COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES AGENCY

DATE:

March 4, 2004

SET TIME:

9:00 a.m.

BOARD MEETING DATE:

March 23, 2004

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Marcia Raines, Director of Environmental Services

SUBJECT:

Consideration of Revised Design Standards for Single-family Residential Development in the Midcoast.

RECOMMENDATION

1.

Amend, by ordinance, the Zoning Regulations to enact Design Standards for One-family and Two-family Residential Development in the Midcoast, as shown in Attachment B.

2.

Amend, by resolution, the General Plan (Local Coastal Program) Visual Resources Component Policies 8.12 and 8.13a, as shown in Attachment A.

3.

Direct staff, by resolution, to transmit the aforementioned amendments to the California Coastal Commission for certification of conformity with the California Coastal Act, as shown in Attachment C.

PROPOSAL

The Planning Commission is recommending regulatory amendments that enact updated and revised design standards for single-family and duplex residential development in the Midcoast.

BACKGROUND/PREVIOUS ACTION

Design review is the practice of evaluating development proposals for compliance with criteria that assures community compatibility with regard to site planning, architectural design, building materials, colors, landscaping, etc.

In 2000, your Board enacted new Midcoast house size limits and established the Coastside Design Review Committee (CDRC). As a part of the subsequent Midcoast LCP Update Project, your Board requested that the newly formed CDRC take the lead in developing new Midcoast design review standards.

From October 2001 to May 2003, the CDRC held public meetings and participated in community workshops to develop the proposed set of design standards. On August 27 and December 10, 2003, the Planning Commission held hearings in El Granada to consider the proposed design standards. The Commission voted 5-0 to recommend approval of the standards prepared by the CDRC.

DISCUSSION

A.

DESCRIPTION OF DESIGN STANDARDS (Attachment A)

The key objectives guiding the CDRC's preparation of the Design Standards were to improve: (1) architectural integrity, (2) neighborhood and community compatibility, (3) integration with the natural setting, and (4) the quality of design and construction. Where possible, the Committee avoided creating new regulations in favor of better articulating the criteria contained in the existing Community Design Manual.

The CDRC sought to produce a document that was: (1) comprehensive (covering all design facets), (2) clear (understandable requirements), and (3) user-friendly (easy to read). A key feature of the Design Standards is the division of each design topic into two sections: (1) a discussion and illustration section, and (2) a standards section. The discussion and illustration section is intended to provide further clarification of the standards' objectives. The design standards section states the regulatory standards that have the force of law and constitute the criteria by which projects will be reviewed.

B.

DESCRIPTION OF LCP CHANGES (Attachment B)

The major LCP change is the replacement of the Community Design Manual with the new design standards as criteria for reviewing primarily single-family residential development. The new standards incorporate many of the concepts contained in the Community Design Manual. All other Midcoast development (multi-family, commercial, etc) will continue to be subject to the Community Design Manual.

C.

ALTERNATIVE

An alternative set of design review standards was developed by a subgroup of participants in the community workshop process. This alternative was asserted to be more flexible and less restrictive than the design standards proposed by the CDRC.

There are three key differences between the two documents relating to: (1) degree to which design changes can cause reductions in house size, (2) whether development or natural setting should control site planning, and (3) whether design controls should address underfloor areas.

The Planning Commission was presented with a full analysis of the two alternatives and chose to recommend the standards prepared by the CDRC.

D.

ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW

LCP amendments are exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 21080.5 and 21080.9.

E.

REVIEWING AGENCIES

County Counsel

VISION ALIGNMENT

The proposal promotes the commitment of redesigning our urban environment to increase vitality, expand variety and reduce congestion, and Goal 12, encouraging land use decisions that consider impacts on the environment and on surrounding communities. The revised design standards contribute to this commitment and goal by encouraging residential development that is compatible with the local neighborhood and surrounding community, as well as integrated with the natural setting.

FISCAL IMPACT

None

ATTACHMENTS

A.

Ordinance enacting revised Design Review Standards

B.

Resolution amending LCP Visual Resources Policies

C.

Resolution directing transmittal to the Coastal Commission