Laserfiche WebLink
<br />Mr. Rasmussen said everything in the Plan was intended to be as natural as possible. <br />Mr. Sullivan mentioned there was discussion to keep traffic at Level of Service (LOS) D. <br />He noted that typically, types of solutions used to keep traffic at LOS D would be to create wide <br />streets with many traffic lights and several left-turn lanes, which seem not to be consistent with <br />the park-like character. Council may choose not to worry about LOS D and consider constraints <br />for traffic in the Park so that traffic is for the park and not traffic trying to get from Point A to <br />Point B. <br />Mr. Rasmussen said Council would have this opportunity particularly after the EIR was <br />completed. He noted that only one public street was being added within the plan area, which <br />would be an extension of Pleasanton Avenue from Bernal Avenue to Valley Avenue that would <br />be used substantially or solely for the Park users getting to Bernal Avenue. If by chance this <br />intersection would overload Bernal Avenue, one of the alternatives considered in the EIR was <br />the potential addition of another intersection at Bernal Avenue that would enter the Phase II <br />Bernal property adjacent to Bernal Avenue from the Fairgrounds where the Fairgrounds parking <br />paved area ends on its western edge, which is an area staff had shown in previous years as a <br />potential connection. This connection could possibly be short in length and be able to serve the <br />western portion of the Community Park and the western portion of the Cultural Arts Center, <br />which would avoid bisecting the Park. If Council should decide the traffic level of service for this <br />area could be lower than LOS D, there would be opportunity to exempt one or two intersections <br />from LOS standards in the interest of preserving the natural character and desirability of the <br />Park. <br />Mr. Sullivan inquired about the status of the flood control issues along the Arroyo and <br />what influence or participation did the City have in determining what this plan looks like as it <br />might affect the Arroyo. <br />Mr. Rasmussen said staff went through the same exercise with the Phase I Specific Plan <br />and EIR because at that time, it was anticipated that improvements might be necessary in the <br />near future. He noted the Phase I Specific Plan and the draft Phase II Specific Plan call for <br />protection to the furthest extent possible of the Arroyo, and if there were any changes it would <br />be on the eastern side of the Arroyo and potentially what would need to occur would be lowering <br />the elevation of some of the land immediately to the east of the Arroyo to allow for some type of <br />pond. He noted the EIR would be getting into this detail and comments would be included from <br />Zone 7 to reach an agreement as to what the policy guidance would be with regard to what <br />improvements Zone 7 might make. <br />Mr. Sullivan asked how this plan would look as it is presented to the voters and beyond <br />that, what level of detail and flexibility is there? <br />Mr. Rasmussen said the key issue is how much flexibility would remain. The City is <br />mandated to take the Phase II Area Land Use Plan to the voters, which does not mean that the <br />entire Phase II Specific Plan would need to be voted upon. If the community voted upon the <br />Phase II Specific Plan, there would be little flexibility for change to the plan document. One idea <br />would be to present the Sub-Area Land Use Plan map in conjunction with the Illustrative Site <br />Plan and some key wording that would summarize the land use and character that would come <br />from the Phase II Specific Plan. <br />Pleasanton City Council 13 11/01/05 <br />Minutes <br />