1 CITY COUNCILMEMBER REPORT
Meeting: Tuesday, November 4, 2025
Reporting Councilmember: Mayor Liang Chao
Report Dates: 10/1/25 to 10/21/25
● Last Activity Report in the October 21, 2025 Council Meeting Agenda
Section 1: Announcement - Message from the Mayor:
❖ Mayor’s Initiatives and other updates:
➢ Cupertino Stories: You are welcome to email entries to [email protected]. ■ Thank you to Cupertino Science Technology University (CSTU) for managing the project.
They have developed tools to convert audio/video stories to text. ■ The website will be redesigned soon to accept story submissions. ❖ Monthly Chat with Mayor 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 that we cover different businesses each month.
❖ Process to Request Certificate of Recognition or Commendation:
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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 email me at [email protected].
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
2025-10-17 attended Mayor Matt Mahan’s meeting of Santa Clara County mayors - The invited speaker Keith Humpreys Obe, a Stanford Professro in Medical School talks about the need for “Recovery Housing”, which is housing for recovering drug addicts so that drug is not allowed. The current state law only allows state funding to go to housing which does not restrict any drug use. As a result, many of the state-funded housing developments are “drug saturated” and even non-users become drug users in such an environment. Unfortunately, after the bill to fund “Recovery Housing” finally passe d both the Senate and the Assembly, the Governer vetoed it.
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. 2025-10-02 welcomed the Toyokawa student delegation at the Cupertino Civic Plaza - The host families are waiting for the bus to pull up at the Civic Plaza and they have hand -drawn welcome signs.
2025-10-03 attended the Santa Clara Valley Bird Alliance Centennial Celebration at Los Altos Community Center
- The keynote speaker Kenn Kaufman gave a historic look at how birds were identified or misidentified again and again by different people as new species over time. 2025-10-04 attended a workshop on How to Build Unshakeable Products and Services with the Product Value Blue Print by SCORE at the Santa Clara City Library - A great hands-on workshop for new businesses to figure out the positioning of their products.
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3 - SCORE (scorevolunteer.org) also offer workshops in Cupertino and works with Cupertino City and Chamber of Commerce..
2025-10-05 attended the Double Tenth Day celebration at the County Building - The Republic of China (later relocated to Taiwan) was established on October 10, 1991. This is an annual celebration held at the plaza in front of the County Building. 2025-10-05 Bollywood Dance Night at Quinlan
2025-10-08 said farewell to the students from the Toyokawa delegation - We handed out gifts and certificates at the Community Hall 2025-10-09 attended the League of California annual conference at Long Beach 2025-10-10 received the visit of a delegation from Shanghai Yangpu district 2025-10-10 attended the annual event of Sierra Club Loma-Prieta Chapter - Very informative presentations about various works done by Sierra Club 2025-10-11 visited the practice of the US Blind Women Cricket team at the Library field - These amazing women love sports since young age, even though they are blind or vision impaired.
- They are attending their third training session here in Cupertino before they head to India for the First Women’s T20 World Cup Cricket for the Blind
- They say that the Library field is the best training site in the Bay Area. 2025-10-11 attended the Diwali at Memorial Park, hosted by Cupertino Chamber of Commerce - There were many booths and many elected officials attended the opening ceremony. 2025-10-12 attended 10th Anniversary and Thanksgiving Banquet for the Grand Cultural Ceremony for Confucius Day
- The organization has hosted the annual Confucius Day ceremony in San Francisco. This event is a celebration of their accomplishments and hard work after 10 years. 2025-10-13 monthly chat with Mayor at JP Taiwan Bistro (near the City Hall) 2025-10-15 attended the Grand Opening of the Sunny View “The Villas” - The project renovated the area for easier access with wheelchair and installed fire sprinklers. 2025-10-17 attended the Grand Opening of the Skilled Nursing Facility at The Forum - The facility will be open to the public for use. There are single rooms and double rooms. 2025-10-17 attended the Diwali celebration at the India Consulate in San Francisco 2025-10-18 attended the 55th Anniversary Flower Show of the Ibekana School - The main work is Warm Friendship, featuring multiple flower pots connected with vines, signifying friends holding hands.
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4 - The school has been offering classes through FUHSD Adult School and the show demonstrate the work of students.
2025-10-18 attended the Pan-Asian Wonder Bazaar - A Carnival of Asian Cultures at the County Fairgrounds
- There are many food booths and performances from different cultures and an art show in the exhibition hall.
- There is an art show of ADHD children from China.
2025-10-18 attended the annual performance of Madhuri Kishore School of Kuchipudi - Amazing performances by the teacher Madhuri and her students 2025-10-20 received the visit of a delegation from Changsha, together with the US-China Chamber of Commerce
2025-10-21 give out the certificates for volunteer work for Silicon Valley Korean School in front of the City Hall
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 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 Councilmember Report City
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5 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.
● 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.
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6 ★ 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 (not updated):
1. Public Comments Webpage and Email
A new page has been added to the City’s website on how to submit public comments for Council meetings. It explains the process for submitting written comments on City Council agenda and nonagenda
items. A dedicated email address, [email protected], was created for members of the public to send in their comments. This email address is also posted on City Council agendas.
The intent of using this dedicated email is to ensure comments are efficiently routed and tracked. Emails sent to this address are automatically distributed to the City Council, City Manager, Deputy City Manager, and City Clerk, and an autoresponder confirms receipt. This process is especially helpful during periods of high public input.
Comment Submission Guidelines:
2. 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 PDF 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
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7 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”