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Ms. Gheno also expressed concern about the traffic. She stated that there are a lot of people walking from across the street but cannot cross the street because there is a lot of traffic and vehicles make right -hand turns to go into that shopping center. She indicated that it is very inconvenient for people to walk to the signals to cross the street and then walk back another half a block just to get to the grocery store. She stated that she would like to see something done with the traffic and regulation on signs for the benefit of pedestrians, bicyclists, and a lot of mothers with strollers in that area. She noted that she can hardly make a right -hand turn into Navajo Court where she lives and further noted that last year she proposed that no parking be allowed there because it made it very difficult to make a right -hand turn due to the fast - moving traffic, and the City came and painted the curb on both sides of the street. Robert Allen stated that he lives in Livermore and represented Pleasanton on the BART Board of Directors for 14 years. He indicated that he supports very definitely having the WalMart grocery store in the area. He noted that there are people in Livermore who come to the BART station by way of Stanley Boulevard and Santa Rita Road, and the store will be right on the way home for people coming from BART and will be a good place to stop and do business with the community in Pleasanton. Jenna Wainaina, Marketing Manager for WalMart, stated that she lives in the area and is a 14 -year WalMart associate currently supervising nine WalMart stores. She indicated that she was hired out of college, started out as a Management Trainee, and worked her way up with the company, mostly here in Northern California, but also abroad in Germany. She indicated that WalMart has been a wonderful place to work in and that she is proud to say that she works for Wal -Mart. Ms. Wainaina stated that a neighborhood market is just like any other grocery store which carries a variety of products, including a bakery, deli, fresh meat, and produce, and name -brand merchandise such as Hines and Kellogg, along with Wal -Mart's Great Value -brand merchandise. She noted that she believes WalMart will be of great benefit for the City of Pleasanton and encouraged the Commission to deny the appeal. Kent Anderson stated that his family bought the center about ten years ago because they really like Pleasanton. He noted that the city and community here are fantastic and that they like grocery- anchored centers because they provide a draw for the entire community and provide a staple that people really need. He indicated that he thinks the community is kind of suffering now because it does not have a grocery store right there. He added that he is a little upset about how high grocery prices have been rising and that WalMart provides the pressure needed to keep those prices down. He noted that he is not entirely surprised that the appellants have not shown up because he thinks the appeal was just a mere attempt by them to delay what has already been a dragged -out process. He requested the Commission to deny the appeal. Derek Wensky, Store Manager of the Mountain View Wal -Mart, stated that he is a native of Pleasanton, he and his wife grew up here and still live here. He stated that he has been with the company for 12 years at 11 different stores, and that through PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES, March 19, 2012 Page 10 of 15