Category Archives: PAMF Sunnyvale Parking Garage Exhaust Vents Impacts

Gustav Larsson was a “NO SHOW,” not a broker for PAMF compromise


The San Jose Mercury Editorial dated Sept 27, 2013 is falsely stating that “Gustav Larsson calmed residents and brokered a compromise with the city over the PAMF expansion.”

Brokered a compromise? The truth is that Gustav Larssondropped out” of the Sunnyvale Palo Alto Medical Foundation PAMF residential advocacy mid-process, in fact, he was a “NO SHOW” at the Sunnyvale Planning Commission Hearing just a few weeks prior to the Council vote – when each voice and issue mattered!

If Gustav had brokered a deal, wouldn’t it make sense that the Sunnyvale Sun would have interviewed him instead of Jeff Jones? CLICK HERE for the dropbox link to the Sunnyvale Sun interview with Jeff Jones for an article, dated April 29, 2009, regarding the PAMF Sunnyvale Heritage Neighborhood project revision.  Continue reading

“Stop The Lies” CNA/NNU Sutter Alta Bates Striking Nurses Fight For Justice, Health And Safety


The Sutter Nurses implore their commitment to the patients, saying that Sutter is just “out there making money” and not standing up for the patients.

“They don’t give a damn about their patients,” nurses say. In my opinion, they’re not concerned about their nearby Sunnyvale neighbors, as well, by placing the Palo Alto Medical Foundation two-level 150,000 sf underground parking garage vents blowing concentrated carbon monoxide air toxins in the direction of a residential home living room window.
 

Courtesy http://www.youtube.com uploaded by laborvideo

PAMF Sutter Health Exhaust Vents Called “Substantive Disregard of Human Health” for 80-Year-Old Woman


To me, the most disturbing and distasteful feature of the Sunnyvale Palo Alto Medical Foundation, designed by Hawley Peterson Snyder, is the nonchalant placement of the Parking Garage Exhaust Vent adjacent to an 80-year-old woman’s home which was omitted from study in the PAMF DEIR/FEIR.

PAMF Parking Garage Vents
PAMF Parking Garage Vents

During the June 23, 2009 Council Hearinga compelling speaker, Trustee Robert Varesio, implored “The Planning Commission would not address or answer my questions about persistent proximate exposure.”       Continue reading

Can 75% of PAMF GARAGE Vehicle Emissions Vent Through the Ramps?


Why wasn’t the Illingworth & Rodkin, Inc Vehicle Exhaust Emissions Air Quality Report for the Palo Alto Medical Foundation PAMF Sunnyvale Underground Parking Structure, designed by Hawley Peterson Synder Architects, provided in the PAMF DEIR/FEIR for disclosure and review?

LATE for the party and PRESENTED for the first time ON THE EVE of the COUNCIL VOTE, the Air Quality report estimates 75% of the expelled carbon monoxide emissions to vent independently through these narrow ramps leading to the underground parking structure for PAMF to be located at 301 Old San Francisco Road.
PAMF Sunnyvale Ramp Illustration Leading to Underground Parking Structure

PAMF Sunnyvale Ramp Illustration Leading to Underground Parking Structure

(Click image to enlarge)      Continue reading

Will the PAMF Vents Exhaust Cross Property Lines?


Sunnyvale is a windy city. The wind does not always blow south. In fact, the wind blows from the southeast to the north 25%  of the time!

Information needed within hours, Caruso’s replacement Planner, Steve Lynch requests details regarding the Palo Alto Medical Foundation PAMF Parking Garage Exhaust Vents.

Lynch emphasizes to Mahlstedt urgency of the answers needed by the end of the same day to meet the PAMF project report deadline and advises him to “assume southward exhaust direction since it cannot vent across property lines.”

Why did Lynch advise the architect to “assume south” when the wind blows toward the north as well?

And why was an Air Quality Impact Analysis omitted from request? Is the air healthy?

(Click image to enlarge)

Steve Lynch requests Parking Exhaust Vent Stats on May 5, 2009

Steve Lynch requests Parking Exhaust Vent Stats on May 5, 2009

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PAMF Chimney Type Parking Garage Vents Dispel Hazardous Air Pollutants Adjacent to Residential Homes


How did the objectionable, massive, 94dBA Parking Garage Exhaust Vents for the Sunnyvale Palo Alto Medical Foundation (PAMF),  fly under the radar without full public disclosure or analysis?

Architects Hawley Peterson Synder state the purpose of the imposing PAMF Garage Exhaust Vents, is to ventilate the carbon monoxide/air toxins/exhaust accumulating from vehicles circulating, parking and exiting PAMF’s two-level, 150,000 s.f. underground garage to total the capacity of 399 parking spaces.

Notably non-existent and missing from the PAMF Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) and the Final Environmental Impact Report(FEIR) were any identifiable Architectural Illustrations, discussions or analysis of the loud, powerful vent structures designed to be placed just a few feet away from residential homes.

PAMF Parking Garage Exhaust Vents

14 Foot Tower PAMF Parking Garage Exhaust Vents Adjacent to Residents Home

(Click image to enlarge)

The placement of the vents was discovered shortly before the June 8th Sunnyvale Commission Hearing, when, despite months of meetings with the Sunnyvale Planning Staff, a keen resident, Tynna Jones, pointed to the two empty boxes on an illustration, identified simply with an “x,” at both the northwest and northeast of the PAMF site design and asked “what are these?”

Trudi Ryan, serving as both PAMF EIR Lead Agency and Sunnyvale Planner, responded, oh, I don’t know, I’ll find out.”

Thus began a frustrating, perilous quest to find out what the function of the vents were for, what would be the intensity of the noise measured by dBA, what amount and how dangerous would the toxic emissions be (still not adequately answered), Air Quality impacts, the distance from each property lines, etc, only to be subject to vague and non-responsive answers from the Sunnyvale Planning Staff.

As a matter of fact, Sunnyvale Planner Steve Lynch replied to our inquires “Your comments will be forwarded to the Sunnyvale Commissioners.” “Comments?” we replied, “these are questions!”

Our questions were of little concern to the Sunnyvale Planning Staff and never fully answered.

This illustration of the vents, from Hawley Peterson Synder Architects, was presented and viewed for the first time on June 23, 2009 during the Council Hearing.

Both Sunnyvale Council Members John Howe and Melinda Hamilton remarked about the vents during the hearing, “I wouldn’t want to live near those . . .” yet approved and voted “yes” anyway.

Solely identified by decibel levels of the PAMF parking lot vents for each (east and west unit): FEIR Appendix J, pg 13 states 94 dBA at 5 feet. Both vents are 40-horsepower garage exhaust fans and very close to residential homes. According to Table 2, 94 dBA falls within the range of Night Club with live music.

PAMF’s Bounteous Sunnyvale, CA Residential Purchases Planned for Waste/Storage


Wowowowow! PAMF was a high bidder for 448 Kenny Court! Palo Alto Medical Foundation, a subsidiary of Sutter Health, generously purchased this modest residential property for $1,250,000.00 on 11/13/2008 to be developed into a 3,250 s.f. Storage and Waste Management Area for PAMF in Sunnyvale!

To compare apples with apples, a similar home in the neighborhood~ 389 S Pastoria Ave, SOLD for $621,000 just one month prior! Now, that’s STEEP APPRECIATION !

PAMF pays $1.25M for 448 Kenny Court!

PAMF pays $1.25M for 448 Kenny Court!

(Click on image to enlarge)

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