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children's retail boutique which was vacant for seven months. She requested the Commission <br />reconsider the regulations to allow creation of a distinctive, vital downtown. <br />Pleasanton Downtown Association Executive Director Zac Grant provided public comment <br />suggesting Iron Horse Real Estate and Sculptsations be treated equally. He stated the change <br />would affect very few businesses and those would appear as active use from the street. He <br />suggested a separate business license for each business to ensure the front business was <br />legitimately active use. <br />THE PUBLIC HEARING WAS CLOSED <br />Commissioner Pace mentioned the arbitrariness of the number/percentage and goal to ensure <br />active use within the locations, while avoiding impacting the current tenants. He suggested <br />ensuring vibrancy as opposed to settling on a particular percentage. <br />Commissioner Nibert expressed concern that there was division between downtown members. <br />He referenced the public comment provided by Ms. Jasso and stated increasing the <br />percentage to more than half the square footage would squeeze out people/businesses such <br />as hers. He discussed limited enforcement and suggested a partnership between the City and <br />businesses. <br />Chair Brown mentioned his empathy for businesses such as Ms. Jasso's where she increased <br />her active use from 15 -percent to 25 -percent. <br />Commissioner Gaidos reminded the Commission that the policy was for the ground floor of <br />Main Street in the downtown and stated active use meant `open for business.' He stated the <br />intent was to avoid businesses that were advertisements such as real estate and rather have <br />businesses that were open to the public for five to six hours a day or at least 30 hours per <br />week. He recommended personal services require a special permit. <br />Chair Brown mentioned the DSP Task Force and intent behind active ground floor use being <br />based on continuity and flow along the street for browsing or foot traffic. He also <br />acknowledged that some personal service uses have a retail component. <br />Commissioner Allen discussed the proposed percentage and desire to simplify the regulations. <br />She suggested that the provision for active and non-active uses in a single tenant space be <br />eliminated and instead require 100 percent active use ground floor retail for tenant spaces <br />subject to the AGFUO, since any specific percentage would be difficult to administer and <br />enforce. She stated she would accept 60 percent as the bare minimum but would prefer 100 <br />percent. She stated she was amenable to the vacancy definition but understood Chair Brown's <br />concern and stated she would be open to `the minimum evidence to lease the space would be <br />documented to include lease sign in building, a public posting about the space and in addition <br />to see the lease or any other marketing communications.' <br />Commissioner Morgan conceptually accepted Commissioner Allen's suggestion to eliminate <br />the 25 percent requirement and thought there might be benefit to expanding the regulation to <br />allow other types of businesses that attract walk in customers, especially if on-line sales <br />continue to grow. <br />Excerpt: Approved Planning Commission Minutes, July 28, 2021 Page 3 of 6 <br />