CCMIN010516 - Laserfiche WebLink

The Mayor opened the public hearing. Chris Markle encouraged the Council to support Measure PP, which sixty (60%) percent of the voters supported. The road will be built on a hill with over twenty-five (25%) percent slope. If the Council intends to abuse the voter's wishes he would prefer that the Council spread the traffic burden equally between the two (2) neighborhoods. Greg O'Connor stated that although he lives twenty-five hundred feet (2500) from the project, he may be impacted. He attended the December 15, 2015 meeting and the current revised plan is not in accordance with the Council's direction. The roadway has been relocated to area of slope which is twenty-five (25%) percent or greater and the engineering specifications are'still missing. The impacts of the grading, the access road from Sunset Creek, the retaining walls within one hundred (100) feet of the ridge, and the culvert crossing the creek are all in violation of Measure PP. The Council is arbitrarily creating new definitions for ridge and structures, all to support development and circumvent the Measure. He requested the Council postpone the second reading and adoption of the Ordinances. Allen Roberts does not agree that the revised plan submitted by the applicant is in conformance with Measure PP. In particular, Condition of Approval 1F states that it should be left as open space, with only minimal grading to prevent erosion. He has consistently asked the Council to consider Measure PP for future development projects and that everyone could agree that the picture shown represents a ridge. Council stated it was not a ridge because it was "inconvenient" to define it as such for the development of the site. In response to an inquiry from Councilmember Brown regarding Item 1F, the Interim City Attorney stated that there is precedence in Pleasanton to declare areas with roads as open space, and she referenced the south side of Valley which incorporates Laguna Creek Circle as an example. Councilmember Brown inquired if open space is defined in the Municipal Code. In response, Assistant City Manager Dolan stated that the primary issue the Council had concern with was that five (5) lots had slopes greater than twenty-five (25%) percent. The proposed road has been slid to the south and and extended into the area that was previously lots. There is nothing that prohibits a road from being in open space. It was the elimination of the development of houses in this location that was the Council's concern. This is a previously graded and eroded site and it would have to be graded to some extent to prevent erosion. We are not losing a dramatic natural resource. A portion of the road is going to become the parking for the open space trails. Councilmember Brown stated that areas where you can park vehicles, such as a parking lot, are not open space. Vice Mayor Narum inquired as to how many feet the road would be moved and Assistant City Manager Dolan replied that the applicant could clarify during her comments. Michele Plunge inquired regarding the four (4) parking spaces for hikers that were alloted at the November 17, 2015 meeting. The staff report stated that one-fifth (1/5) of those spaces were removed to accommodate lot thirty-two (32). She wanted to know where the parking for the hiking trails would be placed. Assistant City Manager Dolan responded that the area would now consist of a "single loaded" street, with houses on one side and no development on the other. The parking for the trails would be on the opposite side of the road from the houses. City Council Minutes Page 3 of 6 January 5,2016