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community and that generally speaking, the neighborhood enjoys the presence of this senior community. He said he and his wife were attracted to this neighborhood so much that they purchased an older home, demolished it, and rebuilt it to meet the needs of aging in place. He said that while the task force and Council are clearly thinking ahead in terms of this project, the true impact of 150 units on this site has not been fully considered. He said he has no issue with the number of units but objects to the proposed configuration. He said the taller 3 story design will greatly impact adjacent residents. He noted that both he and his wife are appraisers and said that parking and density issues are critical to property value. He said he has repeatedly witnessed overflow parking from the sites onto Kottinger Drive to the extent that it prevents residents from accessing their driveways and presents a safety hazard for playing children. He said that regardless of screening or stepping of mass, a 3 -story design will create a structural wall from the point of his backyard in addition to an overflow of light and noise. He said the proposed location of the community room would also create a funnel effect directly into his backyard. He said he hoped the project could eventually turn into something the entire community can be proud of. Councilmember Sullivan asked his thoughts on the 128 -unit design. Mr. Couto called it a white elephant and said that if Pleasanton Gardens will not support it then it should not be considered. Councilmember Sullivan asked his opinion in terms of impacts. Mr. Couto said that with additional review and conceptual planning, all of the sites concerns could be addressed while still accommodating 150 units and reducing the appearance of mass to surrounding residents. He said that the resident most impacted by this design, the homeowner on Vineyard directly adjacent to the developments, has not been heard from. Eric Larson supported Councilmember McGovern's suggestion, stating that if the Council opts to pursue a 150 -unit design it should strongly consider underground parking to alleviate some of the project's overall spread. Tim Hunt, Pleasanton Gardens Board of Directors, said that both the City and Pleasanton Gardens have an amazing opportunity here. He said the board would like to see 150 total units because the sites are currently overflowing at 90 units. He said this project should be built for the next 40 years, beyond the demands of today, and done so in a state of the art way that fully supports ADA living. He said Mr. Fiedler spoke eloquently on the site's issues and that he has done an amazing job of maintaining it despite those. He asked the Council to find room to get 60 more seniors into housing they can afford. Tom Scherer said his back yard runs along the adjacent creek and that both the 2 and 3 story options would tower over his yard. He said he found 150 units very difficult to stomach and that, at the very least, the plans should be scaled back to 2 stories. He said he currently has a fair amount of tree growth in his yard but that he still has a very clear view of the site looking up. He said he was unclear as to why the board would require 150 units, that it seemed an arbitrary number, and that even the 128 -unit option would provide a considerable gain. He said that of the roughly 10 senior residents he spoke with, each was against corridor living, wanted to retain their gardens, and did not seem concerned with air conditioning. Vice -Mayor Cook Kallio closed the public hearing. BREAK: Vice -Mayor Cook Kallio called a brief recess and thereafter reconvened the regular meeting. City Council Minutes Page 13 of 16 December 1, 2009