4A Public Hearing 2014 0902 - Laserfiche WebLink

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File Number: 14-357 residential areas, employment centers, schools, parks, and multi -modal terminals. In addition, General Plan Chapter 5 addresses Open Space, Parks and Conservation. The marshland adjacent to and to the west of the Heron Bay neighborhood is identified as a Conservation Area, with the Bay Trail traversing through it (Figure 5-1). It also identifies the San Francisco Bay as the most important water resource in the region. It provides habitat for marine and terrestrial life, and offers scenic and recreational value. General Plan Policy 21.02 provides for the regular and systematic maintenance of San Leandro's parks and recreational facilities to prevent deterioration, ensure public safety, and permit continued public use and enjoyment. The Planning Commission stated, and staff concurs, that the effect of the proposed gates and fencing to deter perpetrators of crime would give the same message to persons wishing to use the public access to the Bay Trail outside the western edge of the Heron Bay neighborhood. Although the pedestrian gate would remain unlocked, just the presence of the gates and fencing across Bayfront Drive could be seen as an impermissible impediment to the public use and enjoyment of the Bay Trail. The Planning Commission recommended that the Association consider other effective and less exclusive safety measures to address security, such as • security cameras; • improved lighting; • a more active neighborhood watch program; and, • encouraging use of an online community social network. The proponents feel the proposal is an attractive design and an enhancement to the appearance of the entrance to the Heron Bay neighborhood. However, the proposal can also be seen as one that detracts from and diminishes the look of the Heron Bay neighborhood entrance, which is currently unobstructed at Bayfront Drive, Anchorage Drive and the open space at the northern edge of the Lewelling Boulevard circle. Although the proposal is to have the pedestrian gate open for free access to the Bay Trail at all times, the Planning Commission and staff consider it a barrier to pedestrians and bicyclists who intend to access the Bay Trail. The Bay Trail is a valued local and regional public resource. Staff and the Planning Commission also expressed operational concerns with the proposed gates and fencing at the Bayfront Drive sidewalk, which, again, is expected to accommodate pedestrians and bicyclists intending to access the Bay Trail or the Heron Bay neighborhood. The current condition allows bicyclists ingress and egress on the Bayfront Drive roadway without the proposed impediment. The proposed design requires that bicyclists ride on the approximately six foot wide sidewalk, which would thereby create hazardous situations for both pedestrians and bicyclists to share the narrow sidewalk from the pedestrian gate to the Bay Trail. Applicable General Plan Policies General Plan Policy 2.10 Gated Communities. Unless overriding public safety considerations exist, discourage the development of "gated" communities or the gating of already developed neighborhoods or subdivisions. City of San Leandro Page 6 Printed on 8126/2014