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for these sites should be limited to a conformance analysis of proposed projects with the Objective Design Standards. This adjusted process would involve approval by the Planning Commission and the City will base its review, and related approval or denial of a project, on the applicable objective standards that have been adopted. All Planning Commission approvals are reported to the City Council which has authority to call decisions up for review if needed. The draft program language that was added is: Program 4.8 The City will develop an additional Planned Unit Development (PUD) process that serves strictly as a conformance review. This PUD conformance review will evaluate PUD zoned housing sites against objective standards and will not require City Council approval. Modifications to Residential Multi -Family (RM) Zoning Standards In both HCD's formal letter to staff, as well as in the two calls with staff, HCD provided feedback and questions related to land use controls (e.g., height, parking standards, setbacks). Specifically, HCD questioned if existing land use controls impact projects' ability to achieve maximum densities without receiving any exceptions (e.g., variances, Conditional Use Permits, or PUDs). Typically, single-family and commercial projects can build without requiring exceptions and can submit Design Review applications complying with existing zoning districts. However, historically, typically multi -family residential projects, particularly on smaller infill sites, pursue PUDs (though some have developed within existing zoning, without a PUD or any exceptions). Some of the potential constraints to accommodating the allowed densities within RM zones include the required setbacks, as well as required on-site parking, although it is noted and acknowledged that the City has emphasized residential projects being fully parked on site to avoid "overflow" impacts on to neighboring streets, especially within the downtown. It is further noted that the PMC allows for some flexibility in parking standards within downtown sites, specifically to reduce constraints to development on these sites. Given HCD's line of questioning surrounding the land use controls, and based on experience with similar comments in other jurisdictions, to satisfy HCD's concern and achieve a certified Housing Element, the City's professional services team (Lisa Wise Consulting) recommends including a program to review and update the Residential Multi -Family zoning standards, to create more standards that allow for assigned densities to be feasibly achieved, without the need to pursue a PUD, variance, or other exceptions. Although the exact standards in need of adjustment will be determined through study, they are likely to include setbacks, floor area ratio, and possibly modified parking minimums within RM zones that would scale parking requirements to unit size. Staff intends to work with the professional services team (Van Meter Williams Pollack) working on the Objective Design Standards to identify and bring forward any needed revisions to specific standards, in accordance with the Housing Element program. Page 5 of 21