PC 022614 - Laserfiche WebLink

Commissioner Pearce stated that was right, and then it was gone and there was no other conversation about it. Commissioner Ritter noted that they still have the alleyway. Commissioner Pearce said that was correct. Commissioner O'Connor stated that he thought there still was an access on the other side that was not so way far away, but they do have to go out through the front and come back. THE PUBLIC HEARING WAS RE- OPENED. Robert Natsch stated that he was at the meeting that the Commission is referring to and that they did talk about a gate that the residents definitely do not want to see on the Summerhill property to the Arroyo. He indicated that they already have public access to the south side of the Arroyo with traffic, walkers, bicyclists, runners, and a lot of the general public. He noted that it is open to the general public, there is a gate at Hacienda, and there is another one halfway down the Arroyo. He stated that to have both sides of the Arroyo open is just inviting more litter, more activity, more distraction, more noise, and is something that the majority of the residents that he has spoken to at Parkside do not want to see. For the record, he stated that he is sure that people behind him would be willing to raise their hand if they support what he is saying, and that that is how the conversation was. [Majority of the audience raised their hand.] THE PUBLIC HEARING WAS CLOSED. Commissioner Allen commented that it was absolutely important to get that feedback and that she recalls the discussion. She stated that what strikes her more was thinking about the public access from West Las Positas Boulevard and the children coming through the property and having public access to the Arroyo. She noted that one of the items that the Commission just approved on the Consent Calendar tonight was P14 -0002, City of Pleasanton, an application to update the Pleasanton Municipal Code to implement a Climate Action Plan to require that new cul -de -sacs within the City enable access for pedestrians and bicycles where feasible. She indicated that where she is today is that there is a principle of trying to encourage and make it easy for people to have access to trails and bikes and walking, and she would come out in favor of considering access, especially if it is just Summerhill because it is more or less somewhat private. She continued that the second reason is that she walked the Arroyo today and similar to what Commissioner Pearce mentioned, she did notice that there were about seven or eight or nine homes that have private gates that are locked, which says that residents appreciate and enjoy having that ability to have the access. She added that it just seems like the right thing to do, and suggested that perhaps a reconciler would be that there would be a gate code possibly so that the right people are using it. She indicated that she thinks of this as a park, and she wants to encourage people to have easy access to parks. PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES, February 26, 2014 Page 14 of 21