Opinion EDITORIAL
THE OPINION OF THE WEEKLY
Revisiting JDEDZ now is city’s best option
T
he City Council reversing its decision from last year to approve the Johnson Drive Economic Development Zone would be a smart move. Filing a stipulation in court last month, city officials stated they plan to present the City Council with a resolution — most likely in September or October — to cancel last year’s JDEDZ approval so further environmental review can take place. This would temporarily delay the new Costco store and hotels proposed to move into the JDEDZ area. Counter-intuitive as it might be, delaying the project now would in
all likelihood actually move it forward quicker. Local resident coalition Pleasanton Citizens for Responsible Growth, spearheaded by former city councilman Matt Sullivan, sued the city in December 2017, challenging the council’s environmental impact report (EIR) for the JDEDZ. This move came after the group’s failing to collect enough signatures to put a second Costcorelated referendum on the ballot. Some people have criticized rescinding the JDEDZ, saying it is a sign of weak leadership, that the city isn’t confident in the EIR results it certified or that the city
UPCOMING MEETINGS Economic Vitality Committee Thursday, August 16, 2018 at 7:30 a.m. Operation Services Department, 3333 Busch Road ‹ 7YLZLU[H[PVU HUK KPZJ\ZZPVU VU Z[HŃœÂťZ YLJVTTLUKLK *P[`ÂťZ *HWP[HS -HJPSP[` ;YHUZWVY[H[PVU HUK (ŃœVYKHISL /V\ZPUN +L]LSVWTLU[ 0TWHJ[ -LLZ ZJOLK\SL KL]LSVWTLU[ PTWHJ[ MLLZ
Housing Commission Thursday, August 16, 2018 at 7 p.m. *V\UJPS *OHTILY 6SK )LYUHS (]LU\L ‹ 9L]PL^ VM /V\ZPUN /\THU :LY]PJLZ .YHU[ //:. 7YVNYHT *VUZVSPKH[LK (UU\HS 7LYMVYTHUJL HUK ,]HS\H[PVU 9LWVY[Z *(7,9 MVY -PZJHS @LHY MVY /V\ZPUN 9LSH[LK 7YVNYHT H ,*/6 /V\ZPUN /V\ZPUN *V\UZLSPUN :LY]PJLZ I /HIP[H[ MVY /\THUP[` /V\ZPUN 9LOHIPSP[H[PVU 7YVNYHT J (IVKL :LY]PJLZ" 9HWPK 9L /V\ZPUN HUK /67, :[YLL[ 6\[YLHJO *************************************************************************************
BE A PART OF THE PUBLIC PROCESS VOLUNTEER FOR A CITY COMMISSION 0U (WYPS HUK :LW[LTILY VM LHJO `LHY [OL 4H`VY HUK *P[` *V\UJPS YLJY\P[Z HUK HWWVPU[Z YLZPKLU[Z VM 7SLHZHU[VU [V H ]HYPL[` VM IVHYKZ HUK JVTTPZZPVUZ HSSV^PUN [OLT [V JVU[YPI\[L [V HUK PUĂ…\LUJL KLJPZPVUZ HŃœLJ[PUN [OL JP[` WYV]PKPUN HK]PJL HUK MLLKIHJR VU PTWVY[HU[ JVTT\UP[` PZZ\LZ (WWSPJH[PVUZ HYL UV^ ILPUN HJJLW[LK MVY [OL MVSSV^PUN! Committee on Energy and the Environment Youth Member Economic Vitality Committee Categories include: Commercial Real Estate Development, Commercial Real Estate Broker, Financial Services and Medical Services * Human Services Commission Member Library Commission Member Youth Member Planning Commission Member Youth Commission Middle School Member For more information or to apply, please visit cityofpleasantonca.gov/gov/depts/clerk/boards/default.asp Applicants must reside within the Pleasanton city limits * Does not apply Applications are due August 17, 2018. Interviews will be held Week of August 27, 2018 For additional information contact the 6ɉJL VM [OL *P[` *SLYR H[
To explore more about Pleasanton, visit us at www.cityofpleasantonca.gov Page 10 • August 10, 2018 • Pleasanton Weekly
is “giving in� to pressure from Sullivan and his group. But this is not weakness, secondguessing or capitulation; it’s a strategy, and it’s a good one. By canceling the approval and doing supplemental EIR analysis, complete with a public comment period, the council is expediting the ultimate approval because it will stop the lawsuit from languishing in the court system. By canceling and agreeing to more analysis now, specifically on the air quality impacts on the Stoneridge Apartments complex across the freeway from the Costco site, the city is being proactive. “Given the inherent delay associated with litigation involving the California Environmental Quality Act, the city has agreed to set aside the approvals so that supplemental environmental review can take place,� city attorney Dan Sodergren said last week. “Although this project has already been subject to extensive environmental review, the city believes that this is the most effective way to provide the public and public officials with information and allow for reconsideration of the project,� Sodergren added. “Costco is in support of this approach and is a signatory to the (court) stipulation.� Work has already been stopped once, between July and November of 2016 pending results of the voter initiative (Measure MM) to limit the size of buildings within the JDEDZ
to 50,000 square feet or less. Residents spoke loud and clear when the initiative was defeated by 63% of the voters — basically a proCostco vote. Costco is in support of rescinding the JDEDZ now because they want this process to move forward too. In the city’s online FAQs on the project, Costco representatives are quoted as stating, “Costco Wholesale is committed to our future Pleasanton location ... We believe this location represents a great opportunity for us to better serve our many members in Pleasanton.� Sodergren said he could not estimate how long the JDEDZ supplemental review would take, but he noted the council took a similar approach when faced with a lawsuit challenging the Staples Ranch development EIR in 2009. That project was approved again after the city completed extra environmental review. It will more than likely take a few months to complete the additional analysis for the JDEDZ, but who knows how long the legal wrangling would have continued with the lawsuit, with the possibility of having to do this same supplemental EIR work anyway. At least now the timeline doesn’t belong to the court. Kudos to city staff and the council for recognizing the residents of Pleasanton want the Costco built and for remaining committed to it by formulating the best plan to move it forward. Q
LETTERS Global warming 2018 Dear Editor, The Economist magazine recently published an article summarizing warming trends around the world (tinyurl.com/y7jdrnyp). The examples they showed were alarming. Notably, they published the article in their Science and Technology section. In my 15 years in Pleasanton, I’ve not seen much evidence that residents here are concerned about global warming and climate change. Perhaps that is because they “doubt� the science showing human behavior as a cause, or they fear the costs of mitigation, or
possibly because they are tired of feeling harangued on the subject. But the warming is real and the consequences are dire for those most affected. In my view, that really means all of us. I respectfully hope the city starts giving this issue the attention it deserves. There are so many manageable actions that individuals and communities can take. And the benefits of raised awareness may be even more important. Our experts tell us it is not yet too late to make substantive changes. Let’s look to the future now, and work to slow warming trends that are increasingly putting life at risk. —Anne Childs
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