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deviant behavior who would cause the schools to deteriorate, lower their property <br />values, and make the existing residents very unhappy. He stated that his neighbors <br />share the same opinion. <br />Andy Smilovitz stated that he has lived in Valencia from the start and that he does not <br />want another 1,000 high density residential units in the area because it is already <br />loaded with three to four apartment complexes and a WalMart shopping center. He <br />indicated that if it is assumed that the BART station supports the use, then the units <br />should be relocated to the other BART station area by Stoneridge Mall. He added that <br />he believed people are using the BART station as an excuse to develop their properties <br />and that not all the people moving in would be working in San Francisco or using BART; <br />some would be working in and around Pleasanton and would be driving their own <br />vehicles. <br />Ellen Gave stated that she has lived in Valencia for 12 years and likes living in the area <br />because weekends are quiet as Hacienda is closed. She added that she understood <br />building close to the BART station but questioned the need for three large apartment <br />buildings with Archstone nearby. She stated that these are hard times and that the <br />apartments would bring in different elements to the area.She indicated that she is <br />being protective of her development and its residents and cited the existence of <br />significant vandalism, including graffiti, after the dot.com bust near her development. <br />She stated that she believed the City should spread out the units and not just locate <br />them in Hacienda. <br />Sunil Kulkarni stated that he enjoys taking his two-month old baby for walks on the <br />vacant lots where it is quiet and safe and requested the City not to spoil the current <br />family-oriented culture. He added that he does not go to the park right behind his house <br />because it is crowded by residents of Archstone and Hacienda Commons. He noted <br />that property values are decreasing and believes that low-income housing and <br />apartment developments would further lower the values and further impact the City’s <br />high quality schools and parks and recreation with overcrowding. He indicated that <br />adding more low-income units would not benefit Pleasanton because it would create <br />more problems and have a negative impact on the low crime rate and the good <br />neighborhood. He asked the Commission not to let low-income people come into <br />Pleasanton. He added that the business park was meant for businesses and that the <br />poor economy should not be a reason to sell the property for low-income residential <br />development. <br />Robert Desroches stated that he has worked at Zantaz in West Las Positas Boulevard <br />for ten years and that 36 of its 300 employees that live in San Francisco do not take <br />BART. He added that there is a bike rack at his workplace but only one employee bikes <br />to work. He noted that he lives in the Valencia development, which is a ten-minute walk <br />to his workplace, but he drives to work. He stated that judging from his workplace, there <br />is zero evidence to support the assertion that the units would contribute to the vitality of <br />businesses. <br />PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES, September 23, 2009 Page 5 of 34 <br /> <br />