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Site Conditions <br /> Lions Wayside and Delucchi Parks are located opposite each other along First Street, <br /> and on either side of Neal Street. The parks have a combined area of 2.17 acres, and <br /> are generally flat, with the exception of a drainage swale which starts at the northeast <br /> corner of Lions Wayside Park and proceeds southwest. The swale, which is steep-sided <br /> and approximately six (6) feet deep and 15-20 feet wide, is culverted beneath Neal <br /> Street, and continues southward along the western edge of Delucchi Park where it is <br /> again undergrounded at the park's southern end. <br /> Lions Wayside Park is currently a large flat expanse of grass with a sprinkling of trees. <br /> The park is adjacent to the Firehouse Arts Center and is home to the Chan Henderson <br /> Bandstand. A Eucalyptus tree — the City's largest — measuring over 100 feet tall and <br /> more than 33 feet in circumference — is also located in the park at the edge of the <br /> drainage swale. <br /> Delucchi Park is also a flat expanse of turf, with a few trees along its western edge <br /> adjacent to the drainage swale. A few years ago, the City constructed a public restroom <br /> building at the park's southern end to support activities in downtown, such as the <br /> Farmers' Market. <br /> Public Input on Drainage Swale <br /> As noted earlier in this report, on April 9, 2009, the Parks and Recreation Commission <br /> held a public hearing to review two schematic designs for the project which had been <br /> prepared by the consultant. The major difference between the two schemes was the <br /> disposition of the drainage swale that runs through the site. Option A shows the swale <br /> piped and "undergrounded" and Option B shows it open and enhanced as a park <br /> feature. The Commission supported the underground option (Option A). In August, <br /> 2009, the Civic Arts Commission also reviewed the same two schematic plans that were <br /> considered by the Parks and Recreation Commission and also supported the <br /> underground option (Option A), citing the improved and enlarged audience area that it <br /> would afford the Concert in the Park series. The Pleasanton Downtown Association is <br /> also very supportive of this option. <br /> Given that four years had passed since public input was sought, staff presented an <br /> update to the Parks and Recreation Commission on May 30, 2013, and invited the <br /> public to comment on the project. Notification was sent to approximately 630 neighbors <br /> encouraging their attendance at the Commission meeting to express their views. At this <br /> meeting, the Commission voted to recommend Option A (undergrounding the drainage <br /> swale), and salvaging and reusing the granite rocks from the swale in some form within <br /> the project area. <br /> As identified since the start of the Master Plan process, there are unique opportunities <br /> and constraints regarding both options. As an example, due to the fact that the drainage <br /> swale bisects the park area in Lions Wayside Park, it greatly reduces the park's active <br /> use area (the audience space for the Friday night concert series) and makes pedestrian <br /> connections to the Firehouse Arts Center problematic. In addition, there are safety <br /> concerns associated with the swale so modifications will be required if the swale were to <br /> remain as a park feature. However, keeping it open and enhancing it allows the City to <br /> Page 3 of 5 <br />