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<br />C-12 | City of Pleasanton Housing Constraints <br />achieved less than maximum density. As these zoning districts include identified low-income <br />housing sites, they are also included for evaluation under Program 4.7 to ensure the maximum <br />density can be achieved without an exception from the applicable development standards. <br />The Core Area Overlay District provides flexibility from conventional development standards to <br />facilitate housing in the downtown area. This Overlay District provides for reductions in setback, <br />open space, and parking standards for multi-family and mixed-use developments of 10 or fewer <br />units in the RM and C-C zoning districts. This allows more land to be used for housing in and near <br />downtown and is reflective of the allowed density and historic single-family residential structures <br />in and near downtown. Several developments have taken advantage of these reduced <br />development standards in recent years, such as small infill projects located at 4727 Harrison <br />Street and 4745 Augustine Street to construct two and three new apartments behind existing <br />single-family homes. <br />The City also provides flexibility from conventional development standards through the PUD <br />process, which is used extensively in Pleasanton. The Zoning Ordinance does not specify any <br />development standards for PUDs, and instead indicates that standards be created on a <br />case-by-case basis based on General Plan density, proposed housing type, City and developer <br />objectives, opportunities to increase density and affordability, neighborhood issues, and <br />environmental constraints. The City has been able to approve developments with higher overall <br />densities, exceptions to certain development standards, and include a greater number of <br />affordable housing units through the PUD process than it would have been possible with <br />conventional zoning. For example, certain properties deemed suitable for higher density housing <br />during the 5th Cycle Housing Element have been zoned as Planned Unit Development - Mixed <br />Use (PUD-MU) with densities up to a maximum of 30 to 40 units per acre, minimum densities of <br />20 to 40 units per acre, maximum heights of 65 feet or five stories, and reduced parking <br />requirements. AllThe standards adopted with PUD-MU zoning are designed to specifically <br />accommodate the maximum density. As such, all high-density housing sites developed during the <br />5th Housing Element Cycle were built at the maximum density allowed, except for one project (see <br />Appendix B (Sites Inventory and Methodology), Table B-5). The project proposed at a lower <br />density was approved, based in part on the surplus of above-moderate income housing <br />production at that time. An analysis of the PUD process is included in Section C.2.4 (Permits and <br />Procedures). <br />While the PUD process allows flexibility based on sites specific opportunities and constraints and <br />has successfully resulted in higher density housing development, it requires discretionary review. <br />Therefore, the City will develop a process that serves strictly as a conformance review. This <br />conformance review will evaluate projects proposed on housing sites against objective standards <br />and will not require City Council approval (see Program 4.8). <br />Design Standards and Guidelines <br />Design standards and guidelines are evaluated as they have the potential to increase <br />development costs and extend the permitting process if they are unclear or subjective. The City