The Cupertino Planning Commission met on Nov. 11 to decide on the Regis Homes' application to convert the Oaks Shopping Center to high-density housing. This item was carried over from the Oct. 13 meeting but was relegated to the fifth item on the agenda for reasons that were not explained to attendees.

After enduring four hours of other, non-carried-forward agenda items, over 40 people waited their turn to speak. A petition with 252 signatures opposing the Oaks project was presented to the commission and dismissed. Over 20 local residents got up to express their opposition to the project. Only two people spoke in favor of the project and they represented organizations that are not even located in Cupertino.

In the end only one commissioner, Gilbert Wong, had the courage to listen to local residents and vote their will against the project. Unfortunately, he was outnumbered by the other members of the commission, who in total disregard for the concerns of the local residents approved the project.

Those members of the commission must think they can act on divine intervention to overcome the will of the people who have lived here for decades.

One prominent developer, Mr. Avery of Avery Construction who built the Glenbrook Apartments, spoke strongly in opposition to the project. But the experience and wisdom of this respected developer was ignored too.

Abraham Lincoln on the battlefield of Gettysburg, where I attended college, expounded on the sacrifices made so that "government of the people, by the people and for the people should not perish."

Unfortunately Cupertino has implicitly rewritten those words that "government of the developers, by the developers and for the developers shall not perish from Cupertino." The current residents are being ignored while developers get every benefit. This can only be stopped by more involvement by the citizens of Cupertino making their voices heard by the city council that will meet to discuss the Oaks project on the tentative date of Dec.15. This item may be listed last on the agenda so that any opposition will have to endure hours of other items before it is considered.

—Robert L. Garten, Cupertino


Oaks represents city we love, not high density

If the basis of our government is "of the people, by the people and for the people," our planning commission, with the exception of Commissioner Gilbert Wong, seems to be deaf to whom they represent, or maybe the city council has given the planning commission orders not to care what the residents say.

At the planning commission meeting of Nov.10—concerning the rezoning of The Oaks Shopping Center to allow for redevelopment into mixed-use retail and housing—speaker after speaker after speaker, all residents of Cupertino, requested the project be shut down and allow the center to remain strictly a shopping center and take measures to revitalize The Oaks.

Only two speakers, not related to the project at hand spoke in favor of the planned development. These nonresident individuals represented housing consortiums pushing for high-density growth.

The majority of the residents who spoke agreed that more housing might be needed, but we did not want to negatively affect the future of the "jewel" we now have. The character of The Oaks represents the city we know and love and not the high density, high growth that is being pushed elsewhere.

Our government is to reflect the views of the majority of its citizens. Angela Chen, the chairwoman for the planning commission, appreciated our time and our comments. Was that just lip service?

—Dennis Whittaker, Cupertino


Policy is a throwback to past prejudiced policies

We read about the recent unanimous approval by the Cupertino City Council of the Cupertino Cultural Policy to use a person's race and culture as criteria for selecting commissioners and committee members.

This policy is abhorrent. These same kinds of policies have been used only a generation ago to exclude our Jewish friends and relatives from attending elite universities. These same kinds of policies were used to justify discrimination against our Latino friends and relatives when hiring employees.

The council should be deeply ashamed. This new policy is a throwback to past racist, bigoted, prejudiced policies that we should be trying to overturn. This new policy is unconstitutional and illegal under California Proposition 209.

By passing this policy, the council is saying that a person of one race or "culture" cannot, or will not, fairly represent those of another race. They are saying that council member Dolly Sandoval can only be trusted to fairly represent Latinos. That council members Sandra James and Richard Lowenthal represent the Caucasian and Jewish opinion, respectively. And that council members Patrick Kwok and Michael Chang will support only a Chinese agenda.

If they don't trust themselves to be fair and accountable to all residents, how can we trust them?

We are ashamed to live in Cupertino and be represented by a council that would pass such a policy. This city council, under the leadership of Mayor Chang, has done more to create division within the community than any other group. Mayor Chang in particular has been a vocal instigator. Even in cases where his point is well taken, his public antics and his bulldozer tactics are counterproductive.

We ask the council to repeal this divisive, illegal, immoral policy immediately.

—Bob and Carrie Zeidman, Cupertino


Schools' visions should be to challenge students

I wrote in October that Portal School and Fremont High School had a common vision—to cater to the limitations of the students. I felt bad about that but when I saw it in print, I knew what the problem was.

The vision of those schools and all schools should be to challenge the limitations of the students.

—R.A Blais, Cupertino