CC MIN 02242022 - Laserfiche WebLink

CITY OF PLEASANTON CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES February 24, 2022 This meeting was conducted in accordance with Governor Newsom's Executive Order N-29-20 and AB 361 COVID-19 pandemic protocols. SPECIAL MEETING Mayor Brown called the teleconferenced special meeting of the City Council from various remote locations to order at the hour of 7:00 p.m. ROLL CALL Present: Councilmembers Arkin, Balch, Narum, Testa, Mayor Brown Absent: None PUBLIC COMMENT Brad Hirst urged the City Council to select a map easy for residents to understand using main arterial roads and other easy boundaries and encouraged the Council to keep neighborhoods intact. He noted it is a 10 -year plan and a long-range decision. He endorsed the Lime Plan for its simplicity of having the four districts meet at a single point and having Districts 1 and 3 vote in 2022 and Districts 2 and 4 vote in 2024 for ease of understanding. Larry Annis endorsed the Lime Plan, stating the other maps under consideration all look gerrymandered. He added the Lime Plan has simple boundaries which are easy to understand. He added the Lime Plan has the lowest population deviation between districts and noted each Lime Plan district has a geographic diversity of downtown, suburban, and outlying neighborhoods. Steve Van Dorn, President of the Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce, reported the Chamber analyzed each map and recommends the Lime Plan. He stated it is because the Lime Plan splits downtown along Main Street, follows major arterial streets, has the lowest population deviation at 1.8%, would be easily defensible if the City faces a lawsuit, is easy to understand, and features the simplest split of the Hacienda business park. He cited the Tangerine Map's awkward split of downtown and the use of residential streets for dividers as negatives. He stated, should the Chamber -supported Lime Plan be chosen, the Chamber also recommends having Districts 1 and 3 vote in 2022. In response to Mayor Brown's inquiry, Mr. Van Dorn stated he must have misunderstood how the Lime Plan splits Hacienda business park. In response to Councilmember Testa's inquiry, Mayor Brown confirmed they have to wait until after public comment has concluded to discuss the comments. Justin Brown, speaking as a citizen and not as a Planning Commissioner, endorsed the Lime Plan. He stated the most important criteria for him is having something easy to understand, a goal best met by the Lime Plan's simplicity. He stated the map is easily defensible and added it has the lowest deviations. He added he does not like the Tangerine Plan's boundary between Districts 3 and 4 and the difficulty of explaining which district many residents would live in. Ken Morgan endorsed the Lime or Green Plans. He stated it is easy to understand visually for using major arterials, and has normal shapes, noting many cities in California and elsewhere have squiggly - lined districts. He stated there are some positives despite the City being coerced into this process, citing the opportunity for a Councilmember to gain an even better understanding of their district and be able to serve it better by more closely knowing its needs. He stated it would be best to split the city like