The campaign over development in Cupertino is heating up. It will culminate in the Nov. 8 ballot that will include three initiatives designed to restrict building heights, densities and setbacks.

The grass-roots Concerned Citizens of Cupertino, alarmed by high-density, high-rise development projects it felt threatened the suburban character of Cupertino, collected thousands of signatures from registered voters to qualify the initiatives for the ballot.

Leading the opposition to the effort is the group Advocates for a Better Cupertino, which characterizes the initiatives as ``bad public policy.''

The group maintains that the initiatives would, among other things, eliminate future affordable housing and discourage businesses from locating in town. It has scheduled a campaign kickoff fundraiser on June 16.

The group has also launched a Web site and put together a list of supporters that includes the entire Cupertino City Council; the chamber of commerce; Rep. Mike Honda, D-San Jose; Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith; and the League of Conservation Voters of Santa Clara County.

``Everyone who's looked at the initiatives knows there would be unintended consequences that would be harmful to Cupertino,'' said Kathy Robinson, a group spokeswoman who served on the city's General Plan Task Force Committee.

``We have a mix of organizations and individuals who might not normally be on the same side of an issue. For example, developers and environmentalists, and business interests and labor,'' she said.

The proposed initiatives would amend the general plan by setting maximum building heights at 36 feet (45 feet in the Vallco Fashion Park District), building densities of 15 units per acre (up to 30 for Vallco), and minimum setbacks of 35 feet from curbside. Any exemptions would have to be approved by voters.

Concerned Citizens of Cupertino spokesman Ned Britt said the group is updating its Web site and is planning on holding community meetings to counter the ``misinformation'' he says is being disseminated by the other side.

``Our objective is sensible growth, but they keep calling us no-growth. The initiatives don't prohibit anything,'' Britt said. ``What the initiatives do is set certain guidelines which affect the character of buildings in Cupertino. Something outside those guidelines would go to the voters.''

Michael Cronk

Mercury News

Thu, May. 26, 2005