HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC Resolution 8529 (Hillside Residential Design Guidelines)RESOLUTION NO. 8 529
RESOLUTION OF THE SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL CERTIFYING A
NEGATIVE DECLARATION AND APPROVING THE HILLSIDE
RESIDENTIAL DESIGN GUIDELINES
WHEREAS, the City of San Rafael General Plan 2000 requires the preparation
of hillside site design standards to implement residential design policies; and
WHEREAS, on September 17, 1990 the City Council held a duly noticed public
hearing and adopted a work program for the preparation of the design
standards and approved the formation of an advisory committee to provide
technical and public input; and
WHEREAS, on November 19, 1990 the City Council approved a contract with
the firm of Gast and Hillmer for the preparation of the design standards and
established the membership of the Advisory Committee; and
WHEREAS, the Committee met from December 10, 1990 until June 10, 1991
to review and comment on the draft Hillside Residential Design Guidelines
Manual and the implementing Ordinances; and
WHEREAS, an administrative draft of the Guidelines was also circulated to
the Design Review Board and City Staff for review and comment and was
also made available to the general public at a public workshop; and
WHEREAS, notification of the proposed Hillside Residential Design
Guidelines Manual, implementing Ordinances, and Negative Declaration
occurred as specified by State law; and
WHEREAS, an environmental assessment for the proposed Hillside
Residential Design Guidelines Manual and implementing Ordinances
resulted in a Negative Declaration of Environmental Impacts. The Negative
Declaration was prepared on July 31, 1991, and no comments were received;
and
WHEREAS, the San Rafael Planning Commission is required by state law to
hold at least one public hearing and make a recommendation to the
legislative body on the adoption of the ordinance amendments; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission held a public hearing on July 23, 1991,
to hear public comments on the proposed amendments, the Negative
Declaration, and the Hillside Residential Design Guidelines Manual; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission reviewed the staff report and written
and verbal testimony on the Negative Declaration, the Hillside Residential
Design Guidelines Manual and the implementing Subdivision and Zoning
Ordinance amendments; and
WHEREAS, the San Rafael Planning Commission recommended to the City
Council certification of the Negative Declaration and adoption of the Hillside
Residential Design Guidelines Manual and the implementing Subdivision
and Zoning Ordinance amendments with modifications as outlined in the
August 19, 1991 staff report; and
WHEREAS, the San Rafael City Council held a public hearing on August 19,
1991 to hear public comments on the proposed Hillside Residential Design
UnRIC,1NA[ 7wzg
Guidelines Manual, the Negative Declaration, and the implementing
Subdivision and Zoning Ordinance amendments; and
WHEREAS, the public hearing was continued to October 7, 1991 and the
Guidelines were referred back to the Planning Commission for a
recommendation on pending projects and exemption language; and
WHEREAS, on September 24, 1991 the Planning Commission recommended
to the City Council that no exemptions be granted for pending applications
other than those mandated by the Subdivision Map Act for subdivision
applications complete as of September 17, 1990 and that language be included
to provide an exception from the Guidelines for projects which meet the
stated objectives of the Guidelines and provide a demonstrably superior
design alternative; and
WHEREAS, on October 7, 1991 the City Council met to further consider
adoption of the Guidelines and associated zoning and subdivision ordinance
amendments; and
WHEREAS, the Council reviewed the staff reports and written and verbal
testimony on the Hillside Residential Design Guidelines Manual, the
Negative Declaration, and the implementing Subdivision and Zoning
Ordinance amendments.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the San Rafael City Council certifies
the Negative Declaration and adopts the Hillside Residential Design
Guidelines Manual subject to the changes outlined in Exhibit A to this
resolution.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Council finds that it is in the
public interest to apply the Guidelines to pending applications, except for
subdivisions exempted from the regulations by the Subdivision Map Act.
Application of the Guidelines to other pending projects insures compliance
with the criteria of the General Plan by minimizing grading and filling,
avoiding highly visible hillsides, preserving trees, minimizing hazardous
conditions and requiring buildings of high design quality.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Council also finds that it is in the
public interest to allow two years from the effective date of the Guidelines, or
until November 21, 1993, for projects with existing approvals to proceed.
Extensions to Environmental and Design Permits will not be granted beyond
that time frame and projects whose approvals expire will be subject to the
Hillside Residential Design Guidelines to insure compliance with the design
criteria of the General Plan as implemented through the Guidelines.
The foregoing resolution was introduced at a regular meeting of the City
Council of the City of San Rafael on the 7th day of October, 1991 and adopted
by the following vote, to wit:
AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS : Boro, Thayer & Vice -Mayor Breiner
NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS : None
ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS : Shippey & Mayor Mulryan
JE M. LEONC�TI, City Clerk
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E?HBIT A
Changes to the Hillside Residential Design Guidelines Manual
p. 4, last full paragraph
Recommendations of the Design Review Board are advisory to the various
aut#er-i hearing bodies that will issue final decisions on development
approval applications. Appeals of ttheseth hearing bodies' decisions are
handled through the ner-nal city plcnning-appeals procedures established by
the Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision Ordinance.
p. 6, add at end of page
Add at beginning of last paragraph. The Zoning Ordinance establishes the
appropriate hearing body for applications. If there are major neighborhood
concerns, the item may be referred directly to the Planning Commission by
the Planning Director.
p. 12, fourth •, chart on Page 14 and elsewhere in the document.
Gross Building Square Footage is substituted for the term "Maximum Floor
Area."
p. 46, Driveways, seconds, revise to read:
-1- On substandard streets, 2 guest parking spaces should shall be provided
(not on the driveway apron). These spaces should be conveniently placed
relative to the dwelling unit which they serve.This requirement may be
waived when the size or shape of the lot or the need for excessive grading or
tree removal make the requirement infeasible.
p. 66, Planting for High Fire Hazard Areas, Zone #1, change to read:
Native or ornamental non-native species which are fire retardant.
P. 85, No. 4, Site Design Principles for Multi -Family Residential Areas
-- Ideally there should be a 2915 foot planted yard setback along the front and
a 10 foot planted setback along side property lines or as established by the
Zoning Ordinance.
P. 86.
Provide at least one designated children's play area of at least 400 square feet
for the first 25 dwelling units. Add 10 square feet for each additional
unit:This guideline does not apply to senior citizen residential projects.
Additional requirements for useable outdoor areas are established by the
Zoning Ordinance.
-- Private Usable Open Space
-Private open spaces on the ground should be a minimum of 812 feet
in each plan dimension or the minimum established by the Zoning
Ordinance and....
Decks used for upper floor private space should have a minimum
dimension of 4- 8 feet or the minimum established by the Zoning
Ordinance.
P. 98, Development Near Drainage Swales and Drainage Ravines
The general intent of this Guideline is to discourage development near
hillside riparian areas. Currently the City of San Rafael requires a 89 25 foot
deep setback from mtniol riparian aras for all site improvement the high
top of creek banks for all structures.
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