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safety committee for 10 years and is trying to resolve safety issues with the City. She said there are 800 children who go to Moore School, Hacienda School is the only one that is on the highway and Amador and Harvest Park are within 50 feet and in some cases 100 feet of a major intersection. She said the data point not addressed is, extending Stoneridge Drive significantly reduces the risk when compared to not extending it to children traveling to and from school. She asked that the Council seek an opinion from the school board so they can weigh in on the issue. Valerie Arkin, addressed the City Council, said the intersections harmed with the extension for both AM and PM commute times are Valley and Crestline, Hanson and Valley, Nail and First, West Las Positas and Foothill, Gilbralta and Hopyard, Valley Trails North and Hopyard, Bernal and 680, Cole Center and Valley, West Las Positas and Muirwood, Bernal and Pleasanton Avenue, Foothill High School and Foothill Boulevard, Sunol and 680, West Las Positas and Coronado, and Valley and Comb. She felt everyone wants to improve the situation on Valley, but she felt this was not the solution. Also, once the extension is put in it cannot be taken out, she does not think this is good for all of Pleasanton, and she felt one cannot compare Amador with Moore Elementary school because of the ages of children, strollers, bikes, etc. and felt the extension was not the answer. James Scanlin, addressed the City Council, said he moved 4 years ago to Pleasanton and one thing that drew him was the sense of community from the downtown and the fact there is a physical boundary around the city and not putting through the extension would help preserve this sense. He works in Hayward, gets off at Center Street and drive through Hayward for 20 minutes to avoid the freeway traffic, and felt many would rather drive through city streets than sit on freeway traffic. He felt the plan only looked at the arterials, as he lives on Rheem Drive and Moore/Camp/Rheem was a way to get around the Stoneridge/Santa Rita intersection, so people would start doing this, and felt people would find secondary streets to use and not just arterials. Two reasons to pull this out of the general plan would be preserving the sense of community and preventing cut-through traffic. Sharrell Michelotti, addressed the City Council, former Planning Commissioner and Councilmember, said she and many people welcome all existing and new residents and felt the overall picture should be looked at. Regarding the Las Positas plan, it has homes fronting the entire way and Stoneridge Drive was designed to have 6 lanes of traffic with landscaping. The general plan in 1996 has a circulation element. Stoneridge Drive was not planned for people who are on the freeway, but residents in the city so they could use alternatives to get to Livermore. She felt the business park has provided many benefits and jobs, felt residents should look at the benefits from the park that residents enjoy because of the park, felt regional improvements are needed and she urge the Council to pursue improvements, urged the City to not take Stoneridge Drive out of the general plan as it is a major part of the circulation element. She felt Stoneridge was a much needed arterial and felt the benefits would serve all residents. Jan Batcheller, addressed the City Council, said she first spoke on the topic 4 years ago and since she has watched the cost of the general plan review and urged the Council to wind it up and get it going. She said the 1986 General Plan was award-winning and serves as the basis from which to start, as well as a wonderful 1996 General Plan, and she urged the Council not to disregard what all people in the past have done. She felt the community was unique, asked for respect to those who planned and plotted the first plans. Those with homes along Stoneridge Drive have them because of the road put in and all traffic studies done 20 years ago indicated it was required. Now the homes are here and we must follow through with the circulation. She asked to please leave Stoneridge Drive in the General Plan as it shows respect to those before us and those who will follow us. Workshop Minutes 20 April 24, 2007