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day and most residents would be gone. He noted that the last people coming back home to the apartment building will be there well after the office has cleared out. He added that if the applicant would have asked for more shared parking, staff would have considered it because this is a good opportunity to take advantage of that concept. Padru Kang, Project Architect, Dahlin Group, stated that at a higher density of 35 units versus a minimum of 30 for the other eight sites, this project has a unique opportunity to actually share the parking just north of the site. He noted that, as Mr. Dolan mentioned, it does make sense when it is shared with office, and they would never propose to do any kind of shared parking with retail. Mr. Kang then briefly went through some of the items staff had mentioned in the report. He indicated that staff did a great job and that he enjoyed working with staff as well. He noted that the Design Guidelines is a great document and that they understand that the intent is to really try and maintain the high quality standards that the existing Pleasanton neighborhoods have, which is difficult with a high- density workforce housing. Mr. Kang stated that what they are trying to do is put parking where it is really needed. He noted that they really do not have any other opportunities than trying to park around the central hub, and they have taken staff's consideration to widen the roadway from the standard 21 feet to 24 feet, consistent with what is on the back side of the alley. He added that they looked at doing some enhanced paving there to make it feel less like a parking lot and more like an auto plaza. Mr. Kang stated that they would like a bit of flexibility with the exception regarding setting the garage door two feet back to enable them to carry some of the design around. He indicated that that are focusing on 360- design elements and want to wrap that around to the back side where they have opportunities to really play with some articulation and the alleyways are not highly visible. He added that the retail is also designed to be 360 in terms of architecture, out on the corner of the street near the intersection, with the driveway and circulation on one side. He noted that there is a higher tower element with storefront essentially on all four sides and that visibility is not necessarily a factor with the design as it is a stand -alone retail. Mr. Inderbitzen offered one specific comment regarding the retail plaza area. He indicated that he hears Commissioner Blank's concern about somebody going to sit out there and drink coffee, and his response to that is to drive by Peet's Coffee at the corner of Hopyard Road and Valley Avenue where people are not loathed to sit out and drink coffee while cars are going by. He noted that this could not be any worse as it is a much bigger plaza and much more protected, even though it is on the corner. He added that there is a right -turn opportunity there which opens up the plaza area, and they have separated the retail buildings so people can pass through there, making it much more useful and much more of an opportunity to activate that retail area and make it much more inviting. PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES, October 10, 2012 Page 10 of 19