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ultimately ask the Commission to make a recommendation to the City Council. He <br />added that if the Commissioners do not have any particular advice or input at this point <br />but there is more information they might want, sharing that with staff at this point would <br />also be helpful. <br />Commissioner Ritter commented that water is always an issue and that he knows there <br />is the hundred -year drought right now. He indicated that he knows the City cannot plan <br />for the hundred -year drought but just for the record, he asked, as all these houses are <br />being added, how that issue or concept can be incorporated or what the State is telling <br />the City to do in that regard. <br />Mr. Dolan replied that this is obviously a very difficult issue, and the City is at a very <br />difficult point in the timeline. He stated that the City cannot really put the burden of the <br />long -term water outlook on these little tiny decisions; the water issue really needs to be <br />tackled in its entire breadth. He noted that it is a regional dialogue at least with Zone 7, <br />but it's also a State -wide dialogue. He pointed out that turning down or choosing not to <br />do one little project in the City of Pleasanton is not going to solve the water problem. <br />He indicated that it needs to be done in a way that is economically fair to everyone <br />affected by it and at a much broader table. He stated that the City definitely needs to <br />participate in that discussion, but he is not sure there is a lot that could be done with <br />decisions at this level. <br />Commissioner Ritter inquired if as the City starts adding more houses, the developer <br />provides funding to fund the schools based on the number of bedrooms added. <br />Mr. Dolan replied that the developer pays a school impact fee to the School District. He <br />indicated that in fact, Pleasanton has something beyond the statutory authorized impact <br />fee, and the School District has asked for and, in all cases, received a voluntary gift fee <br />that goes beyond it. He noted that when new developers come to town they are very <br />surprised to hear it. He added that he shared this practice with some of his fellow <br />directors throughout Alameda County, and they are actually amazed. He reiterated that <br />the developer contributes, and while it probably does not cover everything, it is more <br />than any other community is getting. <br />Chair O'Connor commented that there is no guarantee, though, that would continue. <br />He noted that it has been such historically, but the City cannot force it if someone chose <br />not to voluntarily increase those figures. <br />Mr. Dolan agreed that the City could not. <br />Chair O'Connor inquired if there are still voluntary increases in the affordability area, if <br />the developers are still volunteering to pay above and beyond the statutory amounts in <br />the 30- units -to- the -acre sites where they are wondering if it pencils out. <br />Mr. Dolan replied that they volunteer after a long discussion. <br />PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES, June 25, 2014 Page 25 of 29 <br />