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favor of the proposed project, she believed it needed to be delayed until the General Plan was finalized, and until a modem road system is located in the area. She suggested placing the expanded water park on Bemal Avenue. In addition to public comments, many written communications were provided to Council either in support or opposition to the proposed expansion of the water park facilities. In rebuttal, Tom Mikkelson, 2950 Peralta Oaks Court, Oakland, representing EBRPD, provided a map that illustrated Shadow Cliffs and showed the relationship of the proposed expansion to the entire Park. A previous speaker had provided information regarding the contracts that had been negotiated with California Splash over the years, which was accurate. He said that the area that is being proposed for the water slide expansion was leased to Mr. Kierstead in 1999. Before that time, the area was an abandoned quarry pit. Mr. Kiearstead landscaped this area and planted trees and added it to his facility in order to improve its marketability. The illustrated map also showed the overall land and water areas associated with Shadow Cliffs. Collectively, there are 266 acres of parkland, and the proposed expansion of the water park would amount to 2.6 percent of that area. Given the context of what is already located in this area, the expanded water park could be considered large, but the expansion is a relatively small amount of the overall land and water area of the Park. He was amazed at how diverse the opinions are regarding this issue. This is especially troublesome to the EBRPD because it believes, very strongly, that parks are good for the society, people and the communities that they are located in. EBRPD operates 800,000 acres of parklands in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties: 60 parks, and 1,100 miles of regional trails. EBRPD believes that every one of these facilities adds substantially to the quality of life of the residents who live within it. EBRPD works successfully with 32 cities and the Park District has a 70- year commitment to improving the quality of life. EBRPD is proud of the citizens that it represents in this process because it believes it is implementing their will. EBRPD believes that this project will not affect those values that people currently experience at Shadow Cliffs. The area is an abandoned quarry pit and the facility is contained within an existing footprint that is already developed. Parking will be provided in areas that are currently used for parking or that will be screened from the Park by an intervening berm. If the issue of the expansion of the water park was eliminated from this discussion, he believed everyone would find that there are many more issues, ideas, goals, and values that we hold in common than are dividing the community. He disagreed with many of the comments made because the comments portray the negative aspects of this Park incorrectly, especially the comments made in reference to what the EBRPD has done in evaluating this project. He believed that the solution lies somewhere between the two extremes: no water park or a full water park. He believed something could be designed and developed that would meet the goals of the community which would assure people as a part of this process, that their values will not be diminished by the presence of a regional park or a regional park facility. He was hopeful this could be discussed and Council could reach a decision that balances out the competing points of view. EBRPD has the power to undertake projects such as this proposed project, which is clearly stated in the Public Resources Code. He pointed out that the EBRPD's website did include Pleasanton City Council 20 Minutes 03/23/04