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5. MEETING OPEN TO THE PUBLIC Mayor Pico referred to the numerous telephone calls and emails that have been received expressing concern about the removal of trees along Bernai Avenue in conjunction with the Greenbriar project. Ms. McKeehan indicated that from the beginning of discussions regarding the Bernal property, staffhas been very concerned about the removal of trees. She assured the community th~ the City would save as many trees as possible. Mr. Swift explained that a number of years ago, when the City was first looking at development along Bemal, including the Koll Center and Laguna Oaks project, Bemal Avenue was a two lane mad from 1-680 westerly to Foothill Road and was a four lane street with no lefi- turn pockets from 1-680 through to Pleasanton Avenue and the relocated Bemal Avenue. The CRy d~ed that the large sycamore trees on the north side of the street were the preferred trees to save, compared to the scattered walnut trees on the south side of the road. The City d~igned the widening of Bernal Avenue from Valley Avenue westerly to be widened to the south with very little to the north in order to save the sycamore trees along Bemal Corporate Ceater and across the frontage of the Laguna Oaks project. With the development of the Greenbriar Bernal property, the completion of the widening of Bernal Avenue is necessary to the south. The trees along the southerly side must be removed because they would be in the middle of the proposed street or would be so close to the edge of pavement that they would not survive. The bridge at the Arroyo de la Laguna will be widened to the south, again to save the large mature trees on the north side. Five trees will have to be removed at the entrance to the property. On the east side of 1-680, there are 27 trees between the freeway and Valley Avenue. Stafftried various designs oftha intersection to try to preserve the largest of the trees, but they all proved to be unsuccessful. He then explained the traffic patterns for the intersection and the necessary lane addition east of Valley Avenue. In this area there are several volunteer walnut trees, which will be right at the edge of the widened street and will have to be removed. The row of large sycamore trees in the median of Bernal Avenue will be preserved except for two immediately east of the intersection of Valley Avenue, where a lefi-turn pocket is required. The median will be fairly wide and new trees will be planted in it. There will also be new trees planted along the commercial development between Valley and 1-680. The final landscape plan for the City- owned property is still to be designed. A commendation was read by Ms. Dennis and presented to Robert Beebe on his retirement as General Manager of the Dublin San Ramon Services District. Mr. Beebo indicated he has been a member ofthe Pleasanton community for 21 years and it has be~m a special opportunity to work with City staffand the Council. City staffhas not always been easy to deal with but has always been good. Mr. Lure especially has spent a lot of time working with the District on ways to better serve the City of Pleasanton. Ms. McKeehan has been a guiding light as well. He thanked Council for the commendation. Phlasant~n City Council 4 06/05/01 Miautes