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Subject: FW: East Side:ZERO is Preferred Number OI'h'tgggg�pAt Provided to the City � �9�1� After Distribution of Packet Council From: Ellen Holmgren Sent: Tuesday, May 19, 2015 10:43 AM Date 19—Zdic To: David Camp; Mayor and City Council Cc: Pleasanton City Clerk Subject: RE: East Side: ZERO is Preferred Number Dear David Camp, Thank you for your email regarding the East Pleasanton Specific Plan. I want to clarify a few things regarding the planning process. It is important to clarify that NO development project has been approved by the City. Instead, the City has been engaged in a 2.5 year planning process to ascertain whether a development should occur in the area and ultimately what the City's vision for the area should include. Land use options range from no development (status quo land use designations), residential development ranging from 500 to 1,400 units, and even open space. The planning process is called for the City's General Plan and has been led by a citizen's taskforce (including property owners) of 20 individuals over the last 2.5 years. Here's where the City is in the process: 1. A draft Specific Plan(or planning document)has been completed that develops a framework for development of the East Side. It includes various land use assumptions regarding residential densities, commercial, office and industrial square footage, parks,trails and public infrastructure. It also reserves land for an elementary school. You can view the draft plan on the City's website at http://www.citvofpleasantonca.gov/qov/depts/cd/planninq/specific/east.asp . 2. The draft Environment Impact Report(EIR),which accompanies the specific plan, is a requirement of state law and is being circulated publically for review and comment. The purpose of the EIR is to help the community understand the range of alternatives that are being considered, to identify what impacts the project would have on the community if adopted, and to identify potential mitigations to those impacts. Your email will be evaluated and incorporated into the EIR process. 3. To help the Task Force, Planning Commission, and the City Council understand community concerns, the City has hosted three community meetings. All meetings have been very well attended by the public. If I were to categorize the concerns raised thus far,they would generally fall into the following categories: lack of water supply, unnecessary growth to meet our minimum housing obligations, insufficient school mitigations, and traffic circulation concerns. A detailed review of these impacts and suggested mitigations are reflected in the draft EIR and can be viewed on the City's website at Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for East Pleasanton Specific Plan, April 2015 -Appendices. 4. While the majority of the City Council has previously stated their intent to complete the planning process and place the recommended land use plan (which has not yet been determined by the taskforce, planning commission or city council) on the ballot for consideration and ratification by the public, there is also an acknowledgement that there are significant concerns about continuing the planning process for the East Side at this time. It is very possible that the entire planning process may pause or stop; minimally, until the drought is over or until the State's next housing cycle begins in calendar year 2022. The latter timeframe is significant because the East Side is not critical to meeting our current statewide housing obligations, but may be required following 2022. Regardless, the Mayor and Council have asked that the matter be returned to the City Council for a comprehensive update and to determine whether the planning process should be stopped. This matter has been set for the May 190 City Council Meeting. 1