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THE CITY OF 13 CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT LASJTOL December 17, 2013 Community Development Planning Division TITLE: CONSIDER (1) AMENDMENTS TO THE GENERAL PLAN, DOWNTOWN SPECIFIC PLAN, AND DOWNTOWN DESIGN GUIDELINES RELATING TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND RESIDENTIAL DESIGN WITHIN THE DOWNTOWN SPECIFIC PLAN AREA; AND (2) INTRODUCTION OF AN ORDINANCE APPROVING AMENDMENTS TO THE MUNICIPAL CODE RELATING TO STORY POLE REQUIREMENTS AND DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT WITHIN THE DOWNTOWN SPECIFIC PLAN AREA SUMMARY In December 2011, the City Council appointed a seven-member ad hoc Historic Preservation Task Force to review the current Downtown historic preservation policies, guidelines, and processes. After 12 Task Force meetings, four public outreach meetings, and one public workshop, the Task Force developed and is unanimously recommending amendments to the General Plan, Downtown Specific Plan, Downtown Design Guidelines, and Pleasanton Municipal Code to modify existing historic preservation policies and design guidelines, implement story pole requirements, and address demolition by neglect. A majority of the Planning Commission supports the Task Force's recommendation except for a proposed compatibility policy regarding the mass and bulk of single-family homes. Staff supports the Task Force's recommendation and the attached draft amendments reflect the Task Force's recommendation with a minor change to the demolition definition by staff. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION Recommended the City Council accept the Pleasanton Downtown Historic Context Statement and approve the amendments as recommended by the Task Force and staff except for the mass and bulk compatibility policy. RECOMMENDATION 1. Find that the proposed amendments to the General Plan, Downtown Specific Plan, Downtown Design Guidelines, and Municipal Code are statutorily exempt from CEQA; 2. Adopt a resolution accepting the Pleasanton Downtown Historic Context Statement (Attachment 1); 3. Adopt a resolution approving the amendments to the Downtown Specific Plan (Attachment 2);