Laserfiche WebLink
timeline in mind, and in the meantime, the mining operations have extended their <br />contract with the County for 28 years; the City will be jumping the gun until these <br />properties are near completion; and (2) Schools. The Task Force received a request <br />from the Pleasanton Unified School District (PUSD) that it needed land for the school <br />and the building and that it did not have any money to pay for it. Ms. Ayala stated that <br />these two things are "game changers" for the community and should be kept in mind <br />when the questions are posed to staff for the EIR Plan. <br />Ms. Ayala stated that the PUSD did a comprehensive study of what it is going to need, <br />what it needs "to Buildout," and what it needs in 'Projects Approved but not yet Built." <br />She indicated that she hopes the EIR does the same intense scrutiny of what situation <br />the City is in. She stated that she is saying this because she looked in the EIR <br />documents for the Vineyard Avenue Corridor Specific Plan ( VACSP), dated November <br />1998, where schools were mentioned extensively: that elementary schools were at <br />108 - percent capacity, middle schools at 134 percent, and high schools were at <br />85 percent; and that the elementary school would be completed between 2002 and <br />2003. She added that the VACSP addressed the issues in the EIR, but in reality they <br />were not addressed because that elementary school does not exist. She pointed out <br />that the City is now in the process of approving another Specific Plan, and the <br />capacities of the schools are way over the 1998 percentages. She stated that she <br />hopes the full details will be included in the EIR. <br />Ms. Ayala stated that everyone realizes that the City's property values are as good as <br />its schools. She noted that Pleasanton has always been blessed, but it has been a <br />fight. She added that ever since she has been in the community, since 1983, schools <br />were an issue and the question "Are you working with the schools?' was constantly <br />asked so the City would have the money for the facilities. She indicated that in the <br />present situation, the schools do not have the money to build facilities but are in debt, <br />so the situation is more dire than it was in 1998 when the VACSP was done. <br />Sidney Cohen distributed a copy of his letter to the Commissioners and read it into the <br />record: <br />"My name is Sidney Cohen. I am a resident of Ironwood Estates and Classics. At <br />the last City Council meeting, the group I represent presented a petition with <br />>90 signatures (representing the majority of Ironwood homes) expressing concerns <br />about the East Pleasanton Specific Plan. The group has asked me to speak on their <br />behalf. [We] appreciate the opportunity to summarize our thoughts about what <br />should be included in the Environmental Impact Report and we look forward to be <br />part of the process. We feel it is important for us to be heard as we are the <br />residential section most impacted by the proposed project, although our concerns <br />involve all of Pleasanton. <br />PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES, November 13, 2013 Page 7 of 50 <br />