ECONOMIC VITALITY COMMITTEE AGENDA PACKET

PMC Amendments Economic Vitality Committee Page 2 of 6 and, in staff’s observation and experience, the noticing and appeals procedures are a main cause of delays and extended timeframes in project processing. Following staff’s analysis, key recommendations were made to simplify permitting, reduce delays, streamline Design Review, and further support business and retail attractions. RECOMMENDATIONS Key recommendations are as follows: • PMC Chapter 18.12 (project noticing): Modifying the public notice radius to align with the Government Code, amending mailed project notification requirements, codifying on- site project notifications, and clarifying noticing procedures. • PMC Chapter 18.20 (Design Review): Modifying the projects subject to Design Review, adding Design Review findings, and clarifying Design Review procedures. • PMC Chapter 18.144 (appeals): Modifying the appeal period and clarifying appeal procedures. • Other amendments throughout PMC Title 18 to align with the comprehensive overhauls noted above DISCUSSION Process When property owners propose modifications to their property, permits are typically required. There are several different types of permits that may be required, including building permits and planning permits. Applications for projects that require only building permits (e.g., interior remodels or minor exterior modifications on single-family residential properties), may be submitted digitally to the City’s Building & Safety Division. The Building & Safety Division then routes the permit for review to all necessary divisions (e.g., Public Works Land Development, Planning, Landscape Architecture, Traffic, Fire, etc.) to ensure that all can review submittals for compliance with respective codes, policies, and adopted plans. These reviews are typically objective and focused on project compliance with the adopted requirements. Some projects require planning permits, which require discretionary review and approval before they can be submitted to the Building & Safety Division. Examples of Planning Permits include Conditional Use Permits, Planned Unit Developments, Variances, and Design Review. Design Review, as outlined in Chapter 18.20 of the PMC, is the primary discretionary process for evaluating new construction and exterior modifications to commercial, industrial, and residential properties. All necessary divisions review projects for compliance with City standards (similar to the building permit process); however, as a discretionary process, Design Review adds a layer of subjective staff review to construction projects and allows opportunities for neighborhood input. The hearing authority for Design Review applications is typically the Zoning Administrator or Planning Commission, unless otherwise appealed or called up to City Council. The hearing authority may approve, conditionally approve, or deny applications based on a set of established criteria (e.g., relationship of proposal to surrounding sites, preservation of views, etc.).