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Council remembers the victims of terrorism
By Jana Seshadri
Mayor Jack Walker began the Sept. 18 Sunnyvale City Council meeting on a somber note, remembering the victims, their families and the survivors of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and urged the audience to join him in a moment of silence.
Walker referred to the Aug. 28 city council meeting at which, ironically, the city of Sunnyvale adopted a resolution rescinding a 1944 resolution that urged the U.S. Congress to remove people of Japanese descent from the state of California. Walker said the country should not make such a mistake again toward a particular ethnic race.
Walker reiterated what he said at the candlelight vigil outside of Sunnyvale City Hall on Sept. 14 and said he was proud of the community coming together at this time of great sorrow and tragedy.
Councilwoman Pat Vorreiter voiced her gratitude to the authorities and people of Sunnyvale for staying calm and supportive during these trying times. Vorreiter urged the residents of Sunnyvale to openly demonstrate their friendship and support to their friends and neighbors, especially those of Muslim faith.
"Call up your Arab-American and Muslim friends and tell them that you love them," Vorreiter said.
She also reminded the audience of the International Street Faire to be held Sept. 22 on W. Olive Avenue called "The World in Your City." According to Vorreiter, this event would be an appropriate occasion to show respect, friendship and support for people of different cultures.
The council did get back to regular business after the somber beginning, voting 5-2 to rezone a home.
Michelle Dupuis, the applicant and owner of the property on Reed Avenue, asked the council to rezone it from R-0 (Low-Density Residential) to R-0/PD (Low-Density Residential/Planned Development Zoning District). Dupuis also applied for a special development permit for the large 12,433-square-foot lot to be subdivided into two smaller lots.
The lot has two houses on it--a main house, which sits on the middle of the lot and a smaller "granny unit." According to Associate Planner Diana Peattie, if the property should be subdivided into two, the main house will be on one lot and the smaller house on the other. Therefore, the property may not be divided into two equal lots.
Vorreiter said she was concerned about the single parking space in the lot. Peattie said that if the owner decides to expand the house, then the second parking space will have to be where the present kitchen is and the kitchen will move to another location within the house.
Vice Mayor Fred Fowler voted against the rezoning of the property arguing that if the owner decides to expand the house and add square footage to it, then the city is looking at a bigger house on a small lot, which is not advisable.
In the final vote, Fowler and Walker voted against the rezoning while the other five council members voted in favor of it.
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Sunnyvale, California Since 1994
