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City council tangles with Sunnyvale's near future
Members pass a number of ordinances that will impact Sunnyvale's development
By Jana Seshadri
The Sunnyvale City Council passed decisions on issues that would impact the city's future development at its Oct. 9 meeting.
The council unanimously approved a proposal to consider the feasibility of developing the area west of Remington Avenue and along Dona and Ramona avenues into an active/passive park area.
These pockets of land are owned by PG&E and are mostly overgrown with weeds. According to Robert Walker, director of parks and recreation, even though PG&E has neglected to maintain the neighborhood, it could be developed by the city.
Most residents from the neighborhood present at the meeting said they'd like that area to remain quiet.
"My husband and I live in this area," said resident Mrs. Baker at the meeting. "We like to walk everywhere and we would like this to be a simple well-lit park area with walking trails."
"This is a unique opportunity to bring in some passive entertainment into this area," Michelle Hornberger countered. Hornberger lives on Dona Avenue.
The council still plans to approach PG&E about covering operating expenses.
In other business, Anna Yurutucu, housing supervisor for the city, recommended to the council a plan to implement housing for public school employees, city employees and child care teachers. The council unanimously approved it. Under this plan, school districts would have to work with the city in the future to develop the plan further.
The council voted to rezone three parcels of land: the library, the municipal tennis courts and south of the tennis courts. The three areas are now zoned C-D, which allows them to remain unaltered. Robert Paternoster, director of community development, recommended to the council that the three areas be rezoned to P-F, which will enable the city to develop them in the future.
Citing the Olson Orchard area as an example, Councilwoman Julia Miller voiced concern about excessive development in the city and all its repercussions. The Olson Orchard area at the corner of El Camino Real and Sunnyvale-Saratoga Avenue has been developed into a high-rise apartment and shopping complex.
Agreeing with Miller, the council unanimously agreed to rezone the areas to R3-PD, which will allow them to remain as they are.
Paternoster also recommended to the council a few minor changes to the city's energy policy, which would help reduce long-term energy consumption. The council unanimously approved the minor modifications.
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Sunnyvale, California Since 1994
