CCMIN030299 - Laserfiche WebLink

Mike Madden, Red Bear, 5955 Coronado Lane, gave a brief history of the project, emphasizing that the project will provide parking on-site. He felt it was a great addition to the downtown area. Gary Fletcher, 4042 Muirwood Drive, participated on the committee that reviewed the plans. He was impressed with the cooperation and flexibility of the architect for Red Bear. He felt the building would be an asset to the downtown area and was an excellent use of the land. Sally Ann Lacy, 444 Saint Mary Street, #7, enjoyed living in small communities. She would like the parking to be underneath the building. She said the green bars around the building are not very attractive and asked if the design could be changed to look more attractive. Robert Byrd, 327 First Street, felt the project was out of scale and out of place for the downtown area. He showed a scale comparison of the proposed building. He said the comer is highly visible and the size of the building will be amplified. He talked about the use of the building. He felt the first floor should be an antique shop, restaurant, or some other retail use, not used for private parking. He said the hotel should not be on Main Street, but rather the side streets. He said the local residents are not going to benefit from the hotel. He said it was mentioned that people wanted the downtown area to look like Carmel. Carmel does not have three-story buildings in its downtown area. Eric Finn, 202 Del Valle Court, said the project was good for the City. This project will help sustain economic growth for the City of Pleasanton. The height is consistent with the surrounding buildings, the economic and visual values will continue to sustain and enhance the downtown area and mitigate any negative issues. He felt the mixed use was important for the downtown area. Brian Arkin, 3740 Newton Way, supported the project. He felt the architectural design was a good fit for the downtown area and that Council should approve the project. Dean Studebaker, Strizzi's, 649 Main Street, supported the project. He said the property would eventually be developed and that the City should go with a reputable developer such as Red Bear. Kathleen Roney, 3896 Vineyard Avenue, had a problem with the bars. She felt the bars made the building look like a jail. She would like to see something more decorative. Mike Madden said the design of the bars could be revisited. He said Red Bear did not want to do another restaurant or retail business. The project is trying to complement the other businesses in the downtown area. There being no further speakers, the public hearing was closed. Pleasanton City Council 13 03/02/99 Minutes