Please Rescind Ordinance 14-211 to Correct the Innocent Mistake, by Liang

Liang suspects that the Council or staff simply made an innocent mistake when the not-yet-approved general plan "Community Vision 2040" was amended to be consistent with Housing Element.
The amendment should have been done for the exisitng general plan "2000-2020 General Plan."

Liang urges the Council to correct the innocent mistake by rescinding Ordinance 14-211 containing the not-yet-approved general plan "Community Vision 2040."

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From: Liang C
Date: Fri, May 15, 2015 at 1:46 AM
Subject: Re: Cupertino City Council Promised to Postpone GPA, but Recanted after 1AM on Dec. 4, 2014
To: City Council <citycouncil@cupertino.org>, City Attorney's Office <CityAttorney@cupertino.org>, City Clerk <CityClerk@cupertino.org>, David Brandt davidb@cupertino.org

I went over the video again and again.

It is very clear that Barry, Savita and Darcy all think the GPA should go through thorough discussion over maybe two meetings before it is approved since it is a long term plan for Cupertino. All agreed that the general plan should be amended for Housing Element only just to be "internally consistent", as Aarti pointed out.

Yet, when Gilbert motioned for Resolution 14-211, "Community Vision 2040," there was no question and no discussion. Council members voted on it right away with no hesitation.

My first reaction was that the Council members were irresponsible for approving such an important and complex document without any discussion.And the second reaction was that this is unethical for the Council members to recant the earlier promise to postpone GPA. Many residents share the same shock.

But I don't think that's case. I believe that our Council members were just exhausted and confused when Resolution 14-211 was voted on. And an unintentional mistake was made.

The new general plan "Community Vision 2040" was not approved yet on Dec. 4 when Resolution 14-211 was considered.

When the staff said that the general plan needed to be amended to be internally consistent with the Housing Element, everyone assumed that the existing 2000-2020 General Plan needed to be amended. And every Council member agreed that only amendment needed for Housing Elements would be done on Dec. 3rd.

So, when Gilbert motioned for Resolution 14-211 and read "approving a General Plan Amendment to ....", everyone assumed that's the amendment for the existing 2000-2020 General Plan to be consistent with Housing Element.

Everyone including Council member Barry Chang, who insisted this Wednesday, May 13, that only GPA items related to Housing Element was approved on Dec. 4th during the Economic Development Committee meeting. And everyone including Jason Lundgren, the Apple representative who is very knowledgeable about Cupertino GPA and related issues, who also insisted that only GPA items related to Housing Element was approved on Dec. 4th.

So, I thought. It must be an innocent mistake to amend a not-yet-approved General Plan "Community Vision 2040" for the Housing Element on Dec. 4th. Resolution 14-211 should have been an amendment of the existing 2000-2020 General Plan only for items needed to be consistent with Housing Element sites.

I urge the Council take the necessary steps to correct this innocent mistake.

Rescind Resolution 14-211 and approve a corrected version by amending the existing 2000-2020 General Plan to be consistent with Housing Element.

"Community Vision 2040" is an important document that defines the future of Cupertino.
It deserves to be discussed thoroughly with the new council members and the community.
Cupertino residents are eager to be involved in the discussion of this important document.

Let's correct that innocent mistake and move forward with a positive attitude.

Thank you.

Liang-Fang ChaoCupertino Resident