Apple one step closer to new Cupertino campus
updated 09:20 am EST, Fri December 4, 2009
Property rezoned for industrial
After an eight-month wait, Apple is now a step closer to developing a second campus in Cupertino, California. A planning commission has voted to rezone Apple’s 7.78-acre property on Pruneridge Avenue. While originally an industrial site, the area was converted to residential by the city in 2006, preparing for a 130-unit townhouse and condominium project proposed by previous owners. The property is a part of nine separate areas purchased for the Pruneridge site, which would result in an approximately 50-acre campus, according to an announcement from CEO Steve Jobs on April 18th, 2006.
Apple representative Michael Foulkes states that the company does not currently have any firm plans for a campus, but simply wants the property rezoned in order to get a start on planning. "Right now, what we are trying to do is figure out what we have...from a planning perspective," he explains. One acre of the site is expected to remain zoned for use as a public park.
Apple's Cupertino workers are currently spread throughout the city, not just at the main headquarters at 1 Infinite Loop. Several buildings are, for instance, located along De Anza Boulevard. Jobs has expressed interest in consolidating workers into just two sites.
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Love those central planning busy bodies
If this were some farmer selling off some land for development, it'd be the typical thing for a city planning board to try and zone land that is changing hands. However, this is land that Apple ALREADY OWNS. While I applaud the move to allow them to do something with it that they want, for the city to have any real say so over privately owned property (providing the company didn't get a tax discount for having moved to their location) is ridiculous. Hello private property rights, anyone?
"One acre of the site is expected to remain zoned for use as a public park." In some of the California construction that's been done, our client was required by state law to hire "urban planners" to come in and dictate building design requirements, no matter what would be better for the client's uses. They also required a public park with a playground, and wanted it *right outside the ER entrance* to the hospital. Don't forget kids- watch out for the ambulances that zoom in here and don't mind the broken and bloodied people being hauled in over there.
Talk about nightmarish bureaucracies, Cali has more than its fair share.