The Concerned Citizens of Cupertino have qualified three initiatives for an election this fall. Cupertino needs some voter-established guidelines for its future evolution or else the quality of life in this community will be damaged by profit-driven, unrestricted, development. Opponents of the initiatives have promulgated false statements about them. It is essential that voters understand the features and complexities of the initiatives in order to make an informed decision. Let's take a look at the three CCC initiatives for building heights, density and setbacks.

The three initiatives are independent.

Each of the initiatives will be a separate ballot measure, so criticism of the "CCC initiatives" as a group is likely to be incorrect or, at best, relevant only to some of the measures.

*Initiatives do not limit growth of either population or buildings.

The initiative measures would establish guidelines for new buildings and developments, but they do not state any limitations on the amount of growth within the city.

The opponents have called the proposed measures "No-Growth Initiatives" as one part of a campaign of misinformation.

Many cities have laws on their books which specify a maximum rate of growth. Cupertino doesn't have any growth law, and there is nothing contained in the initiatives that limits growth rates. The CCC initiatives only speak to the building/site architectural features: how tall; how many dwelling units per acre; how far buildings are set back. The initiatives do not say anything about how many new buildings could be constructed.

*The initiatives would not require "... special elections for any changes to the General Plan ..."

The June 8 Cupertino Courier contained a statement that the initiatives would require "...special elections for any changes to the General Plan (with the exception of existing structures, a defined section of the Vallco district, duplexes and triplexes and single family residences)." This statement needs to be clarified. The initiatives would not affect the procedures for General Plan amendments. Special elections would not be required.

If the initiatives become permanent amendments to the General Plan, they could only be rescinded or modified by voters. Nothing is prohibited by the initiatives--each of them contains a clause for exceptions which reads: "An exception to this provision may be granted only if first approved by city voters in an election." Note that such elections would approve specific projects and/or issue a building permit, but not amend the General Plan.

*The initiatives have several exceptions and/or different guidelines for specified districts.

The initiative measures contain exceptions for existing buildings, which would allow rebuilding/remodeling within the original structural envelopes, and housing densities, even if these parameters exceed the limitations specified in the initiatives. There are blanket exceptions for single, duplex, triplex, and fourplex residential units.

The initiatives would apply to the Vallco district (Wolfe to Tantau, and Homestead to Stevens Creek), with more lenient allowances for building heights, densities and setbacks.

The business-intensive Wolfe Road Commercial Corridor (along Wolfe Road, between Stevens Creek and 280) does have an exception--heights and setbacks of commercial buildings are unrestricted. A planned movie complex on top of the Vallco Mall would be unaffected by the initiatives.

Details about initiatives can be read on the CCC website, www.cupertino.cc. Residents should become familiar with the initiatives, to make an informed choice.

By Ned Britt

Cupertino  Resident

Cupertino Courier

6/29/2005