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