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proposed, design review would not be required for photovoltaic facilities that met certain criteria at the types of locations. Staff recommends that the Commission consider two other possible incentives. First, since biodiesel and natural gas fuels arc generally cleaner than regular diesel fuel, the Commission may wish to recommend that staff consider ways to provide applicants with green building/LEEDTM credit for biodiesel and natural gas proposals for emergency standby generators. The Commission may also wish to recommend that staff consider ways to provide applicants with green building/LEEDTM credit for cogeneration or a combined cycled facilities, which tend to be more efficient than simple cycle facilities. She noted that one of the biggest debates among the EAG was whether or not small electricity generators should be allowed at single-family residences_ As recommended by the EAG, and as proposed in the ordinance, these facilities would not be allowed at single- family residences. However, they would be allowed in single-family residential zoning districts if a use permit were granted_ As proposed, these facilities could be allowed at charitable and religious institutions, golf courses, private parks, and other types of facilities. Small electricity generators are typically not as efficient as larger facilities, and they also can generate air pollution and noise. For these reasons, members of the group believed they should be limited in residential neighborhoods, especially at single-family homes. However, some members of the group believed they should be allowed at single- family residences because it was felt that few homeowners would want to install such facilities, so the impacts would be limited. For these reasons, the Commission may want to consider allowing small generator facilities at single-family homes, subject to the basic small generator facility regulations sut~ject to conditional use permit approval. The )/AG, and several members of the public, have expressed to staff that the public notification distance for power plants should be substantially greater than that required for other uses in Pleasanton_ 'The group believed that noise from power plants can travel afar distance, air pollution from power plants can impact local or regional area, and visible stacks and plumes can produce negative visual impacts within the community, and there were concerns with regard to the routing of hazardous chemicals. For these reasons, the generator siting ordinance proposes a very large noticing distance £or certain types of facilities, e.g_, the noticing distance would be 1 .5 miles fora 1 O megawatt electricity- producing turbine. While staff supports this expanded noticing distance, the Commission may wish to consider limiting the noticing distance to 1,000 feet, which is the current requirement, and instead, requiring a larger notice in the newspaper as an option. With regard to noise, the noise regulations proposed in the ordinance are more restrictive than what is currently allowed_ The EAG felt that the rules should be more restrictive, and that most equipment in residential areas, such as pool and air conditioning equipment operates on a temporary basis, and not 24 hours a day everyday. Most industrial uses near Pleasanton, including the quarry operations, tend to stop late at night, which is not the case with most power generators. The EAG also believed it was important to make the applicants aware of the noise limits up front, and, therefore, put a standard into the ordinance so that attenuation measures could be incorporated into a project from the start. PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES January 22, 2003 Page 4