CCMIN031505 - Laserfiche WebLink

neighborhoods. These connections make it possible to travel short d/stances to visit friends, access existing and future regional and neighborhood trails, visit pa~s or to go to the store. The connections make it possible for youth and adults to travel in safer neighborhoods rather than on Sunol Boulevard. Having several connections makes it more convenient to neighborhoods, plus spreads the use to a Iow-level at each connection. She mentioned that she resides in Rose Point and frequently walks the trail along Sycamore Creek as well as the existing connecting sidewalk to get to Mission Park and Raley's. She does not like to walk on Sunol Boulevard and anticipates a shorter distance to shopping utilizing the subject pedestrian sidewalk between Sycamore Terrace and San Carlos Way. She and others welcome the opportunity to walk their neighborhoods and enjoy the amenities offered in Pieasanton without traveling on high- traffic streets. The subject sidewalk is not a surprise. It was included in the North Sycamore Specific Plan and was well supported by members of the community. She believes it is discouraging to have a major component considered for elimination because those who bought and developed adjacent properties were aware of the location of the approved connecting sidewalk. She understood their concerns; however, much evidence exists that clearly shows public trails and sidewalks do not detract but add to the property. She urged Council to look at the community as a .whole and remember how many citizens supported the connector sidewalks when the North Sycamore Specific Plan was discussed and approved. She asked Council to consider the need to discourage vehicular travel by being generous in its planning for non- vehicular travel. In order for a pedestrian system to work, it must be accessible at many points and allow users to reach a variety of desired destinations. She urged Council not to eliminate the sidewalk between Sycamore Terrace and San Carlos Way. Steven Liu, a San Carlos Way resident, supported the amendment to the North Sycamore Specific Plan to remove the public trail connection between Sycamore Terrace and San Carlos Way. The sidewalk does not serve any purpose and the existing sidewalk on San Antonio Street/Sunol Boulevard seemed to be sufficient to serve the neighborhood. He believed the trail was underutilized. The sidewalk creates safety issues as the location and elevation of the sidewalk provide a safe haven for illegal activities. Currently, one side of San Carlos Way is a dead end; therefore, strangers can be easily spotted, but if will be difficult to spot strangers if the sidewalk is built and will present a danger to kids playing in the area between 5821 and 5816 San Carlos Way. The sidewalk also creates privacy issues for those residents living adjacent to the public sidewalk, creates a negative impact on the property values of the houses near the sidewalk and creates liability issues. He did not believe the trail would be appropriate for bicycle riding because of the stairs. Esther Verwiej, a Sycamore Terrace resident, expressed liability concerns about the proposed sidewalk as well as the safety of children bicycling on the steep sidewalk on Sycamore Terrace. She also expressed concern about a public path and added that she and her husband had to hire maintenance workers to clean the path. She was concerned about the visibility and police monitoring of the sidewalk, particularly because the path is so steep. Arend Verwiej, a Sycamore Terrace resident, concurred with his wife's comments. Pleasanton City Council 7 03/15/05 Minutes