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Chair Blank noted that was a really good point. <br />Commissioner O'Connor commented that Commissioner Posson's statements make a <br />lot of sense because there is no incentive for the builder to install the PVs and solar <br />water heaters after the fact, and the cost just gets passed onto the renter. As for the <br />rest of the project as he has seen it, he stated that he was pretty impressed with the <br />fantastic job the developer has done and the nice complex they have come up with. He <br />indicated that he understands the whole argument about affordability and that Option 1 <br />would give about 12 to 15 percent, while Option 2 at 15 percent does not give quite as <br />deep an affordability. He noted, however, that 15 percent has been the City's <br />guidelines, and this is really not within the Planning Commission's purview. He stated <br />that in this respect, he thinks the Planning Commission needs to step back from the <br />affordability piece and let the Housing Commission send its recommendation to the <br />Council. <br />Commissioner Narum stated that she really likes the project and after seeing the color <br />board, is happy with the mustard - yellow color, which looks a lot different than what she <br />saw at the Work Session, and prefers it to adding the other color to soften it. With <br />respect to the installation of the PV panels and solar water heater, she indicated that <br />she understands Commissioner Posson's point, but she is trying to figure out where the <br />balance is because she gets a little uncomfortable telling applicants what to do, <br />particularly because they are meeting the required Green Building points. <br />Chair Blank agreed and added that he thinks one of the challenges in this regard is that <br />the Commission does not tell a developer who has met the required standard of <br />50 points what they have to do, and Commissioner Posson's proposal would be telling <br />the developer how it should be done. He admitted this was a tough one and proposed <br />that following the Commissioners' comments, he would like to re -open the public <br />hearing and ask the developer what their incentive might be for installing the panels. <br />Commissioner O'Connor suggested that those points could be swapped for other <br />points. <br />Commissioner Narum stated that she does not want to tell the developers how to <br />engineer where they will put their Green points. <br />Chair Blank agreed and added that if the Commission will start moving points around, <br />then maybe the City should not have points and just get rid of the whole program. He <br />noted that the ordinance says that they have to be above this threshold and they are <br />good once they get there; but if the Commission does not like the way they got above <br />the threshold, then the system needs to be changed. <br />Commissioners Pearce and O'Connor agreed. <br />PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES, March 27, 2013 Page 42 of 48 <br />