HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 3 - Objective Design StandardsCity of San Luis Obispo, Council Memorandum
Architectural Review Commission
Memorandum
Date: June 15, 2021
TO: Architectural Review Commission
FROM: Rachel Cohen, Associate Planner
VIA: Shawna Scott, Senior Planner
SUBJECT: Objective Design Standards
Background
On November 17, 2020, the City Council adopted the City’s 6th Cycle Housing Element that
includes housing various policies and programs to be implemented over the next eight years (2020-
2028). The Housing Element is an element of the City’s General Plan and is the only element that
must be updated on a set schedule, meet specific standards (including updates to State laws) and
then be certified by the State. The document must also demonstrate that it can accommodate a
specific number of units that meet specific income categories within a specific time frame,
otherwise known as the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA).
The adopted Housing Element includes Program 6.22 that states, “Update the City’s municipal
code to expand objective design standards within one year of the adoption of the Housing Element
Update.” Program 6.22 was included in the Housing Element because recent California legislation
and Government Code has been adopted that requires a streamlined and ministerial process for
specific, eligible, residential developments. Projects that qualify for a streamlined and ministerial
review must be reviewed against objective standards and cannot be reviewed through the City’s
discretionary entitlement process.
Objective standards are a type of regulation that do not require a judgement to determine that they
have been met. For example, the City has Zoning Regulations that identify specific building
heights limits, require that buildings be set back a certain distance from property lines, and
establish the minimum number of parking spaces required for a development project. These
regulations are all considered “objective standards” because they are numeric and do not require a
subjective opinion to determine whether a development project follows those standards. Currently,
all design related direction is provided in the City’s Community Design Guidelines (CDG). While
these guidelines will still be applicable to projects that qualify for discretionary review, most of
the guidelines are not objective and cannot be used for the ministerial review process. The
ministerial process is where a development project is reviewed and approved at the staff level
utilizing set code requirements and standards (such as those outlined in the Zoning Regulations).
Objective Design Standards
To implement Program 6.22, the City must develop Objective Design Standards (ODS) for
residential developments (including mixed-use projects), located in any zone, that are eligible for
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a streamlined ministerial process. Projects eligible for by-right, ministerial processing include
those that meet the criteria for SB 35, AB 2162, and Housing Element Programs 2.17 and 2.18.
•SB 35 allows streamlining for residential project in cities that have not met their RHNA
numbers. Eligible developments must include a specified level of affordability, be on an
infill site, comply with existing residential and mixed-use general plan or zoning
provisions, and comply with other requirements.
•AB 2126 allows developers to build transitional and supportive housing “by right”
wherever other residential uses are allowed.
•Housing Element Programs 2.17 allows residential developments that include at least 20
percent of the units as affordable to lower income households, by right (no discretionary
review) on sites identified in Housing Element Table E-2.
•Housing Element Program 2.18 allows residential developments by right (no discretionary
review) for those developments that include at least 20 percent of the residential units as
affordable to low-income households.
The ODS will be derived largely from the City’s CDG and will be codified as part of the City’s
Zoning Regulations. The proposed ODS do not include changes to the CDG and will only be
applied to projects that are eligible for by-right, ministerial project review.
Timeline
Per Program 6.22, the ODS are to be adopted within one year from when Council adopted the
Housing Element in November 2020. Below is the projected timeline for the development and
review of the ODS.
Task Date
Draft Objective Design Standards June 2021
Staff Review June 2021
Select ARC subcommittee June 21, 2021
Meet with stakeholders July 2021
Meet with ARC subcommittee (2x) July 2021
ARC Hearing 8/16/2021
PC Hearing 9/22/2021
Council Review 11/2/2021
ARC’s Role and Expectations
Staff is eager to have the ARC involved in the development and review of the draft ODS because
of their experience and expertise with the CDG and architecture and design. Staff is requesting
that an ARC subcommittee be created to assist staff with the draft copy prior to full ARC review.
In addition to ARC feedback, staff will also meet with a stakeholder group made up of
professionals who are involved in local building design, architecture, and development for their
comments on the draft ODS.
The subcommittee would meet with City staff and refine the work that has been completed and
provide insight from ARC’s perspective. Formation of a subcommittee provides the opportunity
for collaborative “hands-on” work that is often not obtainable during an ARC Hearing. The input
provided by the ARC subcommittee and the stakeholder group would be presented to the ARC for
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their final comments, amendments, and recommendation to the Planning Commission. Staff
anticipates that the ARC subcommittee will meet up to two times before the August ARC Hearing
to consider the ODS.
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