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P20-0989, Objective Design Standards Planning Commission 2 of 12 members of the Planning Commission have also expressed an interest in evaluating the ODS, with the goal of ensuring they represent robust standards to the maximum extent feasible possible for residential projects. With this item, staff is bringing forward focused modifications to the ODS for Housing Sites, as well as background information on the ODS, and an opportunity for the Planning Commission to provide suggestions for areas of future change. The proposed modifications to the ODS for Housing Sites would be scheduled for review by City Council at an upcoming meeting in the near future and staff would seek City Council’s direction on the topics for future updates as recommended by Planning Commission. BACKGROUND 2012 Housing Site Development Standards and Design Guidelines The 2007-2014 (4th Cycle) Housing Element was adopted in February 2012. It included a program requiring the preparation of development standards and design guidelines to facilitate the development of multifamily housing on nine sites rezoned as part of the (4 th Cycle) update. Accordingly, staff worked with architecture and design firm Van Meter Williams Pollack (VMWP) to develop these guidelines and standards and after recommendation from Planning Commission, City Council adopted the Housing Site Development Standards and Design Guidelines in August 2012. The 2012 standards and guidelines are based on site specific considerations discussed during the 4th Cycle update and also drew upon concepts from the Hacienda Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Standards and Design Guidelines, which were adopted in 2011 to apply specifically to three multifamily housing sites in Hacienda. State Law regarding Objective Design Standards As the Commission is aware, recent legislation passed by the State has placed particular emphasis on the objectivity of the development review process, citing the housing crisis and the need to produce additional housing units across the State in a streamlined manner. Through these recent state laws, much of the discretion previously granted to local jurisdictions, including the ability to rely on subjective findings as a basis for project approval or denial has been curtailed. These recent changes have dictat ed a broader range of housing projects that must be processed ministerially (i.e., without any discretionary review); and for other types of projects, to the extent the City may have discretion to approve or deny an application, such approval or denial may only be based on conformance to objective, uniformly verifiable standards. ODS Update Process In 2020, the City engaged VMWP to assist with a process to update the 2012 Housing Site Development Standards and Guidelines, and to create additional ODS applicable to a broader range of housing developments, including those within the City’s multifamily zones. The project was initiated primarily in response to changes in State law that establish much greater limitations on the City’s scope of review for residential development projects generally, and which created additional opportunities for ministerial, non -discretionary and streamlined review of certain types of housing projects. Key among many of these new laws is that City review is to be limited solely to conformance with objective design standards.