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and because the building is so close to Sunol Blvd. it will be difficult to mask the Sunol side of r the building with landscaping. He urged the Planning Commission to look at the traffic situation on Sunol Blvd. with regard to this project, as well the proposed project for the Kaiser property. He noted that there is already a traffic problem during commute hours and the traffic for this building will add to the congestion on Sunol Blvd. Mary Greene, 386 Sycamore Road, stated that she agrees that this is a beautiful building, but it is too massive. She commented that she thought the orange screen installed by the developer was the top of the roof, but she received Mr. Hirst's letter stating that the screen represents the top of the windows. She noted that Sycamore Road was suppose to maintain a rural atmosphere, and that the building is too large for the lot and will change the entrance to the Sycamore area. r Bill Olson, 301 Diamond Court, stated that he favors the trash enclosure location proposed by the applicant, noting that it can be bermed and hidden from the residents on Diamond Court. He suggested that the berming be continued around the enclosure which would help insulate it in the hot weather. He also suggested adding a roof to the enclosure. He advised that they would like to see a well-landscaped berm on the north side of Diamond Court. He commented that the recent pruning of the tree has eliminated the screening of their view of the project. He stated that he feels it is a beautiful building, but that it is set too close to Sunol Blvd. and the orange netting shows that the building is really quite high. He commented that they worked hard to get the Kaiser development set back 200 feet from Sunol Blvd., and the same should apply here, noting that the lot is too small for this size of a building. Mr. Olson advised that when they built their home they were restricted to a single-story, 22- foot elevation, because it was an entrance to the City, and that should apply to this project as well. In response to an inquiry from Commissioner Kameny, Mr. Pavan confirmed that the City pruned the tree under the supervision of Mike Fulford, the City's landscape architect. In response to a question from Vice Chairperson Maas, Mr. Olson noted that he would like to see a wrought iron fence, with spacing between the vertical members that would prevent someone from passing through it. He stated that the landscaping should provide the masking of the view of the building. Marueen Hart, 6513 Arlington Drive, stated that she concurs that the building is too massive and that it is inconsistent with the rest of the area. She noted that she is concerned that it will set a tone for the other sites on Sunol that will be developed. She advised that she wants to see the rural entrance to Pleasanton maintained. She asked that the impact on the neighbors be considered, noting that there will be a lot more intrusion on the neighborhood with an office building, than there would be with homes. She commented that the pruning of the tree shows that immature landscaping will not adequately screen the building. She stated that the tone for the entrance of Pleasanton will be set with the approval of this building, and she would prefer not to have the rural atmoshpere changed. r Ken Benevedes, 362 Sycamore Road, noted that he has had the pleasure of looking out across this property for the last 26 years. He commented that the view from his kitchen, living room, and dining room look out over this property. He stated that he is appreciative of the architecture, PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES January 24, 2001 Page 5