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another home of 1,800 square feet would be illegal under the R-1-6,500 zoning and should never have been planned. She stated that it was mentioned that there are older homes and older lots that have variances, but this is because they were built before there were regulations, and new construction built now should meet the regulations. Ms. Garbarino stated that before this new house was planned, the property and the owners applied for and received a variance to allow some of the property to be 80 feet deep instead of 100 feet deep, so there is already a variance on the property right now, shrinking its size. She noted that another variance was requested for some tandem parking at the west side of the property, which was mitigated somewhat by a small bump-out. She added that the new construction will require three more variance, for a total of more than four variances. She stated that she sincerely hopes each Commissioner has visited the property and seen it from all angles, including from the Bourgs' house. She pointed out that City staff has required story poles to illustrate the size of the new construction, but as with most new construction, the actual building is much larger and more imposing than what the plans show. She noted that all properties in the Pleasanton Historic District are unique properties, one of a kind, on a unique street, in a unique neighborhood. She indicated that this lot and this block have been under siege for several years; changes have been grievous, and they have to be stopped. She added that once the history is erased from Pleasanton's Downtown heritage neighborhoods, once the small cottages and heritage homes are gone, the charm and character will also be gone, and this is irreplaceable. She stated that their neighborhood is protected by the Downtown Specific Plan and does not have CC&R's as most neighborhoods in Pleasanton do. She noted that right now, the City is going parcel by parcel trying to make long-term decisions for their area. She asked the Commission to look at each heritage property it is asked to consider and make a decision based on what is best for the entire community. She indicated that Pleasanton is blessed with wonderful people, great weather, and a family-friendly atmosphere, and the gift to all who live here is a small town heritage charm of the Downtown residential and commercial area. She stated that she believed the plan for 205 Neal Street is wrong in so many ways and asked the Commission to deny the project. Brian Bourg, neighbor, stated that he lives next door to the proposed project. He indicated that he has seen the streetscape and plans which are an artist's rendering and are not drawn to scale and, therefore, do not show the true relationships among the structures involved. He asked that if the project goes beyond this stage, a photomontage be done, similar to the one done for the two homes proposed for the Generations HealthCare property, to show exactly what it will look like in relationship to the surrounding area. He read from a written script as follows: "I oppose the project for many reasons, most of which relate to the massing and scale of the home as proposed, as well as the variances it requires. "In the Staff report, dated November 9, 2011, Downtown Specific Plan & Design Guidelines criteria state '...that the design of new buildings and modifications are compatible with Downtown's traditional design character & scale.' EXCERPT: PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES, NOVEMBER 9, 2011 Page 6 of 17