RES 12574 - Laserfiche WebLink

• D Potential Governmental Constraints to Housing As with other cities, Pleasanton's development standards and requirements are intended to protect the long-term health, safety, and welfare of the community. The City of Pleasanton charges fees and has a number of procedures and regulations it requires any developer to follow. There are many locally imposed land use and building requirements that can affect the type, appearance, and cost of housing built in Pleasanton. These local requirements include zoning standards, development fees, parking requirements, subdivision design standards and design review. Other building and design requirements imposed by Pleasanton follow State laws, the California Building Code, Subdivision Map Act, energy conservation requirements, etc. The City's development standards are necessary to ensure the protection and preservation of the existing housing stock. By Bay Area standards, they are not unduly restrictive and, in general, Pleasanton's development standards and requirements are comparable to many other communities in the Bay Area. Land Use Controls The City exercises land use controls over residential development through its General Plan, Zoning Ordinance, building review and permit procedures, and Growth Management Program (GMP). The General Plan, primarily through the General Plan Land Use Map, regulates the general use and density of future developments in Pleasanton. The Zoning Ordinance regulates specific site requirements such as building height, setbacks, etc. Pleasanton makes extensive use of Planned Unit Development(PUD) zoning to provide residential builders with substantial flexibility in planning their projects. The City's Building and Safety Division reviews all buildings for conformance with the California Building Code and other codes to ensure the health and safety of its residents. Finally, the City allocates a range of housing units to be built per year through the GMP based on housing need and the City's ability to provide infrastructure and City services, as called for in General Plan policies. The tables below list all of the City's standard zoning districts which allow residential development and provide the development standards (setbacks, minimum lot size, building height, open space, parking) which are required in these traditional zoning districts. While there is a reason for each standard, such as providing open space to meet the recreational needs of residents, on-site parking to store residents' motor vehicles, and setbacks for light and privacy, any standard which results in less building area and fewer dwelling units can theoretically produce less housing required to meet regional housing needs and can increase the price of housing. To the extent that such standards are reasonable and do not exceed what is necessary to create a suitable living environment, they would not be identified as a constraint to housing production. However, excessive standards can result in higher housing costs. Pleasanton does have large-lot, single-family residential zoning districts (R-1-20,000 and R-1-40,000)which result in lower-density and higher-priced housing. However, these districts typically are found in hillside areas where steep slopes and other environmental constraints dictate larger lots, greater setbacks, and increased open space. City of Pleasanton Housing Element BACKGROUND—February 2012 83