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Ms. Hosterman asked if the Police Department had been consulted on the design of this facility. Mr. Wolfe said it is standard practice on all park development projects to involve the Police Department and other affected City departments. Howard Seebach, 2657 Calle Alegra, Parks and Recreation Commissioner, indicated there are three issues: 1) closeness of the facility including noise and privacy; 2) use of process; and 3) responsibility of property owners next to public land. He said noise can be reduced but not eliminated. In in-line skating there is little noise, because the skaters are concentrating on their skills. It is not a team sport. It is more like golf or ice skating. He believed the noise will come from the hockey and soccer games. He acknowledged privacy is a concern. The Commission agreed to lowering the facility by two feet and to include lattice and fence slats to meet the neighbor's requests and not compromise the integrity or usefulness of the facility. Val Vista Park has the potential to be one of the most attractive and functional parks in the East Bay. The tilted bowl is an important element of this facility because it is designed for the beginner. An expert reviewed this plan and said it was one of the best designs he had ever seen. He felt the process followed was outstanding. There was a fourteen member task force and mailings announcing all meetings. There was much participation by non-Task Force members, including one young person who wanted a community garden. There were four public hearings resulting in various changes. The maintenance area was moved a couple of times as a result of comments. He asked why go through all this if the plan can be changed at a late date with a substantial cost increase? This is a community park as well as a neighborhood park. The property owners should be aware of that which adjoins them and participate in the planning, not after the fact. He urged Council to accept the recommendations of the Commission and reject the staff recommendation. Deborah Wahl, 4629 Mason Street, said she was a member of the Task Fome and attended all the meetings and public hearings. She is concerned about the process. They worked very heard on the plans and made changes to the maintenance area twice because of complaints. The pathway was moved as a result of public input. She said a park will have noise and there will be a lot from the soccer fields. Parks are for kids. Privacy and security issues were reviewed with the Police Department because of the public bathroom in the park. There will be police patrols on foot. She is a senior project manager in an ITS company. She acknowledged changes do happen in designs, but the client pays for them. In this case, the public pays for it. She was willing to go with the staff recommendation to lower the bowl, include plantings and additional fencing. The master plan did not show heights, but it clearly showed footage of how close the facility was to the fence line. She first got involved with this property when there was a proposal by the School District for a bus depot. That would have been horrible. She preferred to look at a skating bowl than the sewer treatment plant. Anyone living next to open land has a responsibility to be involved in the planning or its use. She recommended lowering the facility two feet, putting in the fencing and adding trees. She did not support lowering the entire facility at a cost of almost $200,000, especially in these economic times. Mr. Brozosky asked if she knew the element would be above ground. Pleasanton City Council 11 02/04/03 Minutes