The Dec. 6 meeting at Cupertino's community hall was the second of two informal public events on updating the city's general plan—a legally mandated document governing growth in the city.

Growth is a complex subject for the city, involving a need to increase its tax base at a time when the amount of available land is rapidly shrinking. As a result, the city is considering mixed-use commercial and residential developments and considering building higher density housing.

Residents addressed these issues at the Dec. 6 meeting, voicing their concerns on subjects ranging from affordable housing to the impact of growth on the schools and infrastructure.

"We can't live in the past, we should make homes affordable for everybody," said Dick Martinez, in reference to proposals to increase the amount of high-density housing in the city. Martinez, 77, had unique insight on the past having moved to the Monta Vista area in 1929.

Ann Ng, also a long-time resident, agreed.

"I'm in the minority," she said. "I'm willing to share Cupertino with more people so single people and retired people will be able to move into the area."

However, new resident Kelly Vaughn countered this wish, echoing the split opinions prevalent at the meeting. Vaughn said she had worked hard with her school teacher husband to buy a home in Cupertino. She hoped the city would keep the tranquil quality of life that made it an appealing place for them to buy a home. "We have a beautiful city and want to keep it [that way], rather than become another Los Angeles," she said.

Homer Tong, a member of the Fremont Union High School District school board, talked about the affects of overcrowding. "We're already having problems with growth [in the schools]," he said. "Nobody is doing anything about it," he added.

While more questions than answers were raised at the meeting, that was the very point of the event.

"People came up with ideas that hadn't been considered before, so it's time well spent," said planning commissioner Lisa Giefer. "The greater participation we have, the more clear the decision for us."

Cupertino's city council will make the final decision on the amended general plan in June 2005. Until then, the public will have several additional opportunities to provide input. The next part of that process will be a series of formal hearings with the city council beginning in January 2005.

Residents are encouraged to take part along the way.

As Giefer's fellow commissioner, Gilbert Wong said at the close of the Dec. 6. meeting in response to the mixed visions of the audience, "Hopefully, in the next six months we can all come to a consensus and respect all the voices out there."