RESOLUTION NO. 25-_____
A RESOLUTION OF THE CUPERTINO CITY COUNCIL
REGARDING THE STEVENS CREEK BOULEVARD CORRIDOR VISION STUDY WHEREAS, Cupertino staff and Councilmembers have participated in discussions with neighboring communities since a multijurisdictional group was established by the San Jose City Council on August 8, 2017, comprised of the cities of Cupertino, Santa Clara, San Jose, as well as Santa Clara County and the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) to discuss key regional issues affecting the Stevens Creek Boulevard Corridor with a focus on transportation and circulation; and WHEREAS, as part of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s 2018 Horizon Initiative, San Jose, Santa Clara, Cupertino, and VTA jointly proposed a high-capacity transit line from Diridon Station in San Jose to De Anza College in Cupertino, securing inclusion in Plan Bay Area 2040; and WHEREAS, on July 26, 2019, the Cupertino City Council adopted Resolution 19-089 supporting the study of transit efficiency and streetscape improvements for the Stevens Creek Boulevard Corridor in partnership with the City of San Jose, City of Santa Clara, the County of Santa Clara, and VTA; and WHEREAS, the Mobility Element of the City of Cupertino General Plan (Community Vision 2015-2040) supports the participation in regional transportation planning processes and working with neighboring cities to develop programs consistent with the goals and policies of Cupertino's General Plan, to minimize adverse impacts on the City's circulation system, and to address regional transportation and land use issues of mutual interest through Policy M-1.1, Regional Transportation Planning; and WHEREAS, the 2016 Bicycle Transportation Plan identifies separated bikeways along Stevens Creek Boulevard as a top priority, and the City of Cupertino has advanced safety improvements along the corridor through the annual Capital Improvement Program; and WHEREAS, the City of Cupertino demonstrated its commitment to roadway safety through the adoption of the 2023 Local Road Safety Plan and the 2024 Vision Zero Action Plan, both of which identified recommended safety improvement projects and the latter identified Stevens Creek Boulevard as the City's top corridor of concern in the High Injury Network; and WHEREAS, the process of completing the Stevens Creek Boulevard Corridor Vision Study (Vision Study) was launched in January 2023 and guided by the Stevens Creek Boulevard Corridor Steering Committee, comprised of elected officials from the participating jurisdictions, and with input from a working group of participating agency staff and a community advisory group; and WHEREAS, the Vision Study was completed in December 2024 and presented to the governing body of each jurisdiction for acceptance; and WHEREAS, California Government Code Section 65088 establishes the framework for Congestion Management Programs and emphasizes the need for VTA to develop and implement transportation investment priorities based on regional needs; and WHEREAS, the City of Cupertino desires to work collaboratively with the corridor agencies to further evaluate and potentially advance the Vision Study's recommendations by making data-driven and fiscally responsible decisions; and NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council does hereby conditionally accept the Vision Study, but requires the following conditions be met before supporting the recommended implementation actions of the long-term project, which consists of grade-separated high-capacity transit:
Prepare a comprehensive regional travel demand and needs analysis.
Complete of a cost-benefit analysis, including local fiscal impacts for any high-capacity transit proposal.
Assess future transportation technologies and their compatibility with proposed improvements along the corridor (e.g., autonomous vehicles and microtransit) Preserve, to the maximum extent feasible, Cupertino's existing investments along the corridor.
City Council review and approval of any implementation steps involving infrastructure or land use changes within Cupertino City limits BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT, the City wishes to ensure the following:
The City reaffirms its commitment to the provisions contained within Resolution 19-089, specifically that “high-capacity transit service along the corridor on City surface streets would not use general purpose travel lanes or adversely impact vehicular capacity,” and that it should “be grade separated, and time-competitive with auto travel.” The City continues to advocate for a study, as stated in Resolution 19-089, of “an alternate alignment in Cupertino along I-280, continuing to DeAnza College at the junction of SR85 and Stevens Creek Boulevard, ensuring service to areas of high employment density and De Anza College, while connecting the Cities of San Jose, Santa Clara, and Cupertino, supported by, and developed in collaboration with, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority.” The City maintains final decision-making authority regarding any projects or recommendations located within the City of Cupertino.
All projects within the City of Cupertino, including any intersection modifications, will conform to the City’s standard processes, plans, and procedures for public outreach and approval.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT, the City remains committed to:
Improving safety along Stevens Creek Boulevard and other corridors throughout the City by implementing the Vision Zero Action Plan, the Local Roadway Safety Plan, and the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plans.
Prioritizing investments in safety, with a focus on, but not limited to, technology and innovation such as adaptive traffic signalization and active pedestrian detection.
Considering cost-effective options to maintain prudent fiscal management and responsible allocation of public resources.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the City does not support immediate funding or implementation of costly high-capacity transit in the 9-mile Stevens Creek Corridor without clear regional need and VTA prioritization under Government Code Section 65088. Cupertino's support for future implementation efforts will be conditioned as specified above. The City urges VTA and MTC to develop a regionally prioritized transportation investment plan that allocates funding based on demonstrated need, and to evaluate the costs and benefits of any Stevens Creek high-capacity transit proposal. The City directs staff to collaborate with VTA, MTC, and other agencies to advocate for a data-driven, needs-based approach to transportation planning, ensuring taxpayer funds are allocated responsibly and with clear benefit.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this Resolution is not a project under the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act, together with related State CEQA Guidelines (collectively, “CEQA”) because it has no potential for resulting in physical change in the environment. In the event that this Resolution is found to be a project under CEQA, it is subject to the CEQA exemption contained in CEQA Guidelines section 15061(b)(3) because it can be seen with certainty to have no possibility that the action approved may have a significant effect on the environment. CEQA applies only to actions which have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA. In this circumstance, the proposed action to accept the Vision Study would have no or only a de minimis effect on the environment because the action involves only the acceptance of a document and does not approve or implement any specific project, policy, or physical improvements. The foregoing determination is made by the City Council in its independent judgment.
PASSED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Cupertino this 16th day of September, 2025, by the following vote:
Members of the City Council
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
SIGNED:
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Liang Chao, Mayor
City of Cupertino
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Date
ATTEST:
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Kirsten Squarcia, City Clerk
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Date
Resolution No. 25-_____________