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Otis Nostrand, addressed the City Council, extended compliments to staff for putting together a world class model and report, felt accurate information was critical in making sound decisions and the programs and assumptions used provide a solid foundation to move forward. Regarding whether or not Stoneridge Drive should remain in the General Plan, he concludes it should when all questions are considered and answered. He asked the Council and Commission to join him and many other residents and business people throughout town and say yes to keep Stoneridge Drive in the General Plan. Jason Weinstein, addressed the City Council, is a civil engineer and worked with the Department of Transportation and currently works for MTC, said he is trying to look at all data as an engineer, but as a resident, he was a NIMBY. He said his personal feeling is he cannot decide whether or not it should be extended. He would rather it not because he lives there, but then it might be beneficial to the community at large. He also thinks that based on its timeframe, it might likely be better served to not be in the General Plan and added later, given there are plenty of improvements along SR 84, 580 and 680 that need to occur before this is beneficial. He spent a decade working in Fremont and in Oakland and he actually cut-through’s neighborhood himself. He felt it was a regional issue, thinks the $3.5 to $7 million it would cost would be better used for a westbound 580 to southbound 680 direct connector, acknowledged circulation issues, but felt that while it might be beneficial to extend Stoneridge it should be during the next general plan update because at least it won’t occur before all other improvements do. Kara Simone, addressed the City Council, said she lives in another area of the city and was concerned about traffic in general in the city. We all have to understand traffic will increase due to population increases, businesses are building in every direction and in order to move traffic efficiently, she feels more roads are needed to go through the city so that traffic is more distributed throughout the city. It is unfair to make certain neighborhoods have extremely bad traffic while not sharing the burden in other areas, requested additional routes to be built to get home, said she currently uses Valley, Santa Rita or Stanley Boulevard and would like more alternatives. She was told she was a cut-through driver and was very offended and asked for a definition of cut-through traffic and said she just wants to get home like everyone. She asked to have the traffic move the best it can and have everyone share the burden. Bill O’Hare, addressed the City Council, said he lives in the Valley/Santa Rita area and he was there when Valley Avenue did not go through. He said Stoneridge was built as an arterial, it is 4 lanes, one side has no houses, and felt it was not reasonable to take it out of the General Plan. Only having one route to the east will always condemn the center part of the city to excessive traffic. He moved to where he lives to walk to stores, restaurants, and other areas and now, crosswalks are being taken away, additional lanes at Valley and Santa Rita will are going in to carry the traffic making it more of a nuisance, and felt the neighborhood would be split away from its services residents could previously walk to and asked for this to be considered. Also discussed are the additional cars on Stoneridge and he felt it would simply be a transfer from the business park, he felt this was funded and not unreasonable, asked the Council to keep their options open in building the extension, and include the extension in the General Plan. John Butara, addressed the City Council, said he was against the extension, said he does not live near it but the area is Lasing a lot of its separation. He cannot believe the amount of housing being developed and felt ABAG was a silent developer. He felt it the extension is built, they will come. He agreed there were plans in the past, but it is okay to say a mistake had been made. He said Staples Ranch will always be there as an investment, people are getting older Workshop Minutes 21 April 24, 2007