When the Olson family cherry orchards were bearing their famous fruits, late March on the corner of El Camino Real and Mathilda Avenue saw a flurry of "Sunnyvale snow," white cherry blossom petals that covered sidewalks, decorated passing cars and signaled the coming of the May harvest.

But for the past two years, most Sunnyvale orchards have not produced healthy crops because armillaria mellea—an oak root fungus—has infected the soil, and the Sunnyvale orchard industry is little more than a point of historical interest.

These factors—coupled with their own desire to make sure their family's land is developed properly—brought Yvonne Olson and William Jacobson to the commission meeting. They were there seeking approval of a plan to turn their 3.67 acres into a mixed-use, residential and retail site at one of Sunnyvale's most trafficked intersections.

And while the development—if approved by the city council on July 13—wouldn't bring an orchard to the property, the streets would be lined with flowering cherry trees. The trees are not fruit bearing, but they are known for their blossoms.

"I think the trees are important for the character of this project," William Jacobson said. "It helps define the project."

The proposed site would also hold 36 townhouses and almost 15,000 square feet of commercial space, 30 percent of which could be used for a large restaurant. The proposal—along with more than 100 conditions of approval—was approved unanimously by the commission. The commission members also approved motions to cancel the Williamson Act—a state law to protect agricultural lands—in this case and end the property's status as an agricultural preserve. Because the site is currently owned by Jacobson, the portions of land set aside for residential use will be annexed into the city of Sunnyvale.

The commission added several conditions to the sizeable list, including more parking on the tennis center site adjacent to the property, an 8-foot masonry wall between the new development and existing homes in the area and the inclusion of the flowering cherries. The city's arborist suggested only magnolia trees, to complement those across the street and along other plots on Mathilda Avenue.

And even with this proposal for such changes to Mathilda's landscape, no one was at the meeting to speak against the loss of the last of the Olson family historical orchards. Both Jacobson and commission chairwoman Laura Babcock said it was because people are less concerned with preserving small, unhealthy plots of land.

"I think that battle was fought 10 years ago," Jacobson said. "I don't think there's a constituency for that anymore. People are more concerned with big plots of land with hundreds of acres, not these little pockets of land."

Even without controversy, the discussion took much of the night, as commissioners hammered out the details of the approval. Jacobson—who has worked with the city on a number of projects—said he was pleasantly surprised by the work city staff did on the project and said it seemed the commissioners had studied the material at great length.

He said he, his wife and their partners are optimistic about the coming council meeting and future work on the site, although he acknowledged that fact that with all the staff time necessary—and the nature of planning work—it may take longer than planned.

"I think the pieces are in place, I think the deal will proceed, but it will take a little time," Jacobson said. "You can never be sure in city processes because there are plenty of things we don't know about yet."

The project goes before the city council on July 13 for final approval of the motions and resolutions.