(PLEASANTON, CA.) – Pleasanton’s city council met on June 16 to discuss whether to allocate $925,411 toward the expansion of El Charro Road.
El Charro Road connects the San Francisco Outlets in Livermore to Busch Road, which picks up at the Pleasanton Garbage Services Inc. by the Montessori School of Pleasanton.
This section of the road was completed in 2012, with an expansion always anticipated but postponed due to a lack of funding.
Photo Credit: Google Maps
Traffic Engineer Mike Tasano gave a few more brief details about this project before allowing the council to debate their desired course of action.
He explained that the money will be used to, if the council allows it, conduct studies and determine the best route for the expansion.
This process includes communicating with developers whose land the road would run through, and considering all environmental impacts and challenges.
With this basic information, Council member Julie Testa began the discussion by expressing her concern about allocating a large amount of money toward this project.
Photo Credit: YouTube / City of Pleasanton Public Meetings
Her initial points included the fact that it was originally an item on the consent calendar before she pulled it out, and the fact that it is not a priority item.
Remarking that the requested amount of money is a large sum for a consent calendar, Testa asked how much the entire project is estimated to cost.
She followed up with inquiries regarding whether or not there are identifiable sources of future funding.
Tasano explained that the current estimated cost for the entire project is $120 million dollars.
As for funding, some money can be found in the fees that developers pay for owning land in Pleasanton, as well as some from Tri-Valley Transportation Council (TVTC).
These developers, however, have not yet committed to funding the project.
Tasano attempted to provide some reassurance in the face of this fact by citing Pleasanton’s municipal code and past communications with these developers.
“If [the road is] adjacent to their property, they're required by our municipal code to build that half of the roadway. [Additionally], in our discussions over the years, [...] the [developers] recognize that they need the roadway as much as we need the roadway.”
Photo Credit: YouTube / City of Pleasanton Public Meetings
Vice Mayor Jack Gaidos questioned Tasano further on the funding that comes from the TVTC.
According to Tasano, developers pay a fee to the TVTC for owning land.
20% of this fee is given back to Pleasanton to put towards eligible projects. Tasano claimed that the current fund is around $2.8 million.
He further claimed that of the projects that are eligible to spend this fund on, the El Charro project is the only one located in Pleasanton.
Council member Jeff Nibert has concerns different from the financial ones expressed by Gaidos and Testa.
Instead, he is worried that establishing a route for the extension now would limit flexibility with the project in the future.
To counter this concern, Tasano highlighted the benefits of establishing a route early on.
“[Planning the precise location] essentially becomes a portion of the [thing] that guides the development of that area. So, we can then require landowners to build or develop according to that plan.”
Without it, he reasoned, developers could freely develop their land and eventually feel the need to reject the project due to it potentially impeding their development.
After this discussion, council members gave their final thoughts before voting on the topic.
The council showed general support, with Gaidos making a point that the TVTC’s funding was meant to be used in this way, which was a major factor in his support for this item.
The only council member opposed to this was Testa, who reiterated her concern over the large amount of money and expressed new concerns that the project would eventually sit with no concrete progress or funding in sight.
Even after her turn to speak was over and public comment on the item was closed, she attempted to push for a Zone 7 representative to speak on the matter regarding potential water contamination.
Mayor Jack Balch cut her off, explaining that both her time to speak and public comment were already closed.
Thus proceeded the vote, where this item was passed three votes to Testa’s one.
To add or correct any information in this report, please contact me at madison.v@lead4earth.org.
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