Council Backs 142-Unit Affordable Family Project, Seeks Fee Analysis

Pleasanton is preparing to directly fund a family affordable housing project for the first time. At its Oct. 20, 2026, workshop, the City Council told staff to pursue a term sheet with Bridge Housing for up to 142 homes at 4780 Chabot Drive, though roughly $18 million in fee and fund questions remain open. Earlier, neighbors packed public comment to oppose opening Arroyo Mocho trail gates, and the city's community energy provider defended how it spends ratepayer money.

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• Council backs Bridge Housing's 142-unit affordable project and directs staff toward a term sheet
• $10.3M fee transfer supported; $8.4M fee relief still needs analysis
• Eight residents oppose opening Arroyo Mocho north-bank trail gates; one advocate supports it
• AVA reports nearly $3M in Pleasanton savings and defends its e-bike rebates
• Consent calendar passes 5-0 despite a challenge over skipped Bike/Ped committee review

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Pleasanton Weighs Its First Direct Bet on Family Housing

The basics: Bridge Housing proposes up to 142 rental homes, all affordable to families, on 1.4 acres in Hacienda. The six-story building, about 75 feet tall, would replace an office building near BART and provide 0.5 parking spaces per unit. Construction would cost "roughly between $650,000 to $700,000 a unit," said Bridge Housing Senior Vice President Stephen Clark.

Why it matters: The city has produced more than 1,140 affordable units, mostly through inclusionary zoning, which requires market-rate developers to include affordable homes or pay fees instead. Even so, "the city has never funded directly a dedicated multifamily affordable housing family project in Pleasanton," said Director of Community and Economic Development Ellen Clark. In October 2024, the council asked staff to take a more active role.

Where things stand: Bridge made three requests:
- Pass-through of about $10.3M in off-site inclusionary fees paid by the Paseo Park developer
- About $8.4M in relief from building, capital facilities and traffic impact fees
- Expedited review

Housing Manager Steve Hernandez said the city has never granted fee waivers before. Staff offered alternatives, including a deferred loan or using the Lower Income Housing Fund to cover the fees. That fund holds $18.9M, with $7M to $8M more expected. Staff said the city would have no ongoing obligation beyond the request.

How the council split on the money: No formal vote was taken. Members backed the concept and the $10.3M transfer, but their conditions diverged:
- Vice Mayor Matt Gaidos said his support "comes with a contingency that I'd like the city's general fund to be reimbursed in full to the extent possible."
- "I would be fine if we ended up paying for that $8.5 million as long as it came out of that low-income housing fund," said Councilmember Craig Eicher.
- Councilmember Julie Testa said, "I do like the thought of considering deferring some of those fees as opposed to waiving all of them."
- "I do not want to deplete the lower income housing fund should there be another opportunity that we may want to take in the future," said Mayor Jack Balch.

The other side: Parking drew the sharpest questions. "Families aren't going to be able to get their kids to the soccer practice on BART," Testa said. Bridge said parking is expensive and the ratio reflects what fits on the site. The developer added that rented off-site spaces could supplement it, and that reducing unit count is the tradeoff. Gaidos said he would trade height for parking, while Balch deferred to staff and the developer. When Testa raised concerns about stigma, Bridge said modern affordable developments look like market-rate ones.

Asked whether the project would close the city's state-assigned housing gap (RHNA) of just under 3,000 low-income units, Ellen Clark said: "This will make a dent, but no, it will not solve RHNA."

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: Gaidos, Councilmember Jeff Nibert, Testa and Eicher criticized state housing mandates while backing the project. Gaidos's remarks included partisan criticism of state Democrats. Public commenter John Bauer asked whether the project would return to the council after Planning Commission design review or be approved ministerially, and whether it would be the first fully affordable project since SB 79. Those questions were not answered at the meeting. Families seeking affordable rentals stand to gain. Future projects competing for housing-fund dollars could lose out if fees are paid from that fund.

What's next: Staff will negotiate a term sheet with Bridge and return with further analysis of fee relief, parking and housing-fund use.

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Neighbors Push Back on Arroyo Mocho Trail Gates

Why it matters: The north-bank trail segment dates to a 1993 plan and would close a gap in the bike network. However, the residents who live closest to it turned out in force against it.

Where things stand: Eight residents of Pleasanton Meadows and Martin Avenue opposed opening the gates.
- Christine Smith said she spoke for 42 homeowners whose properties abut the trail. She called the city's survey biased, cited the steep slope, Caltrans and AASHTO design hazards, and liability, and requested a site walkthrough with the city engineer. She said neighbors had contacted Zone 7, which must issue an encroachment permit.
- Carl Potts argued the trail would not meet master plan and AASHTO width and barrier standards.
- Lee Smith urged a pause and a formal safety assessment, citing e-bike speeds. He said a crash-rated guardrail should be the minimum.
- Gurudev Rajputra, Pranay and Shrubi Mandal cited crime, encampments, fire hazards and child safety.
- Pam O'Connell and Zheng Huang questioned the need for the segment, given the paved trail on the south bank.

The other side: Todd Nelson, a former Bike/Ped committee member, supported opening the trail to close gaps in the city's low-stress bike network.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: The council took no action. Staff said the 2019 trails plan included the segment, but work paused during COVID and budget constraints. In March 2026, the council directed outreach, and a weekend meeting drew about 30 neighbors. Balch said there is "still time to have your viewpoints and perspectives incorporated into the plan."

What's next: The Bike/Ped committee will review the revised master plan draft again in November or December.

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AVA Touts Savings, Faces Affordability Questions

The basics: AVA Community Energy buys electricity for about 2 million people in Alameda and San Joaquin counties, while PG&E delivers it. Pleasanton joined in 2019, and about 94% of its customers have stayed.

Why it matters: Pleasanton's default product is Renewable 100, which costs about 1.75 cents more than PG&E. The cheaper Bright Choice option is about 55% renewable and offered at a modest discount. AVA CEO Howard Chang reported nearly $3M in savings for Pleasanton customers.

Where things stand: On affordability, Chang said, "That is the top-of-mind issue that I think we hear about from our customers directly." He blamed PG&E delivery costs and wildfire hardening and forecast softer generation rates in 2027.

The other side: Testa asked why $13M goes to e-bike rebates instead of lower rates. Chang cited air quality, equity and co-funding from the Alameda County Transportation Commission (ACTC). He added that "it is a source of a lot of discussion and debate amongst our board to decide how do we prioritize." Testa also asked about plug-in solar, and Chang said AVA takes a hands-off approach.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: No action was taken. Balch, who sits on AVA's board, noted that the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) regulates PG&E rates, while member cities govern AVA.

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Grant Applications Stay on Consent

Where things stand: Eicher asked whether approving item 3, the highway safety grant applications, would lock in spending. "If we approve the grant appropriation, does that lock in the specific spending items that are listed in this staff report?" he asked. Staff said the three scoped projects would return to the council upon award so it can set the local match, and Eicher left the item on consent to avoid delaying the applications.

The other side: Nelson said Resolution 2024-003 gives the Bike/Ped committee a role in reviewing bike and pedestrian grants and that the committee had rejected one of the projects. He urged the council to "kick anything back that staff gives you that doesn't have the committee input that you expect." Interim City Manager Joe Calabrigo responded: "In this particular instance, since we're not proposing to use Measure BB or TDA funds, it isn't required."

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: Testa asked staff to review the requirement, and Nibert confirmed the review would include the resolution's text. Consent items 1 through 6 passed on a voice vote, on a motion by Eicher seconded by Testa (For: 5, Against: 0, Absent: 0).

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Minor Items

• Clara Lane map: Subdivider Rakesh Jain said his Oct. 5 filing triggers an automatic 60-day extension. Neighbor Guy Renwick urged denial. Calabrigo said the 2007 map "is going to expire statutorily" on Oct. 26.
• $178M reserve claim: Calabrigo said the figure reflected the city's 2014 pooled investment balance, not freely available funds. Testa later declined to pursue the matter further.
• Communications: Principal Analyst and Public Information Officer Sharon Petrin reported more than 11 million social media views and 13,000 new followers since July 2025, and launched StormWatch Pleasanton.
• Business milestones: The city honored 173 businesses marking 15 to 50 years in Pleasanton, 36 of which attended.
• Seating rules: Gaidos asked to revisit Council Handbook section 6.3 on seat assignments. The council agreed to discuss it before the new year.

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Looking Ahead

The Zone 7 flood open house is Oct. 24, the election is Nov. 3, and the council's next meeting is Nov. 17. That meeting includes the Prop 218 sewer rate hearing, where public commenter Andrew Blythe has filed a written protest. He objected to a first-year increase from about $31 to $57 with no cap and asked for a slower phase-in. To prepare for El Niño storms, residents can pick up free sandbags at 3333 Bush Road (limit 10 per trip) and sign up for AC Alert. The council adjourned in memory of former Mayor Tom Pico.