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transportation whenever possible. Commissioner O’Connor noted that many companies offer incentives to commuters. Ms. Harryman stated that it could be included under Program 24.2, and Ms. Stern proposed the following language: ? Encourage land use that facilitates the use of trails and alternative transportation. In response to Chairperson Fox’s inquiry if the completion of the Iron Horse Trail is mentioned anywhere, Commissioner Pearce replied that it could be in the Circulation Element. Chairperson Fox added that she would to have a program under the pedestrian-oriented commercial area accessible by bicycle to connect the bicycle path from BART to Hacienda Business Park. Commissioner Blank indicated that he would encourage that. THE PUBLIC HEARING WAS RE-OPENED Chairperson Fox asked Mr. Paxson if the Iron Horse Trail runs through Hacienda Business Park. Mr. Paxson stated that the Iron Horse Trail follows the old Southern Pacific right-of-way that runs down the side of the Business Park and has no has improvements on it. He noted that it is the linear park within Hacienda that falls in that area. He added that Hacienda has also designated an area south of Owens Drive and expanded its walk area to ten feet should the City wish to utilize it as a bypass. Mr. Paxson indicated that he has kept in communication with Hacienda’s owners as the right-of-way is there should there be a desire to develop the Ttrail. He stated that one of things the Specific Plan is looking at is to provide a better pedestrian right-of-way to the BART station and to make the Iron Horse Trail connection to the BART station the focal point of the entire area. He noted that the City’s Trails Ad Hoc Committee recently made a recommendation to the Parks and Recreation Commission regarding how to run the Trail temporarily with the idea that the City could develop the area at a future time should it so desire. In response to Chairperson Fox’s inquiry if the Trail currently runs through the Oracle property, Mr. Paxson replied that it runs between the Kaiser Permanente IT buildings, which were the old PeopleSoft buildings, with Oracle to the east. He noted that the north-south pedestrian corridor and those that lead to the BART station are critical components of mobility in the Park and are the focus of the Park’s planning efforts. Chairperson Fox inquired if Hacienda would have objections to adding a program to connect the BART station to the Trail. Mr. Paxson replied that Hacienda has no objections but there are logistical hurdles that need to be overcome, such as the mid-block crossing on Owens Drive, Hacienda Drive, and West Las Positas Boulevard. He noted that there is another right-of-way between the Archstone apartments and Avila homes to the west, with the soundwall at the edge of the easement. He indicated that Hacienda would work with the neighborhood on how to go through the area to widen the PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES July 25, 2007 Page 25 of 35