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Mr. Wolfe said the School District recognizes that they would not lock the fences to access the fields. Again, the idea of the fencing is to discourage parking on Payne Road and Denker Drive and not to preclude use of the field area. Mr. Sullivan asked for the number of responses related to fencing versus no fencing. Mr. Wolfe said that initially, the responses were 80 percent opposed to the fencing. It has since evened out to about an even split for fencing versus no fencing. He noted that the majority of the responses in opposition to no fencing are coming from the neighbors that live on Payne Road, as well as from neighbom that live at the south end of the site. These residents like the open access to the school site and felt it would be more restrictive to gain access to the site if the fencing was built. Mayor Hosterman invited public comments. Bob Nickeson, a Pleasanton resident, believed the renovation of the existing athletic fields at Donlon Elementary School is a good alternative instead of trying to do something on the Bernal property that lacks the infrastructure. Erich Schuh, a Payne Road resident, provided written communication to Council in opposition to any proposed fencing around the athletic fields. Mayor Hosterman closed the public comments. Mr. Sullivan asked what the relative timing is between the renovations of the existing athletic fields at Donlon Elementary School versus the sports fields on the Bernal property? Mr. Wolfe said that staff would be discussing the potential Phase I improvements for the Bernal property with the Parks and Recreation Commission later this week. The plan is bring this proposal to Council at its first meeting in January 2005. He pointed out that any improvements to the existing athletic fields at Donlon Elementary School must be done in a phased approach. Once the modernization work is completed by September 2005, some of the fields must be ready for school use. Staff has built costs into the estimate that provides for phasing. It will take several years to finish the work. The biggest issue would be the length of time that is needed for the turf to sufficiently grow in. Mr. Sullivan asked for the schedule for the Bernal property sports fields. Mr. Fialho said that Council would have a better sense of the schedule for the Bernal property sports fields at its next meeting, as a more detailed plan will be available. He noted that $4.5 million dollars is set aside for that project. He was concerned about the amount of money set aside for the sports fields as it is not enough to do anything significant on the Bernal property as there is no infrastructure to support a large park. He asked Council to allow staff sufficient time to work with the School District to identify joint funding for the renovation of the existing fields at Donlon Elementary School. This buys the City more time in the context of the Bernal property sports fields project, which would compete for funding at the same time as other projects when the Pleasanton City Council 14 12/07/04 Minutes