Laserfiche WebLink
will certainly take business from the existing Shell station, it will also capture some of the traffic that is <br /> currently leaving Pleasanton. This would also provide some healthy competition in an end of town that <br /> is currently dominated by the existing station, hopefully forcing prices down some. <br /> Mayor Hosterman said she has expressed strong concerns over the years about whether fuel tank <br /> leakage could negatively affect or contaminate the City's drinking water supply. She acknowledged the <br /> safety measures to be installed as part of the project. <br /> Mr. Fialho noted these are the same standards to which the Arco station and adjacent Shell station <br /> were built. He confirmed that what Mayor Hosterman read off is true and represents the most advanced <br /> technology and protocol relative to fuel storage and safety monitoring. <br /> Councilmember Thorne agreed that groundwater contamination is one of the biggest concerns in the <br /> eyes of the public. He asked and staff confirmed that there is a potable water source located beneath <br /> the site. Mr. Dolan clarified that the site is within the City's aquifer but noted that the aquifer covers <br /> approximately 85% of the city, including the thirteen other fuel stations. <br /> Councilmember Thorne acknowledged that at one point there was a lot of press on buried tanks leaking <br /> and contaminating ground water. He noted that those were single walled tanks, many of which had <br /> been buried for years and begun leaking long before they were detected. As someone experienced with <br /> the installation of fuel tanks, he felt comfortable with the safety and precautions built into the proposed <br /> system. <br /> Mayor Hosterman also shared concerns relating to the construction timeline. She stated that she <br /> received two emails from individuals eagerly awaiting the construction of the new Walmart store off <br /> Santa Rita, which the developer does not seem to be eager to move forward with. She asked if the <br /> Council could condition the project timeline. <br /> Mr. Fialho recommended that they allow the applicant to address the Council before crafting such a <br /> condition. <br /> Mayor Hosterman referred to regional and state mandates requiring local jurisdictions to address their <br /> carbon footprints and said there is a very real nexus between approving this project and requiring that <br /> the applicant install charging stations for the eventually increasing number of electric vehicles. She <br /> hoped that Safeway, who calls Pleasanton its home, would be excited to help the city meet its goals by <br /> providing four charging stations, with the infrastructure laid for two additional stations, that would be <br /> fully operational at the time the fuel station opens. <br /> Councilmember Thorne noted that staff originally did not recommend a fuel station at this site and <br /> asked what had changed. <br /> Mr. Dolan explained that staff's primary concern related to urban design at a gateway and the proposed <br /> location. As the project evolved with the new location and design, tucked between two other <br /> commercial buildings and significant landscaping, staff felt that it was a lesser concern. <br /> Councilmember Sullivan said he spoke with the City Traffic Engineer about the circulation of the overall <br /> site. He referred to the slide that demonstrates the fuel station's queue pattern and felt that represented <br /> more of a utopian vision than reality. He asked the Traffic Engineer to explain the site circulation in <br /> greater detail. <br /> City Traffic Engineer Tassano discussed the queue pattern and the potential for a bit of difficulty in <br /> turning into the very last row of pumps when the station is full. With exception of that, he felt that <br /> patrons typically adhere to the lane striping that is proposed and focused traffic at the station should be <br /> relatively easy to manage. In terms of the overall center, he demonstrated the anticipated flow of traffic <br /> City Council Minutes Page 6 of 11 September 4, 2012 <br />