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Planning Commission Regular Meeting Minutes January 22, 2009
<br />Agenda No. 09-02 Page IO of l4
<br />Jeff Houston, 1465 Burkhart Avenue, San Leandro, also served on the TOD Strategy CAC, and
<br />agrees with the previous speaker. He said that as atransit-oriented development, this is a fantastic
<br />project for San Leandro to get so soon after completing the work on the TOD. We are lucky to
<br />have a project that fits that strategy so well. The parking spaces that were added bring the total to
<br />a number somewhat outside that specified by the TOD, but he said it wasn't enough of a problem
<br />to "throw out the baby with the bath water." Taking part in one of the BRIDGE project tours, he
<br />saw some other affordable-housing developments similar to The Alameda, all of which are
<br />exceptional projects. What BRIDGE is proposing here is just as exceptional. Transit-oriented
<br />development is new paradigm for our City, and is presenting a lot of changes and development
<br />styles that we are unfamiliar with -but we should do our best to embrace that because it has a lot
<br />to offer that we don't yet have.
<br />Dennis Davis, 715 Collier Drive, San Leandro, is an ordained minister on the staff at St.
<br />Leander's for 28 years, a City resident for almost 60 years (living in Estudillo Estates). During
<br />the break, he talked with all seven of the other COR members present in the audience, and
<br />represents their views. He offered a challenge: Looking at economic conditions - in the U.S., in
<br />California and in San Leandro -and asking ourselves, "Do we have full employment" If so, we
<br />should vote against this project. "Do we need jobs?" Vote against it if we don't. "Do we need
<br />housing for young families?" If we don't, vote against it, There were challenges to Westlake.
<br />They sold the property for $1; "if that's not a commitment to build, he said, "I don't know what
<br />is." At some point, we have to ask if the challenges coming to his project really have a foundation
<br />and would negatively impact the quality of life in this community - or if we are letting
<br />misinformation and fear blind us to the opportunity that is set before us. We will have an
<br />opportunity to receive State funds. He concluded by saying that in the two years he has been
<br />involved in San Leandro Crossings discussions, he has not heard a single argument that really
<br />would be a substantive issue that should cause this project to be rejected. "This is our future. We
<br />can make a statement ... that we are shovel-ready to improve the center of our community, that
<br />we are ready to supply housing for those who need it."
<br />Bill Young, 760 Le Avenue, San Leandro, another long-time resident, said there are a number of
<br />things presented tonight that he takes issue with. Rather than dwell on all of them, he said, he
<br />takes strong exception to what he characterized as the "glossing over" of the EIR and a "rather
<br />cavalier" response to it. For example, he questions the number of students who will be living in
<br />The Alameda, pointing out that if there are 217 bedrooms it is illogical to assume that there will
<br />be only 50 school-aged children. In fact, the number will exceed SO by a factor of two or three.
<br />"We have not addressed the impact on the schools," he said, adding that we have to do a whole
<br />lot more to address all of the concerns expressed in the EIR, which have not been answered
<br />adequately. This includes the increase in pollution; "everybody talks about the greening effect
<br />when just the opposite is going to occur." It will create tremendous restriction and constriction of
<br />traffic flow in San Leandro and its major corridors, which is established in the EIR. He urged the
<br />Planning Commission to consider all the facts and not listen only to those who have no axe to
<br />grind and not just those presented by the vested interests, many of whom who are not living in
<br />this community and who have something to gain financially from this project. Rather, he said,
<br />listen to residents who believe in affordable housing but do not believe this is the right project,
<br />Joel Ramos, 405 - 14th Street, #605, Oakland, is with TransForm, which is among the
<br />organizations that sent a letter of support for the project. He described TransForm as "the third
<br />musketeer" of the Great Communities Collaborative that Mr. Chapman represented with the
<br />GreenBelt Alliance and Urban Habitat. Mr. Ramos said, "We are a coalition that supports this
<br />project and any project that builds walkable communities that are more livable, that create
<br />environments fvr families to be able to live without a car and reducing their vehicle miles traveled
<br />and indeed...create amore sustainable environment." He also expressed strong support for a
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