose to not submit Builders’ Remedy projects because they wish to maintain a positive working
relationship
with
local
governments
2025-04-05 Attended Korean School Field Day at Cupertino High Stadium - Separated into teams by grade levels. There are many sporty and also many fund activities 2025-04-05 Attended the Grand Opening of Kongunadu Restaurant, 1136 S. De Anza Blvd, San Jose (bordering
Cupertino
along
De
Anza
Blvd)
- Kongunadu is in South India. Their chef is a famous influence 2025-04-05 Attended Cupertino Arbor and Earth Day Festival - Presented the proclamation to declare April 5 as the Earth Day to Public Works. - Gave a short remark as the Mayor of Cupertino - A few volunteers promoted various Mayor’s Initiatives at the Mayor’s booth. (Press Release on Mayor’s Initiatives) 2025-04-06 Attended ANCCS Academic Awards Ceremony by multiple Chinese language schools - The categories of the competition include read-aloud, public speaking, composition, pronunciation etc. Section 4: Information of Interest to My Constituents: (updated on 4/8) ● Builders’ Remedy (BR) Projects (Status of Projects) ★ BR Projects with incomplete application status ( pursuant to Government Code Section 65941.1.) ● 20739 Scofield (one block from Faria Elementary School, zoned R1-10): The project will replace one single-family home with 20-unit, 5 story, condominium
on
15,004
sqft
(0.34
acre)
lot
● Vista Heights (near entrance of Linda Vista Park) : The vacant site, zoned RHS, will build 33 units (8 condominiums and 25 single family homes on vacant
hillside
property
of
86.1 acres.
● Upland Way (11841 Upland Way, zoned RHS-70) : 6 single family homes, including 2 affordable units, on vacant hillside property of 1.56 acres with average
slopes
greater
than
30%
★ Other active BR projects: ○ Dividend Homes (20085 & 20111 Stevens Creek Blvd) , to the east of the Fire Station, on 2.6 acres, zoned R4 and commercial mixed use. The project will replace two existing office buildings
with
57 for-sale
townhomes.,
including
12 affordable
units.
○ Dividend Homes (20045 & 20065 Stevens Creek Blvd), to the east of the Fire Station, on 1.77 acres, zoned commercial mixed use. The project will replace existing office buildings with
32 for-sale
townhomes.,
including
6 affordable
units.
★ Relevant News on the determination of incompleteness for BR projects: ○ “Los Gatos Files Declaratory Relief Action to Resolve Land Use Uncertainty” (Press Release from the City of Los Gatos) ■ “That section [Gov. Code 65941.1] provides that applicants for land use approvals have
90 days
after
an
initial
180-day
deadline
to
submit
any
missing
information
needed
to
complete
a
formal
application
for
a
so-called
“builder’s
remedy”
housing
project.
That
section
further
stipulates
that
if
the
missing
information
is
4 not submitted “within the 90-day period, then the preliminary application shall expire
and
have
no
further
force
or
effect.”
■ “In an apparently conflicting reading, in letters dated August 30, 2024 and February
12,
2025,
the
California
Department
of
Housing
and
Community
Development
(HCD)
stated
its
view
that
there
is
not
just
one
90-day
period
but
that
successive
90-day
periods
can
run
indefinitely
.
By
filing
this
lawsuit,
the
Town
is
acting
in
good
faith
so
that
it
will
know
how
to
comply
with
the
law
and
ensure
it
can
continue
to
serve
its
residents
and
property
owners,
while
lawfully
processing
land
use
applications.”
★ Other docs: ○ The July 25, 2024 info memo, titled “Scofield Drive SB330 Preliminary Application pursuant to Builder’s Remedy”, has information about proposed BR projects and their review process. ● Other Residential Projects - complete applications submitted, not yet approved: ○ Pizza Hut/Staples/ Fontana's (20770, 20830, 20840, & 20850 Stevens Creek Blvd). adjacent to the Cupertino Crossroads Shopping Center): on 2.97 acres, zoned commercial mixed use. The project will
replace
existing
retail
stores
with
59 townhome
condominium
units
across
eight,
three-story
buildings
○ United Furniture (10065 & 10075 Stevens Creek Blvd, across from Vallco) , on 2.72 acres, zoned commercial mixed use. The project will replace existing retail stores with 55 townhome condominium
units,
with
10 ADUs,
three-story
buildings
○ Stevens Office Center (20813, 20823, 20883 and 20807 Stevens Creek Blvd) , on 6.93 acres, zoned commercial mixed use. The project will replace two office buildings and one retail building with 122
for-sale
units
(66
small-lot
single
family
and
56 townhomes),
including
24 affordable
units
○ 20865 McClellan Rd: on 0.99 acres, zoned R3TH. The project will replace one single-family home with 27 townhomes, including 4 affordable units, in three-story buildings ○ Evulich Court (10857, 10867, 10877 & 10887 Linda Vista Dr): on 2.53 acres, zoned R3TH. The project will replace 4 single-family homes with 51 townhomes, including 11 affordable units ● Other Residential Projects - SB 330 preliminary application submitted, but not complete applications:
○ Wolfe Road Housing Project (10333 N. Wolfe Road) : 250-300 total units across the 5-acre property. It will be 100% rental apartments. The affordable housing will benefit those making 80% or
less
of
the
area
median
income
(AMI).
■ a full report on our Listening Phase at this link. ■ February 12 Community Co-Creation Event at Collins Elementary School ● Other Residential Projects - Revision of already approved projects: ○ Westport Senior Assisted Living Housing (revision submitted): The developer Related has submitted
a
revision
to
add
more
units,
reduce
retail
space,
remove
the
underground
garage
and
request
a
waiver
of
Parkland
dedication
Fee.
It
is
going
to
the
Planning
Commission
in
May
■ Previous approval in 2021 and 2024: Westport (21267 Stevens Creek Blvd) ○ Marina Plaza (10145 N. De Anza Blvd, 10118 Bandley Dr.), on 5.1 acres, zoned commercial and mixed use: The project will add more units, slightly reduce retail space, deliver over smaller for-sale
starter
homes
under
1500
sq.
ft.
and
an
outdoor
amphitheater.
■ Previous approval in 2022L Marina Plaza.
5 ● License Plate Reader Camera - City-operated or personal ones ★ The Council has adopted the Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) Camera program (Resolution 24-094) in order to alert the police when a license plate with previous record is detected. Some cameras are placed at major roads entering Cupertnio. ★ The residents or businesses can connect your home or business surveillance camera with the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office. The registration form is at the bottom of this page. Section 5: Information Access Useful to My Constituents:
1. Information Memo posted on the City website: City Council Informational Memos are now available on the City website. The information can be accessed from the City website at cupertino.org/memos and the City Council page. You can also find the page by entering search terms “info memos” at the top of the website. ★ Anyone may use the eNotification signup to receive informational memo updates by email.
★ The info memos are now hosted in the digital archive as all other city records. ★ Click “+” to zoom in. ★ On a laptop: ○ To open the document as PDF, click on the Print icon and then click on “Download &
Print”.
The
downloaded
will
appear
in
a
new
tab
for
viewing.
○ This does not work on Safari browser on an iPhone. ★ To copy and paste text, you must open it as PDF and then copy & paste from there. New memos posted, since last report: ● No new info memos published since February 28 ● Recordings of Commission Meetings: Starting in June, commission meetings will be recorded for viewing later, although no teleconferencing
to
allow
remote
participation.
- Find the recordings here under each commission.
4. How to Search an agenda item: A community member showed me a way to search for items on the past city meetings: ● Go to this page: https://cupertino.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx ○ Make sure that “Calendar” is selected from the top row of tabs and the “List View” is
selected
from
the
bottom
row
of
tabs.
○ Enter the search term, such as “investment report”. Choose the year or select “All Years”
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