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ATTACHMENT 6 <br /> LAW OFFICE <br /> PETER MACDONALD <br /> 400 MAIN STREET, SUITE 210 <br /> PLEASANTON, CALIFORNIA 94566 -7371 <br /> (925) 462-0191 <br /> FAX (925) 462 -0404 <br /> pmacdonald@macdonaldlaw.net <br /> September 22, 2010 <br /> Planning Commission <br /> City of Pleasanton <br /> 200 Old Bernal Avenue <br /> Pleasanton, CA 94566 <br /> Subject: Comments on Proposed Green Building Amendments <br /> Dear Chair Narum and Members of the Planning Commission, <br /> I am not able to be at Planning Commission tonight, but want to enter my comments <br /> regarding the proposed Green Building amendments under consideration. I am making <br /> policy comments but do not want these ideas to be taken as critical of the Planning <br /> Staff, who came at this with a business friendly orientation and did an excellent job of <br /> explaining the pending changes to many groups. <br /> I particularly compliment the City Community Development Staff for seeing the potential <br /> conflict between the new CalGreen Building Code and the City's Green Building <br /> requirements, and attempting to harmonize those requirements into a single coherent <br /> process. My concern is that the recommended solution appears to just keep both <br /> systems in place, with negligible, if any, improvement in green building standards while <br /> committing substantial public and private costs to maintain the dual system. The <br /> suggested approach is not consistent with the philosophy of permit streamlining which <br /> has characterized the City in recent years. <br /> Why We Have a Building Code <br /> The advantage of a Building Code (Title 24) is that it establishes a single coherent <br /> standard for construction throughout California. New materials, higher energy efficiency <br /> standards, better earthquake safety, and improved construction techniques have been <br /> gradually and thoughtfully incorporated in the Building Code over the decades through <br /> systematic changes and upgrades to Title 24. There is a state wide body of trained <br /> professionals in and out of government who all learn and implement these incremental <br /> improvements together. <br /> L L 1g1:1II\VI[ Io) <br /> :;lf i <br /> CITY Or LLAoANTON <br /> PLANNING DIVISION <br />