Refuse to sign petitions for initiatives for over-sized, unapproved, development projects in Cupertino, including specific initiatives such as the Oaks initiative and the Vallco office park initiative.

The Cupertino Citizens’ Sensible Growth initiative promotes responsible growth of the City and places the power to approve future changes to key components of the General Plan with the Cupertino voters.

The key goals of the initiative are:

Stabilize the General Plan to promote sustainable, long-term planning.

The Cupertino General Plan defines how the City grows and allows for a balance of land uses, including residences, offices, retail establishments, and community services. A stable, balanced General Plan will provide a long-term vision for the City’s future growth and help manage traffic, school needs, and stress on infrastructure and community services.

Reinvigorate the Vallco Shopping District as a shopping and entertainment center.

This amendment puts back in place the height, setback distance from streets, building planes, and land uses needed to revive the Vallco Shopping District as a thriving retail, entertainment, and visitor services center, rather than throwing in the towel on retail and allowing a developer to convert the area into a 2,000,000 sq. ft. urban office park plus high-density housing.  It puts the City on record as seeking to restore the health and profitability of Cupertino’s main retail center.

Ensure open areas are preserved within new development projects.

Growth brings increased population and an increased need for land for parks and open areas to keep the City livable. Maintaining open space is difficult. The initiative specifies that for any project over 50,000 square feet of building area, maximum lot coverage shall not exceed 70%, ensuring retention of some open space.

Empower the voters.

Projects that follow the General Plan could be approved by the City Council. The City could add more offices, hotels, and residences as allowed by the General Plan. The City Council could also approve many changes to the General Plan. However, changes to the following key components of the General Plan would require approval by the Cupertino voters:

• Raising building heights above those specified in the General Plan.

• Reducing the required setbacks along Stevens Creek Blvd from Highway 85 to Stern Ave.

• Reducing the 50 feet setback along the section of North De Anza Blvd that gives the area its distinctive look and allows sufficient space for large, healthy evergreen trees.

• Changing the required building planes on Stevens Creek Blvd, North De Anza Blvd, Wolfe Rd, Homestead Rd, and arterial streets.

• Adding residential or office uses to the Vallco Shopping District.