Title
Hearing to consider adoption of the following: 1) Interim Objective Design Standards (IODS) for state streamlined, ministerial multifamily and mixed-use projects, 2) Interim Design Standards and Guidelines (IDSG) for multifamily, mixed-use and commercial projects in the County’s Community Regions and Rural Centers and 3) Focused amendments to Articles 2, 4 and 5 of the Zoning Ordinance (Ordinance Text Amendment OR24-0002) required to implement the above standards and guidelines, submitted by the Planning and Building Department, Long Range Planning Unit. Staff is recommending the Planning Commission forward the following recommendations to the Board of Supervisors:
1. Find the Project exempt from CEQA under Sections 15061(b)(3) (Commonsense exemption), 15305 (Minor Alterations in Land Use Limitations), 15308 (Actions by Regulatory Agencies for Protection of the Environment) and 15378 (Definition of a “Project) of the CEQA Guidelines,
2. Approve Ordinance Text Amendment OR24-0002 to amend applicable sections of Article 2 (Zones, Allowed Uses and Zoning Standards), Article 4 (Specific Use Requirements) and Article 5 (Planning Permit Processing) of the Zoning Ordinance to update the requirements for County design oversight and CEQA review related to implementation of the new interim design standards,
3. Adopt Resolutions to approve the Interim Objective Design Standards (IODS) for state streamlined, ministerial multifamily and mixed-use projects and Interim Design Standards and Guidelines (IDSG) for Multifamily, Mixed-Use and Commercial Projects in the County’s Community Regions and Rural Centers.
Body
DISCUSSION/BACKGROUND
As a result of ongoing community desire for local design oversight, the Board of Supervisors (Board) held a special workshop in April 2016 to discuss community planning efforts and options to consider (Legistar File 13-0561), including the creation of design standards and guidelines for Community Regions and interested Rural Centers. In December 2017, the Board directed staff to create custom design guidelines/standards and prototypes for communities identified in General Plan Policy 2.1.1.1 (Cameron Park, Diamond Springs/El Dorado, El Dorado Hills, and Shingle Springs), with Shingle Springs as the lead prototype (Legistar File 13-0561).
In 2018, the Board approved an initial three-year consultant contract to assist staff with creation of the above design standards, guidelines and prototypes. However, due to mutual disagreements, this contract was voided and a new contract with Mintier Harnish Consulting (County Agreement No. 5912) was approved in 2022 (Legistar File 22-0093) to continue this work.
On July 23, 2024, as a result of the County’s strong desire to create updated, community-based, comprehensive, and enforceable community design standards and guidelines, ensure County design oversight for state-qualifying ministerial housing projects and to create a more predictable review process, the Board unanimously directed staff to immediately address the design standards issue. On this date, the Board directed staff to develop interim objective, community-based commercial, mixed-use and multifamily design standards for the County’s West Slope Community Regions (CRs) and Rural Centers (RCs) by December, 2024 (Legistar File 24-1158). The Interim Objective Design Standards would be the template (example) that future permanent Objective Design Standards could follow beginning in early 2025.
On September 17, 2024, Long Range Planning (LRP) staff held a public workshop with the Board and Planning Commission (Commission) to review preliminary drafts of the proposed standards and solicit public and decision-maker feedback. To address new state requirements for streamlined ministerial approval of qualifying multifamily or mixed-use development projects, staff developed a first set of standards, the IODS. To address the Board’s direction to create interim design standards for multifamily, mixed-use and commercial projects in the County’s CRs and RCs, staff also created a second set of standards, the IDSG. Although the public and decision-makers generally expressed support for the draft standards and guidelines as proposed, the Board and Commission recommended several, primarily minor, edits and clarifications be incorporated into the draft documents in response to comments received at the workshop. Staff also received additional comments from decision-makers and the public after the workshop during an expanded public comment period ending on September 25, 2024. Comments received during the expanded public review period are included as part of the Legistar record for this item. A summary of significant revisions to the IODS and IDSG, based on public comment prior to, during and after the workshop, are attached as Legistar Attachments F and G. The current redlined versions of the IODS and IDSG, made as a result of public and decision-maker comments, are included as Legistar Attachments B and C. Clean versions of the IODS and IDSG are included as Legistar Attachments D and E.
To implement the interim design standards and guidelines as directed by the Board and Commission on September 17, 2024, several, generally minor, amendments to Articles 2, 4 and 5 of the Zoning Ordinance are also required (Ordinance Text Amendment OR24-0002). The proposed Zoning Ordinance amendments are included as Legistar Attachment H.
The proposed Ordinance amendments would be effective 30 days after final adoption by the County Board of Supervisors.
A staff memo is attached.
CONTACT
Rob Peters, Deputy Director of Planning
Planning and Building Department