PC 09/09/1992 - Laserfiche WebLink

Robert Johnson, president of Diamond Properties, Inc., 840 Hinckle Road, Suite 220, Burlingame, and owner of Val Vista shopping center, stated he is str ngly opposed to the application. He stated they, too, want to be a good neighbor and do ot want to stand in the way of progress. However, he said Diamond Properties is a very sm 1 investment property and felt that approval of the application would create a significant im act on the Val Vista center. He stated that he has met with Mr. Swift, who asked him to rite a letter to Mr. Owens to document his concerns regarding Val Vista. He indicated at he wrote the letter to Mr. Owens; however, Mr. Owens did not respond to him. Mr. J hnson stated that it was not just a matter of losing the Lucky store, but that if Lucky goes, th other little businesses would also leave. He noted that all the tenants depend on Lucky for eir business traffic, and even as it is now, they are having trouble remaining open. Toni ht he felt that not only were they going to lose the Lucky store, but were also going to even ally have to pay traffic mitigation fees. He further noted that when Prudential came into the City, everyone was excited. Now that Prudential is in trouble financially, they are going in for modifications. He felt that if the application is approved tonight, Prudential's proble s will be solved, but at the cost of a number of smaller businesses. Donna Topp, 3497 Blakemore Court, stated she is liaison person for Home Association, which is basically at the end of Santa Rita Road. She was opposed to a modification for Prudential and did not think it was fair to the existin residents to change the rules now. She reiterated what Mr. Johnson had said, adding tha she feels her neighbors are going to be affected greatly by traffic in the future if the modific tions are made as requested. Robert Pearson, 3590 Churchill Court, stated that he felt it is to the vantage of the neighboring residents of Hacienda Business Park to leave things the ay they are now. He felt the traffic would be greatly impacted if the approval is granted. e felt that if traffic mitigations are lessened, that at some point Pleasanton traffic would e like San Jose or Santa Clara. His point was "who will pay for the traffic mitigation easures if Prudential does not have to," or will the community just be congested? It was . s opinion that this matter should go to the vote of the people before they change any thin . He was also concerned about the Val Vista shopping center and felt it might end u like the Alcosta shopping center in San Ramon. He did not think this should be done just so a developer could develop more land. He urged that the Commission realize that big cities get big little by little, and that they make a wise choice tonight. Peder Jacobson, 6122 Allbrook Circle, stated he is owner of a piece f land that backs up to Prudential property. He felt that if a modification were to be made at another EIR would have to be done. In addition, he felt that the traffic noise was alread horrendous and felt that any lessening of mitigations would just create more traffic and n ise. He said trucks and buses already go 60 miles an hour through Hacienda Business Park. e was definitely opposed to any change. Planning Commission Minutes September 9, 1992 Page 7