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BACKGROUND The preparation of a Specific Plan for East Pleasanton is a program of the City's General Plan, and has been the focus of the East Pleasanton Specific Plan (EPSP) Task Force since 2012. As the EPSP has been developed and a draft environmental impact report (DEIR) prepared, many persons attending recent neighborhood meetings have expressed opposition to moving forward with the plan due to concerns regarding the drought, traffic, school capacity, and the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA)1. Others are interested in continuing General Plan Land Use Program 6.1 direction to prepare a Specific Plan for East Pleasanton. At its May 191h meeting, the Council received information from residents, property owners, and other interested persons regarding whether the City should terminate, pause or continue the planning process for the EPSP and DEIR. Council directed staff to: (a) prepare materials to place an advisory measure on November 2015 ballot on whether to continue the East Pleasanton Specific Plan process; (b) ask the Task Force to make a final recommendation on the plan; and (c) "freeze" the current DEIR for the EPSP.2 DISCUSSION Each city may hold, in its discretion, an advisory election for the purpose of allowing voters within the jurisdiction to voice their opinions on substantive issues, or indicate to the local legislative body approval or disapproval of the ballot proposal.3 Pleasanton has a history of posing such advisory measures to voters.4 An advisory measure provides voters' opinions to the City Council, but is not legally binding. At its May 19th meeting, the Council decided to consider placing an advisory measure on the ballot to ask voters whether the EPSP process should continue. Sample advisory measure questions could include: Option 1 — Shall the City of Pleasanton continue planning East Pleasanton through an existing citizen's Task Force that will result in: (a) the completion of a draft specific plan and completed environmental impact report; and (b) require any future specific plan in the area be ratified by the voters of Pleasanton? The Regional Housing Need Allocation(RHNA) is the state-mandated process to identify the total number of housing units(by affordability level)that each jurisdiction must accommodate in its Housing Element of each community's General Plan. The California Department of Housing and Community Development(HCD) identifies the total housing need for the San Francisco Bay Area for an eight-year period,which is then assigned by the Association of Bay Area Governments(ABAG). The last cycle was from 2014 to 2022. RHNA allocations for the next cycle(est.2022 to 2030)will likely occur in 2020 to 2021. The City will accept any submitted written comments on the DEIR through the original June 8,2015 deadline. If a measure is placed on the ballot and voters are in favor of the EPSP continuing,the DEW comment period will be re- opened. 3 California Elections Code §9603. 4 In Nov. 1993 Measure E was an advisory vote regarding term limits;and in Nov. 1996 Measure DD was an advisory measure regarding the excursion train extending to Downtown. Page 2 of 6