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Mr. Iserson indicated there would need to be a contract amendment if requested additiona~ investigations exceeded the budget amount. Martin Inderbitzen, 7077 Koll Center Parkway, representing the applicant, indicated the applicant would pay for any additional investigations requested by Council. He believed the consultant had done a good job on the estimates for time and expense required for this project EIR. He noted this meeting was focused on the draft EIR process. The EIR process is important to establish the reality of impacts as opposed to assumed or exaggerated impacts. He then briefly described the project. It is the lowest residential density designation in the General Plan (one unit to five acres). The site is 562 acres and contains about 12,000 trees, primarily blue and other oak trees. The plan was developed to have the least impact on the trees and will affect only 122 trees, or only 1% of the existing trees. He showed an aerial photograph of Kottinger Ranch with Hearst Drive as the access point to the project. The main entry road and cul de sacs will be off the ridges of the site, thereby staying out of the valleys, away from the oak trees, drainages, wild life, etc. to minimize impacts. The concept was to take as benign approach as possible on the land, recognizing that it was the most aggressive approach as it relates to visual impact, such as was done on Kottinger Ranch 15 years ago. By keeping roads and houses out of the valleys, it minimizes the amount of grading necessary. There will be 65-70 acres of residential development and 495 acres in open space and park and recreation uses. He would answer any questions about the project, but felt the purpose of this meeting was to identify issues to be addressed in the EIR. He felt staff had done a very good job through the initial study process and in developing the scope of work for the consultant. Mayor Hosterman asked if the Lin family would be willing to donate any part of the acreage to the city. Mr. Inderbitzen said they would donate 495 acres to the city for park and recreation purposes. Mayor Hosterman asked how much money the Lin family expected to make from this property? If the final EIR resulted in a "no project" and the City wanted to do something with the land in the future, was there a way to estimate what it might cost? She felt the object of the Lin family was not to build houses, but to make money off the acreage. She wondered if there was another way for the family to do that? Mr. Inderbitzen did not feel that was an appropriate question for this forum. If it should come to pass that no project is approved, he believed the Lin family would wait to have another opportunity to propose a new project in the future. The Lin's have owned property in Pleasanton for well over 25 years and this is not the first project proposed for this property. He noted that when the Lin's built the Kottinger Ranch project, the family paid for a good portion of the extension of Bernal Avenue to connect Kottinger Avenue to First Street and take a significant traffic burden off Kottinger Avenue. The current property along with Kottinger Ranch has made significant improvements to relieve flooding in Kottinger Creek and the senior housing area downstream. It has enhanced water service to the city by providing improvements in connections to the water pressure zones and construction of water tanks. This property has been in the General Plan for many years. He felt the Lin family was entitled to having their application moved forward in accordance with the existing rules. The project application is in 100% compliance with the General Plan. Joint Workshop City Council and Planning Commission 3 02/08/05