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Councilmember Olson agreed Council has the responsibility to deal with this matter, indicated <br /> opposition to tearing up the street but felt if Council approves the request for new software, the City <br /> could move in the right direction to reduce some of the delays the data indicates. He reported he will <br /> support staffs recommendations. <br /> Councilmember Pentin commented on change being hard, noted the process has been very <br /> transparent and the push towards a TOT environment was the goal. He reported Owens was a six-lane <br /> freeway, before changes were made and agreed with the improvements that have been made and <br /> spoke in support of staff recommendations, noting this could change in the future. <br /> Councilmember Brown stated she would never have approved the reduction of eastbound lanes on <br /> Owens Drive, noted there are other options and reported the need to find routes that will be safe for <br /> pedestrians and bicyclists. She reported a speaker stated there were 900 who signed a petition to <br /> restore eastbound lanes on Owens Drive and felt the City needs to have a long-term view of the issue. <br /> She added there are approximately 900 homes that may be coming to that area of Pleasanton and <br /> spoke in support of proceeding with restoring eastbound lanes on Owens and noted Traffic Impact <br /> Fees are in place for purposes like this one. She would like to see two lanes of traffic eastbound, and <br /> two lanes westbound. <br /> MOTION: It was m/s Pentin/Olson to accept staff's recommendation to not make any additional <br /> changes on Owens Drive and encourage staff to pursue grant funding to obtain new cameras and <br /> software. <br /> Councilmember Narum commented on a prior Council wanting to develop the site as a TOD to promote <br /> more and safer use of alternative transportation around BART. People are using alternative ways to get <br /> to BART and stated she cannot justify spending $1 million to widen Owens Drive to gain 22 seconds. <br /> The data indicates cars can get through intersections in a single-light cycle and she spoke in support of <br /> obtaining the adaptive software and would like to see Hacienda TOD guidelines modified to say that <br /> any changes contemplated to Owens Drive in the future, would require a public hearing or would be <br /> part of the public hearing of a project. Additionally, she suggested directing staff to establish a <br /> monitoring program and note wait for grant money to proceed with purchasing the adaptive software. <br /> Councilmember Pentin accepted the amendment relative to not waiting for grant money to purchase the <br /> adaptive software. He added any project coming forward would go through a full vetting and questioned <br /> the need to modify the Hacienda TOD guidelines as there is already a structure in place to address it. <br /> Mayor Thorne stated he cannot justify spending $1 million for 22 seconds. He added he has concerns <br /> regarding what the state is up to relative to the future, noting legislation is being considered to require <br /> increased density without going through a public process. He encouraged staff to monitor legislation, <br /> going forward. <br /> AMENDED MOTION: It was m/s Pentin/Olson to accept staff's recommendation to not make any <br /> additional changes on Owens Drive and encourage staff to pursue grant funding to obtain new cameras <br /> and software, but not wait for the grant fund to purchase them; direct staff to establish and monitoring <br /> program and modify Hacienda TOD guidelines to require a public hearing for changes contemplated in <br /> the future. <br /> Motion passed by the following vote: <br /> Ayes: Councilmembers Narum, Olson, Pentin, Mayor Thorne <br /> Noes: Councilmember Brown <br /> Absent: None <br /> RECESS/RECONVENE <br /> City Council Minutes Page 7 of 9 January 16, 2018 <br />