Title
Objective Design Review Standards for One- and Two-Family Dwellings. Public hearing to consider Objective Design Review Standards for development allowed under Senate Bill 9. Adoption of the Objective Standards is exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Sections 15061(b)(3), the common sense exception that CEQA applies only to projects that have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment, and Section 15183, projects consistent with a community plan, general plan or zoning
Body
To: Honorable President and Members of the Planning Board
BACKGROUND
A growing number of State laws limit local jurisdictions’ review of housing projects to conformity with objective standards rather than subjective design guidelines. The latest of these laws, Senate Bill 9 (SB 9), goes into effect on January 1, 2022. It requires local jurisdictions to grant ministerial, by-right approval of duplexes in single-family residential zones. While SB 9 mandates that two units be permitted per lot, it allows local jurisdictions to apply objective design standards. Staff strongly recommends adopting objective design standards prior to SB 9’s effective date of January 1, 2022 so that staff will be able to apply such design standards to any proposed housing developments under SB 9.
The Planning Board (Board) adopted a set of Objective Design Review Standards (Objective Standards) for multifamily and mixed-use developments in 2020 and a revised set in February 2021. Some of the adopted standards for multi-family dwellings would also work for one- and two-family dwellings that could be developed under SB 9, while others are less suitable.
State law defines objective standards as those that involve no personal or subjective judgment and can be uniformly verified by reference to external and uniform benchmark criteria. They must be measurable and have clear criteria that are determined in advance so that staff and applicants can communicate about a project’s compliance with the standards. Staff has prepared the current draft Objective Design Review Standards with the intent that they could apply to all improvements to one- and two-family dwellings and Accessory Dwelling Units.
DISCUSSION
The proposed Objective Standards are intended to make additions and new buildings compatible with existing buildings in residential neighborhoods. They reflect the City of Alameda’s existing design guidelines and practices contained in Alameda’s existing design manuals. The Guide to Residential Design (Guide) has been serving as the primary set of design guidelines applied to staff-level design review on residential additions and minor improvements to single-family dwellings. The proposed standards incorporate those guidelines from the Guide that are objective or can be translated into objective standards.
Under SB 9, property owners might develop two dwellings on a lot by converting an existing single-family dwelling into a duplex, constructing an addition to an existing dwelling, or constructing a new, detached building. Accordingly, the Objective Standards document includes sections for different types of projects: standards applicable to all types of one- and two-family dwelling projects, as well as standards for additions, second-story additions, and raising buildings.
The proposed standards include the following key subject areas:
Building Orientation and Entries
• Residential buildings must be oriented to face the street, with at least one main entry door facing the street, covered by a porch of at least 25 square feet.
Architectural Details and Materials
• Certain siding materials (vinyl, aluminum, and T111) are prohibited.
• Windows must be included on street-facing facades.
• Windows must be recessed from surrounding walls or provided with trim.
Additions
• Original architectural features may not be obscured or destroyed, except as necessary to construct and integrate an addition.
• Additions shall maintain the roof form of the existing building and provide eaves if the existing building has eaves.
• The windows on street-facing facades of an addition must exhibit the same proportions, orientation, and major divisions as the windows of the existing building.
• Siding materials must match those of the existing building, with specifications provided for comparable similar materials and dimensions to historic siding types.
• Second-story pop-up additions over bungalows must implement specific strategies including slab-on-grade construction and reduced plate height to reduce the overall bulk and massing of the addition.
Raising a building
• Proportions must meet the “Golden Mean” standard from the Guide to Residential Design, which states that the raised floor may not exceed 0.6 of the height of the existing floor. However, a raised floor may be between 0.6 and 0.7 of the height of the existing floor if it incorporates certain design treatments.
Landscaping
• Best practices for protecting mature-trees during construction must be stated on the permit plans.
Parking and Garages
• Detached garages must be located behind residential buildings. In the case of a corner lot, they may be located along the street side (not the front) of the lot.
• Garages may not dominate building frontages and are limited to no more than 50% of the width of any street-facing building facade.
The proposed Objective Standards would apply to one- and two-family dwellings that the State mandates may only be reviewed against objective standards, under SB 9 or other current State laws. If more State legislation emerges requiring ministerial design review, the Objective Standards could be utilized for additional projects. Staff also intends to tie the existing Accessory Dwelling Unit and Design Review ordinances to these Objective Standards in a future zoning text update.
Though staff does not anticipate a high volume of applications for SB 9 projects, staff strongly recommends that the Planning Board adopt a set of objective design standards before January 1, 2022 to ensure basic compatibility of additions and new structures. If refinements are needed to the Objective Standards, the Planning Board may adopt the standards with direction to staff to make the specific changes, or request staff to bring the changes to the Board as part of a future update to the standards.
The Objective Standards would function as a standalone document, part of the Design Review Manual referenced in AMC Section 30-38.5. The Board can adopt the Objective Standards, while staff can maintain them.
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
The proposed Objective Design Review Standards for One- and Two-Family Dwellings are consistent with the General Plan, the Alameda Municipal Code, and State law.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The adoption of objective design review standards is exempt from the requirements of CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Sections 15061(b)(3), the common sense exception that CEQA applies only to projects which have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment and 15183, projects consistent with a community plan, general plan or zoning.
CLIMATE IMPACT
Adopting the Objective Design Review Standards for One- and Two-Family Dwellings do not result in any climate impact. The Objective Standards are consistent with sustainability goals in that they facilitate maintenance and improvement of existing buildings to further their useful life.
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt the Objective Design Review Standards for One- and Two-Family Dwellings, as set forth in the draft resolution (Exhibit 2).
Reviewed by,
Andrew Thomas,
Planning, Building and Transportation Director
By,
Allen Tai, City Planner
Heather Coleman, Planning Consultant
Exhibits:
1. Draft Objective Design Review Standards for One- and Two-Family Dwellings
2. Draft Resolution