ITEM 23 ATTACHMENT 7 - PC Agenda Report

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