A controversial nonprofit housing project in Cupertino that’s been under consideration for about 20 years has the green light to move forward. After a three-hour marathon of presentations and public comment Tuesday, the City Council voted 3-1-1 to narrowly approve a first-of-its-kind housing mix with 40 affordable apartments. Of those, 19 will be set aside...
Cupertino’s sheriff contract hike upends budget
Cupertino is looking at a problematic increase in its contract with the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office, its public safety arm. The situation could force the city to consider a tax increase or budget cuts. Rather than maintain its own police force, Cupertino has always contracted with the sheriff’s office to provide law enforcement. The...
New brewery coming to The Pruneyard in Campbell
A new watering hole is moving into The Pruneyard six months after Rock Bottom Brewery closed. Laughing Monk Brewing will open its fifth location in Campbell, where Rock Bottom Brewery was housed for 30 years. Unlike its national chain predecessor, Laughing Monk is a local brewery with four locations in the Bay Area — Sunnyvale,...
Pruneyard Cinemas in Campbell not closing
Campbell’s Pruneyard Cinemas announced Friday that it has managed to reach an agreement with its landlord in a longstanding rent dispute, allowing the beloved theater to remain open. The news comes as a reversal in fortunes for the theater company, which told customers last week that rising costs would force it to close down permanently...
Cupertino not meeting its housing goals
Cupertino is falling short in its state-mandated housing goals as developers roll out projects with fewer homes than expected. The upshot is Cupertino will have to add more high-density projects — a move not likely to be popular in a community that frequently resists multifamily housing. Like many California cities, Cupertino is caught between state...
Campbell Pruneyard Cinemas sues landlord in rental dispute
Pruneyard Cinemas, the beloved Campbell movie theater, is permanently closing its doors on Jan. 25 after eight years in business at The Pruneyard shopping center. The announcement comes weeks after the theater company filed a lawsuit against its landlord amid a bitter dispute over rental rates, court documents show. The lawsuit, filed on Dec. 19,...
Developer for Los Gatos project warns of legal costs
The developer of a proposed 13-story apartment building in Los Gatos warned the Town Council last week of potential legal costs for blocking the project, even though the council says the developer’s application is moving forward. “I respectfully want to tell you the town’s multiple lawsuits (related to housing construction), including attempting to block this...
Los Gatos’ youngest mayor brings new perspective
At age 27, Rob Moore brings a fresh perspective to the Los Gatos Town Council as the youngest mayor in town history. Councilmembers voted unanimously to make Moore mayor on Dec. 9, as officials select who takes the position every year. He’s not only the sole councilmember younger than 60 — he’s also from a...
Cupertino mayor blocks ally from becoming vice mayor
Kitty Moore, Cupertino’s new mayor, blocked a City Council ally from becoming vice mayor at a recent meeting — even though both belong to the same political faction in the sharply divided city. The five-member council voted in Moore as mayor Dec. 11 and Mayor Liang Chao as vice mayor, though Councilmember R “Ray” Wang...
Los Gatos cafe reopens after Thanksgiving crash
Los Gatos Coffee Roasting Company is partially back in business following a devastating car crash on Thanksgiving that will keep half of the town’s beloved shop closed for at least several months. Longtime customers and residents have rallied around founder and co-owner Teri Hope, raising more than $51,000 through GoFundMe to help support the shop’s...