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made it clear that this joint process is to set the general framework, density level and general <br />features of the project and assuming the project is developed in Pleasanton, there are still <br />significant opportunities for further refinement of the plan. <br /> <br /> Mr. Tarver summarized the comments at this meeting regarding concerns about the <br />soundwalls, golf course (and how to get through it), the Village Center (as it relates to <br />downtown competition and entryway), and traffic issues. <br /> <br /> Jeff Grote, The Planning Collaborative, reviewed the map and proposed plan. He <br />indicated there has been significant traffic impact analysis for the FJR that was done for the <br />specific plan submitted to the County. The current plan has much less development and traffic <br />analysis is being revised at this time. <br /> <br /> He continued, the Village Center has been moved from the intersection of Valley and <br />Bernal and is now across the street from existing commercial and office development in the Koll <br />Center property. The project as a whole is conceived to be a mixed use of residential, <br />commercial, a Village Center based on a convenience and neighborhood center concept, office <br />development and other commercial. As set forth in the 1986 General Plan of Pleasanton, it was <br />always designated as an area where a golf course could be and so the initial principal of the plan <br />was to use the golf course as an organizing feature to integrate the different land uses. So in <br />all the schemes that have ever been done, the golf course was in the center surrounded by <br />residential and office or commercial. What is different about the current scheme, which reflects <br />input from a year of working with citizens in Pleasanton, is to locate the clubhouse in the <br />southern area so players could choose to play nine holes on either side of the course. Comments <br />have always been that it is desirable to see the golf course from the freeway as part of the entry <br />experience into town. When one talks about gateways, this entire project forms a gateway, so <br />the golf course and integrated mixtures should be seen as a whole. It is important to continue <br />to address the specifics of the gateways as the you approach from Bernal. One of the big <br />concepts that came from the Decision Makers was the notion that view corridors had an <br />important role. So the community park was situated in its proposed location to provide that <br />view corridor. As the project keeps evolving, we are trying to respond to community <br />comments. Regarding the soundwalls along the freeway, people have always objected to them <br />and the solution has been to have landscaped mounds instead of walls. That requires lots of dirt <br />and expense. After the last Decision Makers meeting, we have minimized the walls and have <br />now tried the addition of see-through walls in conjunction with the mounds. In terms of the <br />gateway notion, it is as important to the design of the project to continually look for solutions <br />as we have in this case. <br /> <br /> He went on, the twenty acre community park is located on Bernal, there is a school and <br />park south of there which is about fifteen acres and there are neighborhood parks within one half <br />mile of the residential areas. One of the most important comments received in the meetings so <br />far is that the project, in terms of density, type of housing and the land use, needs to be <br />compatible with the character of Pleasanton. We have lowered the density and provided housing <br />types that fit with the character of the community. We have greatly reduced the amount of <br /> <br />12/04/95 -6- <br /> <br /> <br />