Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrdinance 1609 (Hillside Subdivision Standards)CLERK'S CERTIFICATE I, JEANNE M. LEONCINI, Clerk of the City of San Rafael, and Ex -officio Clerk of the Council of said City, do hereby certify that the foregoing Charter Ordinance No. 1609 entitled: "AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF SAN RAFAEL AMENDING CHAPTER 15.34 OF THE SUBDIVISION ORDINANCE TO PROVIDE STANDARDS FOR HILLSIDE SUBDIVISIONS" is a true and correct copy of an ordinance of said City and was introduced at a REGULAR meeting of the City Council of the City of San Rafael, held on the SEVENTH day of OCTOBER, , 1991, published as required by City Charter in the MARIN INDEPENDENT JOURNAL , a newspaper published in the City of San Rafael and passed and adopted as an ordinance of said City at a REGULAR meeting of the City Council of said City held on the 21st day of OCTOBER , 1991, by the following vote, to wit: AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: Boro, Thayer & Mayor Mulryan NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: None ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: Breiner & Shippey WITNESS my hand and the official seal of the City of San Rafael this 22nd day of OCTOBER , 1991. I JEAN LEONCI n, City Clerk ORDINANCE NO. 16 .0 9 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF SAN RAFAEL AMENDING CHAPTER 15.34 OF THE SUBDIVISION ORDINANCE TO PROVIDE STANDARDS FOR HILLSIDE SUBDIVISIONS THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN RAFAEL DO ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS; DIVISION 1. Chapter 15.34 is amended as follows: Chapter 15.34 STANDARDS FOR HILLSIDE SUBDIVISIONS 15.34.010 Objectives. San Rafael General Plan goals and policies seek to protect public health and safety by minimizing hazards, including seismic and landslide risks, soil erosion, and fire danger associated with development on steep and/or unstable slopes. Additionally, plan policies encourage preservation of natural hillside features and the development of Hillside Site Design Standards. The standards for the design of subdivisions on slopes over 25% are intended to implement these objectives by requiring that lots in hillside subdivisions realistically relate to the natural topography of the land by limiting grading and retaining much of the natural terrain. The standards also implement plan policies by relating density to site constraints and to City design policies. Additionally, in the case of substandard streets, these provisions seek to assure adequate emergency access by providing additional onsite parking. 15.34.020. Lot Design Standards (a) General: The standards listed below shall be utilized to evaluate the lot configuration of hillside subdivision applications. In addition to the zoning regulations effective in the area, any lot hereafter created shall meet the density criteria and contain at least the minimum lot width and area as related to the applicable City of San Rafael General Plan 2000 land use plan designation and its natural topographical slope as set forth in the following tables. Lower densities and larger lot sizes may be required where potentially hazardous conditions or special natural features occur or where development would be highly visible to the neighborhood or community. In no instance can the density exceed that allowed by the zoning district. 9 'E'IGIi�AL Table 1 Hillside Resource Residential Land Use Designation (0.1 - 0.5 units per gross acre) Percent of slope D.U. Per Gross Acre Min Lot Size Avg. Lot Width 0-10% .5 2 acres 150 feet 10-20% .4 2 acres 150 feet 20-30% .33 2 acres 150 feet 30-40% .25 2 acres 150 feet Over 40% .2 2 acres 150 feet Table 2 Hillside Residential Land Use Designation (0.5 - 2.0 units per gross acre) Percent of slope D.U. Per Gross Acre Min Lot Size Avg. Lot Width 0-10% 2.0 20,000 sq. ft. 100 feet 10-20% 1.625 20,000 sq. ft. 100 feet 20-30% 1.25 30,000 sq. ft. 100 feet 30-40% .875 1 acre 150 feet Over 40% .5 2 acres 150 feet 9 'E'IGIi�AL (b) For the purpose of this Ordinance, average slope shall be calculated before grading using the following formula: S = .00229IL A where .00229 is the conversion factor for square feet; S is the average percent of slope; "I" is the contour interval in feet; "L" is the summation of length of the contour lines in scale feet; and A is the area of the parcel in acres. For parcels over five acres in size, the applicant has the option of calculating the amount and location of land falling into each slope category. The applicant shall submit at the time of application a base topographical map of the site prepared and signed by a registered civil engineer or licensed land surveyor. The map shall have a scale of not less than one (1) inch equal to two hundred (200) feet and a contour interval of not more than five (5) feet provided that the contour interval may be ten (10) feet when the slope is more than twenty (20) percent. A uniform contour interval shall be used on any map. This base topographical map shall include all adjoining properties within 150 feet of the site boundaries. Slope bands in the range of 0 to 10 percent, 10 to 20 percent, 20 to 30 percent, 30 to 40 percent, and 40 percent or greater shall include, or be accompanied by, a tabulation of the land area in each slope category specified in acres. The exact method for computing the percent slope and area by percent slope category should be sufficiently described and presented so that a review can readily be made. (c) For clustered developments or where it can be demonstrated that adequate access exists, a lot with lesser width and area than required by the percent of slope may be allowed where it furthers the goals of the Hillside Residential Design Guidelines and reduces project impacts providing that the overall project density is consistent with the Slope Tables. No lot shall be less than the minimum required by the Zoning Ordinance. (d) Any lot in a large or small subdivision created for the purpose of development where the percent of slope is over 25% shall also require a Major Environmental and Design Review permit and shall be reviewed by the Design Review Board and the Planning Commission to assure that such lots and the subdivision design comply with the following General Plan criteria as implemented through the Hillside Residential Design Guidelines Manual: 1) Subdivision grading and filling to be minimized. 2) Avoids highly visible hillsides and ridgeline development. 3) Preserves hillsides as visual backdrop. 4) Steep slopes to be avoided. OPM Table 3 Low Density Land Use Designation (2 to 6.5 units per gross acre) Percent of slope D.U. Per Gross Acre Min. Lot Size Avg. Lot Width 0-10% 6.5 5,000 sq. ft. 50 feet 10-20% 5.375 6,000 sq. ft. 50 feet 20-30% 4.25 7,500 sq. ft. 60 feet 30-40% 3.125 10,000 sq. ft. 75 feet Over 40% 2.0 20,000 sq. ft. 100 feet (b) For the purpose of this Ordinance, average slope shall be calculated before grading using the following formula: S = .00229IL A where .00229 is the conversion factor for square feet; S is the average percent of slope; "I" is the contour interval in feet; "L" is the summation of length of the contour lines in scale feet; and A is the area of the parcel in acres. For parcels over five acres in size, the applicant has the option of calculating the amount and location of land falling into each slope category. The applicant shall submit at the time of application a base topographical map of the site prepared and signed by a registered civil engineer or licensed land surveyor. The map shall have a scale of not less than one (1) inch equal to two hundred (200) feet and a contour interval of not more than five (5) feet provided that the contour interval may be ten (10) feet when the slope is more than twenty (20) percent. A uniform contour interval shall be used on any map. This base topographical map shall include all adjoining properties within 150 feet of the site boundaries. Slope bands in the range of 0 to 10 percent, 10 to 20 percent, 20 to 30 percent, 30 to 40 percent, and 40 percent or greater shall include, or be accompanied by, a tabulation of the land area in each slope category specified in acres. The exact method for computing the percent slope and area by percent slope category should be sufficiently described and presented so that a review can readily be made. (c) For clustered developments or where it can be demonstrated that adequate access exists, a lot with lesser width and area than required by the percent of slope may be allowed where it furthers the goals of the Hillside Residential Design Guidelines and reduces project impacts providing that the overall project density is consistent with the Slope Tables. No lot shall be less than the minimum required by the Zoning Ordinance. (d) Any lot in a large or small subdivision created for the purpose of development where the percent of slope is over 25% shall also require a Major Environmental and Design Review permit and shall be reviewed by the Design Review Board and the Planning Commission to assure that such lots and the subdivision design comply with the following General Plan criteria as implemented through the Hillside Residential Design Guidelines Manual: 1) Subdivision grading and filling to be minimized. 2) Avoids highly visible hillsides and ridgeline development. 3) Preserves hillsides as visual backdrop. 4) Steep slopes to be avoided. OPM 5) Clustering of development to be utilized to minimize visual impacts. 6) Tree preservation is maximized. 7) Minimizes removal of natural vegetation. 8) More hazardous/unstable portions of site are avoided. 9) Mitigates geotechnical site constraints or conditions when needed. 10) Buildings achieve hillside design quality. 11) Preserves or protects unique or special natural features of the site, such as rock outcroppings, mature vegetation, landforms, creeks, drainage courses, hilltops or ridgelines. (e) The following reports and maps shall be prepared prior to tentative or parcel map approval in order to insure that the subdivision design is consistent with the General Plan: 1) Geotechnical Review consistent with the Geotechnical Review Matrix shall be conducted. 2) A drainage report prepared by a California registered civil engineer experienced in hydrology and hydrologic investigation shall be prepared in accordance with the requirements outlined in the Hillside Residential Design Guidelines. 3) A Biological Survey shall be prepared which classified portions of the site by their degree of risk of plant communities from Wildland Fires and establishes guidelines for development in riparian and watershed areas. 4) An Arborist/Forester's Report consistent with the requirements outlined in the Hillside Residential Design Guidelines shall be prepared which establishes guidelines for the preservation of significant trees. 5) A grading and erosion control plan consistent with the requirements outlined in the Hillside Residential Design Guidelines shall be prepared. 6) A building envelope shall be established for each lot consistent with the Hillside Residential Design Guidelines. 14.34.030 Street, Driveway, and Parking Standards (a) Narrower street widths (acceptable to the City Engineer & other City Departments) can be approved when it will reduce grading impacts and the number of lots, topography, and the level of future traffic development justifies the reduction. 25 feet is the minimum width requirement for a public street. (b) Each lot shall have a driveway, the grade of which shall not exceed eighteen percent, with adequate provision for ingress and egress. With a positive recommendation from the Design Review Board and City departments, an exception may be granted to allow grooved driveways with a grade of 18 - 25% when it will result in a project which has fewer impacts on grading, trees, and views. (c) Each lot created on substandard city streets and all private streets shall provide a minimum of 2 off street guest parking places, not on the driveway - 3 - apron, except for condominium projects which shall meet condominium parking standards. 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 make the requirement infeasible. (d) No private street leading to driveways shall exceed an eighteen percent grade. DIVISION 2. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase of this ordinance is for any reason held to be invalid, such holding or holdings shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of the ordinance. The Council declares that it would have passed this ordinance and each section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase thereof, irrespective of the fact that any one or more sections, subsections, sentences, clauses or phrases be declared invalid. DIVISION 3. This ordinance is for the preservation of the public health, safety, and welfare in that the San Rafael General Plan goals and policies seek to protect public health and safety by minimizing hazards, including seismic and landscape risks, soil erosion and fire danger associated with development on very steep and/or unstable slopes. Additional plan policy encourages preservation of natural hillside features. The ordinance provisions are intended to implement these objectives. Additionally, in the case of substandard streets, these provisions seek to assure adequate emergency access by providing additional onsite parking. DIVISION 4. This ordinance shall be published once in full before its final passage in a newspaper of general circulation, published and circulated in said city and shall be in full force and effect thirty (30) days after its passage. ii� L. BREWER, Vice Mayor Attest: JE �EM. EONCWI, City Clerk The foregoing Ordinance No. 16 as was read and introduced at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of San Rafael, held on the 7th day of October ,1991, and ordered passed to print by the following vote, to wit: AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: Boro, Thayer and vice Mayor Breiner NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: None ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: Shippey and Mayor Mulryan - 4 - and will come up for adoption as an ordinance of the City of San Rafael at a regular meeting of the Council to be held on the 21st day of octobAr '1991. JE M. LEONCINI, City Clerk - 5 -