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Finally, some of the improvements included in the Master Plan for the neighborhood <br />park are not anticipated in agreements with Staples Ranch developers which may lead <br />to design changes and/or additional costs to construct those improvements. <br />Reconciling these differences will be brought forward to the City Council at a later time, <br />as part of any further cost sharing arrangements concerning the community park. <br />BACKGROUND <br />In April 2006, the City Council approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with <br />the Alameda County Surplus Property Authority (SPA) regarding the future development <br />of the County-owned Staples Ranch Property, located in the northeast unincorporated <br />area of Pleasanton. The MOU anticipates the development of a 37+/- acre auto mall, <br />45+/- acre senior continuing care community with up to 800 living units (including skilled <br />nursing support facilities), 17+/- acre community park, and an 11+/- acre commercial <br />center. <br />Following approval of the MOU, the City was approached by San Jose Arena <br />Management, LLC (SJAM) regarding the potential of forming a joint public-private <br />partnership to develop amulti-rink ice skating facility within the community park. SJAM <br />is an affiliate of the San Jose Sharks National Hockey League (NHL) team, and <br />operates all of the facilities associated with the Sharks. The vision for the facility, as put <br />forth by SJAM, is to provide ice skating and related recreational opportunities (e.g. <br />hockey, figure skating, etc) for all age types in Pleasanton and the surrounding Tri- <br />valley area. Existing facilities currently operated by SJAM are located in Fremont, San <br />Jose and Oakland. <br />At its meeting of October 3, 2006, the Council directed the Parks and Recreation <br />Commission to conduct a community planning process for the purpose of developing a <br />conceptual site plan and list of potential recreational uses for the proposed park. In <br />doing so, the Council also asked the Commission to address the merits of including the <br />SJAM proposal as a possible park use. The proposed concept plan could then be <br />incorporated into the Staples Ranch Specific Plan update and Specific Plan EIR <br />process. If the SJAM concept were included, staff would begin preliminary discussions <br />with company representatives regarding the ice facility. <br />On March 1, 2007, the Commission conducted the first of two (2) workshops regarding <br />the concept plan. A number of individuals and groups spoke in support of sports fields <br />and tennis courts, a dog exercise area, and leisure recreation facilities such as trails <br />and open space. There was also support and opposition for the inclusion of an ice <br />skating facility as part of the park plan. <br />At the second workshop on April 5, 2007, the Commission reviewed various park use <br />options to accommodate desired amenities, including all weather sports fields (soccer, <br />football, and lacrosse); a baseball field; tennis courts; afour-rink ice facility; bocce ball <br />courts; dog exercise area; restrooms; parking; and trails/open space. Following <br />community input, the Commission requested that staff prepare a draft site plan diagram <br />Page 2 of 10 <br />