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opened up and a sidewalk connection be provided all the way along West Las Positas <br /> Boulevard. He stated that they have looked into this and can accommodate the <br /> sidewalk for connectivity. <br /> Mr. Ebrahimi stated that what is really difficult is trying to provide parallel parking. He <br /> indicated that with a very constrained site at 5.9 acres and the requirement to have <br /> 177 units, there is just no way of putting parallel parking without losing the required <br /> parking for the site. He noted that for marketing reasons, they are comfortable with <br /> having the intersection of West Las Positas Boulevard and Hacienda Drive as the main <br /> entry; however, staff has indicated that the Design Guidelines require a secondary <br /> access that also needs to serve the community. <br /> Mr. Ebrahimi stated that their goal is to keep all the existing trees along West Las <br /> Positas Boulevard. He noted that the existing grown, mature trees will be retained and <br /> would provide screening. He then presented a slide showing a perspective of how <br /> much of the buildings will actually be visible from the street with the trees in place. <br /> Lastly, Mr. Ebrahimi stated that, as Ms. Soo pointed out, they held an outreach meeting <br /> with the community this past week, and five people showed up to that meeting. He <br /> noted that they were primarily interested in architecture, construction timing, and when <br /> the project would move forward. He indicated that they are committed to working with <br /> the neighbors and are looking forward to future dialogue with all the residents who have <br /> put in their comments. He added that he thinks there is a lot that they can do with <br /> respect to landscaping, noting that all the way along the back property line, they will be <br /> adding trees that would grow up to 35 feet tall and will continuously provide more <br /> screening for the project. <br /> Commissioner O'Connor asked Mr. Ebrahimi if he knows the species of the trees that <br /> would be planted in that area. <br /> Mr. Ebrahimi deferred to the project's Landscape Architect to respond to that question. <br /> Zachy Abed, Project.Landscape Architect from Van Dorn Abed Landscape Architects, <br /> Inc., stated that along the Arroyo on the south side of the property are some mature <br /> prunus, purple leaf plum trees that are spaced apart about fifteen feet on center. He <br /> noted that a couple of them have died out, but they will replace those as well as plant <br /> trees in between the existing trees, either prunus caroliniana, a low water-use species <br /> hedge that can grow up to six or eight feet tall and provide good evergreen screening <br /> along that edge, or the ligustrum, a pretty and hearty evergreen privet that would <br /> provide adequate screening. He added that this would also be done on the other sides <br /> of the property. <br /> Commissioner O'Connor inquired if the existing trees are evergreen or deciduous and <br /> how tall they will get. <br /> EXCERPT: PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES, September 11, 2013 Page 5 of 24 <br />