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Scott Raty, Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce, spoke in support of the proposal and said Ponderosa <br /> Homes is a community-minded, reputable, local home builder with a successful track record for over 30 <br /> years, with outstanding employees. The developer recently turned the old mobile home park on Stanley <br /> Boulevard into a beautiful neighborhood serving the downtown. He thinks the Council is quibbling over <br /> water impacts. The mobile home park originally had more water and sewer hook-ups, but Ponderosa <br /> built on 12 homes. Therefore, they should receive credit for these which go back into the overall <br /> system. Ponderosa Homes is at the cutting edge of water use, design and products and this is pushed <br /> aside. The City knows that the new Bernal Park is going to use far more potable water and perhaps this <br /> should be brought to a halt. The neighborhood has voiced its support and said significant fees are paid <br /> by Ponderosa to the City and he asked the Council also keep this in mind. <br /> Kelly Cousins asked if another church was given this opportunity when the Busch property was <br /> developed. She noted 8 options were identified and analyzed. 5 were not feasible and 2 were feasible <br /> but substantially less viable from a financial standpoint. Therefore, this is not fair to other churches <br /> because it takes the land the community worked hard to preserve, reduced potential land for the school <br /> and she voiced concern with the change to the General Plan from Public and Institutional zoning to <br /> residential zoning. She likened the situation to the for-profit manipulation and further erosion to <br /> preserve and protect the community. She suggested a day care use and asked how this plan can be <br /> fair for other churches and asked the Council to vote no on the rezoning because she thinks the <br /> community deserves a better balance of land. <br /> Tom Pico said when he was first elected to the Council, a person told him that the most important thing <br /> he could do was to create public and institutional space for the community. He referred to the <br /> referendum and Ponderosa's retraction of their project. A plan was then put together through <br /> workshops and Ponderosa Homes asked what they needed to do to develop a plan the City will accept. <br /> He told them they need to cut out traffic impacts, limit the number of homes for the site, and create a <br /> school site providing additional park facilities and a public and institutional use and said if the 4 acre <br /> spot is lost the City is losing the opportunity for the public and institutional use to serve residents. He <br /> referred to the Community of Character and Element that asks for more public and institutional uses <br /> and he thinks it is premature and an insult to those who worked on the final plan to allow Ponderosa <br /> Homes to proceed with this project, which he described. He said there is no reason to change the <br /> zoning until more work is done, given it is the last piece of public and institutional zoned land the City <br /> has. <br /> Sandy Yamaoda voiced opposition to the rezoning of the church property so houses can be built on it. <br /> In 1998, amid allegations by citizens of harassment and intimidation the Council disallowed <br /> Ponderosa's plan to develop the Busch property. Ponderosa ultimately gained approval to build over <br /> 475 residences. The plan designated a mere 6.23 acres of the 92 acres as Public and Institutional. <br /> There was no option in the approved plan for Ponderosa to re-purchase the Centerpointe property later, <br /> rezone and build houses. The population has grown to more than 14,000 since 2000 and with 17 more <br /> homes, there is the need for preschools, daycare, private schools, less crowded public schools and <br /> places of worship. She said the church has published documents that say one option is to sell the entire <br /> parcel to one buyer and they selected the more lucrative offer to build houses and not churches. She <br /> said the developer purchased the property at a discounted rate and is now selling at higher residential <br /> rates. They published that they will receive $9.58 million and they want to capitalize on the profit to the <br /> detriment of residents as they cope with more homes in the 4'" year of a drought. It is the City's <br /> obligation to determine what is best for the community and the maneuver by Ponderosa is not good for <br /> the City and sets a dangerous precedent. She asked the Council to reject the rezoning and ask that the <br /> church return with a better use of the land and not more houses. <br /> She also asked if the public has had an opportunity to evaluate the memorandum in Attachment A <br /> which just came out today. There are apples and orange comparisons regarding water and traffic and <br /> she cited on pages 9 and 12 of the original staff report that there would be a net increase of 5,560 <br /> City Council Minutes Page 13 of 28 October 6, 2015 <br />