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Mr. Swift said the green building process begins at the initial building design and <br />approval process. So the first contact with a developer would be at the Planning Department and <br />that is when the evaluation of which elements of the LEED system would be incorporated into <br />the building. Many of these elements are not Building Official decisions but rather building <br />orientation, design of the layout, landscaping, etc. The Planning Department also stays active <br />throughout the entire building permit process until the building is finaled. Planning signs offon <br />the buildings as well as the Building Department. Planning is involved at the very beginning to <br />try and develop the kinds of things to be incorporated into the building all the way through the <br />Building Permit stage, and any changes during that process. Also some of the measures require <br />review one or more years after occupancy. Points are awarded for buildings with certain <br />features. Because of the continuing review from beginning to end, the Planning Depat huent is <br />the best place to have the compliance official. The Building Department would still have input <br />on whether it is practical or possible to use certain green building elements. Staffdid not want to <br />create a separate department or bureaucracy for green building. <br /> <br /> Mr. Campbell asked how this ordinance would affect projects already approved, but not <br />yet built? Is it retroactive? <br /> <br /> Mr. Swift said the ordinance only applies to projects that are approved after the ordinance <br />is effective. <br /> <br /> Ms. Michelotti referred to all the discussions about incentives and mandates. She asked <br />how the ordinance could be viewed as an incentive to a developer by setting the standards in <br />advance and easing the process. <br /> <br /> Mr. Swift said having the requirements set forth ahead of time and allowing the <br />developer to choose among many elements for obtaining points is more advantageous than the <br />prior ad hoc process, which waits until the design review stage at the Planning Commission <br />when conditions are imposed. He didn't think that was a real incentive as referred to in prior <br />discussions. Those discussions indicated that if real incentives were given, then a building <br />would include these elements voluntarily. Incentives are difficult to define. Some could be fast <br />track plan checking, however the Planning staff tries to deal with everyone's plans quickly and it <br />would be difficult to make every project "fast track" since they are basically doing that today. <br />The other types of incentives have to do with waiver of fees or other types of things that staffdid <br />not support at this time. <br /> <br />Ms. Michelotti believed this ordinance would speed up the process. <br /> <br /> Mr. Swift said it could work that way. There have been a number of projects that have <br />been held up while developers have gone back to see what they could incorporate into a plan <br />after a Planning Commission suggestion. <br /> <br /> Ms. Michelotti referred to the 26 points that have to be attained and asked how many of <br />those elements that make up the points are already contained in conditions of approval. She was <br /> <br />Pleasanton City Council 11 11/19/02 <br />Minutes <br /> <br /> <br />