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Mr. van Gelder said some of the people felt the calming device was effective. <br />Does the City not do something because half the people feel it isn't effective and half the <br />people feel it is? Part of the problem in neighborhood calming is the City does not have a <br />great deal of tools to utilize. The City has police officers that are in short supply. They <br />cannot be there on a continuous basis. The City does have the circles that take the high- <br />end speed down at intersections but have little impact between. The only communities <br />that he is aware of that are continuing to address strong neighborhood concerns is San <br />Jose. They have supported by a vote of 9-0 photo radar use in neighborhoods. The <br />neighborhood groups thought it was great. <br /> <br /> Ms. Ayala said it did not work for her. What Council is being asked to do tonight <br />is to accept the reporl and talk about the sharing the expense. The questionnaire asked, <br />"Are you willing to share in the cost?" Nobody wanted this. Why are we even going <br />down this path? Certainly if we are going to have traffic circles, I want people to share. <br />We know the answer is going to be "no" in the end, so why are we even going there.'? <br /> <br /> Mr. van Gelder said we don't know the answer is going to be "no" in the end <br />because we know of other communities that have used them where there is a very strong <br />positive response. He thinks if residents feel there is an excessive speeding problem in <br />front of their house and this didn't solve it, then they are not for it. But if residents have a <br />problem where the circle did solve it, they do support it. Seattle put in over 800 circles <br />and each one went through an individual petition process. A partnership program for <br />these circles go in effect and if residents want to take care of them, they want them pretty, <br />they all volunteer to water them and put the flowers in them or they go in as ugly black <br />buttons. The people, who supported it and did the landscaping, felt good about it because <br />it solved their problems. Many of those locations had significant accident problems that <br />were solved. Pleasanton has many perceived safety problems but not as many identified <br />documented safety problems, so the City is working on what is it in individual <br />neighborhoods that will make them feel it to be a more comfortable neighborhood in <br />which to live. <br /> <br /> Ms. Ayala asked about the results of the questionnaire that said this is not the <br />solution. <br /> <br /> Mr. van Gelder said for this neighborhood, obviously, if they had it to do over <br />again, but it sounded like it would be 50-50 whether the City wants to spend this much <br />money. <br /> <br /> Ms. Michelotti said at the beginning it kind of looked that way in each <br />neighborhood. When the residents were surveyed originally they did not want this <br />calming device. <br /> <br /> Mr. van Gelder agreed. He said a very large number of people said, "Don't waste <br />your money, we don't have that kind of a problem, don't put anything in." But the City <br />had a demonstration program where it felt the need to go forward and try to do something <br /> <br />Pleas~ton City Council 24 07/17/01 <br />Minu~es <br /> <br /> <br />