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Measure PP because it cannot be amended unless it is the vote of the people, and it is there to really override things in the General Plan with that protection. Ms. McGovern stated that building roads on slopes allows long roads to be built to reduce the idea of clustering of homes and to actually reduce and maintain open space and scenic areas. She noted that roads are the main structures needed to build any development; their infrastructure is constructed on the ground, under the ground, and into hillsides. She added that when one talks about slopes and steep ridges, one will see retaining walls in the hillsides. Ms. McGovern stated that no development can be built without a road, and Measure PP states that no grading of 25- percent or greater slopes shall occur to construct residential or commercial structures. She questioned, then, how a roads could be constructed on steep slopes, even if they are deemed non - structures. She added that she thinks deeming roads to be non - structures undermines the intent of Measure PP to assure the community where development may occur on hillsides and ridgelines, which intent was to protect the scenic hills from development that destroys the character of the town, direct development away from lands with environmentally sensitive features, lands with primary open space values, and lands difficult to serve by existing jurisdictions. Ms. McGovern stated that the City should stay with what the Planning Commission and the City Council have both unanimously already voted: that a road is a structure. Greg O'Connor handed the Commissioners a prepared statement and stated that Ms. McGovern had already said a lot about what he was going to say. He indicated that he was going to read the letter into the record so it would actually be in the Minutes, but it would be close to five minutes, and there were some things that were brought up tonight that he wanted to speak about. Chair Blank assured Mr. O'Connor that his letter would be attached to the staff report. Mr. O'Connor read from Measure PP: "Housing units and structures shall not be placed on slopes of 25 percent or greater or within 100 feet of a ridgeline." and "No grading to construct residential or commercial structures shall occur on slopes 25 percent or greater or within 100 vertical feet." He stated that he thinks this is critical and was also brought up by Ms. McGovern. He indicated that it clearly states "no grading" in order to construct those other developments, and that is what is key. He pointed out that in the various definitions he cited, and the Pleasanton Municipal Code states that "Structure means anything constructed or erected which requires a location on the ground, including a building ora swimming pool." He indicated that someone earlier mentioned that roads are infrastructure, and swimming pools are also underground, but they are structures. He continued: "but not including a fence ora wall or access drives or walks." He then read about access roads in the Pleasanton Municipal Code: "Off- street parking facilities in the site or in a portion of the site devoted to off - street parking of motor vehicles including the parking spaces, aisles, access drives, and landscaped PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES, March 13, 2013 Page 12 of 35