“PAMF Promise to Install Opaque Glass” Memory Impairment from Hom and Ryan

Jaws dropped and loud gasps burst from shocked community members in City Hall when they heard Hanson Hom’s emphatic “Not that I recall” response to Councilmember John Howe’s question “Did the Palo Alto Medical Foundation say that they would do opaque glass on the second story?” during the June 23, 2009 Council Hearing.

Howe asked if a another staff member was present to confirm this statement. Hom pointed to Planner Trudi Ryan, and stated “Yes, she does concur” and Ryan shook her head “Yes.”

We couldn’t believe what we had just heard!
 

Will Neighbors Lose “Privacy and The Right to Quiet Enjoyment” Near PAMF?

The Palo Alto Medical Foundation PAMF Sunnyvale ReBuild Design, reaching a soaring height of both (two-story) 38′ and (three-story) 52′ tall, will encompass the entire 301 Old San Francisco block with a vast amount of window space providing views to the north side, the residential neighborhood.

North View PAMF Building Depicting Fully Grown, yet Unplanted Redwood Trees

Will the surrounding Heritage District Neighbors suffer from  “loss of privacy and the right to quiet enjoyment?” What type of unwanted intrusion will the PAMF’s neighbors be exposed to?

The Heritage District Neighbors wanted to know and I asked repeatedly.     

Judge Hears Arguments for PAMF EIR Lawsuit, Decision in One Week

Superior Court Judge Elfving heard arguments from Petitioner Attorney, Alexander T. Henson, and Respondent PAMF Attorney Sacramento-Based John D. Fairbrook this morning at 9:00am.

Both Petitioners as well as Sunnyvale Heritage District Neighbors & Supporters were present during the hearing.

Notably absent from the hearing were the preparers of the Palo Alto Medical Foundation Environmental Impact Report PAMF EIR in dispute~ Lead Agency (Planners Gerri Caruso, Trudi Ryan, Steve Lynch), Community Director Hanson Hom, City Manager Gary Luebers, Traffic Jack Whittus  & Heba El-Guendy, Fehr & Peers, David J. Powers & Associates, PAMF Public Relations Cythnia Greaves, nor any of the 6 Councilmembers who voted to approve the PAMF EIR on June 23, 2009.    

Did PAMF’s Warning to Find an Alternative Site Outside of Sunnyvale Result in a Rushed EIR?

On October 7. 2008, PAMF President Dr. Slavin writes of frustration to Sunnyvale City Manager, Amy Chan, requesting an expedited delivery of the Environmental Impact Report.

 

Slavin states that the lack of communication is frustrating, disappointing and extremely costly. He continues, “further delays are not acceptable and will force us to look at alternative sites outside of Sunnyvale.”          

Gerri Caruso’s “Hands in the Cookie Jar” After “Conflict of Interest” Resignation

At nearly the stroke of midnight, after years of authoritative decision-making for the Palo Alto Medical Foundation Project/DEIR/FEIR it suddenly came to light that Principal Planner, Lead Agency Gerri Caruso was advised to resign to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest.            

Apparently, Caruso’s husband had conducted business for PAMF.    

City Manager Gary Luebers Returns the PAMF EIR, Really Does Not Need it

“How refreshing” is how Lead Agency Trudi Ryan responds when Deborah Gorman informs her that The City Manager, Gary Luebers, had just returned the Sunnyvale Palo Alto Medical Foundation Environmental Impact Report (PAMF  EIR) and stated that “he really does not need a copy.”

  

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Gary Luebers Returns the PAMF EIR

 

On 1/9/09, Gorman writes Sunnyvale Planner Trudi Ryan, “I  just wanted to let you know that the City Manager, Gary, returned the PAMF EIR as he said that he really does not need a copy as he knows he can come to us if he needs to take a look at it. I told Kathy McGraw that we could continue to provide Gary with copies of the EIRs and he could return them to us if he does not want to keep a copy.”         

“Hold Your Laughter But What Can $25,000 Get Us?” Writes Sunnyvale Planner Steve Lynch

“Please hold your laughter but  . . . . what can $25,000  get us?” writes Sunnyvale Principal Planner Gerri Caruso’s replacement, Steve Lynch, in an email to city transportation staff Heba El-Guendy and Jack Witthaus.

So . . . while the Sunnyvale Heritage District Neighborhood was earnestly advocating for safe and calm streets, the paltry $25,000 initially required of PAMF for traffic calming devices was considered laughable?

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“Hold your Laughter” Mocks Steve Lynch 4_27

FREE 28 Months of Thunderous Pile-Driver “Hammer-Rap” for the Neighbors, Courtesy of PAMF

Get ready to party to agitating, pile driver, hammering noise, and lots of it! The Palo Alto Medical Foundation (PAMF) did not seem to bat an eye at imposing 28 months of loud, 6 day work-week, intense construction noise to their neighbors despite numerous comments and complaints from community members during the June 23, 2009 hearing.

Palo Alto Medical Foundation Giant Excavator Digging feet away from residential homes on Jarvis Court, Sunnyvale

Before the neighbors are told, “Tough luck, there are overriding considerations as to why you must expect over 2 years of construction noise exceeding the City of Sunnyvale Noise Standards,” CEQA requires there be a thorough analysis of alternatives that could reduce this significant adverse unavoidable environmental impact to a less than significant level.

And . . there wasn’t. This is so despite the numerous comments on the noise problem, noise mitigation or lack thereof.

Sunnyvale PAMF EIR Traffic Study A Morse Code to “The Boss”

The PAMF FEIR Traffic Analysis, apparently a Morse code to Sunnyvale Planning Officer Trudi Ryan, as well,  emails the Environmental Preparers David J Powers at the last-minute for HELP.

With only 4 DAYS until the June 23, 2009 Council Hearing, Ryan emails a request, “Karli and John, can you ask Fehr and Peers to provide an estimate of the percent of traffic on Bayview and Carroll that are associated with PAMF.”    

Bottleneck Traffic in Line for PAMF Site?

PAMF’s planned location of the ambitious $120M, 270,000 square foot, 5 level  structure at the edge and within the Sunnyvale Heritage District Neighborhood is an incompatible choice, according to many, as  the site is not well-connected to the roadway network.               

The site is surrounded by two-lane former “horse and buggy streets” residential Carroll, S Bayview, S Sunnyvale Ave and Old San Francisco Road, with limited access. It may be like jamming an endless number of sand particles through an hour-glass timer within the neighborhood and slowly waiting for the particles to sift through the narrow funnels.         

NOTE: The street in front of the illustrated PAMF building is NOT a wide boulevard as drawn. It is currently two-laned Old San Francisco Road with stop signs at Cezanne and Bayview.  

  

PAMF View Surrounded by Two-Lane Residential Streets