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which specifies that approval for recycling facilities is valid for a 12-month period, is not proposed for revision Therefore, the removal of the Administrative Conditional Use Permit process from the Code would not substantively affect the City's review and permitting of recycling facilities Determinations as to Uses Not Listed Chapter 18 128 of the Code prescribes the process for making a determination regarding uses that are not specifically listed as permitted or conditionally permitted uses Specifically, the Planning Commission is charged with the responsibility for making the determination for such uses on the basis of similarity to uses that are specifically listed Since business types and proposals are dynamic (and the use categories in the Zoning Code change infrequently), the Planning Division occasionally receives requests from prospective business owners to open a business type which is not specifically identified in the Zoning Code as a p ermitted or conditionally permitted use In practice, the new use is often sufficiently similar (or dissimilar) in activity patterns and other characteristics to an already-identified use such that the Zoning Administrator can make a determination as to whether the use is permitted, conditionally permitted, or not allowed With the objective of making such a process easier for prospective business owners and to reflect current practice, Chapter 18 128 is proposed to be modified so that the Zoning Administrator may make a use determination These use determinations would be facilitated by the new use definitions added to the Zoning Code If the Zoning Administrator finds it necessary, the use determination can be referred to the Planning Commission Modifications Specific to Downtown There are several proposed amendments to the C-C District, and since most commercial properties in the Downtown have a C-C zoning designation, these modifications are specific to Downtown Pleasanton (while a select number of properties are zoned C-C outside of the Downtown area, the proposed text below is most applicable to properties in Downtown) The proposed change to the special purpose of the C-C District emphasizes pedestrian scale since this is an important design feature for Downtown, and modifies the term "central business district" to say, "Downtown Revitalization district" since the extent of the Downtown Revitalization District is more in keeping with this specific purpose For residential uses, the proposed modifications to the Zoning Code are intended to identify mixed-use as a permitted type of development (to bring the Zoning Code into compliance with the Downtown Specific Plan, which encourages mixed-use projects in central commercial areas of the Downtown) ALTERNATIVES Staff explored multiple alternatives to elements of the currently-proposed Zoning Code Update during the project formulation stage and in response to public comments Alternatives included a more conservative approach to refining the Zoning Code (i e , retaining the existing lists of permitted and conditionally permitted uses, while removing antiquated uses and adding new, previously-unlisted uses) Staff also considered a Minor Conditional Use Permit process that would encompass fewer uses Ultimately, staff believes that the currently-proposed tabular approach to organizing permitted and conditionally permitted land uses is the most user- friendly alternative, and that the scope of the update meets Council expectations for the first phase of the work effort in a way that is protective of community expectations for the built environment P16-1418, Zoning Code Update Planning Commission Page 10 of 11