HomeMy WebLinkAboutPC 08-09-2017 BH ITEM 1
1 Summary – Zoning Regulations Workshop
SUMMARY
ZONING REGULATIONS UPDATE WORKSHOP
CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO
June 3, 2017 | 10:00 A.M. – 2:00 P.M.
Downtown Library, 995 Palm Street
WORKSHOP OVERVIEW AND FORMAT
On June 3, 2017, the City of San Luis Obispo Planning Department hosted a public workshop on the comprehensive
update to the Zoning Regulations. The purpose of the workshop was to encourage residents and the business
community to share their ideas about ways to implement the new Land Use and Circulation Elements through zoning
standards and to improve entitlement processes. The workshop was held at the Downtown Library, 995 Palm Street,
in the community room. The format was an open house, whereby people could stop by any time between 10:00 A.M.
and 2:00 P.M. The schedule also included a special presentation on tiny homes at 11:30 A.M.
Approximately 73 community members
attended and provided input. City staff
members in attendance included Michael
Codron, Doug Davidson, Xzandrea Fowler,
Rebecca Gershow, Kyle Bell, Kyle Van Leeuwen,
Januar Saptono, Shawna Scott, Aaron Peth,
Cara Vereschagin, and Jennifer Hooper. Laura
Stetson and Jill Eulate from MIG, the
consultant for the update program, attended
as well.
The City hosted the workshop to achieve the
following objectives:
Introduce residents, the business
community, and property owners to
the scope of the Zoning Regulations
update
Provide opportunities for participants to comment on land use regulations and development standards they
would like addressed and to make suggestions on how their ideas might be implemented
Provide information about potential regulations for recreational cannabis (cultivation, distribution,
laboratory testing, manufacturing, and retail sales)
Encourage participants to meet and engage with City Planning staff
Attendees were welcomed at the entrance, signed in, and received an open house brochure for guidance and
comment cards for recording their ideas. Topic-oriented stations around the room presented information and
invited comments on the following issues:
Single-family Neighborhoods: Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), tiny homes, and parking
Multifamily Development: Acceptable densities and appropriate transitions between multifamily and
single-family housing
Downtown SLO: Bike parking, motor vehicle parking, and residential development
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Citywide land use regulations
Cannabis regulations for the future
A kids’ corner featuring a large aerial photo of the City invited children to put stickers on their homes, schools, and
favorite places around SLO. Lastly, a seasoned staff planner was stationed at the “Ask a Planner” booth, where
participants could ask any question of interest and leave comments on a “graffiti wall” about any zoning issue.
This summary describes the activity at each topic station and reports the comments received. Several residents
attended to share their concerns about implementation of Ordinance No. 1130 and to offer recommendations on
how it might be changed to better achieve community intent and objectives. Those comments are provided
following summaries of the station-specific comments.
STATION ACTIVITIES AND INPUT
Single-family Neighborhoods
This station covered three topics of interest in single-family neighborhoods: 1) how best to accommodate ADUs, 2)
the emerging tiny homes trend, and 3) providing parking for larger units and residents with multiple cars. To provide
in-depth information on the topic of tiny homes, guest speaker Teresa Baker from the LATCH Collective, a tiny homes
advocacy organization, made a 30-minute presentation at 11:30 A.M.
An interactive booth involved using game pieces to figure out where to place an ADU on irregular or constrained
lots, reviewing parking standards and responding to prompts, and commenting on images of tiny homes. Only a few
people completed the ADU exercise, but many commented on tiny homes (largely in the context of ADUs) and
parking.
A. Tiny Homes and ADUs
Loved tiny house presentation! Please explore this for SLO!
Loosening regulations on the percentage of lot coverage allowed could help individuals and developers
create more ADUs and small/affordable housing.
Why are we so focused on trendy “tiny houses”?!! Focus should be placed on accessory dwellings. Period.
Not silly trends—get at the issue of reality.
Tiny homes are a fad, rather than this silly
trend, desire: small, independent,
affordable, increase density
ADU: please put the ability to have ADUs in
single-family areas to encourage affordable
housing and to provide possible income for
elders.
Legalize tiny homes as ADUs, but without all
the crazy fees/permits/rules. Dan Fitzpatrick
(Fresno tiny house guy) is ready to help SLO
make tiny homes legal and affordable.
Legalize tiny homes! It is a noble solution to
the outrageous home prices in SLO. It would
provide much needed affordable housing to
our workforce. Please.
I’m very interested and supportive of
implementing tiny houses for low-income people and others. Would like to help in any way possible.
Hopefully affordable properties in North County can be purchased for the use.
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Oh my gosh! So excited after the tiny home presentation. It would be so great to have that happen here in
SLO.
TINY HOMES NOW!
Could tiny homes not be clustered now at the existing defunct Forever 21 locations? That entire area should
be reimagined within a secondary transit center and truly affordable. ADU housing allowed as infill
development there.
Tiny houses comments. I have a granny unit behind my house that was built in the 1920s. We cannot afford
to remodel because we would be required to add parking spaces, new foundation, and other upgrades.
Flexibility is needed so older and dilapidated granny units can be replaced with tiny houses. And flexibility
is needed on parking. What if occupants don’t have a car? What options can be required in lieu of parking
space? By the way, my nephew lives in the granny unit because he can’t afford housing elsewhere.
Tiny homes can be a wonderful way to create affordable housing! Individuals could build their own homes
rather than waiting for developers to build units they can afford. As long as the City keeps fees at a low cost,
this could create housing we can afford!
Encourage ADUs, especially in downtown and Cal Poly areas. Yes, use tiny homes as ADU. Both downtown
and Cal Poly areas will have fewer cars per resident in future.
ADU are fine in side and back yards; I’m comfortable within the driveway too!
B. Parking
I would like to see residential parking permit options for new development downtown and the opportunity
for residents to have/use; use permits for temporary stay by family and friends.
I would like parking standards to be acceptable and allowable to rent to a flexible number of people based
on size of home and bedroom/bath numbers, even with limit on number of parking allowances (e.g., 6
people okay in large home but 4 parking permits).
Alternative transportation!!! With incentives: bike share, more safe routes, car share of developments,
more local buses.
Multifamily Development
Two topics were covered at this station: addressing the interface between multifamily and single-family
development and units/acre versus floor area ratio for establishing density/intensity. To help participants
understand how density might translate to built conditions, the station included a “Guess the Density” board that
showed how developments of similar densities can result in very different built forms.
A. Multifamily/Single-family Interface
Find solutions that work – varied choices – safe shelter – and get the zoning permit.
Have walls and hedges complement the existing neighborhood style. For example, if views of rocky pecks
are near, blend rock into the wall motif.
Make sure that in these multi-family units there are setbacks, air flow, and that as often as possible, views
are preserved. For example, if it is a 3-story development, have the top floor set back so that public views
are preserved.
Please transfer as many Community Design Guidelines (CDG) to Zoning Design Standards as possible. There
would be discretionary standards open for interpretation, but they must be met to the satisfaction of
decision makers. And bring in newer, better design standards that are not in the CDG.
Multi-family 3-story or less near single-family areas. Integrate single and multi-family neighborhoods.
Encourage more multi-family.
B. Measuring Density
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We must increase density in a smart fashion to allow for smaller, cheaper-homes. This is what we hear from
potential buyers and employers.
Please allow taller structures, smaller minimum lot size, more zero lot line sites, and less off-street parking.
Allowing greater density allows the market/developers to respond to community need and allows flexibility.
This is a good thing.
These are still areas of town that should allow for taller and more density, such as Monterey SF (which is
down below the hills above and will not restrict views). Also, area on South Higuera where Caltrans is. We
should be considering taller builds from downtown to Madonna Road in the South Higuera redevelopment
area (i.e., SL mill/Lumber, the abandoned dam, Blidly along the creek).
Unsubsidized affordable housing units to house workers, disabled, and homeless are needed. Smaller units,
lower fees, and common living, bathing, and cooking areas.
Continue to improve the amount of housing for our employees in our community. We can provide more
density and go taller. It is a shame that the City will not consider going taller rather than going out.
More units per acre; where do I say emphatically yes! Increase density brings life and people to a place and
can encourage smaller/affordable units.
I favor higher density, but am concerned that residents will expect to bring several vehicles and expect a
place to park. More convenient and secure bicycles parking and charging stations for electric bicycles and
vehicles are needed. Higher-density housing especially needs to be served by convenient and safe bike
routes and bike/pedestrian paths to encourage residents to walk and bicycle. Car and bike share also should
be encouraged and/or required.
More height and density and smaller units with less parking requirements in the urban community.
60 units /acre dense; build-up! Mixed use (see above re: parking issues with increased density).
Downtown SLO
Three topics were covered at this station: 1) parking for bicycles, 2) parking for cars, and 3) appropriate locations for
new housing. In addition to providing written input, participants were asked to place sticker on a map of Downtown
indicating where bicycle and car parking should be located, as well as new housing. On the following aerial photo,
yellow dots indicate bicycle parking and green dots car parking.
A. Bicycle Parking
Section 17.16.060 “G” Parking – Bicycle and Motorcycle spaces (parking). This regulation needs to be
updated to reflect the current LUCE 20% mode share. Need to meet that goal. If there is a vehicle parking
required, then bicycle parking is required. If 1 vehicle space, then 1 bike parking. If 5 vehicle spaces, then
2 bike spaces. If 20 car spaces, then 4 bike parking spaces minimum.
Pages 63-69: Table 6 Parking Requirements by Use 6 (all 5 spaces) should be updated to conform with LUCE
20% mode share for bicycles. Each use type should include bicycle parking requirements. Each use type
should include employee and visitor parking for bicyclists who work and visit the site. These bicycle parking
requirements should be included throughout all of Table 6.
Bicycle parking facilities have to be variable in design. One type of bicycle rack design does not work for the
many various bike types. Bike racks should be designed to conform with bicycles with baskets, cargo
bicycles, electric bicycles, etc. Bike parking should be secure and safe. Bike racks design in the city should
provide for at least 4-5 design types.
I support more bicycle parking downtown: both temporary for customers and visitors to government
buildings and long-term for residents and employees. Parking needs to be convenient, secure, and served
by bike routes and paths where people of all abilities feel safe. We need parklets with bike parking to
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encourage people to travel downtown on bikes. I support moving most vehicle parking to garages so there’s
more room or bikes and people. Bicyclists want to park their bikes as close as possible to their destination
for convenience and to keep an eye on the bike. A wider variety of parking spaces is needed to
accommodate a variety of bikes: tandems, adult recycles, recumbents, bikes with trailers and electric bikes.
The downtown plan is going in the right direction. Public space is for people, not cars and parking spaces.
The exceptions are delivery vehicles and spaces for disabled individuals and chop-off spaces for the elderly
and families with young children. More and denser housing downtown is fine to encourage biking, walking,
and transit. Reduce requirements for car parking at residential units, but require bike/car sharing and
incentives to bike/walk/take transit.
Small sets of bike racks everywhere, 2-3 per block.
Vehicle and bike parking should reflect 20% mode share.
City-owned bike share program (card swipe): try a pilot program.
Put bike parking requirements in Table 6.
Make Table 6 easier to understand!
Make bike parking requirements easier to understand.
More bike parking to replace on-street car parking.
As long as there are parking meters for autos, there should be parking meters for bikes and motorcycles.
A bike parking within a parking structure ground floor near entry kiosk.
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B. Parking for Cars
No new off-street parking.
It is a fantasy to think that the tourists we
invite will bring their own parking places.
Provide adequate parking for all.
Need more parking downtown. Should be
another parking structure! At Nipomo and
Palm.
Downtown parking feels about right!
More electrical car parking! Doesn't have to
be free, but should be accessible.
Put elevator in Palm parking structure.
Short-term parking good for disabled
parking users.
Build parking subterranean or above retail
outskirts of core downtown.
Standards are too lax. Living on the border
of downtown, I end up providing on-street
parking for businesses.
Extend in-lieu parking district south on
Marsh, Higuera, and side streets to Pacific
and Monterey all the way.
Parking should be regulated. Some current
projects are being approved with an
insufficient number of parking spaces. This
will have a negative impact on existing
neighborhoods. If parking spaces are
limited, then those developers should be
responsible for class I bike lanes.
Reduce parking requirements for mixed use downtown (and residential).
Build more parking structures with ground-floor commercial uses.
Build more underground parking structures on outskirts of downtown. Walking is then encouraged.
Figure out parking before allowing big hotels. There is no parking downtown any longer. Downtown
businesses are disrupted and parking over flow goes into neighborhoods.
Monterey Hotel allowed parking overflow parking Veterans Hall Andrews: San Luis Drive
Neighborhood. Necessary adequate parking; not enough required on site.
C. Residential Development in Downtown
More residential and mixed use on South Higuera, North Monterey, and South Broad Streets.
Consider allowing residential uses in underutilized parking lots such as the Madonna road shopping center
opposite the world market. Two or three-story apartments building? Is it possible to convert large, empty
building in the shopping centers to residential use?
More mixed use residential on South Higuera.
D. General Comments about Downtown
Reduce the mid-block crosswalks on Marsh and Higuera or have stop lights there synced to the street stop
lights. Most pedestrians are either coming from or to a corner. Cars stopping pollute.
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Secure a Class I bike path from Foothill to Los Osos Valley Road and along LOVR. Reduce the property tax of
current owners by a small percentage of fund.
No more bulb outs; people like on-street parking.
Good idea, but don’t go too high just to accommodate housing.
Multi-use (commercial with residential); parking allowances and permits for residents that allow any time
in streets where only 1 or 2 hour allowed for downtown users; alternative transportation expansion and
incentive for downtown residences (e.g., bike pools and parking; van loop; car share with development;
free bus passes, etc.).
More separated bike facilities for all bike riders to/from and Downtown.
Keep making sidewalk accessibility improvements.
Enforce bike rules on the road!
Why not experiment? Close Chorro to auto traffic 7:30-8:15 A.M. and 3:15-4:00 P.M. daily. Good for
commuter people who want exercise.
Land Use Regulations
Participants were asked to identify how current land use regulations might be clarified, simplified, and/or better
address use trends.
Integrate smaller multi-family into single residence zone.
Simplify and combine “like” uses in the zoning code (i.e., combine office uses).
Strictly limit what can be appealed. If a project meets height, density, setbacks, and parking regulations,
then those should not be appealable.
Streamline the approval process: more director and staff level (over the counter) approval for projects that
meet zoning requirements.
Limit appeals to architectural design, not zoning issues.
Cannabis Regulations for the Future
This station allowed participants to ask questions and receive information from City staff about how the City regulate
cannabis businesses, with the understanding that cannabis businesses do not have to be permitted at all.
Keep cannabis dispensaries away from our K-12 public and private schools.
Make sure dispensaries have security cameras. This may prevent adults selling to teens.
The City and KSBY should develop PSA announcements on the dangers of marijuana for teens.
Cannabis outdoor growing should not be allowed within City limits unless in a greenhouse where noxious
odors can be contained. It should not be the burden of neighbors to have to deal with noxious odors. After
all, that’s why commercial establishments that create such odors are kept distant from residential
neighborhoods or they are moved.
Personal use growing okay; City does not need to support commercial growers (it’s a big county).
Zone for it; regulate like agricultural growing and commercial retail, and for environmental and public health
safety; enforce requirements funded by adequate permit fees.
Ask a Planner/Share Other Ideas
This station invited participants to engage with a City planner and discuss ideas not addressed in the topic-oriented
stations.
Pursue a park for N. Broad Street area.
Please protect the wildlife corridor near Mission/Broad. Reinstate the “S” overlay zone.
Development of new school buildings near residences.
Planners need to enforce ordinances, protect residences.
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Protect San Luis Creek from pedestrian incursions and keep nature, nature. No more high-rise hotels,
especially on the creek.
Do not build on San Luis Ranch. It is a Class 1 agricultural land. The developer should build his development
on the Cal Poly campus as a public/private partnership, and the agricultural land should be a working farm
for Cal Poly for eternity. Protect that land for the next generation.
Ideas for affordable housing and homelessness: rooming houses, boarding houses, trailer parks, mobile
home parks, co-housing projects, co-op apartments, self-built, condos, cooperative living, homes designed
for sharing (not single families), internal villages, on-site residences, and hosts for parks and schools. Build
on hills, not agricultural land. Don’t sprawl; allow large cover.
Look at including/affirming/verifying/discussing: 1. Spot zoning shall not be allowed 2. Affordable by design
should not receive any, or at least much fewer, bonuses/ waivers/ incentives as affordable units (just adding
a studio apartment should not qualify). Codify no roof decks in established neighborhood; currently it’s not
allowed by our regulations but is being allowed.
Step up code enforcement for home signs. We are licensed but last count there are only 48 out of 200+ at
13%. The city is losing a lot of easy income by not cracking down on laws. We are paying around $2,000/year.
Say 200 @ $5,000 per tax is a million bucks.
You have a very strict home stay code; enforce it! This county has a minor fine at $25,000 to look for
violators. Sounds like good deal and will pay for itself.
I live in a mixed neighborhood with apartments, single-family, homes and granny units. I don’t mind density;
I mind the number of motor vehicles parking on the street. Way too much space is devoted to parking
spaces. We need a transition to bicycling/walking/transit. Reduce the requirements for vehicle parking and
increase convenient and secure parking for bicycles, restrict parking on streets, require change stations for
electric bicycles and cars, and launch bike and car share. Changes in zoning must be accompanied by carrots
and disincentives. Higher-density housing must be implemented in concert with parking restrictions so
Downtown. Are employees parking in neighborhoods to avoid paying a fee to use a parking garage? And
these employees need incentives to bicycle, walk, or take transit to work. Our neighborhood is also affected
by people who park long term because they don’t want to pay a fee at the Amtrak station. We have called
the City several times when vehicles have been left by people traveling on Amtrak just to avoid paying a
fee.
I do not want through traffic through the San Luis Drive neighborhood: 1) Grand Avenue extending across
SLO Creek by Monday Club and 2) road connecting Alta behind the high school into Johnson Avenue
neighborhoods.
Comments on Ordinance #1130
Just moved to SLO 1 year ago – this event is a wonderful concept – thank you. We have dropped off
proposed changes to 1130 – we’re looking forward to future discussions with you on these items. Thank
you again.
Concerned that parking needs for Monterey Street hotels and workers will come across the creek bridge
and park along San Luis Drive. Concerned that balconies will intrude on our neighbor privacy. Walking paths
along the creek will disturb natural flow of creek.
I look forward to a more structured, specific code #1130 rather than the present “fuzzy” one, and a chance
to see the new text before a public hearing. Planning Commission should hear all exceptions, not just a
single hearing officer.
1) Please read suggestions for Ordinance 1130. 2) No motel/restaurant parking in SLO neighborhood. 3) No
rooftop recreation. 4) No creekside pathways.
I would like to have the revised 1130 ordinance considered because changed the initial purpose. Hotel and
motel pollution caused by size (mass), sound, and environmental impact on San Luis Creek.
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Regarding foot path along the creek: hotel patrons already walk down to the creek, leave trash, and can see
into homes (some). Prohibit foot path along the creek for creek and resident protection. Prohibit parking
next to the creek. Park close to Monterey Street so horns, exhaust, lights are away from residential areas.
Parking for workers prohibited in neighborhood.
Just a reminder that you have an extended comment in writing elsewhere from the San Luis Drive
neighborhood concerning Ordinance 1130. It includes a proposed redline of the ordinance to bring the
document closer to its original intent. Thank you for giving us this opportunity.
Do not allow the Ordinance 1130 to be altered. San Luis Drive neighborhood is a unique and special place.
Please do not allow a pedestrian pathway along or close to the conservation/open space area of San Luis
Creek. Keep it a natural habitat.
Reference: Section 5 of Ordinance #1130. Revise per suggestions submitted by neighborhood homeowners.
Reference – Revise suggestions to Ordinance 1130 San Luis Creek Protection & Prevention. Please note in
your considerations regardless of type of construction proposal. Ordinance should be included in zoning
regulations.
Reinforce Ordinance 1130; concerned about hotel development.
I have signed and submitted a request for revision of Ordinance 1130. Pertinent to that is the emphasis on
San Luis Creek protection. This is a wildlife corridor and a first entrance of the creek to our town. The
importance of the health of the creek cannot be overstated. It is imperative that the language be clarified
and strengthened to facilitate creek protection and acknowledge the City’s interest in the same. Included
is a letter from Dr. John S. Foote, fish and wildlife biologist from the State Wildlife. Included in this is to deny
pedestrian footpaths along the creek in this area. With the continuing up in motel/hotel occupancy comes
increased risk of creek and creekside degradation. Thank you!
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ACTIVITY BOARDS
Single-family Neighborhoods: ADUs
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Single-family Neighborhoods: Tiny Homes
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Single-family Neighborhoods: Parking
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Multifamily Development: Guess the Density
For this activity, flaps covered the indicated densities, and participants raised the flaps to see how their guesses
corresponded to the actual densities.
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Multifamily Development: Appropriate Transitions
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Multifamily Development: Appropriate Transitions
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Downtown SLO: Bike Parking
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Downtown SLO: Motor Vehicle Parking
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Downtown SLO: Locations for Housing and Parking
Citywide Land Use Regulations
This station presented Table 9 in the Zoning Regulations and asked participants to recommend revisions to
modernize and/or simplify the land use regulations.
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Cannabis Regulations for the Future
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Cannabis Regulations for the Future
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Cannabis Regulations for the Future
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White Paper: Housing Trends
July 18, 2017
Introduction
The City of San Luis Obispo, home to just over 45,000 residents and a large university community, is
experiencing a housing crunch, with housing supply unable to meet increasing demand for both
traditional and non-traditional housing choices. The City is interested in investigating new types of well-
designed and affordable options for housing downtown—and in the neighborhoods—that can
accommodate evolving lifestyle choices and respond to increasing housing costs. This white paper
explores different types of non-traditional housing found in
other cities, including tiny homes, accessory dwelling units, and
microunits. The paper highlights key issues that should be
considered concurrently, such as parking requirements and
neighborhood compatibility for new units. The paper also
provides examples of policies adopted by other municipalities
to encourage appropriate development of emerging types of
housing. Implications of these emerging housing types as they
apply to the City’s zoning regulations are presented at the end
of this paper.
Accessory Dwelling Units
Accessory dwelling units (ADUs, and also referred to as
secondary dwelling units or granny flats) offer flexibility to
primary residences to build a second smaller unit on a lot zoned
for single-family residential use. Most often, ADUs are
constructed to house an aging family member or in-home
health care provider, or to be rented for supplemental income.
These structures are considered a key method of adding
housing within a single-family neighborhood without
compromising the neighborhood’s look and feel. The California
Department of Housing and Community Development notes
that ADUs are an innovative and effective option for increasing
the housing supply in California. The mainstream use of ADUs
offers the opportunity to greatly increase housing supply. For
WHAT IS AN ADU?
According to the State Department
of Housing and Community
Development, an ADU is a
secondary dwelling unit with
complete independent living
facilities for one or more persons,
generally in one of these forms:
Detached: The unit is separated
from the primary structure.
Attached: The unit is attached
to (or included within) the
primary structure.
Repurposed Space: Space
within the primary residence
(e.g., master bedroom) is
converted into an independent
living unit.
Junior Accessory Dwelling Unit:
Similar to repurposed space,
but with streamlined review
procedures and generally
without additional parking.
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example, if 10 percent of San Luis Obispo’s 19,193 households1 built an ADU, the result would be over
1,900 new housing units.
The City recently adopted a comprehensive Accessory Dwelling Unit ordinance (codified in Section
17.21.010 of the Municipal Code) to address recent changes in State law. (The new ordinance replaced
the former Secondary Dwelling Unit ordinance.) As described in the conclusion of this paper, these
recent regulatory changes could provide the basis for further changes designed to encourage the
development of new housing options for residents.
Figure 1: Examples of Accessory Dwelling Units in the backyard (left) and on top of a garage (right)
California Regulation
Two California bills (AB2299 and SB1069) that took effect in January 2017 were crafted to remove
barriers to construction of ADUs. Most significantly, the laws allow jurisdictions to eliminate off-street
parking requirements and prohibit agencies from mandating separate utility hookup fees for ADUs. A
third new law, AB2406, authorizes local government to permit junior accessory dwelling units (JADUs).
Specific local regulations vary based on the building code and zoning adopted by municipalities.
Research has found, however, that cities that work to reduce the building, zoning, and financial
requirements often find an uptick in ADU production. After putting in place zoning reforms, pre-
approved designs, and a low-interest loan program, the City of Santa Cruz saw ADU production triple.2
Neighborhood Compatibility
One frequent concern of building more accessory dwelling units is that their prevalence may
compromise the character of a single-family neighborhood. Although ADUs are often placed behind
primary dwellings, sometimes they may be visible from the public street. Other cities have addressed
this concern by directing the architectural design and materials to be substantially the same as the
primary residence (which is what San Luis Obispo requires).
1 U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census
2 Wegmann, Jake, and Alison Nemirow. 2011. “Secondary Units and Urban Infill: A Literature Review”
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Parking Requirements
Some people worry that increasing the number of residents in a neighborhood without creating new
parking will reduce the availability of on-street parking for current residents. Limited research findings
are available regarding the effects of ADU construction on parking, but studies show that not all ADU
residents have cars and that not all associated cars are parked on the street (particularly if local
regulations require a parking space for the ADU). A study of ADUs in the east San Francisco Bay Area
found that 22% of ADUs had no associated cars, and of those that did, 70% were parked on the street.3
AB2299 reduces parking requirements for ADUs and prohibits parking requirements if the ADU is4:
Within one-half mile from public transit
Within an architecturally and historically significant historic district
Part of an existing primary residence or an existing accessory structure
In an area where on-street parking permits are required, but not offered to the occupant of the
ADU
Located within one block of a car share area
Tiny Homes
Tiny homes are a growing movement for people who want to live minimally, decrease financial costs,
and decrease their energy consumption. Although becoming ubiquitous in name, the form and function
of tiny houses varies. Given this wide variety of housing configurations, tiny homes may constitute more
of a social movement rather than a unique housing type. Yet the cultural, economic, and social factors
driving the movement suggest that cities should seriously consider whether and how to modify their
zoning codes in response.
Figure 2: Examples of a tiny home on a foundation (left) and a tiny home on wheels (right)
(Sources: UNC School of Government; City Observatory)
Tiny homes can range in size anywhere from 80 to 400 square feet, and some are built on a chasse (an
axle with wheels), while others are placed on a foundation. For municipalities, tiny homes also vary in
3 Wegmann, Jake, and Karen Chapple. 2012. “Understanding the Market for Secondary Units in the East Bay”
4 California Department of Housing and Community Development. 2016. “Accessory Dwelling Unit Memorandum”
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allowed placement, as some are regulated as accessory dwelling units and sited behind primary
residents, while others may be considered recreational vehicles (RVs) and placed as part of a larger
grouping or tiny home village. For San Luis Obispo, providing specific regulations for tiny homes might
incentivize this type of housing that has increasing appeal to students, young professionals, and retirees.
Figure 3: Tiny Home Village called Boneyard Studios in Washington, D.C.
(Source: Shinytinymansion.com)
One way that tiny homes can be used to as a strategy to expand the housing supply is by zoning specific
districts to spur tiny home developments. The city of Rockledge, Florida has achieved this by permitting
tiny homes but only within two zoning districts. The first is redevelopment mixed use (RMU) zones,
where it is hoped tiny homes will be a catalyst for economic development while also creating more
walkable communities. Tiny home development may also occur within Planned Unit Development
districts (PUD), which create pocket neighborhoods designed exclusively for tiny houses. Each PUD must
have a minimum of four tiny homes and a maximum of 12 tiny homes, plus a centralized common area.
The pocket neighborhood community must be part of a condominium or homeowners’ association to
maintain the common areas. A full copy of the Rockledge tiny home regulations can be found at
http://americantinyhouseassociation.org/model-zoning-for-tiny-houses-from-rockledge-fl/.
The Rockledge zoning regulations permit both types of tiny homes: those built on foundations and tiny
houses on wheels (THOW). These include conditions for the THOWs, such as requiring porches,
designed to encourage occupants to establish roots in the community. Currently, the City of San Luis
Obispo Zoning Regulations would not allow THOWs since under California law they are classified as
recreational vehicles. These are not allowed as dwelling units on private property outside of legally
operated mobile home parks, travel trailer parks, campgrounds of safe parking facility.
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The City of Portland, Oregon recently moved 16 tiny homes onto an inner-city lot to establish that city’s
first homeless village for women. The housing is transitional, with the goal of helping residents move to
permanent housing.5
If the City of San Luis Obispo wishes to explore allowing tiny homes as either ADUs or in tiny home
developments, the preferred approach may to focus exclusively on tiny homes built on foundations, as
they may be seen as more compatible with the character of the local community and more critically, tiny
homes on wheels are regulated by the State as motor vehicles (see following discussion).
At the June 3, 2017 community workshop kicking off the Zoning Regulations update, information
provided about tiny homes generated enthusiastic response from many participants.
Figure 3: Kenton Women’s Village in Portland, Oregon (photo from Los Angeles Times)
California Regulation
Currently, California has no statutory requirements aimed specifically at the construction or regulation
of tiny homes. If the tiny home falls within the definition of an ADU, State and local regulations apply.
An informational bulletin from the State Department of Housing and Community Development
highlights that to be occupied, a tiny home must comply with the standards of either a manufactured
home (as defined and regulations by federal Housing and Urban Development codes), a California
5 Los Angeles Times. July 11, 2017. “In tiny houses, a big experiment.”
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Residential Code or California Building Code home, factory-built housing, a recreational vehicle, a park
trailer, or a camping cabin.6
Tiny homes on foundations are often classified as ADUs and must follow applicable local residential
building and zoning codes, such as maximum ADU size per lot size and setback requirements. In
contrast, tiny houses that are on wheels are classified as RVs, and many local jurisdictions do not allow
permanent occupancy of RVs, except in areas zoned for mobile home use.
Municipal-level regulation varies greatly across the State. In Sonoma County, for example, tiny houses
on wheels are allowed as “caregiver dwellings” when the tiny home or primary residence is housing a
friend or relative providing care for the other occupant.7 The City of Fresno recently adopted a more
lenient policy that allows tiny homes on wheels (called “backyard cottages”) to be parked as a
permanent secondary unit, without any restriction of the occupant.
With regard to property taxes and tiny homes, if such a home is permanently placed on a property, it
would be considered a property improvement and thus affect the assessed value of the property. How
a tiny home on wheels might be taxed is more difficult to discern, as it may be considered a mobile
home and thus subject to licensing through the Department of Motor Vehicles.
Neighborhood Compatibility
Like ADUs, a primary concern of tiny home development is compatibility in existing neighborhoods. The
City of Fresno’s policy for ADUs and tiny homes notes that if the tiny home is visible from the street or a
park, then the “architectural design, roofing material, exterior materials and colors, roof pitch and style,
type of windows, and trim detail” should be nearly the same and visually compatible with the main
residence.
Parking Requirements
Similar to other alternative housing being built in neighborhoods, existing neighbors are concerned of
tiny homes’ impact on on-street parking availability. If the tiny home is considered an ADU, then similar
regulations apply and parking requirements are prohibited under specified conditions, including
placement of the tiny home within one-half mile of public transit.
6 American Tiny House Association. 2016. “State of California Issues Information Bulletin on Tiny Homes.”
7 Tiny House Community. 2015. “Caregiver caravans legal in Sonoma and other northern CA countie.s”
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Microunits
Microunits, or “efficiency dwelling units,” are small
apartments, often 200 and 300 square feet in size, that
include a bedroom area, bathroom, and cooking facilities
within a small space. Microunit apartment developments
are being constructed in cities such as San Francisco, New
York, and Seattle such developments appeal to young
professionals who want to be close to urban amenities and
do not require much living space. (Seattle has coined the
term “a-pod-ments” for microunits.) With a comparatively
smaller footprint for each apartment unit, microunits
developments can house a greater number of people per
square foot. Opponents argue that microunits are marketed
as luxury housing and do not provide an affordable housing
choice; microunits in cities often rent at comparatively high
rates per square foot to other larger studios.
California Regulation
Statewide, there are no regulations on microunits,
and minimum required living space (the main constraint on developers building microunit apartments)
are adopted locally. In 2012, for example, the City of San Francisco approved an ordinance to decrease
unit sizes to allow units as small as 220 square feet, including the bathroom and closet space.
Other cities are looking at prefabricated micro-units to house low-income and homeless individuals. The
City of Berkeley, for example, is exploring the feasibility of stacked 160-square-foot prefabricated
microunits available to seniors, disabled, and low-income residents.
Neighborhood Compatibility
Figure 5: Some developers
use modular construction
for building microunits
(Source: Urban Land Magazine)
Figure 4: Microunit apartments in San
Francisco and New York City
(Sources: New York Times; International Making
Cities Livable)
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The main concern of compatibility for microunit apartments is the height and size of the building in the
surrounding landscape. Microunit developments are often built downtown in areas of higher heights
and densities, reducing this concern.
Parking Requirements
Building parking in urban areas and suburban downtowns is costly, and an apprehension for developers
building microunits is minimum parking requirements. Developers claim that most microunit residents
will not have a car but will use other transportation options, aided by the fact they are located near
transit hubs. The reduction of parking spaces, however, can lead to microunit residents parking cars on
nearby neighborhood streets.
Cohousing
Cohousing is an intentional community of homes or apartments that includes shared spaces. In a
traditional cohousing community, each family or individual has its own house or apartment that includes
amenities and a kitchen. Cohousing also includes shared spaces, such as a kitchen, dining room, and
recreation areas that are used for communal meals and activities. These communities can be built in
urban, suburban, or rural contexts.
Figure 6: An affordable cohousing community in Sebastopol; Swan Market cohousing in Oakland
(Sources: www.ic.org; co-housingsolutions)
In recent years, developers have started to build cohousing projects for baby boomers and seniors,
creating spaces for aging adults who want to downsize and live in a supportive environment with peers.
Senior cohousing can provide an alternative to assisted living, where residents can offer each other
valuable services such as shared meals, companionship, and rides to the doctor offices.
One of the concerns of cohousing communities is that the price of the market-rates homes is often
unaffordable to many. A few non-profit developers are building affordable cohousing communities,
making this type of living attainable to more people. Petaluma Avenue Homes, for example, is an
affordable cohousing community that has 45 apartments and townhomes for low-income families and
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seniors. The Swan Market cohousing community, with 20 units on 0.3 acres of land, is nestled alongside
affordable rental apartments and retail and restaurants (see Figure 6).
Cohousing examples have sparked similar housing models that bring together individuals with unique
needs and the desire to build intentional community. In the Netherlands, the Humanitas retirement
home provides college students with rent-free housing in exchange for 30 hours a week helping
retirement home residents. In a different example, the website CoAbode connects single mothers who
want to live together and share tasks such as childcare, cooking, and grocery shopping. With rising rents
and housing prices, unique housing arrangements offer the opportunity to decrease housing costs and
have peoples’ needs met through community sharing.
California Regulation
California law has no regulations specific to cohousing. As developers build cohousing, they must abide
by local land use, zoning, and entitlement process consistent with their building plans. Once cohousing is
built, the community is often legally structured as a homeowner association (HOA), condominium
association, or housing cooperative.
Absence of Density Limits and Reduced Parking
San Luis Obispo, like most jurisdictions in California, regulates housing development based on whether it
is classified as “single-family” housing or “multifamily” housing, together with the densities that may be
achieved in terms of the maximum number of “dwelling units” (individual residences) per acre of land.
Single-family means a stand-alone, detached residence on one legal parcel. Multifamily means more
than one residence in a building, such as a duplex, condominium, or apartment. The terminology is
somewhat problematic when referring to townhomes, as they may be attached to each other (side to
side) but each individually owned townhome occupies a separate legal parcel.
The types of housing and density limits imposed by a general plan and zoning code generally are
intended to preserve the character of established neighborhoods and ensure that new development
integrates well into a neighborhood. For multifamily housing, typically the concerns are the size,
orientation, and setbacks of new development, as well properly addressing privacy concerns adjacent to
single-family neighborhoods and limiting the amount of traffic generated.
The City’s Zoning Regulations have a very complex system of determining the maximum allowed density.
Density is calculated based on the average slope of a property and the number of bedrooms in a
dwelling unit. See Section 17.16.010 of the Zoning Regulations (included as Appendix A). If a developer
is looking to develop, for example, in the R-3 zone, the density cap of 18 units per acre established in
Chapter 17.28 would be further modified (likely reduced) by the provisions in Section 17.16.010, which,
for example, count three-bedroom dwellings as 1.50 units and four-bedroom dwellings as 2.00 units.
Demographic trends indicate that many young adults prefer smaller living spaces and do not own cars,
two considerations that are not well addressed by the City’s current density standards and parking
requirements. These preferences are reflected in the market responses described above to produce
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microunits—which in San Luis Obispo may not be possible to construct given the multifamily density
limits in residential and mixed-use zones—and the evolving trend toward providing fewer parking spaces
per unit.
A common approach many cities in California use to address both compatibility concerns and trends
toward smaller units is to forego density limits and instead regulate residential development based
solely on building height, setbacks, step backs, lot coverage, placement of parking, etc. This “form”
based approach focuses on the physical relationship of new development to its neighbors. With no
density limit, a greater number of residential units may be accommodated in the same building form
which the City’ Zoning Regulations currently dictate. Units can be smaller and the total amount of
parking required may be less if parking is based on the number of bedrooms in a unit, as it is in San Luis
Obispo.
Parking trends in cities well served by transit and/or with walkable urban districts have moved to require
fewer parking spaces per residential unit. Some cities have established maximum rather than minimum
parking standards to encourage reduced auto dependence. Property managers of multifamily housing
have also seen the opportunity to base rental/lease rates on whether a tenant needs a car parking
space. These approaches, where used, often need to be balanced with other parking controls to ensure
that reduced off-street parking does not impact on-street parking supply.
Considerations for the Updated Zoning Regulations
The City clearly recognizes local housing needs. The recently adopted ADU ordinance states its intent to
“expand housing opportunities by increasing the number of smaller units available within existing
neighborhoods.” The ordinance does this by establishing minimum size requirements that
accommodate the construction of tiny homes, defined as a dwelling unit that is 400 square feet or
smaller in floor area, excluding lofts. The ADU defines the minimum based on the size of an efficiency
unit as stated by the California Health and Safety Code, which has a minimum of 150 square feet per
unit, well within the range of the 400-square-foot tiny home maximum. Although the ADU ordinance
effectively resolves the minimum size hurdle, its potential to expand the housing supply is limited by the
provision that the owner of the property must occupy either the primary residence or the ADU.
As the City investigates options for addressing housing needs in the community, these considerations
may guide the discussion:
Further modifications to the ADU regulations may be warranted to make it easier to build ADUs
on challenged lots. This could consist of eliminating the owner occupancy requirement,
reducing setbacks, eliminating landscaping requirements, and/or allowing units in side or front
yards, among other relaxed standards.
Density limits could be eliminated for Downtown to allow smaller units within the established
building forms defined as appropriate for Downtown. Similar consideration may be given to the
R-2, R-3, and R-4 zones.
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Determine whether micro units are a viable and desired housing option.
Tiny homes may present a housing option not just as ADUs but within small-lot subdivisions or
as temporary/transitional housing.
Density requirements could be adjusted so that units with three or more bedrooms do not
effectively reduce the overall unit yield. This could result in more units within developments.
Parking requirements for Downtown residential uses can be modified to incentivize
development of housing affordable to a broader range of income levels. Modifications could
include reduced parking per unit, allowance for off-site parking that is leased separately from
the unit (so-called unbundled parking), and broader-based sharing arrangements with
commercial and office uses.
Specific zoning regulations could be crafted to encourage or better accommodate co-housing.
The investigation of non-traditional housing choices offers the opportunity to concurrently respond to a
housing shortage and increasing housing costs, and to accommodate evolving housing needs and
desires.
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Sources
American Tiny House Association. 2016. “State of California Issues Information Bulletin on Tiny Homes”
http://americantinyhouseassociation.org/state-of-california-issues-information-bulletin-on-tiny-
homes/
California Department of Housing and Community Development. 2016. “Accessory Dwelling Unit
Memorandum” http://www.hcd.ca.gov/policy-research/docs/17Jan30-ADU-TA-Memo.pdf
Keyser, Rachel. 2017. “A Government’s Guide to Tiny House Regulation”
http://www.viewpointcloud.com/blog/local-government-resources/governments-guide-tiny-
house-regulation/
Nonko, Emily. 2016. “Tiny House Zoning Regulations: What You Need to Know.”
https://www.curbed.com/2016/9/22/13002832/tiny-house-zoning-laws-regulations
Tiny House Community. 2015. “Caregiver caravans legal in Sonoma and other northern CA counties”
http://www.tinyhousecommunity.com/map/caregiver-caravans-legal-in-sonoma-and-other-
northern-ca-counties/
U.S. Census Bureau. “General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010” 2010 Census
https://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?src=CF
Vail, Katherine M., 2016. “Saving the American Dream: The Legalization of the Tiny House Movement.”
http://louisvillelawreview.org/sites/louisvillelawreview.org/files/pdfs/printcontent/54/2/7-
Vail%20text.pdf
Wegmann, Jake, and Alison Nemirow. 2011. “Secondary Units and Urban Infill: A Literature Review”.
Berkeley Institute of Urban and Regional Development Working Paper. University of California.
http://iurd.berkeley.edu/publications/wp/2011-02.pdf
Wegmann, Jake, and Karen Chapple. 2012. “Understanding the Market for Secondary Units in the East
Bay” http://escholarship.org/uc/item/9932417c.pdf.
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Consultants to the City
MIG, Inc.
537 S. Raymond Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91105
(626) 744-9872
www.migcom.com
Jacobson & Wack
9530 Hageman Road, Suite B205, Bakersfield, CA 93312
(661) 213-4100
Mintier Harnish
1415 20th Street, Sacramento, CA 95811
(916) 446-0522
www.mintierharnish.com
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APPENDIX A: CALCULATING DENSITY
From Municipal Code Title 17 – Zoning Regulations
17.16.010 Density.
A. Determination of Allowed Development.
1. "Density" is the number of dwellings per net acre, measured in density units. In the AG, C/OS, and
R-1 zones, each single-family dwelling counts as one density unit. In the other zones, different size
dwellings have density unit values as follows:
a. Studio apartment, 0.50 unit;
b. One-bedroom dwelling, 0.66 unit;
c. Two-bedroom dwelling, 1.00 unit;
d. Three-bedroom dwelling, 1.50 units;
e. Dwelling with four or more bedrooms, 2.00 units.
2. The following procedure shall be used to determine the maximum development allowed on a given
lot or land area:
a. Determine the Average Cross-slope of the Site. "Average cross-slope" is the ratio, expressed
as a percentage of the difference in elevation to the horizontal distance between two points on
the perimeter of the area for which slope is being determined. The line along which the slope
is measured shall run essentially perpendicular to the contours.
i. Where a site does not slope uniformly, average cross-slope is to be determined by
proportional weighting of the cross-slopes of uniformly sloping sub-areas, as determined
by the Community Development Director.
ii. Cross-slope determinations shall be based on the existing topography of the net site area
after subtracting the area for any future on-site grading necessary to accommodate
proposed right-of-way improvements and other on-site improvements.
iii. Cross-slope shall be calculated only for the net area as defined in Sub-section A2b below.
iv. When the calculation of cross slope results in a fractional number, it shall be rounded to
the next highest whole number if the fraction is one-half or more; otherwise it shall be
rounded down to the next lowest whole number.
v. No slope-rated density reduction is required in the C/OS, C-R, C-C or PF zones.
vi. The maximum development allowed for each average cross-slope category is as follows:
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Table 1: Maximum Residential Density for Cross-Slope Categories
*R-2 zone, see section d.1. below
By approving an administrative use permit, the Director may grant exceptions to the reduction of density
with slope where the parcel in question is essentially enclosed on all sides by development at least as
dense and within the same cross-slope category as the proposed development. The exception shall not
authorize density greater than that allowed for the category of less than 15% slope for the appropriate zone.
(See also Section 17.12.020D, Nonconforming Lots - Regulations.)
b. Determine the Net Area of the Site. "Net area" is all the area within the property lines of the
development site, excluding the following:
1. Street right-of-way dedicated and proposed to be dedicated to the City;
2. Area between the tops of banks of creeks shown on the Open Space Element “Creeks
Map”;
3. Habitat occupied by species listed as “endangered” or “threatened” by the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service or the California Department of Fish and Game, or as “plants of highest
priority” by the California Native Plant Society, unless the Community Development
Director determines there is no “practical alternative” as defined by the General Plan;
4. Area within the drip line of “heritage trees” designated by the City.
c. Multiply the resulting area (in whole and fractional acres) by the maximum density allowed (in
density units per acre) according to Table 1 of this section. (Ord. 1365 (2000 Series)(part))
d. The resulting number (in density units, carried out to the nearest one-hundredth unit) will be
the maximum residential development potential. Any combination of dwelling types and
numbers may be developed, so long as their combined density unit values do not exceed the
maximum potential.
1. For a single-family residence (single unit on one lot) located in the Medium-Density
Residential Zone (R-2), density unit values may be rounded up to the nearest half (.5)
density unit (example: 1.37=1.5). Condominiums and common interest subdivisions shall
conform to standard R-2 density requirements where maximum density is calculated by
rounding to the nearest one-hundredth unit.
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B. Density Transfer.
1. Development potential may be transferred within the area covered by a planned development (PD)
zone, in conformance with the requirements of Chapter 17.50.
2. Where a portion of a lot is within a zone or zones that allow residential use and the rest of the lot is
in a C/OS zone, and the portion within the C/OS zone is not large enough to allow one dwelling,
the fractional dwelling unit potential from the C/OS zone may be transferred to the other portion of
the lot, without planned development rezoning.
C. Density Averaging.
Where portions of a lot are within two or more different zones that allow different maximum densities, and
any portion is not of the size required for a lot in that zone, density may be averaged over the whole lot,
with each portion contributing to the overall maximum development potential in proportion to its area and
maximum allowed density.
D. Density Bonus for Low-income and Moderate-income Housing.
Pursuant to California Government Code Section 65915, the City may negotiate a density bonus or other
benefits in exchange for provision of housing affordable to households with low or moderate income, as
defined in the Government Code, and as stipulated in Chapter 17.90 of these regulations. (Ord. 1085 - 1
Ex. A (part), 1987; Ord. 1006 - 1 (part), 1984; Ord. 941 - 1 (part), 1982: prior code - 9202.5(B))
E. Exceptions for Dwellings Rebuilt After Involuntarily Destroyed.
Residences in R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, O, C-N, C-C, C-R, C-T, C-D and C/OS zones, which have been
involuntarily damaged or destroyed by fire, other catastrophic event, or the public enemy by more than
50% of their pre-damaged value, may be rebuilt at the same density and up to the same size, under
the following circumstances:
1. All construction must conform to current building codes, zoning regulations, and architectural
guidelines, except that the previously existing number of dwelling units and size of buildings will be
allowed.
2. A building permit for the replacement structure(s) must be obtained within three years of the date
of the damage or destruction.
3. Notwithstanding the above provisions, application for replacement structures of the same density
and size may be denied if the Community Development Director makes one of the following
findings:
a. The reconstruction, restoration, or rebuilding will be detrimental or injurious to the health,
safety, or general welfare of persons living or working in the neighborhood.
b. The reconstruction, restoration, or rebuilding will be detrimental or injurious to property and
improvements in the neighborhood.
c. The existing nonconforming use of the building or structure would be more appropriately moved
to a zone in which the use is permitted.
d. There no longer exists a zone in which the existing nonconforming use is permitted.
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