Thank you for your editorial about development (Courier, Carol Bogart column, June 28), and the description of your bucolic farmland. Development is inevitable.

The problem in Cupertino is smoke and mirrors are used to further the efforts of greedy developers. Catch phrases like "affordable housing" are used to describe below market rate, available only to a select few--that can't be re-sold at prevailing rates--and senior rental apartments, rather than "for sale" units.

Both are extremely restrictive, and usually bestowed by county-wide lotteries.

Our city council majority is seemingly out of touch with the latest trends in shopping malls, housing developments and conceptualizing a viable downtown. Putting it in perspective, Vallco's development of 137 condos in the Macy's back parking lot would equate to morphing your lovely 46 rolling acres into 1,242 housing units--just over the 1,000 planned along Stevens Creek between DeAnza and Tantau.

Ruby Elbogen
Cupertino Courier
Wednesday, July 5, 2006