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exception as being a balance. She indicated that she sees the Council as having the ability to interpret the language because it is not defined in the initiative; it does not necessarily have to be all taken back through the initiative process for the voters to define "ridgeline." Chair Blank stated that he agreed with everything Ms. Harryman said and understands the Council interpreting what a ridgeline is, a structure, and a roadway. He noted, however, that the exemption process is an issue that is not addressed at all in the ordinance. He added that he is just trying to understand if the voters intended for there to be an exceptions process even though one was not stated in the ordinance. Ms. Harryman replied that she thinks what the Council is trying to do is to find a way to implement the ordinance and interpret the ordinance, and even though it does not explicitly state a lot of things that have been decided or look like they may be decided. Commissioner Olson stated that in his view, looking at the process the Commission goes through when a project comes in and may require a variance, the Commission may or may not agree on granting the variance, and that, in effect, would be an exception process. Commissioner O'Connor stated that he had a conversation with Legal some time ago and it was his understanding that the Council should be looking at interpreting some of these unknowns. He referred to "streets" as an example and asked if it is a structure or not. He indicated that he thinks the Planning Commission said it was and recommended that to the Council; and the Council agreed that a street was a structure, and so the Council has now defined street as a structure. He noted that now, exceptions are being discussed to allow or not allow a structure, which is not defined at all in Measure PP. He indicated that his understanding is that, if there is now the desire to allow an exception or a variance to an item that was voted on by the people of Pleasanton, only the voters have the right to overturn that and to grant that exception. Mr. Dolan explained that he thinks the most important thing that Ms. Harryman said was exactly what he wanted to say, and that is that there is this question about whether or not a road is a structure. He noted that Commissioner O'Connor agrees that the Council has the discretion to determine whether or not that is true. He continued that in his opinion, reasonable people could disagree on that, and he does not have any problem with people who think it is or who do not think it is; but that is a decision that everyone seems to be comfortable with the Council making. He noted that it could go one way or another and questioned why the it cannot pick one side, but then give a little bit of an out to the other side because both answers are within the realm of its authority. Ms. Harryman added that the word "exception" is being used in this discussion, but she thinks the Council did not use the word "exemption" or "exception." She indicated that the idea was to consider those approvals or those roads that were contemplated pre- Measure PP. She pointed out that it is just another interpretation and PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES, January 23, 2013 Page 11 of 44