ORD 2217 - Laserfiche WebLink

Ordinance No. 2217 Page 3 Project would further several General Plan Goals, Programs, and Policies, including: encouraging the reuse of vacant and underutilized parcels and buildings within existing urban areas; requiring higher residential and commercial densities in the proximity of transportation corridors and hubs; assuring that new major commercial, office, and institutional centers are adequately served by transit and by pedestrian and bicycle facilities; maintaining a complete well-rounded community of desirable neighborhoods, a strong employment base, and a variety of community facilities; and zoning sufficient land for neighborhood, community, and regional commercial uses to support Pleasanton's increasing business activity. 3. Whether the plan is compatible with previously developed properties in the vicinity and the natural, topographic features of the site: The City Council finds that the Project site is surrounded by a variety of uses: multi-story office buildings, a regional mall, and residential development. The proposed office and R&D uses would be compatible with the surrounding uses. The building and parking garage heights would be compatible with the multi-story office buildings and parking garages in the vicinity. The structures have been attractively designed and would be compatible with the design of the surrounding structures. New landscaping would be installed to soften the buildings and help screen the parking areas from off-site views. The subject site is relatively level. Except for potential minor excavation to lower the height of the proposed parking structure and other minor grading to install landscaping and to create proper drainage for the improvements and bioswales, the existing grades on the subject site would generally be maintained. Grading conducted on the subject site would be subject to engineering and building standards prior to any development. 4. Whether grading takes into account environmental characteristics and is designed in keeping with the best engineering practices to avoid erosion, slides, or flooding to have as minimal an effect upon the environment as possible. The City Council finds that the subject site is relatively level with minimum changes in grades proposed. Erosion control and dust suppression measures would be documented in the building and improvement plans and will be administered by the City's Building and Engineering Divisions. City building code requirements would ensure that building foundations, on-site driveways, and parking areas are constructed on properly prepared surfaces. The proposed development would provide adequate drainage to prevent flooding. Parking lot and roof drainage would drain into landscaped bioretention areas that would filter contaminants before entering the arroyos and, ultimately, the bay. The subject site is not located within an Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zone. The flood hazard maps of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) indicate the subject site is not located in a flood hazard zone. 5. Whether streets, buildings, and other manmade structures have been designed and located in such manner to complement the natural terrain and landscape: The City Council finds that the subject site is in a developed area of the City and would not involve the extension of any new public streets. Development would be located on level areas of the subject site. The proposed structures would be compatible in size and scale with surrounding structures, and subsequent phases of the project would be subject to Planning Commission Design Review to ensure massing, scale and design of buildings is harmonious with the surrounding area. New landscaping including large box-sized trees would be installed to mitigate the loss of the existing landscaping and trees.