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the future. At a separate meeting, 13 members of staff were invited to participate in a SWOT analysis <br /> exercise. Additional outreach included an Austin/Castleridge properties informational meeting as well as <br /> an online survey for which the 425 responses regarding the public's preferences for the park. <br /> Through this process the task force development both vision and mission statements for the park. The <br /> Vision Statement states that the community park will be celebrated as a valued historical and <br /> environmental treasure with popular interpretive and educational programs, dynamic exhibits and special <br /> events that serve the entire community. The Mission Statement states that the community park provides a <br /> peaceful rural setting where visitors can explore local history, learn about the environment and enjoy a <br /> variety of both interpretive and interactive programs and events. The Specific Plan was designed to <br /> articulate both objectives as well as to establish a set of guiding principles, goals and strategies to aid in <br /> future decision making. The overwhelming themes of these goals and strategies focus on the preservation <br /> of the property and park's historical aspects, enhancement of programming and increasing awareness of <br /> the park's offerings. Later this year, city staff will develop an implementation action plan containing key <br /> steps for each goal and strategy based on input from the task force as well as other interested parties. <br /> Vice Mayor Brown inquired about plans for additional restrooms and was informed that was a bit too <br /> specific for the current stage of planning. <br /> Assistant City Manager Dolan continued the staff presentation, focusing on some of the cooperative <br /> planning and access issues raised by EBRPD's recent acquisition of the Castleridge property. Throughout <br /> a course of both liaison and staff level meetings between the city and EBRPD, the District has indicated <br /> its eagerness to work with the city in providing yet another source of access to Pleasanton Ridge through <br /> its newly acquired property. These meetings have also yielded a general consensus that one of the <br /> primary concerns with relation to this is the ability to provide a sufficient level of parking to trail users. <br /> The city and EBRPD explored a number of options, the first of which was whether expanding the city's <br /> own existing parking lot could provide sufficient access. Preliminary design work revealed the potential to <br /> create perhaps a dozen additional parking spaces, which would likely not be adequate for anything more <br /> than the city's own needs. The option discussed the most, and what staff has proposed to EBRPD, is <br /> turning Old Foothill into a one-way street in order to accommodate parallel parking. He shared several <br /> conceptual engineering drawings for this option which would extend from the northern end of Old Foothill <br /> past the entrances to the park and back down to the parking lot near Foothill Road. Staff estimates it <br /> could accommodate approximately 50 parking spaces. <br /> They also contemplated providing alternative access across the Austin property, owned by the city, in <br /> what is commonly referred to as the north triangle area and providing additional parking in this same area <br /> as opposed to the Old Foothill option. There is a very keen interest on the part of property owners whose <br /> private driveway serves as the current source of access to have a gate installed so as to eliminate <br /> confusion regarding the new access. Neighbors near the north triangle area expressed early and strong <br /> opposition to this idea, citing concerns when the Austin property development was first proposed about <br /> inappropriate activities occurring in the adjacent open space area. Staff also noted that the shape of the <br /> area does not necessarily lend itself to parking. <br /> Finally, they discussed the possibility of locating parking to the south further from the Alviso Adobe <br /> Community Park itself and on the opposite side of the approved development within the Austin property. <br /> While this alternative does offer more physical space than the north triangle area, it would require sending <br /> users back up Old Foothill Road to the new point of access or creating a different access point across the <br /> site to connect to the EBRPD property. Staff also anticipates there would be at least some opposition to <br /> this alternative from residents on Jorgenson Lane. <br /> After electing to focus on the Old Foothill option there was some discussion regarding the intended <br /> permanence of this alternative. Mr. Dolan explained that the improvements would be constructed as if <br /> they were permanent and would include some minor safety improvements at the southern intersection of <br /> Old Foothill, relocation of drainage systems and the installation of a decomposed granite pedestrian <br /> City Council Minutes Page 13 of 17 July 21,2015 <br />