City Council Candidate Questionnaire 2020

	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H
1		Questions	Steven Scharf (Incumbent) (scharf.steven@gmail.com/)	Kitty Moore (kitty4cupertino@gmail.com)	JR Fruen (jrfruen@gmail.com)	Hung Wei (hung@hungwei.org)	Charlene Shulien Lee (chl101@hotmail.com)	SCORING RUBRIC
2	1	What would you do to increase bike use within the city of Cupertino to improve community health, sustainability and reduce traffic?	Install secure parking at public facilities like the library (in progress). Expand protected bike lane network (in progress) Create "Bicycle Boulevards" on quiet streets Lobby Santa Clara County to complete key connectors across freeways (i.e. John Mise Park over 280).	COVID-19 sheltering has increased the amount of bike riding in the city, which is great! Getting people to use bikes for transportation is a challenge due to safety concerns and distance of commutes. More well- placed trails and lanes can help this. Market more to kids! Rename Junipero Serra Trail!	I would advocate for the improvement of bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, such as separated and protected bike lanes, bike-ped trails, and a focus on walkability/bikeability in new developments to ensure that residents and those accessing amentities, jobs, and schools in Cupertino have viable alternatives to driving. I'd utilize the city's Public Information Office and its outreach capabilities to encourage and popularize more extensive use of bicycles. Full implementation of the 2016 Bicycle Transportation Plan should push us past our peer cities, like Palo Alto and Mountain View, in terms of bike ridership and bicycle infrastructure. I'd examine best practices in cities with strong biking cultures, such as Amsterdam, to adopt those that would work well in Cupertino. I would model bike use for others to help popularize its use personally.	I will support Walk and Bike Trails projects, separate bike lanes, and road diet projects in the City to support walking and biking to reduce local traffic, and to encourage healthy living styles. I will work closely with the City's Sustainabliity Committee, local youth groups, and community advocacy groups to brainstorm workable solutions to build a sustainable and environmental friendly Cupertino.	No response.	--Green indicates detailed ideas. --Yellow indicates non-specific (or less-specific) support. --Red indicates no support. --White indicates no answer. Past candidate work and public statements are also considered in the rating.
3	2	What are your thoughts on "Complete Streets" plans? What do you see as the balance between prioritizing traffic throughput and encouraging alternate forms of transportation?	We should be prioritizing bicycle traffic wherever possible, doing traffic calming where apporpriate. We have moved backwards by removing traffic calming measures like the automatic gates on Pacifica and Kim.	Complete streets can be tricky because we have streets with multiple driveways or no parking lane to borrow space from. Testing areas out and looking for feedback can help. Having active retail areas to reach would also be great. Prioritizing certain routes would be beneficial. We need a reason to get out of our cars.	I think Complete Streets form an indispensible part of smart planning principles for both a more environentally friendly city and a more equitable one. Prioritization of traffic should follow thos equities in favor of pedestrian and bicycle traffic first, followed by public transit where feasible and regular vehicular traffic last. Utilization of alternative modes of transportation is dependent on users perceiving them as both safe and efficient. Throughputs should reflect thoses priorities.	I support Complete Streets design and implementation, providing safe access for all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit riders of all ages and abilities, in enabling Cupertino to become an inclusive City. Investment and prioritizing smooth traffic flow throughout the City will enhance quality of life for residents. But most importantly, we need to start planning and builidng fast transit options with neighboirng cities to reduce single car driving and vehile driving miles.	No response.	--Green rating indicates full support including stating specific projects or past support. --Yellow rating indicates not familiar with the idea or general support with caveat ("learn more" or "look at project specifics first" etc), or lukewarm support. --Red rating indicates opposition to any project. -- White indicates no answer. Past candidate work and public statements are also considered in the rating.
4	3	Do you support construction of the following projects? Why or why not? If so, when would you wish for construction to begin? --Carmen Bridge Project --Regnart Creek Trail --Stevens Creek Trail	I support all of them. They are all part of creating a complete network of trails. I'm not enthusiastic over the section of trail that would be on-street between Mountain View and Cupertino.	Stevens Creek trail has been a long-term project which needs to continue as planned. Carmen Bridge is beneficial because of the safety concerns, although expensive. Regnart Trail is a convenience which would be prioritized third.	I support all three and have actively advocated for all three, most especially the Regnart Creek Trail. I believe that the city should begin construction as soon as possible in order to take advantage of the lull in street traffic that has accompanied the pandemic and to help contain costs and prevent unforeseen delays.	I support the Carmen Bridge Project because it will continue the existing alignment of Carmen Road across Stevens Creek Boulevard, allowing for easy and safe access to and from residences, schools, and recreation centers. It also will create a safer bicycle and walking route to Stevens Creek Elementary School, and provide an alternate crossing to get to Kennedy Middle School, and Monta Vista High Schoo. This is a priority project in the 2016 Cupertino Bicycle Transportation Plan and should move forward when City Budget allows. I support the Regnart Creek Trail Project because it provides safety, access, and connectivity for walking and biking , and is one of the trail segments that will make up "The Loop". It will provide an off-street bicycle and pedestrian facility that runs parallel to the existing Regnart Creek and provides a connection between Torre Ave/Pacifica Drive and the existing Creekside Trail at E. Estates Drive. This Project is in the final phase of design and should continue as planned. The Stevens Creek Trail Project that explores feasible and desirable routes for connecting the trail between its current Sunnvale Dale/Heatherstone terminus and the Cupertino segment at Stevens Creek Blvd. is very challenging. In contrast with the seamless Class 1 bikeway of the existing trail, the greater part of the current Project will necessarily consist of on-street alignments. There are three pieces to this Project that all involve significat challenges. This Project needs further study on safety, connectivity, and feasibility.	No response.	--Green rating is unqualified support for all three projects. --Yellow rating indicates unfamiliarity with the projects or general support with caveat ("learn more" or "look at project specifics first" etc), or lukewarm support. --Red rating indicates opposition to any of the projects. --White indicates no answer. Past candidate work and public statements are also considered in the rating.
5	4	How often do you bike, walk or run regularly within the city limits to shops, work or the city center? Do you use trails within the city limits of Cupertino? Which ones?	3-5 times per week, though less during the pandemic. I don't use many trails, but use the short section through Creekside and the section through Barnhart Park to Lawrence Expressway. I use the Don Burnett Bicycle Bridge often.	I have been a trail runner for 43 years and have been running at Rancho San Antonio for 25 years. I regularly walk past the beautiful Apple HQ and enjoy the naturalistic landscape, then like to trek through Main Street. My husband bikes to Fremont Older often.	I run or walk typically three to four miles recreationally for fitness and wellness purposes on a daily basis. I make every effort to walk to the amenities (like shops and restaurants) that I use and typically do if the location is within approximately one mile. This means I ususally do my grocery shopping on foot and walk to places like Main Street and The Marketplace if I'm going to a restaurant. The trail I'm most frequently able to use to get to places I want to go, like the library or Community Hall or certain restaurants is the section of the Regnart Creek Trail that already exists connecting Creekside Park to Estates Drive. I regularly hike paths that are along the city's periphery into Fremont Older Open Space Preserve and Rancho San Antonio.	I walk a few times a week to Peet's Coffee with friends for morning coffee after walking in Linda Vista Park. I do not walk, bike, or run to shops, work, or the City Center. I sometimes take casual walks on Stevens Creek Trail between Blackberry Farm and Stevens Creek Boulevard with friends.	No response.	--Green rating indicates walks, bikes or runs to local places; using trails is a plus (a high-mileage bike rider does not mean a green rating). --Yellow indicates unfamiliarity with any Cupertino trails, or rarely uses alternate transportation. --Red indicates does not do any of these. --White indicates no answer. Past candidate work and public statements are also considered in the rating.
6	5	Do you support the current Cupertino 2016 Bicycle and 2018 Pedestrian Plans, including the current prioritization of projects? If not, what would you change/add and how would you reprioritize the projects?	I support the current prioritization, but depending on funding sources I'm willing to change the priority to take advantage of any corporate or government funding.	I would work on adding sidewalks in areas which have none. Improve intersection cross-walk safety as 59% of pedestrian accidents occur there. Ensure there is community equity for projects while balancing achievability.	I absolutely support the 2016 Bicycle Transportation and 2018 Pedestrian Transportation Plans. I am generally happy with the current prioritization, but would move the Regnart Creek Trail forward so that the community division over the question can be more quickly resolved to the maximum satisfaction of as many people as possible.	I support the 2016 Bicycle Transportation Plan - it is an ambitious plan that includes Junipero Serra Trail and Regnart Creek Trail, both are part of the trail segments that comprise "The Loop", and the Historical De Anza Trail, a 5.1-mile off-street bicycle and pedestrian facility alongside the active Union Pacific Railway corridor. I also support the 2018 Pedestrian Transportation Plan which recommends projects taht will result in a more livable walkable Cupertino, where residents and visitors can more safely and comfortably walk. However, both the 2016 Bicycle Transportation Plan and the 2018 Pedestrian Transportation Plan target recreational biking and walking, with no real accessibility and connectivity for peole to choose to bike to work instead of driving daily. Planning safe biking trails leading from residential neighborhoods to public transit stops and office locations will encourage people to bike to and from work/home daily, thus reducing vehicle travel miles and GHG emissions. A true bikable and walkable City provides both recreational trials and safe routes to school, work, and public transit centers.	No response.	--Green rating indicates understanding and unqualified support of all projects and priorities. --Yellow indicates unfamiliarity with current Bike and Ped plans and projects, but some support for current progress. --Red indicates wants to reprioritize current Bike and Ped plan projects, or work on projects not in the current Plans. --White indicates no answer. Past candidate work and public statements are also considered in the rating.
7	6	The Bike Plan expires next year, but the Bicycle Pedestrian Commission did not choose to create a new one in their 2020 workplan, putting our grant funding at risk. Do you support creating a new one for 2021? Please explain why or why not.	I support a new Bicycle Transportation Plan. We will need to choose Bicycle-Pedestrian Commissioners that support a new plan. We are in an unusual predicament right now. I tried to expand the commission so they'd have more residents involved so they could take on more responsibility but my proposal was voted down.	City Council can elect to move forward projects they wish to see, and needs to listen to the recommendations provided by the bicycle and pedestrian commission thoughtfully.	I support creating a new Bicycle Transportation Plan for 2021 so that we can build on the good work done thus far on the Cupertino Loop and to lay the groundwork for how our bike-ped plans will adapt in the course of siting our Regional Housing Needs Allocation. As we plan for the next state-mandated phase of housing in our city, we should ensure that we are planning it in such a way that we center it on being bike- and pedestrian-friendly and that they integrate into the exisiting and under-construction bike-ped infrastucture. That process will give us a chance to build our city in a bike- and pedestrian-friendly fashion that reduces our reliance on vehicle trips, reducing VMT and correspondinig GHG emissions. That's better for our air quality and for the health of our community in general.	Yes, I support creating a new Bicycle Transportation Plan in 2021 to continue 1) study existing trails, where deficiencies exist, current and future needs according to developments being built and proposed, 2) evaluate needs from the study and identify projects, 3) prioritize projects and estimate budget needed. Cupertino needs to continue to update and prioritize its Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan in order to moving toward an environmentally friendly City where people have mobiity options instead of driving.	No response.	--Green rating indicates supports creation of a new Bike Plan for 2021. --Yellow indicates supports a new Bike Plan for 2022. --Red indicates supports new Bike Plan when the current bike plan projects are "finished" or at some future date depending on city finances, or lack of support for a new Plan for the city. --White indicates no answer. Past candidate work and public statements are also considered in the rating.
8	7	What would you do to improve walkability in our city, such as adding trails and off-street paths?	I would put much more effort into traffic calming. The rampant red light running and crosswalk violations are unacceptable.	Increase the shade tree canopy, encourage more naturalistic pollinator pathway landscaping, add interesting public art including several murals and more outdoor sculpture. Celebrate our diverse community in the art forms. Provide off-street paths for peaceful walking.	I would want to create a predefined community benefits program for new development that prizes bike-ped infrastructure--both in terms of new trails, and separated paths in on-street paths and the upgrade/maintenance of such existing infrastructure. The next RHNA cycle will afford us a unique opportunity to reimagine those parts of the city that are selected to host new infill housing, such as the Heart of the City, to center them on their walkability and bikeability instead of focusing primarily on cars and parking infrastructure. I would want to look into the use of available public rights of way, such as creek access roads, to expand bike-ped infrastructure. I would like to see the city initiate a program focused on active transportation such as e-bike and scooter share programs that are proven to work in parts of Minneapolis that are no denser than Cupertino. Using funding from community benefits programs connected to better development projects could pay for or reduce the cost of such active transportation programs. I'd advocate for improved sidewalks in older parts of the city that still lack sidewalks so as to improve pedestrian safety.	Support the environment is one of my top priorities - continuing to evaluate Cupertino's need and feasibility for biking/walking trails and off-street paths is an importatn factor in protecting the environment, especially in reducing GHG emissions which contribute to climate change. I will make sure that adequate funding for Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Plan implementation is in the annula City budget	No response.	--Green rating indicates a detailed plan or specific ideas on how to accomplish this (which must support and reference current city Bike/Ped Plans). --Yellow shows a lack of specific detailed ideas which reference Bike/Ped Plans. --Red rating indicates a lack of concern, no plans, or in conflict with city Bike/Ped plans. --White indicates no answer. Past candidate work and public statements are also considered in the rating.
9	8	What are your top 5 priorities for the City of Cupertino (briefly) and where does improved walking and biking fit into those?	--Get property owners to build their approved housing projects. --Prevent reckless development and protect our jobs/housing balance --Address Lehigh pollution issues --Continue to complete bicycle/pedestrian projects --Address the homelessness issue	--Housing (with good mobility) --Transportation (transit/walk/run/bike) --Environmental protection (Lehigh) --Fiscal Soundness (retail future) --Schools (funding and safe routes)	1. Housing affordability - please see my comments on siting our RHNA locations for infill housing in the Heart of the City; 2. Economic recovery from COVID-19 - by focusing on mixed-use development as part of the new RHNA cycle, we can make new development not only walk/bike-friendly but ensure that it contains amenities that residents seek out and can easily reach on foot or by bicycle; 3. Reducing traffic--it will return with a vengeance after the pandemic ends, we need to ensure that residents have good alternatives to driving and we can help people develop the habit of walking/biking while the pandemic endures; expanding bike-ped infrastructure will allow more people to have viable alternatives to driving; 4. The environment/GHG emissions - by favoring alternative means of transportation we can encourage their use as alternatives to vehicular trips that generate the lion's share of the region's GHG emissions and we can do so in a more equitable way (i.e. all electric cars remain expensive and biking/walking is cheaper, more accessible to more people); 5. Better governance--by better engaging the public and avoiding bad governance practices (like late night meetings or appointments based on political affiliation rather than primarily merit), we can make sure that bike-ped advocates can more evenly and equitably have their say.	1) Ensure good governance and fiscal health of the City - good governance brings efficient and coherent governance which in turn supports long-term planning for the City, while fiscal health of the City provides funding for biking/walking trails as well as transportation improvements; 2) Providing housing options for seniors, teachers, working families while maintaining neighborhood integrity - providing housing close to work and transit encourages people to take pubic transit to and from work/home as well as biking/walking to and from work/home or transit/home; 3) Protect the environment -i nvesting in trails will reduce vehicle travel miles and GHG emissions; 4) Partner with local school districts - encourage youth participation in City planning, policy making, sustainability and environmental study internship, and partner with schools to promote safe route to school activities such as Bike Rodeo to encourage bike/walk to school; 5) Develop regional fast reliable public transit with neighboring cities while implementing safe bike/walk routes to and from transit/home	No response.	--Green rating indicates biking and walking are one of those top 5 priorities, including as part of recreation/livability. --Yellow rating indicates lukewarm support for biking/walking as a city priority or lack of specifics. --Red rating indicates no support stated for walking/biking (other priorities). --White indicates no answer. Past candidate work and public statements are also considered in the rating.
10	9	What would you like voters, including all the members of Walk-Bike Cupertino, to know about your position on walking and biking in the city?	I have strongly supported the expansion of bicylce and pedestrian infrastructure in Cupertino even though I realize that some residents are concerned about the impact to their streets,	The city has the power to protect the health, safety, and welfare of its residents. Providing safe pedestrian and bicycle pathways and trails helps maintain the city's well-being. We need to provide destinations and routes to get people out and about. Being healthy and getting exercise helps brain function and longevity, and strengthens the immune system. We need to make getting outdoors safe and fun!	When it comes to bike-ped policy, I literally walk the walk.	I support moving Cupertino forward as a biking and walking friendly City and continue to implement new tech to improve bikability and walkability.	No response.
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