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City Council member talks about how he didn't like how nasty some folks got last night, encouraging a civil discourse. No public comment tonight, but you might still want to pop the popcorn.
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"Anyone could sue. ...I would personally like to take this out of the development agreement, I think it's onerous," says Councilmember Scharf who totally isn't going to help Better Cupertino sue this project...pic.twitter.com/NkySduHTrm
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"Does our economist have an estimate of carrying costs?" "we see flat prices, flat rents in the past year, while construction costs continue to escalate. ...every day of delay is a cost to this project." City economist thinks the estimate of carrying cost is high, but not cray.
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Mayor Paul is starting to slam the project on having more office and retail than would be ideal. Um... in order to pay for all the extra benefits Cupertino demanded!
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"If we don't deliver enough housing to meet those jobs, then those employees are going to be living somewhere else." Ok, you're close to understanding why you should allow housing in all of Cupertino and eliminate exclusionary zoning...
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It's really breathtaking that we're sitting through a presentation on jobs-housing balance from the mayor of a town that once declared the shortage isn't dire, and isn't meeting their Regional Housing goals. https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/02/05/cupertino-mayor-says-housing-shortage-isnt-dire-local-activists-disagree/ …
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"We need to send a clear message that we've very dedicated to balancing out the number of housing units and jobs." Dude, you literally had years to have an all-housing project get permitted. Years.pic.twitter.com/iIWrCj86IU
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"We're in a significant housing crisis. Yes, we need to be going long on housing." So... you're going to speed up housing production all over Cupertino? Yes?pic.twitter.com/d7Uz1fLQPZ
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"I think we left too much on the table." Mayor Paul thinks we should be demanding more from developers, who are already walking away from this nonsense to opt for SB 35. I'm sure he's equally committed to Prop 13 reform...
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Councilmember Chang proposed a "thought experiment" last night of 9,600 units. Now he says he remembers it as 12,000 units. We do not hate this thought experiment.pic.twitter.com/JmP4Fj3bZS
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"If we allow for 12 stories, 25 acres would be available for roads, open space, parks..."pic.twitter.com/wZKq1ZxUNc
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This would have been super fun maybe like 3 years ago. Right now, it's pure hail-mary-please-don't-make-us-do-anything nonsense.
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Chang talks about the time that went into all of these negotiations. Paul thinks he could have negotiated a better deal. Chang says many people think they can just demand a deal and get it, coughtrumpcough, but that's not how it works.
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Paul makes it clear that he was counting who was a "nonresident" speaking, 24 RESIDENTS came to oppose. "Cupertino has 65,000 residents... So, you want to make a decision based on 24 residents or 65k?" says Chang.pic.twitter.com/OfZbAVMLPQ
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"Whether or not Vallco ever gets built...and this will take years and years and years... we know what's happening in other cities... they're building more and more. ...If we don't get mass transit solutions, we will suffer the consequences."
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Councilmember mentions, "You can read about projects in San Francisco where the entitlements are being sold." (The pipeline in SF is completely dead, btw. Alert Alert Alert.)
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"We are a transit-starved city." Good conversation about how transit must be improved no matter what happens here tonight. Regional transit solutions are needed!
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"I think we're losing ground on what we SAY we all want. Construction costs are going up by about 8% a year...incomes from the low and medium incom people aren't keeping up...projects just aren't getting built...people are just walking away..." says Councilmember Sinks.
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Mountain View is telling the councilmember, they're "having to waive some of our mitigation fees just to get affordable housing built." (Will SF be as brave as ... Mountain View?)
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Hard Pivot by Sinks: "and being respectful, we do have a single family home community to the west of the project...if I lived on Denison Ave I'm not sure I'd want to look up at a skyscraper with a millionaire in it with his telescope..." (Homeowners there are multimillionaires.)
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"...and looking up at an angle wouldn't be MY idea of fun. ...and when I talk to planners... they say they're not getting a lot of love for the green roof."
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Sinks pivots back: "I came to Cupertino here long ago because I knew the schools were great..and we should support them. Yes, we could go longer on housing, but this strikes a good balance between the viewshed and the affordable housing, and other concerns."
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"Many are saying they can't afford it here... and can't stand to commute from a place we can afford. Think about all the people who keep our city going, the service workers, restaurant workers, the people who tutor your kids... This project really does provide a lot of value."
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If you ever doubt if your one public comment, your one email can make a difference, listen to Councilmember Sink read
@rachelln89's moving email:pic.twitter.com/9qtIGZj2rHShow this thread -
"We need to find room for everyone who helps us with our lives. ... All of them need a room to stay. We need to keep in mind all these people, be a welcoming community, an inclusive community. ...where do we find room for them?" - Councilmember Vaidhyanathan
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Councilmember Scharf talks about the underfunded public schools. CoughProp13Cough
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After a ton of discussion, cut to interesting part: "I would suggest that we strike the provision reguarding any lawsuit or inntiative," says Mayor 'Why Let them Sue?' Paul "I'll second it, for all the good it does," says Councilmember 'I'm definitely helping them sue' Scharf.
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Inevitable discussion of what exactly Roberts Rules of Order are.
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Sinks: This is silly, the city economist says it won't work. Chang: No, you can't just negotiate whatever you feel like. Motion FAILS.
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They should call it Roberts Rules of How To Be Extremely Passive Aggressive.
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"A correction to the so-called poison-pill." Better Cupertino crosses fingers and whispers, "Please let us sue please let us sue." Motion FAILS. Thank you Better Cupertino, but you will not get to sue your cake and eat it too.
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