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The Planning Commission also requested that staff provide additional information on <br /> similar applications and uses (religious facilities with preschools and daycares), <br /> including playground operations, distances between playgrounds and nearby residential <br /> uses; the scope of outdoor activities permitted; as well as additional information on <br /> outdoor events that might be held by Chabad of the Tri-Valley (see Discussion and <br /> Attachment 5 for details). <br /> June 27, 2018 Planning Commission Hearing <br /> At the second Planning Commission hearing, staff provided responses to requested <br /> information (see Discussion and Attachment 6 for details), and suggested some minor <br /> modifications to the previously recommended conditions of approval for Commission's <br /> consideration. Staff continued to recommended approval of the project, subject to <br /> conditions of approval. Staff also reported on the outcome of the neighborhood <br /> meetings hosted by Chabad in June. Unfortunately, there had been little progress made <br /> in finding compromise between the desires of the neighbors and those of Chabad. Many <br /> members of the public were again in attendance, providing testimony both in support of <br /> and in opposition to the project, with neighbors' and the applicant's concerns similar to <br /> those raised at the April hearing. <br /> In response to Commission requests at the prior hearing, the agenda report included <br /> details on a number of similar/comparable uses, as well as conditions applied to such <br /> uses. For religious institutions, the comparison found that many of the existing religious <br /> institutions in Pleasanton were approved some time ago, in an era when all conditional <br /> use permits tended to be less detailed and specific than they are today, and with most <br /> silent on whether outdoor events/activities are permitted. For daycares and preschools, <br /> the finding was similar. However, there were more examples of recent approvals of <br /> such facilities, both associated with religious institutions and otherwise, with limitations <br /> on hours of use and/or numbers of children outside at one time, specified through <br /> conditions. <br /> There was a consensus among a majority of the Commissioners that the overall use <br /> was acceptable; that the religious use should reasonably be allowed to include a <br /> preschool with outdoor play areas, and to have some reasonable number of outdoor <br /> events. The Commission emphasized the importance of viewing this new application on <br /> its own merits, consideration of how similar uses had been permitted and conditioned, <br /> and the fact that religious uses are a common use in residential zones. <br /> The Commission debated some of the details of the Chabad's outdoor operations at <br /> some length, including: <br /> • Whether additional limitations should be placed on the number and or/size of <br /> small outdoor events (25 or fewer people); <br /> • Whether any use of the "buffer area" to the north should be required; and <br /> • The number and frequency of large events. <br /> Page 3 of 15 <br />