PC 051309 - Laserfiche WebLink

6. PUBLIC HEARINGS AND OTHER MATTERS a. PGPA-15, General Plan Update and Corresponding Environmental Impact Report (EIR) Consideration of the City of Pleasanton’s Draft General Plan and Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and Recommendation for Approval. Janice Stern introduced the environmental consultants Rod Jeung and Chad Mason from PBS&J, Associate Planner Sally Maxwell, and City Traffic Engineer Mike Tassano. She then gave a brief description of the proposed action, stating the Planning Commission is to receive public input on the Draft General Plan and to recommend that the City Council certify the Final Environmental Impact Report and approve the Draft General Plan with any amendments proposed this evening. With respect to the letter from Margo N. Bradish of Cox, Castle and Nicholson LLP, dated May 13, 2009, regarding the designation of the East Pleasanton Specific Area, Ms. Stern indicated that the zoning on the property will remain until the Specific Plan is completed. She noted that the General Plan average densities are only for planning purposes. She added that other changes recommended would be made, including modification of the term “Depleted Resources” on Figure 7-2 to “Depleted Mineral Resources” and the modification of Figure 2.2 to show Downtown Pleasanton and the East Pleasanton Specific Plan area. THE PUBLIC HEARING WAS OPENED. Becky Dennis, representing Citizens for a Caring Community (CFACC), noted that Patricia Belding, CFACC President, had also sent a letter for the Commission’s review, in addition to the comments she had submitted on the General Plan Draft EIR, which were included in the Final EIR. She stated that the Commission is, therefore, aware that, as affordable housing advocates and environmentally concerned residents, they at CFACC, along with Urban Habitat and the Attorney General’s Office, have expressed many disagreements with those aspects of the proposed General Plan Update. Ms. Dennis stated that the primary concern she wanted to bring to the Commission’s attention relates to the current and future legal challenges to the General Plan which, if successful, would require Court-ordered General Plan amendments. She indicated that although past elections have shown that about 60 percent of Pleasanton’s voters support the housing cap, the affordable housing advocates did not want the Commission and the Council to overlook the remaining 40 percent of the electorate that has historically voted to plan for affordable senior and workforce housing. Ms. Dennis requested the Commission to include a recommendation to the City Council that it develop a plan to get the input of residents on how to craft General Plan amendments required by the courts or outside agencies to bring the City into compliance with California law. She noted that, as opposed to the requirement to PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES, May 13, 2009 Page 3 of 13