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described his experience with the building inspection processes and expressed the need for support, trust, and respect of businesses and potential tenants for success in the Downtown. Margene Rivara, Downtown property owner rights and design and expressed deep concern with what is happening in the Downtown. She indicated that more than the historic place, she values the unknown future of new, good design. She expressed concerned that the historic preservation policies and future regulations in the DTSP area will eventually result in a watered-down, make-believe of times past, with no longer any interesting and exciting properties because the City will work too hard to require conformity. She cited costly, lengthy, and frustrating design review requirements and processes, and pointed out that individual property owners and architects should be able to interpret the Code while preserving the character of the Downtown as it relates to style, setback, landscape, and health and safety issues, without needing to morph into Queen Anne, Colonial Revival, Vision Revival, Cottage, or a cheap imitation with no style or character. She stated that she believes the City should be respectful of individual rights and should not add layers of cumbersome studies, committee review processes, and arbitrary City design changes to the approval process. She spoke of non-traditional colors and new trends being formed, and asked the City to allow new possibilities and to keep an open mind for the future as well as the past. Peter MacDonald, Pleasanton Downtown Association (PDA), stated that interest in the Downtown is welcome and overdue, and to narrow the focus to history would completely miss neglected and important issues affecting the Downtown. He asked that the City broaden its Downtown Design Guidelines and update those documents to encourage increased vitality, historical preservation, and property improvement. He pointed out that the Downtown Hospitality Plan has a series of recommended actions and asked the Commission not to make things worse by fossilizing the Downtown. He noted that there is no significant historical matter that is not already addressed in a policy or guideline already in place. He added that the more rigid rules are written, the more home improvements will stop in the Downtown. He requested the Commission to adhere to the broader goal of updating the DTSP and DTDG and consider all issues of history, hospitality, and economic vitality. Charles Huff, architect and City historian, read a letter from Bonnie Shamblin into the record as follows: letter in my absence. Preservation Ordinance Task Force. We spent countless hours working with staff and residents to provide Pleasanton with an ordinance to preserve our historical downtown. As you can see in the minutes from November 28, 2001, several of the residents expressed concern over the scope of the plan. PLANNING COMMISSION REGULAR MINUTES, March 9, 2011 Page 14 of 24