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In a follow-up memo to the Planning Commission, staff stated that "... typically these types of dots shown on specific plans are somewhat general in terms of location, and that specific plans allow for some degree of flexibility as to the precise building or road locations shown on specific plan land use maps." To further explain the "blob," staff consulted the project planner for the Specific Plan, and was informed that he believed that the house locations were meant to be fairly precise as represented by the "blobs." According to the October 26, 2006 memo, the project planner believed the "blobs" were mapped to avoid environmental constrains. However, with more precise mapping, it appears the "blobs" encompasses significant natural features such as mature oak trees and very steep slopes and development that extends outside the "blobs" may better preserve these features in some cases. The Planning Commission and the City Council approved house locations which varied from the locations represented by the "blobs" on the Specific Plan Land Use map by finding that the new locations "would result in an environmentally superior plan." The Planning Commission reached consensus that there could be flexibility considered in the siting of future lots; that future homes did not need to be located precisely in the "blob" shown on the land use map; and, that the location of the lots was consistent with the intent of the VACSP. In addition, no direction was provided to amend the VACSP. The City Council concurred with the Commission's discussion. To that end, the Sarich and Reznick developments both had some flexibility in the location of the homes in relation to the illustrative "blobs". Thus, staff notes that the land use plans are not usually meant to be precise, but can be flexible. Both memos are attached as Attachment 3. Staff believes that Alternative 1 is consistent with the Specific Plan and notes that the locations identified for new dwellings in the VACSP Land Use Plan are not precise. Rather, the land use plan is a conceptual diagram; it was not created with the benefit of topographic maps or other tools that would make it precise. To illustrate this, staff asked the City's GIS department to produce an aerial overlay on the map to compare the location of homes that were existing (shown with an asterisk) at the time the diagram was created (Attachment 8). In looking at the overlay, it becomes apparent that the actual houses were not precisely where they are shown on the land use plan via an asterisk. And rather than precisely pinpointing the location of future Hillside Residential home sites, the VACSP Land Use Plan uses a "blob" to indicate the approximate location of future home sites. Staff believes that the VACSP Land Use Plan provides for flexibility for the development of actual projects---and this has been the view of the City Council on past projects where the "blobs" and "asterisks" have been reviewed. The Planning Commission and Council have approved other home sites within the Hillside Residential (HR) to be relocated on Lot 25 (PUD-54/Reznick) and Lot 27 (PUD-32/Sarich) without a Specific Plan Amendment. Likewise, staff believes that the proposed home sites could be located within the general vicinity of the location shown on the land use plan without a Specific Plan Amendment. Page 8 of 10