According to the neighbors--who border the buildings on their south ends--both the city and the businesses are failing.

"Approving the Best Buy/PetSmart project is one of the biggest mistakes the city council has made since allowing the city's heart to be ripped out in the 1970s to build the Town Center Mall," said Chopin Drive resident Raymond Strong.

Specifically, the neighbors complained about lack of communication with the business owners, continued light and noise pollution and even dogs defecating near their property lines.

Much of the focus was on Best Buy, which opened on Sept. 23 in spite of protests--both picketing and in writing--by the neighbors. Many of the neighbors say they were "deceived" by Sandhill Properties regarding the actual size and scope of the project. Sandhill is the San Mateo-based developer in charge of the project.

Neighbors were concerned about the lights at PetSmart, which they said sometimes come on as early as 4 a.m. According to the city staff report to council, PetSmart's power and lighting is controlled by a central office in Arizona and changing that may be difficult.

In addition, some animals entering PetSmart--particularly dogs--are allowed by their owners to relieve themselves around the fence separating the parking lot and the neighboring backyards. According to the neighbors, the dogs and owners have also trampled plants in the area.

But not all of the complaints are matters of convenience or courtesy. The parking lot light poles are too tall according to the conditions of the project's approval. City staff approved 21-foot tall light poles on 36-inch concrete stands, but some of them are up to 42 inches tall, making the entire light pole structure half a foot too tall.

Some concerns have already been dealt with, including altered trash-collection schedules so garbage cans and dumpsters are not banging around while residents are sleeping.

Although some of the concerns are new, one of the biggest ongoing problems--with both buildings--is that their entrances and bright signs face each other, shining down onto their neighbors on Chopin. The developers said the orientation is based on the fact that there is more parking between the buildings than there is between the buildings and El Camino Real. This orientation deviates from the plan for businesses on El Camino, where the city's El Camino Real Precise Plan calls for all buildings to face the busy thoroughfare.

"The success of these developments involves a balance between the vehicle, the pedestrian and the respect of the adjacent neighbors," said 50-year Sunnyvale property owner Margaret Bellomo in a letter to the council. "This project, including the 'drive-by' art, does nothing to promote a livable, walkable or a sustainable city."

That change was one of the reasons the Sunnyvale Planning Commission unanimously voted to recommend that Sandhill's application be denied on Sept. 27, 2004. Two weeks later, the issue went before the Sunnyvale City Council and received another unanimous vote, only this time it was to approve the project, allowing the buildings with the deviations.

Because the council voted against the planning commission's recommendation, much of the blame--and community anger--was directed at it.

Councilwoman Melinda Hamilton--who originally voted to approve the project--seemed on the verge of tears as she addressed that vote.

"I drive by that store on El Camino twice a week, and every time, I think, 'Man, we screwed up,' " Hamilton said.

The council did not need to take any action on the issue, because it was merely information. But to try to improve the situation, it unanimously decided to have Mayor Ron Swegles send a letter--and a tape of the meeting's proceedings--to high-level management for Best Buy, PetSmart and Sandhill Properties. The letter is to urge them to deal with the community's complaints, and may even contain a request that the signs be moved to face El Camino Real.

In addition, if violations such as the height of the light poles are not dealt with, planning officer Trudi Ryan said the city could seek legal action to fix the problems.

"We need to do something for the city of Sunnyvale to make sure that this project interfaces with the rest of the city as well as possible," Councilman John Howe said.