Laserfiche WebLink
P22-1089, PUD-147 and Tract 8522, Merritt Planning Commission <br />4 of 33 <br />Each LAFCO operates independently of the State and of local government agencies. However, <br />LAFCO is expected to act within a set of State-mandated parameters encouraging “planned, <br />well-ordered, efficient urban development patterns, the preservation of open-space lands, and <br />the discouragement of urban sprawl. <br /> <br />Therefore, should the Planning Commission recommend approval of the various proposed <br />project entitlements, and the City Council ultimately follows those recommendations, the final <br />determination on the applicant’s ability to annex into the City and construct the project would <br />be made subsequent to those actions by the Alameda County LAFCO . Annexation <br />proceedings would be initiated upon approval of the various applications before the City of <br />Pleasanton, in the form of submittal of an application for annexation to LAFCO. <br /> <br />Staff notes, as part of the annexation process, the City would need to negotiate an agreement <br />with Alameda County to determine what, if any, County Regional Housing Needs Assessment <br />(RHNA) units would be credited to the City’s “fair share” RHNA contribution unit count should <br />the project site be annexed into the City, as well as elements such as how tax-sharing will <br />occur between the County and City. Staff has initiated discussions with both County and <br />LAFCO staff around annexation. <br /> <br />Site and Area Description <br />The approximately 46-acre project site, comprising four parcels, is located on the east side of <br />Foothill Road, approximately ¼ mile south of Foothill High School. Topographically, the site is <br />relatively flat at the most western edge and then drops in elevation fairly drastically at first <br />(approximately 60 feet to the gated entrance at the front of the age -restricted portion of the <br />proposed project) and then more gradually moving east from Foothill Road toward I-680. The <br />entire proposed project site slopes to the southeast corner of the property where there is a <br />storm drain inlet that runs underneath I-680. There is an open channel ditch along the southern <br />edge of the property. This ditch was relocated onto the proposed project site when the <br />adjacent property to the south (Foothill Knolls) was developed. This ditch carries water from <br />offsite that flows from the west side hills west of Foothill Road, into pipes under Foothill Road <br />and down Puri Court, and then into a drainage structure at the northern end of the ditch. The <br />Marilyn Murphy Kane trail currently terminates at the southeast corner of the proposed project <br />site. The site is mostly vacant, with the exception of two existing single-family residences (one <br />of which will be retained), two to three outbuildings previously used for agricultural purposes, <br />and remnants of a former orchard. <br /> <br />With the exception of its eastern boundary, which is generally abutted by I -680, the proposed <br />project site is surrounded on all sides by residential uses. The Muirwood neighborhood sits to <br />the north, Foothill Knolls neighborhood to the south, and various single -family residences <br />across Foothill Road off Equus court and on unincorporated County parcels accessed by <br />Santos Ranch Road to the west. Foothill High School is located approximately ¼ of a mile to <br />the north off Foothill Road. Primary access to the site would continue to be a single driveway <br />off Foothill Road. <br /> <br />Figure 1 is an aerial of the proposed project site. Figure 2 shows the HESO General Plan land <br />use designation, which is delineated by the olive-green color overlying the proposed project <br />site, as well as the current City Limit Line, delineated by heavy dashed gray line, and which <br />currently wraps entirely around the perimeter of the proposed project site . Figure 3 shows the <br />zoning classification prior to the site pre-zoning as part of Housing Element related zoning