04 - Laserfiche WebLink

The Stoneridge Drive Extension Since the start of the current Staples Ranch planning process, there has been considerable interest and concern about whether the project would include the extension of Stoneridge Drive from its current eastern terminus just east of Trevor Parkway to EI Charro Road. Interest and concern about the extension have also been expressed at public meetings related to the update to the City's General Plan. While the roadway extension is shown in the City's current and proposed General Plan Update, and is included in the current Stoneridge Drive Specific Plan adopted in 1989, some residents have expressed opposition to completing the extension. In general, such opposition is related to noise, traffic safety, quality of life, cut through traffic and air pollution. Residents who support the roadway extension point to improved traffic conditions throughout the City in general, adherence to City approved long range planning documents, convenience, regional cooperation and safety. Based on its interpretation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) approved in 2006 with the ACSPA at the beginning of the current Staples Ranch process, staff prepared the Amended Specific Plan based on the assumption that the full extension would not be approved with the initial project approvals but that sufficient right of way would be reserved such that the full extension could be built in the future. Under that scenario, the initial project approvals would have only a two lane bridge over the Arroyo and a gated emergency vehicle access road (EVA) preventing through traffic to EI Charro Road. These project approvals are also consistent with the Joint Policy Statement, developed through a series of discussions with two community groups - Friends of Pleasanton and Pleasanton First. Notwithstanding this fact, during the course of preparing the environmental and planning documents and addressing comments on the Draft EIR, the City staff and its EIR consultants have generally addressed the issues related to the environmental impacts of extending the road with the initial project approvals, consistent with CEQA. For example, consistent with Pleasanton's General Plan and as required by CEQA, the EIR analyzed, under the cumulative [future] conditions, Stoneridge Drive extended to EI Charro Road as a four lane arterial (with turn lanes) and studied all environmental impacts of the extension, including noise, air quality, and transportation impacts, as required by CEQA. In addition, the Draft EIR analyzed, for comparison purposes, the impacts of the Existing Specific Plan Alternative (i.e., the 1989 Stoneridge Drive Specific Plan) that included the full extension of Stoneridge Drive and its related impacts. Moreover, in addition to the cumulative and the Existing Specific Plan analyses, the Stoneridge Drive Specific Plan Amendment Traffic Report for the EIR includes an analysis of impacts if Stoneridge Drive extension were to be constructed as part of initial site development. This analysis was developed in detail to address information requested by the State Department of Transportation in its comment letter on the EIR. In response to this comment, City staff and the EIR consultant developed an Page 3 of 10