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Mary Roberts, P. O. Box 154, Pleasanton, supported the citizens initiative, just as she had supported Measure I. She believed the Bernal property is best used for public purposes. The Bernal property is the result of a compromise to allow some development in exchange for the public use of the remaining property. Council, the Commissions and Task Force have worked very hard to incorporate 89 affordable units on the property. She felt the Council had done something for affordable housing on this property. The rest of the acreage is best for public uses. Housing is a private use. Public uses would be for the benefit of all the population, and would include tot lots, community gardens, etc. Once housing of any kind is sited, the flexibility of the plan is lost. She acknowledged the need for affordable housing, and also the need to relocate the seniors from Pleasanton Gardens and Kottinger Place, when remodeling of those facilities begins. She believed there are other options to be considered than the Bemal property, such as the Busch property or Hacienda. She acknowledged there is a cost for the land there, but Hacienda has fantastic public transit, which would be helpful for seniors. There are also three planned unit developments proposed for assisted living and she described them. She believed those units could be used for temporarily housing the relocated seniors. She noted that none of these properties were suitable for a "central park". Christine Steiner, 596 Hamilton Way, indicated she strongly supported the concept of a park for the Bernal property. She wanted the best for Pleasanton and for its seniors. She referred to the City's assisted living project and indicated the terms of the financing program would not allow relocation of the seniors to this facility unless they required assisted living. She did not want to relocate seniors without a viable site. She said the request is for only five acres adjacent to existing housing out of over 300 acres. She believed that is a very small request. She believed it would be useful to have a workshop to dispel misinformation and myths about affordable housing. It is frustrating to be on the Housing Commission, which has been charged with finding ways to provide housing and to be told the Bernal property is not available, when land is the critical issue. There are seniors who are living on $800 a month and cannot afford their medications. People are renting rooms in homes, which increases traffic on streets. She was not afraid to go to the voters so long as the voters have all the information about why affordable housing is needed. Land cost is the critical component. She wants the best for Pleasanton seniors, for families with children still living at home, or for those who want to bring parents here so they can care for them. She urged everyone to attend the workshop to help them understand the issues. If a ballot measure is put to the voters, she did not want it to target housing and felt it would be discriminatory. Matt Sullivan, 7882 Flagstone Drive, indicated Council appointed the Bernal Task Force to develop plans for the City-owned portion of the Bernal property. There are also strong elements of the community with different view about this property; one that wants public uses in a park like setting or additional affordable housing. Both goals are good ones, but may be mutually exclusive. There is also a Specific Plan that calls for voter approval of the uses of the property. He felt Council should first set the ground rules or basic policies for use of the property. This should have been done before the Task Force went to all the work to develop its detailed plan. The citizens initiative goes to the heart of this question. It is public land and the only way to find out what the policies should be is to ask the public. As a Planning Commissioner, he has been involved in the public review of both the San Francisco plan for 1900 houses and the Greenbriar plan for 581 houses and 300 acres of public land. He Pleasanton City Council 6 04/16/02 Minutes