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DRAFT <br /> work. He stated that for that reason, he personally applauds this survey and thinks it is <br /> outstanding because it clearly shows how it is going to translate out. He noted that the <br /> devil's advocate approach to how staff works out is a good question; however, he really <br /> does think that staff tries to balance it. <br /> With regard to the first question of Option 1 or Option 2, whether design review is <br /> applied on everything or only on a specific number of things, Commissioner Balch <br /> stated that he is actually grappling that, although a lot of speakers went for Option 2, he <br /> feels that after listening to that Council meeting, when people are going to be in design <br /> review and everything is in design review, they just know they are in design review, and <br /> it is pretty easy and they learn it. He noted that when people start to say what <br /> specifically is in, it lends to subjectivity as to what is not in and what is in, and they do <br /> not know if they are in; they have to interpret that they are in for design review versus <br /> they are in carte-blanche from the start. He stated that he agrees with that, maybe with <br /> some clarification or ideas, but he also understands that it could be overarching or <br /> overreaching such that he wonders what the negative is. <br /> Commissioner Balch stated that Option 1 would be everything is in except what would <br /> look like in Option 2, which says only these are in. He asked how far apart these two <br /> are: if everything is in "except," how long is that list versus the list that staff has come <br /> up with that only says only "these things" are in? If only mailboxes and signage are <br /> excluded in terms of the address sign, why does it not state "except for those two <br /> things?" <br /> Mr. Weinstein stated that the complete list of items is probably a subject of one's <br /> imagination, as there are probably things that can never be anticipated that would be <br /> captured by the more comprehensive approach to regulating the first floor of historic <br /> buildings. He noted that obvious suspects are things like the color of the house or the <br /> address number on the wall, and there are probably a lot of other things like mailboxes <br /> and other features that would not be encompassed in Option 2. He pointed out that the <br /> intent under Option 2 is to make it easier for the applicant by making the features that <br /> would be subject to additional review as precise as possible. He added that maybe <br /> some work can be done on those, but the City does not want to review house numbers <br /> and paint color; the preference is for applicants who wants to make a change to their <br /> first floor to look at this list and figure out whether their project is subject to this <br /> additional review or not. <br /> Mr. Otto added that there are currently no guidelines or regulations to help staff review, <br /> for example, mailboxes and things like that, so it would be getting to the point where <br /> staff is reviewing things and coming up with their own subjective comments on those <br /> things. He pointed that one of the criticisms for starting this Task Force process was to <br /> try to get predictable results each time so people at least know what they are subject to <br /> being reviewed on or not. <br /> Commissioner Balch rephrased his statement: The applicants are in design review <br /> except that their mailbox, their address numbering and lettering and the color of their <br /> house are not in. He stated that he really liked the structure of Option 2, but what he is <br /> DRAFT EXCERPT: PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES, 10/14/2015 Page 16 of 18 <br />