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result of the Bernal Property Specific Plan, there is a requirement to eventually put a plan on the ballot for the Bemal property. That will happen with or without the citizens' initiative. Brian Arkin, 3740 Newton Way, felt Council should not accept the proposed Specific Plan as currently written and put it on the ballot without going through the Commission review process. He said the issue of housing is a very small part of the recommendations and there are many other issues that need to be reviewed by the community before it is put on the ballot. There were no other speakers on this item. No action was required to be taken by Council. Item 6c Acceptance of Certification of the Pleasanton Bernal Initiative Petitions and Determination concerning the Initiative (SR 02:122) Mr. Roush presented the staff report. Mayor Pico invited public comment. Ted Rigl, 1802 Plumeria Court, indicated he had been one of the circulators of the petition and it was very easy to get signatures. People were comfortable with the wording and the major concerns expressed were traffic congestion and the loss of the trees along Bernal. He believed people wanted the right to vote on this issue and urged Council to put it on the ballot. Karla Belcher, 1326 Benedict Corot, said she understands that many Councilmembers feel the City would benefit from more affordable housing. She believed what the City would benefit most from is no more housing. She felt the City already had affordable housing in the existing older homes that need to be fixed up. If new people want to come to the City, they should purchase these homes and not the new ones. That is what her family did and related her experience with previous home ownership. She believed the community is already impacted. The highways are full, the businesses are crowded, the schools are over-filled, parks are small and the police already have enough to do. Mayor Pico was elected on a platform of no growth or slow growth. Development of the Merritt property was defeated by a vote of the people and the measure for the purchase of the Bemal Property to avoid additional homes barely failed. Repeatedly the voters have stated they are against more housing of any type. She reiterated there is affordable housing in the form of the older homes and she urged Council to adopt the initiative that no additional housing would go on the Bernal Property. Brian Arkin, 3740 Newton Way, said the City-owned land on Bernal is not the only place the City can provide senior or affordable housing. The proposed project on the Busch property would provide 170 senior units, of which 50% are low or very low income. It may be possible to use this project during the remodel of the existing senior housing facilities. The Busch property shows that free public land is not required. Additionally, there is a possibility to expand senior and affordable housing on the Heinz property. Pleasanton is currently circulating the draft Pleasanton City Council 7 05/21/02 Minutes