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Commissioner Allen stated that she also felt that staff and the applicant had done a really good job at creating a really nice, more upscale look; however, as Chair O'Connor mentioned, she too is still struggling with this Community Character element because there are so few opportunities to enhance the appearance of this major City gateway, which is a really unique one in the spot right as people come off 1 -580. She agreed with Chair O'Connor's comments about the east elevation and adding some trees, trellises, and vines. She suggested that specific to the east elevation as well as going to the north, the stone veneer could actually go up higher in certain areas to create more vertical interest and make it look like some columns around some strategic areas, as opposed to just looking at mass and stucco. She noted that there is a store across the street called Specialty's Cafe and Bakery and Peet's Coffee and Tea that is stunning and looks classy with copper work and a neat gable. She added that she has also seen a Starbucks and a Jack -in- the -Box restaurant at El Dorado Hills that looked so Craftsman style and really classy with great rich wood or stone. She stated that there are just a few more things that can be done with this property so people who come into the City will not see just a fast -food restaurant but a really classy gateway and a model for Pleasanton. With respect to the north side, Commissioner Allen stated that she had four suggestions for this gateway: (1) People on the freeway will see only the top half of the building, the stucco wall with the red sign, and not any of the stonework below. Some of the stone veneer at key locations could be extended upward to make that richness visible. (2) Consider gray concrete tiles as opposed to composition tiles to make it even much more upscale and professional - looking than it already is. It would enhance the City's Community of Character and visual feel such that people see not a fast -food restaurant but a "wow." (3) Some awnings or any more design elements could create richness and more interest, such as the tower element on the south elevation. (4) Since some of the mature trees are being taken down, use some of the money the applicant is paying into the Urban Forestry Fund to plant more and even larger trees than what are being proposed so they are larger right at the beginning. Commissioner Allen stated that just before the Planning Commission meeting, she and another Commissioner were at a Heritage Tree Board of Appeals meeting to consider an appeal of an applicant whose request to remove a tree that had 20 -pound cones dropping from it was denied because the tree is really beautiful, and the City really protects its heritage trees. She pointed out that in this Chick -fil -A application, 13 or 16 trees considered at least fair to good in terms of health are being removed, and she takes that very, very seriously. She indicated that it is really important that the applicant put back some large trees because the trees to be removed provide screening for that shopping center. Commissioner Piper thanked the applicant for wanting to bring business and vitality to Pleasanton, and staff for all the work they have done. She stated that the renderings are very beautiful and that she loved the idea of the Pleasanton entrance sign. She concurred with Commissioner Allen's ideas to beautify the structure itself even more. Commissioner Piper indicated that her next comments come from a standpoint of her having had an office at 6111 Johnson Court for 17 years. She noted that In -N -Out Burger made an enormous impact on traffic and mostly just congestion, such that PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES, October 22, 2014 Page 8 of 30