Cupertino council grills developers and fire officials over 51‑unit Summerhill Homes project amid fire‑safety and contamination concerns

Mayor Moore opened the special City Council meeting on April 1 to consider a tentative map, architectural/site approvals and a tree removal permit for a 51‑unit townhome condominium project proposed on Eviolich (Evolich) Court in the Monte Vista neighborhood.

City staff presented the application and noted it invokes several state housing laws including the Housing Accountability Act, SB 330 and the Density Bonus Law. Senior planner Emmy Sugiyama told the council the project would include 51 units across 10 buildings, with 10 below‑market‑rate units, two protected oak trees, and requests for five density‑bonus waivers (reduced setbacks, smaller private open‑space clearance, taller maximum heights, increased FAR and narrower parking spaces). The staff report and a third‑party peer review concluded the project meets objective standards for the requested exemptions and recommended the council adopt draft resolutions finding the project exempt under Assembly Bill 130; staff said the AB 130 decision deadline is April 4.

Council members and the public focused much of the evening on public‑safety and environmental concerns. Mayor Moore and others identified historical site uses in environmental site assessments — multiple drums, an above‑ground diesel tank and four underground storage tanks — and two on‑site pits of unknown contents. Brad Fox of the Santa Clara County Fire Department said the county issued a closure permit for two tanks, inspected removals and forwarded soil‑sample reports to county environmental health; at that point, fire staff reported no further action was required based on the…