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Planning Commission AFT/UNAPPROVED FSuary 24, 2000 Minute No. 2000-04 (Excerpt) Page 8 of 16 Commissioner Ravenstad asked staff to convey to the City Council his statement that the project as proposed was a substandard development in that it did not have a minimum amount of tree screening at least around the sides of the property, especially considering the fact that the site has virtually no trees throughout. Commissioner Collier inquired as to the viability of several remote parking spaces to the rear of the property and the rail spur and noted that if the spur could be abandoned that together with the parking spaces could be converted to a landscaped area. Associate City Planner Weisbrod concurred, saying he would check to see what part of the spur was on the subject property. Commissioner Demirjian noted that he was in agreement with other commissioners' comments about widening Marina Boulevard now rather than in the future. He said that other factors besides local land use could impact local traffic on Marina Boulevard. He noted that as traffic on Highway 238 got worse, more and more motorists were crossing from I-580 to I-880 via Marina and Davis. He said the airport also was going to generate more traffic in the area. Vice-Chair Reed amplified on comments by Commissioners Mahoney and Collier, saying that it was foolhardy not to widen Marina Boulevard in front of the proposed project. He noted that there were three lanes in front of Marina Square Shopping Center where motorists were coming off the freeway and attempting to merge left into two through lanes in front of the proposed project. He said that even modest traffic-slowing as cars stacked up before entering the car dealership would tend to stall traffic attempting to merge from three lanes to two. He said the entire traffic flow pattern as proposed constituted a serious hazard. Secretary Hom noted that there was a cross-hatched area adjacent to the existing curb in front of the project site that was not currently a travel lane which could be restriped to serve as a right turn lane or deceleration lane. This option had been discussed by Transportation staff. Chair Chin noted that she often made a vehicular right turn from eastbound Marina Boulevard onto Teagarden and said she often experienced difficulty merging with motorists making a right turn out of the Marina Square Shopping Center followed by a left-lane change as they seek to make a U-turn back to the I-880 freeway on-ramps. She said traffic in the entire area would be compounded by not extending the widening of the street at the proposed site. Chair Chin asked if any asbestos-containing materials had been found in the existing metal building being utilized by the proposed project. G:\MINUTES.PC/2000/2-24-2000 2/29/2000