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application, which she quite frankly recalls punting and not making a real clear determination. She inquired if staff believes that through this application, the City has now established a uniform methodology by which to define a measure of slope. Mr. Dolan replied that liana Japan was a small commercial project in an area that not a lot of people were concerned about and probably was not the type of project that Measure PP was intended to address but did. He noted that this project at hand is really the first test on a piece of property that people were thinking about when they voted for Measure PP. He indicated that it does not establish a methodology although he believes staff used the exact same method. He added that there are other methodologies that could be used, some of which do much for averaging of slope which would mostly likely result in a more generous buildable area. He stated that in this case, staff went a little more conservative and used a very defendable, reasonable, relatively conservative methodology to implement what is in Measure PP as the Measure does not specify the methodology to be used. Chair Pentin inquired if staff is comfortable that this particular methodology would withstand a legal challenge that the City is violating Measure PP. Mr. Dolan replied that ultimately, yes. He added that he did not know if he can think of a more reasonable methodology. Mr. Dolan stated that he wanted to address one other issue that has come up several times and has become important in this project and certainly in others, including some potential City projects: whether roads are prohibited by Measure PP. He pointed out that Measure PP does not say that they are, but again, staff is taking a conservative approach to interpretation and is concluding that they are. Commissioner Blank stated that he agrees with staff's position. He pointed out that the exact language of Measure PP is no grading to construct residential or commercial structures shall occur on hillside slopes 25 percent or greater or within 100 vertical feet of the ridgeline." He noted that it could be very easily argued that streets represent a commercial structure and, therefore, should be included. He added that while Measure PP may not say that streets are included, it just seems that streets do not normally serve just a purely private purpose, especially in a development like this. THE PUBLIC HEARING WAS OPENED. Mark Meyer, President of Greenbriar Homes Communities, Applicant, stated that their philosophy at Greenbriar is to build homes and communities that we would be proud to live in and we are certainly proud to visit. He noted that over the past decade, Greenbriar has created or helped create six neighborhoods in Pleasanton: the Chateau and Bordeaux communities in the Vineyard Avenue Corridor, Pheasant Ridge, and Carlton Oaks in the Bernal Property area, and Bridle Creek and Bridle Creek Estates in the Happy Valley area. He stated that Greenbriar is proud to be a community partner and has given the City of Pleasanton more than 300 acres of land, including the Bernal PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES, March 14, 2012 Page 12 of 35