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Mayor Thorne closed the public comment. BREAK — Mayor Thorne called a recess at 8:57 p.m. and reconvened the regular meeting at 9:09 p.m. with all members present. Councilmember Narum said that as many alluded to, the eclectic and unique downtown character is part of what contributes to Pleasanton's small town charm. She stated support for something between options 2 and 3 and a revised definition of "demolition" that reduces subjectivity in a way that is thoughtful and speaks to the relevant aspects of the area. She explained that the Planning Commission put this forward as Council priority due to its ongoing struggles with inconsistencies amongst the City's various guidelines. She stated support for the comprehensive survey because of the economy of scale and clarity it would provide and thought it would serve to simplify rather than over regulate the entire process. She also stated support for the designation of a historic district, provided it does not encompass additional regulation. Councilmember Brown said that downtown homes and businesses are part of the jewel that is Pleasanton and something to be preserved. She said it is a true shame to see older homes demolished through neglect and that it is imperative to ensure there are policies in place that prevent that from happening. She acknowledging that historic home ownership is not for everyone but felt that those do take it on should be supported. She stated support for a comprehensive survey and asked if there is any sort of exemption process for those property owners who may not wish to be included. Mr. Dolan said that the state and other levels of governance do have provisions that he would have to explore further but that they generally relate to the quality of the resources rather than the interest of the property owner. If not prepared in the context of a local standard, the survey would only document whether or not a property meets the state standards. Councilmember Brown said local history is extremely important to Pleasanton and does not necessarily mirror what makes properties historically significant in the state context. She noted that she spoke with Mr. Dolan earlier about her desire to see the use of story poles with any expansion of older homes. In terms of the task force recommendations, she said she liked a blend of options 2, 3 and 4, including the designation of a local district. She questioned the value of establishing a Mills Act program based on the relatively minimal benefits to the property owner. Vice-Mayor Cook-Kallio said she saw this as more of a process to create a set of guidelines that could be readily understood and eliminates inconsistencies rather than to increase regulation. She said she liked option 2 and was particularly interested in clarification of existing policies and guidelines as well as the creation of the flow chart mentioned by staff. She thought the comprehensive survey would provide a benefit to property owners in terms of cost savings and certainty although if possible, she would like to explore the idea of recouping at least some of the cost to the City. She found the benchmark for the state registry of historic structures to be rather high and said she would be interested in exploring what local standards might look like. She acknowledged the importance of protecting personal property rights but thought that there could be a way to establish standards in a way that benefits those property owners, particular if it clarifies the process and expectations for them and City staff. In terms of design review, she said she has always been in favor of guidelines that preserve the look of a facade while still allowing for upgrades to modern standards. Most importantly, anything that comes out of this process must focus on providing clear and concise information for the public. Councilmember Pentin said his experience on the Planning Commission taught him that no matter how streamlined, there is no one process that works well for every circumstance or property. He said he felt strongly that less is more and therefore supported something like option 1. He agreed the demolition should be addressed and said he would like to the second definition provided by staff expanded a bit further. He said he would also like to see the task force come forward with one document that marries and clarifies the policies and guidelines spelled out within the Downtown Specific Plan, design City Council Minutes Page 10 of 16 June 4, 2013