RES 04056 - Laserfiche WebLink

Initiative to Save Our Community Park Full Text of Initiative Purpose The "crown jewel" of the Bemal site was to be the community park. We need a community park where the needs of our youth, our arts community, our sports enthusiasts, and large group activities can be met without offending residential neighbors and other sensitive land uses. We need a community park where uses like lighted sports fields and amphitheatres with amplified sound are available to serve the entire community. Already, there is only one location left on the Bemal site where such a community park can be fully useable. This initiative seeks to save that location for the community park. 1. Bemal Property Specific Plan Amendment. The following policy is added after Parks Policy 3 on page 3-21 of the August 21, 2000 Bernal Property Specific Plan: Parks Policy 3A: Preservation of Community Park Site. a. The 30-50 acre community park described in Parks Policy 3 shall be located within the area shown in the cross-hatched area on the map attached. That map is made a part of the Bemal Property Specific Plan. b. The City shall approve no land uses that are incompatible with use of the community park for hghted sports fields, outdoor amphitheatres, amplified sound, and other uses typically found in a large community park. c. The City shall adopt a master plan for the community park in order that compatibility of proposed nearby uses can be compared with real plans for the community park. d. Development of the first phase of the cormnunity park shall be given the highest reasonable priority in development of the Bemal site. e. Nothing in this Policy shall limit the discretion of the City to locate additional park uses in areas outside the community park overlay district. Notice of Intent to Circulate Petition Notice is hereby given by the persons whose names appear hereon of their intention to circulate the petition within the City of Pleasanton for the purpose of amending the Bernal Property Specific Plan. A statement of the reasons for the proposed action as contemplated in the petition is as follows: 1) Our kids and sports groups cannot find sulticient fields for practice and games. 2) The original direction from City Council was that a master plan for the commtmity park would be adopted and lighted sports fields would be installed before residential encroachment made community park uses controversial. That did not happen. 3) Many of the new neighbors are already mobilizing to fight lighted fields and other community park uses. ~4) Now the City has commenced plauning for the City owned portion of the Bernal site without any directi~,h to preserve a community park location. "/ 5) Without a mandate from the people of Pleasanton, the opportunity for a tntly splendid community park ~ay be lost forever. 5144 Hummingbird Road Pleasantun, CA 94566 Robert J. Maas 7942 Racoon Hollow Court Pleasanton, CA 94588 Subtmtted: February 6, 2003