living units, nursing beds and common facilities; future commercial development of up to
<br />175,000 square feet of retail or up to 280,000 square feet of non-retail office and service uses
<br />on 16t acres; and a 17t acre community park, which may include lighted sports fields, lighted
<br />tennis courts, trails, and afour-rink ice skating facility on up to 8 acres. The Authority and
<br />Pleasanton have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding dated April 18, 2006 ("Staples
<br />Ranch MOU"), regarding the processing of applications and consideration of entitlements
<br />required for the Staples Ranch Project; and
<br />WHEREAS, the Staples Ranch Property is currently subject to the provisions of
<br />Pleasanton's Stoneridge Drive Specific Plan, which was adopted on October 3, 1989. The
<br />proposed Staples Ranch Project, including the proposed land uses and the required on site and
<br />offsite infrastructure improvements, are different than the approved land uses in the existing
<br />Stoneridge Drive Specific Plan and, consequently, development of the Staples Ranch Project
<br />requires an amendment to the Stoneridge Drive Specific Plan. As described in the Staples
<br />Ranch NOP and the Staples Ranch MOU, the Staples Ranch Project also requires additional
<br />entitlements including, but not limited to, annexation and prezoning of the Staples Ranch
<br />Property, annexation of EI Charro Road, a planned unit development (PUD) plan, tentative and
<br />final subdivision maps, improvement plans, and a development agreement; and
<br />WHEREAS, the Stoneridge Drive Specific Plan and Pleasanton's 1996 General Plan
<br />currently call for the extension of Stoneridge Drive to EI Charro Road ("Stoneridge Drive
<br />Extension"). As of the Effective Date, Pleasanton is updating the 1996 General Plan and, as
<br />part of that update, is retaining the Stoneridge Drive Extension. However, the updated General
<br />Plan is not yet complete and may be modified to reflect a different outcome. As described in the
<br />Staples Ranch MOU, the Staples Ranch Project would include an offer of dedication by the
<br />Authority for the right-of-way required for the Stoneridge Drive Extension, and neither requires
<br />nor prevents the construction of the full Stoneridge Drive Extension; and
<br />WHEREAS, the Staples Ranch Project also incorporates the preservation of the
<br />Stoneridge Drive Extension right-of-way through the project site. The Staples Ranch Project
<br />proposes to connect Auto Mall Place to EI Charro Road and to construct certain related
<br />improvements to EI Charro Road, including the EI Charro/Jack LondoNAuto Mall Place (if not
<br />constructed by Livermore), and to construct a portion of Auto Mall Place to the west of such
<br />intersection. The Staples Ranch Project will also result in increases in traffic on EI Charro Road
<br />above existing traffic volumes; and
<br />WHEREAS, significant areas of land located in unincorporated County south of
<br />Interstate 580 ("I-580") between Livermore and Pleasanton and along EI Charro Road and
<br />Stanley Boulevard, to the south and east of the EI Charro Specific Plan Area and Staples Ranch
<br />Property, are or may become designated by the County for sand and gravel mining and related
<br />operations (collectively the "Quarry Lands"). Sand and gravel deposits contained in the Quarry
<br />Lands are or may become designated by the State of California as a resource of regional
<br />significance. Vulcan owns and operates, or is licensed to operate, a significant portion of the
<br />Quarry Lands and the private EI Charro Road right-of-way (collectively, together with any
<br />additional portions of the Quarry Lands owned or operated at any time by Vulcan, the "Vulcan
<br />Properties"). Pleasanton Gravel Company, a California corporation, and/or its affiliates ("PGC")
<br />also owns a significant portion of the Quarry Lands; and
<br />WHEREAS, Vulcan operates its quarry, mining, processing, sales, distribution,
<br />reclamation and other related operations on the Vulcan Properties, pursuant to Alameda County
<br />Surface Mining Permit SMP-16 and vested Quarry Permits Q-2, Q-4, Q-40 and Q-76 and
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