Cupertino neighbors press city over Tessellations’ conditional use permit, citing traffic, parking and promises to relocate high school

Neighbors living near the former Regnart Elementary campus urged the Cupertino Planning Commission on July 22 to enforce conditions of Tessellations School’s December 2023 conditional use permit and to oppose proposed changes they said would worsen traffic and safety in their neighborhood.

Residents who said they represent about 30 households within a quarter mile of the campus told commissioners the school’s on‑site parking is far short of the 148 spaces required by the city’s permit, that a shuttle arrangement with New Life Church has not solved congestion, and that the school’s enrollment has climbed close to the CUP cap and may be proposed to increase substantially.

The complaints matter because they relate to public safety, neighborhood livability and whether the city must exercise permit conditions or require changes if Tessellations seeks to amend its CUP. Neighbors said the immediate harm includes blocked driveways, illegal parking, vehicles using oncoming lanes and near collisions involving children on bikes and scooters.

Residents’ accounts and numbers Vik Menon, who identified himself as a Cupertino resident, said neighbors are concerned that Tessellations may ask to increase the school’s enrollment cap “by over 40% from 300 to 425” and to keep and expand high‑school grades on the former elementary school campus. Menon also said the neighbors live on streets “most impacted by Tessellations’ current CUP.”

Pinaki Mukherjee summarized the permit’s early implementation and said the school opened in August 2023 and later received a retroactive CUP in December 2023 that set a 300‑student cap. Mukherjee said early staff parking on neighborhood streets prompted a neighborhood permit‑parking application that had petition support from more than 80% of surrounding households but was withdrawn after a short‑term parking addition to the nearby lot.

Multiple speakers gave similar counts for current enrollment and impacts. Bindia Desai said Tessellations’ enrollment rose from about 141 students to roughly 268, and Bonnie Libby said enrollment had climbed to about 266. Carl Fong said the school projected 277 for the upcoming school year. Neighbors said those figures are below the 300 cap but, they argued, already creating traffic and parking problems not foreseen when the CUP was issued.

Traffic, parking and safety examples Neighborhood speakers described routine congestion at peak pickup and drop‑off times. Ravi…