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present in the audience to answer questions are Keith Labis, Project Architect, from <br />KTGY Group, Inc; Linda Gates from Gates and Associates; and Mike Serpa, Project <br />Advocate and Consultant. <br />Mr. Zahedani then presented a brief background on St. Anton Partners, stating that it is <br />a privately -owned company founded in 1995 by two gentlemen who are involved in <br />every detail of its projects. He noted that one of the founders, Peter Jeremy, was in the <br />audience. He continued that the company develops, builds, owns, and manages <br />6,500 units throughout California, 2,000 of which are in the Bay Area. He added that <br />the company, which has about 300 employees, never outsources its projects, such that <br />it fixes any problems its projects may have. <br />Mr. Zahedani then gave a little bit of project history, noting that one of the reasons the <br />company pursued and purchased the project site from Nearon was because on June 1, <br />2011, this site was ranked among one of the highest with 20 points for site amenities <br />including its proximity to transit, parks, and schools. He indicated that they submitted <br />an application to develop in September 2012 and had a very productive Planning <br />Commission Work Session in November 2012. He commended Pleasanton as one of <br />the few cities that provides its applicants with upfront feedback, both from a planned <br />development review committee and at a Planning Commission workshop, such that the <br />developer is not out spending hundreds, if not millions, of dollars before it gets its first <br />feedback. He thanked the Commission and staff for such a fruitful process. <br />Mr. Zahedani stated that the application was deemed complete in January 2013, and <br />one of its proudest achievements was getting unanimous approval from the Housing <br />Commission last week, with the Chair commending staff and the applicant as well. He <br />noted that the project has a 20- percent AMI at 50 percent, which is the most seen <br />anywhere in the region. He further noted that the project is truly a mixed - income <br />community with units dispersed throughout the entire project. <br />Mr. Zahedani displayed some slides, including one of the Verona Townhouses across <br />the street, which is what the applicants wanted its project to look like so it could fit in <br />and be compatible with the surrounding area. He then presented project elevations <br />fronting West Las Positas Boulevard, showing the pitched roof and classic components, <br />as well as the bars on the windows, which he believes looks better and which staff likes, <br />but on which the owners had indicated they would defer to the Planning Commission's <br />wishes. <br />Mr. Zahedani then presented what he deemed to be the heart of the project. He stated <br />that although the project is defined as a 5.68 -acre site, it really is only 4.9 acres net <br />developable, with two major easements, on which they were able to have 168 units with <br />three -story buildings, two "U "- shaped buildings in the front, four stories in the back, and <br />one story for the clubhouse and amenities. He noted that this is key because going into <br />the project, one drives by the trees that were saved in the front easement area so that <br />one barely sees the three -story building with its 38 -foot tall elevation and with most of <br />the massing in the back in the large "L "- shaped building. He added that the project was <br />PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES, May 8, 2013 Page 6 of 25 <br />