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backyard, but the Mason's profit motive creates more parties and more people than a normal neighbor. Therefore, the Masons are not acting like a normal neighbor. The City is proposing a schedule for outdoor parties here with problems with it: (1) we have no protection from voices because of the City's interpretation of the noise code does not include voices. We are dumbfounded as to why the City would even consider putting this huge noise nuisance next to us without any protection; (2) There is no limit on the number of Masonic parties; (3) there's no way to monitor if the party is a Masonic or commercial party; (4) the City can override and approve additional parties. What this is saying is that the Masons can basically have parties every weekend of the year. Point number 5: who is profiting from the revenues from the parties in the backyard? It is not the public. The Masons lost their tax exempt status /non - profit status and Pleasanton business license. What this means is that their revenues are no longer posted on a public website by the IRS so that the public can see the benefit of their revenues. By the way Commissioner Nagler, we gave proof to the City of the links to both the IRS and the Secretary of State to prove that those two things were lost and that document was not included in your packet. So who is profiting from all of the money from the outside parties? It's a private company and make no mistake about it that the health of our neighbors' neighborhood is not at stake here. It's the pockets of a private enterprise. What we want is the City to enforce and stop the Masonic use of the backyard. In conclusion, put yourself in our shoes please. You now have these commercial parties on the other side of your fence. Would you want this? Do you think this should be happening in a residential neighborhood? Just look into your heart and vote your conscience. We hope that you help the City get back on track so that we can all be proud of what it says on the side of our police cars which is, `Pleasanton, a City of Character.' Derek Watry: I am CEO and principal of Wilson Ihrig, an acoustical consulting firm in the Bay Area. I've been there for 24 years. First, I would remind you of a couple of definitions that are fundamental here. Sound is simply the propagation of pressure waves through the air. Noise is simply unwanted sound. There's all there is to it. Regarding regulation of noise, every City is required to have a noise ordinance and Pleasanton of course has one. There's a wide misconception that all it does is limit loud noises, that there's a decibel reading and a limit that you can't go over, and if you don't you're not in violation of the noise ordinance. That is simply not true. Noise ordinances also address noises that are disruptive, whether or not they are particularly loud or not. I'II give you a good example of that. This is a pretty stayed meeting. People are behaving well, but I've been at meetings where people weren't behaving well. There was a lot of murmuring and talking in the backyard, with a lot of background noise. Commissioners get angry, Commissioners get irritated, they get upset and that's the reaction that people have to noise. That's the reaction that you get when you hear clearly with Darlene Miller's voice. When they're trying to have a party and the Masons are posting a party, they get upset. That's their reaction. So noise is not just about levels. The proposed changes in the CUP here tonight would introduce as you know, new noise in an area that's been peaceful and quiet, the peace and quiet of which in the EXCERPT: PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES, June 22, 2016 Page 15 of 52