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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 - 2 - 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. - 3 -