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P20-0989, Objective Design Standards Planning Commission 3 of 7 Summary of Public Comments • Request from a resident living next to a potential Housing Element site to include standards in the ODS to protect existing residential neighborhoods from intrusive new development, specifically: setbacks to match adjacent properties, provide enhanced landscaping, include an increased setback for upper floors when adjacent to re sidential neighborhoods, and to locate taller buildings in the center of development sites; and • Comments from representatives of various of the Housing Element sites included: - Amount of required storage space per unit is too large; - Comments questioning the feasibility/appropriateness of certain standards related to access from alleys, building break and mid-block access, units being required to front streets, waste collection from alleys, stepback requirements, sloped roofing requirements, and comments related to architectural trim requirements; and - Comments related to development standards and corresponding density ranges, allowing alleys in single-family developments, potential subjectivity of some standards; that the review process should be by staff only; a request to omit affordability requirements in the ODS; a comment to define “active frontage”; comments regarding street design and width; draft standards specific to single-family development, including: driveway and garage location and configuration, proportion of the square footage of the upper floors compared to ground floor; and location of trash receptables. A discussion of changes made to the ODS in response to these comments is provided in the Discussion section, below. DISCUSSION The draft objective design standards are split into two documents: (1) those related to sites identified in the Housing Element; and (2) those related to smaller infill development in multifamily zoning districts, located principally downtown and limited areas outside of downtown. Staff reviewed the comments received and outlined above with the professional services team and discussed comments with project proponents. The draft ODS include revisions to address comments where staff found such changes to be reasonable and feasible, while aiming to uphold the intent of the ODS to fully reflect the City’s design expectations. The updated version of both ODS are enclosed with the resolution attached to this report as Exhibit A. Key changes are summarized below and a “track changes” version itemizing the changes since the December 2022 ODS is attached as Exhibit B. Housing Element Sites, Summary of Changes to ODS since December 2022 • Text added to distinguish between objective standards and non-objective guidelines in the introductory text, including clarification that only objective standards are enforceable as a basis for project review and approval; • Map and table of 6th Cycle Housing Element sites; • Project Review and Approval Procedures - Clarification to review and approval procedures to define a Housing Site Conformance review process, and distinguish between review by Zoning Administrator for smaller projects (i.e., up to 50 units) and by Planning Commission for larger projects (i.e., more than 51 units); inclusion of post-card