Title
Historical Advisory Board Draft Meeting Minutes - April 6, 2023
Body
To: Honorable Chair and Members of the Historical Advisory Board
BACKGROUND
The Objective Design Review Standards (Objective Standards), as adopted, were mostly derived from existing design guidelines contained in the Guide to Residential Design (2003) and Citywide Design Review Manual (2013). Led by a Planning Board subcommittee, the work on Objective Standards focused on these goals:
1. Facilitate good design
2. Allow architectural variety
3. Avoid excessive cost to housing construction
In terms of applicability, the Objective Standards apply to certain housing projects that State law mandates may only be reviewed against objective standards.
Since the adoption of the Objective Standards for multifamily development in 2020 and 2021, the City has processed three applications for housing projects eligible for streamlined review. Applying the Objective Standards to real projects provided valuable information about how the standards were working and how they could be refined.
On April 6, 2023, the Historical Advisory Board (HAB) held a study session on the Objective Standards. The HAB members who were present provided comments on the topics addressed in the staff report for that meeting. A video of the discussion is at the following link:
https://alameda.granicus.com/player/clip/3123?view_id=6&redirect=true&h=d48f5a0254da4760665f8e8e2c3f3d65.
On April 10, 2023, the Planning Board held a study session on the Objective Standards. Staff summarized the HAB's comments to the Planning Board. Planning Board members provided comments on the same topics and brought up additional topics. A video of the discussion is at the following link:
https://alameda.granicus.com/player/clip/3125?view_id=6&redirect=true&h=2d268d8d31e9621a2de2c06a791250ee.
In the course of reviewing a development plan for a supportive housing ...
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