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document. She noted that page 45 of the staff report stated that the owners would <br />dedicate nearly 500 acres of open space to the City or other public entity such as a <br />Geologic Hazard Assessment District (GHAD), which had the City Council acting as the <br />Board of Directors. She believed a third party should hold that post and that a political <br />body should not hold a conservation easement. She noted that the Councilmembers <br />would change over time and that there was a lot of pressure on Councils and <br />Commissions by the State and public interest groups to provide more housing or a <br />different kind of park setting, and cited the initiative put forth by Brian Arkin and Steve <br />Brozosky to limit housing on the Bernal property. She noted that No. 69 on page 26 <br />stated that “the open space area shall be subject to an open space easement and shall be in <br />accordance with the requirements of the development agreement.” She noted that the <br />development agreement stated that the open space would be given to “an entity <br />reasonably acceptable to the City to protect the open space as permanent open space.” <br />She noted that the phrase “reasonably acceptable to the City” bothered her as well. She <br />noted that the findings stated that the “conservation easement will be granted to the Tri- <br />Valley Conservancy, providing second-party inspection and oversight of the open space <br />area,” which she believed was the most secure guarantee possible. She noted that the <br />overriding considerations addressed the oak woodlands and noted that she attended an <br />oak woodlands planner workshop that had been held in Livermore on Thursday, <br />March 21, 2007. She noted there was considerable discussion about planting shrubs <br />above a certain height below the oaks, which would kill the oaks. <br /> <br />Dolores Bengtson, 568 Hamilton Way, noted that she wished to comment on the Oak <br />Grove project and read the following letter from Julie Casamajor, resident at <br />2018 Foxswallow Road, into the record: <br /> <br /> “Please vote yes to provide a convenient staging area and an internal trail <br />system to the public open space proposed to the Oak Grove Project. <br /> <br /> “I was present at the Trails Committee discussion of the proposed <br />Alternative 5 which has addressed the major concerns of those in the <br />immediate vicinity. I will be out of town at the Planning Commission meeting <br />and want to make my support for community access to this extraordinary area <br />known. <br /> <br /> “Many Pleasanton residents who will use the trails will not be at the Planning <br />Commission meeting. They will be hurrying from work, various school and <br />team related activities, making dinner and taking care of family obligations. <br />They will use the trails from time to time, particularly if access is convenient <br />and the trail is not too long for an afternoon stroll. Pleasanton residents <br />appreciate the opportunity to get outdoors, and the Oak Grove project <br />provides us all with a great opportunity to do so. <br /> <br /> “I urge your full support for including the staging area and internal trails in the <br />Oak Grove project so all residents will be able to enjoy the beautiful open <br />space park.” <br />PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES March 28, 2007 Page 7 of 16 <br /> <br /> <br />