The Cupertino Courier

Letters & Opinions

Groundswell may represent majority of residents

By LARRY HARRISON

In Paul Fong's view, the Cupertino Citizens who appeared upon invitation of the city council for a public hearing regarding his favored Parks at Monta Vista project are a "loud group" with the sole intent to "harass" public leaders. Fong would prefer the quiet or silent resignation of local residents regarding grand projects envisioned and promoted by a few development-invested individuals and for the projects to be rubber-stamped by a city council not distracted by public hearings.

Fong also implies that a turnout of 38 citizens with documented opinions should be considered small; however, his claim of 1,000 positive project responses has been noted as flawed and poorly documented. The leap to imply that a significant segment of Cupertino supports his project, but just did not show up to speak for it is incredulous.

The groundswell of public opinion seems to be that a very large if not majority segment of Cupertino residents do not favor the conversion of commercial land to residential. However, for practical reasons of time and the limitation of public opinion channels, it can only focus this opinion as a small vocal group when an unwanted project threatens to impact a local neighborhood.

Fong expresses his view that the two council members who listened to the public hearing as a barometer of Cupertino opinion at large instead of complying with his special interests have abdicated their responsibility out of fear. Fear of what? Maybe that they would not be supporting the consensus of Cupertino residents by approving the project.

I think those members listened to the public hearing and fulfilled the intent of their office to represent the will of Cupertino residents regardless of the promoted benefits and payoffs for housing redevelopment promulgated by the developer interests.

The developers may not like the impact of the public hearing process on their plans, but they need to respect this process by the same token as they expect the local government to respect their proposals for redevelopment.

Larry Harrison lives in Cupertino.