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DRAFT <br /> She indicated that in terms of the methodology for the survey, City staff gave them <br /> general parameters with the boundaries of the survey determined by the boundaries of <br /> the DTSP. She continued that they then looked at the specific buildings within that area <br /> that were built before 1941, a City-specified condition of the survey. <br /> Ms. Petrin stated that they walked the residential areas, photographed every building, <br /> noted estimated date of construction and style of architecture, and made a preliminary <br /> activity assessment, a visual determination that had to be backed up with research. <br /> She noted that the most interesting pieces are the information that they gleaned from <br /> census records, ownership records, and the City of Pleasanton's building permits. <br /> Ms. Petrin stated that for a building to be historic or not historic, it has to have two <br /> things: (1) historic significance -the building has to relate to some of the significance <br /> that is outlined in Historic Context Statement; and (2) integrity — it does not have to do <br /> with the building being dilapidated, but retention of original materials such as if it <br /> exhibits original construction techniques and craftsmanship, design, materials, and so <br /> on. <br /> Ms. Petrin stated that each town and city, municipality and neighborhood, is really its <br /> own thing, and one of the things that really struck them about Pleasanton was the <br /> modest quality of the oldest buildings: the 1880's and early 1900's buildings and <br /> cottages, which were homes for newly arrived people, for working people. She noted <br /> that in their research they found that some of these hard-working people were illiterate <br /> or that they arrived from Portugal and Spain and other places; there was a <br /> concentration of Portuguese in the area. She added that it is kind of tricky that in the <br /> year 2015, people are looking to inhabit these houses, and there is the question of how <br /> to retain that special historic quality that is Pleasanton, a working town, a farm service <br /> town to support all of the agriculture that was around, and make modest buildings work <br /> for today's desires. She noted that this is a challenge that a lot of municipalities have <br /> and something that Pleasanton has grappled with for some time. <br /> Commissioner Ritter asked for a good example or most common non-integrity-based <br /> example of a house and if it is more structurally related. <br /> Ms. Petrin replied that one thing that is ubiquitous in Pleasanton, in California, and in <br /> the nation is window replacements, a change that can have a significant impact on the <br /> historic appearance of a building. She explained that a building then that has had its <br /> windows changed out would not necessarily no longer retain its integrity because that is <br /> such a common change, and windows can be changed back. She added that it might <br /> not necessarily require a wood window, but profile, size, and operability are good things <br /> to consider when thinking about window replacements. <br /> Ms. Petrin stated that window replacements is ubiquitous but is not an integrity issue <br /> and does not weigh so much. She indicated that what is more important has to do with <br /> the scale and mass of a building; for example, enlarging a building over time such that it <br /> no longer conveys either its original footprint or overall form would be an easy way to <br /> lose integrity. <br /> DRAFT EXCERPT: PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES, 10/14/2015 Page 3 of 18 <br />