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There was a break at 9:10 p.m. The meeting reconvened at 9:18 p.m. Mr. Bates felt New Cities has addressed the issues indicated. He said many things have changed since this project started. The number of units listed in the North Sycamore Specific Plan states 2 units to the acre. New Cities is proposing 1.6 units to the acre. The Growth Management Allocations has set aside 69 units for this development. New Cities would be willing to address some of the suggestions providing that the city would allow such requests. He indicated that a developer buys a piece of property with the intention of developing it. Ms. Ayala asked if new photomontage had been made and if there was a difference between the neighbors' plan and the original plan. Mr. Bates said no. He felt the better way to go would be to provide an engineer cuts of the different proposals. He said the plans are different. One change is the lots are now on grade instead of being flat. In regards to privacy, New Cities was providing privacy for the lots in the development. Ms. Dennis understood that the photomontages had to be peer reviewed. Mr. Bates said the photomontage was peer reviewed. There being no further speakers, the public hearing was closed. Mr. Pico pointed to a map showing the top of the ridgeline and a city water tank. He showed where homes and the road would be built along the ridgeline. He felt development on the ridgeline is an environmental disaster. The homes will be very visible. He said the Specific Plan could be changed. He said the City Council has been successful in reducing the number of units proposed for the San Francisco and the Vineyard Corridor. He said it is the City Council's responsibility to determine whether a plan will fit or not. He felt the New Cities plan did not fit. He supported the neighbors and wanted to protect the ridgeline. He hoped the rest of the City Council would agree. He agreed this project is a key element in the construction of the golf course, but he was not going to let that sway his decision. He was disappointed that New Cities has not been able to bring something to the table that everyone could accept. Ms. Dennis thought the difficulty was the Specific Plan and the way the Council has historically implemented Specific Plans. She said Council has never reduced the density in a Specific Plan by 50%, therefore she thought a new Specific Plan was required in order to achieve the reduction in density. She recalled how upset people were over the Bonde Ranch and Kottinger Ranch developments in 1990. But everyone worked together to come to an agreement. She said New Cities came forward with a plan that was approved by the residents of Pleasanton. At the time the General Plan was reviewed, nobody raised any issues in regard to the density. The concern she Pleasanton City Council 8 08/09/99 Minutes