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Ms. Ott stated that the Guidelines revert back to and is supported by the Pleasanton <br />Municipal Code. <br />Mr. Rosen stated that the term used is "maximum continuous repetitive peak." He <br />noted that dishes dropping is almost a separate issue and are generally excluded from <br />noise measurement. He agreed with Acting Chair Blank regarding the metric. <br />Acting Chair Blank stated that someone who has a noise meter might say that he took <br />this measurement, it is audible and there is a tape, and the noise went over the limit for <br />three seconds; therefore, it is a verifiable Code violation and should be brought before <br />the Planning Commission. <br />Mr. Rosen concurred and said it would be defined more precisely that it currently is. <br />Ms. Ott read PMC's definition of "noise level ": "noise level means the maximum <br />continuous sound level or repetitive peak level produced by a source or a group of <br />sources as measured." <br />Acting Chair Blank stated that the challenge is it does not say for how long or how many <br />peaks. <br />Mr. Dolan stated that he would like to explain the reality of noise code enforcement so <br />the Commission does not get too sidetracked on the precise measuring issue. He <br />noted that in this regard, staff does not get that much dispute about the number. He <br />stated that the problems are that people tolerate the noise, then they get angry and call <br />up, and then they make reference to the ten times they did not call and how frustrated <br />they are. He added that there have not been a lot of circumstances where the dialogue <br />was whether it was 69 dBA or 70 dBA or 71 dBA, but the frustration about them not <br />necessarily calling out and pushing enforcement and the fact that we are not <br />necessarily proactive about it. He explained that enforcement is complaint- driven <br />because the City does not have the resources; there is one Code Enforcement Officer <br />who works from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and Police resources are limited as well. <br />Commissioner O'Connor inquired, should it would be necessary to change this in the <br />future, if the answer is to change the Municipal Code or to come back to this document <br />and change how sound is to be measured. <br />Mr. Dolan replied that he does not think there is a problem with the Code. <br />Commissioner O'Connor stated that his reference is if there is more vitality Downtown in <br />the future, resulting in bigger problems or an increase in the number of violations, and <br />better definitions are needed, would the answer be to change the Code. <br />Mr. Dolan replied that ultimately, there will be some conversation about amending the <br />Code He indicated that he actually likes the fact that there is some common sense <br />PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES, November 14, 2012 Page 13 of 31 <br />