It was approved and an [official] resolution was passed on Feb. 27.

Then we may move to the south side of the summit to get a full resolution image of the basin to the south. We hope to study the peculiar feature, Home Plate, in the future, as well as get some good images of the possible pathway down the hill to the basin.

When I spoke to the Haller family to tell them the resolution was going to be passed, they were shocked and overwhelmed. A busload of descendants came in for the day when it was passed. It meant so much to them.

From a zoning point of view, it had everything wrong with it. It was extraordinarily high, and [according to the current master plan for zoning] you're only allowed 30 units per acre. This had 366 units per acre, which was 12 times the permitted density.

Part of this was my personal umbrage that the zoning ordinance was being ignored. [Secondly] I think Union City has had the opportunity of a lifetime in the last few years to redevelop in a constructive way, and I think we have squandered that opportunity.

They grant far too many variances; they grant six to eight variances on any given project. Variances are to be granted sparingly. They have been way too generous.