CUPERTINO — If current plans for redevelopment of the Vallco Shopping Mall fall through, any new proposals for the site likely won’t be allowed to include office space, the Cupertino City Council indicated Tuesday.

A majority of council members said during a study session they oppose existing development standards that allow up to 2 million square feet of office space in the shopping district because that many offices will exacerbate the housing shortage by attracting even more workers.

“I think it clearly needs to be said that 2 million square feet of office, or roughly that, means around 10,000 workers. And when we talk about adding 2,400 housing units and 10,000 workers, have we helped you?” Councilman Jon Willey said.

Councilman Darcy Paul and Mayor Steven Scharf both echoed that concern, adding they’re fine, however, with retaining the standards allowing up to 389 residential units, or possibly more, although they did not specify a number.

“No one up here is opposed to building more housing, we’re opposed to worsening our jobs-housing imbalance,” Scharf said.

But Councilman Rod Sinks said removing office development will effectively prevent housing projects by making it hard to get a financially viable proposal off the ground.

“We say we’d like to have more housing and are serious about finding alternatives,” Sinks said, “[but] frankly if we downzone this property, such that we inhibit any economically feasible project, we’re sending a message to the state Legislature, Governor Newsom, and the court…about our desire to get serious about building a lot of housing.”

Vice Mayor Liang Chao, who lives less than 1000 feet from Vallco, recused herself from the discussion “out of an abundance of caution.”

Days before Tuesday’s study discussion, state Senator Scott Wiener and Vallco developer Sand Hill Property Co. accused the council of trying to sabotage future housing projects at the shopping center site.

Sand Hill manager Reed Moulds said in a written statement after the study session that some members of the council are aligned with a citizens group, Better Cupertino, that has filed a lawsuit attempting to block the project.

“The same people who are behind the pending lawsuit to stop our approved Vallco Town Center project with 1,201 affordable homes are now on the dais ensuring that under the best of circumstances Cupertino’s General Plan won’t be able to host more than 389 total housing units on 51 acres,” Moulds said .

In May, the council tossed an alternative redevelopment plan for Vallco put together by the city with input from some community residents. That plan, supported by a previous city council, called for 2,923 units of housing, 1.5 million square feet of office space and 485,000 square feet of retail, as well as payments from Sand Hill for community benefits such as a new city hall and school impact fees.

As long as Sand Hill’s current proposal is upheld by a judge, however, it won’t be subject to any development standards the council ultimately establishes for the Vallco site. Under legislation known as Senate Bill 35, authored by Wiener, cities must approve housing developments as long as they include enough affordable homes and meet zoning and planning rules.

Sand Hill wants to build 2,402 apartment units — half of them below market rate — as well as 1.8 million square feet of office space, 400,000 square feet of retail and a 30-acre rooftop park at the defunct shopping mall.

The developer says it plans to plow ahead with the project despite the lawsuit and continue with further demolition of the site this summer.

Contact Thy Vo at 408-200-1055 or tvo@bayareanewsgroup.com.