§ 106.62.040. Design Review

A.

Purpose. Design Review is intended to ensure that the design of proposed development and new land uses assists in maintaining and enhancing the attractive appearance of the City. Therefore, the purposes of these procedures and requirements are to:

1.

Recognize the interdependence of land values and aesthetics and encourage the orderly and harmonious appearance of development within the community;

2.

Ensure that new uses and structures enhance their sites and are compatible with the highest standards of improvement in the surrounding neighborhoods;

3.

Retain and strengthen the visual quality and attractive character of the community;

4.

Assist project developers in understanding the City's concerns for the aesthetics of development; and

5.

Ensure that development complies with all applicable City standards and guidelines, and does not adversely affect community health, safety, aesthetics, or natural resources.

B.

Applicability and review authority. Design Review shall be required and conducted for projects as shown in the following table.

1.

Design Review is not required for a project that is smaller than the thresholds listed in the table (for example, an individual single family home that is not part of a development of multiple homes and single family homes as part of a development of two or fewer homes).

2.

Design Review is required for a proposed residential land division based on the number of proposed dwelling units, in compliance with the following table.

3.

Design Review is required in addition to all other planning permit or approval requirements of this Zoning Code, and the Municipal Code.

Project	Review Authority
Nonresidential development
New construction or addition, less than 5,000 sf	Director
New construction or addition, 5,000 sf or more	Commission
Proposed subdivision, as to street and lot layout	Commission
Residential development
Single family homes - Project of 5 to 9 units	Director
Single family homes - Project of 10 or more units	Commission
Multi-family housing - Project of 10 or fewer units	Director
Multi-family housing - Project of 11 or more units	Commission
Fence or wall - Between 8 ft and 10 ft in height	Director
Fence or wall - More than 200 feet in length	Commission
2nd floor residential addition, garage conversion, or accessory structure between primary residential structure and the street	Director
Proposed subdivision, as to street and lot layout	Commission

 

C.

Application filing and processing. An application shall be prepared, filed, and processed in compliance with Section 106.60.040 (Application Preparation and Filing). It is the responsibility of the applicant to provide evidence in support of the findings required by Subsection D below.

D.

Findings and decision. The review authority shall approve or disapprove an application for Design Review approval concurrently with the approval or disapproval of any other planning permit (i.e., Use Permit, Minor Use Permit, Variance or Minor Variance, Zoning Clearance, or subdivision map) required for the project, if the Design Review application is filed with the City at the same time. Design Review approval shall require that the review authority first find that the project, as proposed or with changes resulting from the review process and/or conditions of approval:

1.

Complies with this Section and all other applicable provisions of this Zoning Code;

2.

Provides architectural design, building massing and scale, and street and lot layout in the case of a subdivision, that are appropriate to and compatible with the site surroundings and the community;

3.

Provides attractive and desirable site layout and design, including building arrangement, exterior appearance and setbacks, drainage, fences and walls, grading, landscaping, lighting, signs, etc.;

4.

Provides safe and efficient public access, circulation and parking, including bicycle and pedestrian accommodations where appropriate;

5.

Provides appropriate open space and landscaping, including the use of water efficient landscaping;

6.

Is consistent with the General Plan, any applicable specific plan, development agreement, and/or any previously approved planning permit; and

7.

Complies with all applicable design standards in Chapter 106.31 (Design Standards), and/or other applicable City design guidelines and policies.

E.

Conditions of approval. The review authority may require any reasonable conditions of approval to ensure that the project will comply with the findings required by Subsection D above.

F.

Post approval procedures. The procedures and requirements in Chapter 106.64 (Permit Implementation, Time Limits, and Extensions), and those related to appeals and revocation in Article 7 (Zoning Code Administration), shall apply following the decision on an application for Design Review.