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P20-0989, Objective Design Standards Planning Commission
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<br />DISCUSSION
<br />As mentioned in this report, the proposed modifications are to the January 26, 2023 ODS
<br />for Housing Sites. These ODS establish the development standards for both the sites
<br />identified in the 6th Cycle Housing Element and the carryover sites from the 4th and 5th
<br />Cycle Housing Element. As noted, the 2023 Housing Sites ODS use, as their foundation,
<br />the 2012 Housing Sites Design Standards and Guidelines, with updates and refinements to
<br />ensure standards are objective in nature; to better align to State law; to improve in areas
<br />where the Planning Commission had found the prior standards to be lacking or to have
<br />delivered less-than-optimal outcomes in actual projects; and to reflect standards for
<br />projects over 30-40 du/ac.
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<br />The ODS are organized into three principal parts: Introduction, Development Standards,
<br />and Design Standards:
<br />• The Introduction provides the purpose of the ODS, relationship to other standards
<br />and City-adopted policy documents and State law and indication of the review and
<br />approval process for projects subject to the ODS.
<br />• The Development Standards include parameters regarding project density,
<br />affordability requirements for rental and for-sale units, and site standards such as
<br />minimum lot width, depth, and minimum yard (i.e., setback), building height, bicycle
<br />parking/unit storage, and group and private open space ratios.
<br />• The Design Standards include:
<br />▪ Part A, Site Design and Planning: circulation, building orientation, standards
<br />for streets, alleys, and pedestrian paseos, parking standards, open space and
<br />landscaping requirements, lighting, utility screening;
<br />▪ Part B, Architectural Features: building massing, entries, window design,
<br />roofs, materials and character, frontages, proportion and scale, signage, and
<br />compatibility with surrounding development.
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<br />The appendices include examples of building types, glossary, and permitted non -residential
<br />uses for mixed-use sites.
<br />ODS for Housing Sites, Proposed Revisions to ODS since January 2023
<br />During the public review of the ODS, staff received comments from several developers and
<br />architects, some of which have experience developing projects in the city. Due to the
<br />complex nature of the ODS and the limited time staff and the professional services team
<br />had to evaluate the comments, staff recommended that the ODS be adopted, with
<br />adjustments to response to comments to be made in the near future after adoption.
<br />Accordingly, the project team has evaluated public comments, and is proposing several
<br />focused changes to clarify standards, particularly for the medium -density projects of less
<br />than 30 du/ac, although some revisions are proposed for all sites, including those at h igher
<br />densities.
<br />The following is a summary of the proposed focused modifications to the ODS for Housing
<br />Sites, with the detailed modifications shown in strikeout text as Exhibit A to this report; for
<br />reference, the entirety of the version adopted in January 2023 is Exhibit B. Later in this
<br />report is a discussion, in response to questions/comments from Commissioners requesting
<br />the opportunity for more detailed additional review of the ODS.
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