Chapter 18.104
P-C PLANNED COMMUNITY DISTRICT

Sections:

18.104.010    Applicability.

18.104.020    Purpose.

18.104.030    Establishment of P-C Districts.

18.104.040    Development plan required.

18.104.050    Development standards required.

18.104.060    Permitted uses.

18.104.070    Conditional uses.

18.104.080    Design standards.

18.104.085    Design standards applicable to all single-family residences in planned community zones.

18.104.090    Open space and density.

18.104.100    Amendment of development plan.

18.104.110    Revocation of use permit.

18.104.010 Applicability.

The following regulations shall apply to all P-C Districts, and shall be subject to the provisions of this title. (Ord. 977 § 1 Ex. A (part), 1987)

18.104.020 Purpose.

This district is designed to accommodate various types of development such as single-family residential, multiple-family residential, neighborhood and community shopping centers, professional and administrative offices, commercial service centers, industrial parks and other uses, or a combination of uses which can be made appropriately a part of a planned community project. The district is established to allow flexibility of design which is in accordance with the objectives and spirit of the General Plan. (Ord. 977 § 1 Ex. A (part), 1987)

18.104.030 Establishment of P-C Districts.

A.    P-C Districts may be established or removed from the zoning map upon application of a property owner or owners, or upon an initiative of the City Council or Planning Commission, in accordance with the procedure set forth in Chapter 18.136, “Amendments.”

B.    In addition to the other findings required prior to enactment of a P-C District, the Planning Commission and City Council shall find that the proposed district is consistent with the General Plan, the City subdivision requirements, and applicable City Council policies. (Ord. 977 § 1 Ex. A (part), 1987)

18.104.040 Development plan required.

An application for the establishment of the P-C District made by a property owner or owners shall be accompanied by a development plan which, if approved by the Planning Commission and City Council, shall become a part of the zoning map of the City. Such development plan shall provide all or part of the following information, as determined by the Planning Director, presented in a form and at a scale satisfactory to the Planning Director with a reduced reproducible print of the drawing or drawings suitable to the Planning Director for publication purposes:

A.    A general land use and circulation plan for the proposed district;

B.    A map showing the street system and lot design proposed within the district. Any areas proposed to be dedicated or reserved for parks, parkways, playgrounds, school sites, public buildings and other such uses shall be shown;

C.    A map showing the existing topography and the proposed finished grading of the district at one-foot contour intervals on areas of cross-slopes of less than five percent; at two-foot intervals on areas of five to ten percent cross-slope; at five-foot intervals on areas exceeding ten percent cross-slope;

D.    A plot plan for each building site or sites in the proposed P-C District or any portion thereof. Such plot plan shall show the approximate location of all proposed buildings indicating maximum and minimum distances between the buildings and between buildings and the property or the building site lines. A plot plan shall not be required for a building site to be used for a single-family residence;

E.    A detailed tabulation of the resultant densities of persons, dwelling units, building coverage, paving coverage, landscaped areas, and height of structures;

F.    The following plans, diagrams and information shall also be required to be included on the plot plan, or appended thereto, unless the Planning Director has indicated in writing that certain requirements are not applicable:

1.    Off-street parking and loading plan,

2.    Circulation diagram indicating proposed movement of vehicles, goods and pedestrians within the P-C District, and to and from adjacent public thoroughfares. Any special engineering features and traffic regulation devices needed to facilitate or insure safety of the circulation pattern shall be shown,

3.    Landscaping and tree planting plan. Such plan shall show the approximate location and type of plant materials to be installed,

4.    Detailed engineering site plans, including proposed finished grades and all public improvements as well as estimates of grading volume (cut and fill), with accompanying grading sections or other technical drawings acceptable to the Director of Public Works,

5.    Detailed engineering plans for the provision of public utilities for the site, including provision for off-site connections and facilities necessary to serve the site,

6.    Elevations and perspective drawings of all proposed structures. Such drawings need not be the result of the final architectural decisions and need not be in detail. The purpose of such drawings is to indicate within stated limits the height of the proposed buildings and the general appearance of the proposed structures, to the end that the entire development will have architectural unity and be in harmony with surrounding developments,

7.    A written statement describing the disposition of recreation and open space areas. Such statement shall include proposals for ownership, development and maintenance;

G.    A development schedule indicating to the best of the applicant’s knowledge the approximate day on which construction of the project can be expected to begin, the anticipated rate of development, and completion date. The development schedule, if approved by the City Council, shall become a part of the development plan, and shall be adhered to by the owner of the property in the district and his successors in interest. The building inspector shall annually, during the month of January, compare the actual development accomplished in the various P-C Districts with the approved development schedules, and shall report his findings to the Planning Commission. (Ord. 1319 §§ 23, 24, 2003; Ord. 977 § 1 Ex. A (part), 1987)

18.104.050 Development standards required.

A.    A planned community district initiated by the Planning Commission or City Council shall require the adoption of development standards in lieu of the preparation of a development plan. Such development standards, if approved by the Planning Commission and City Council, shall become a part of the zoning map of the City. Prior to development within a P-C District, the property owner shall submit and receive approval of a development plan as provided for under Section 18.104.040.

B.    The development standards shall include the following:

1.    Proposed land uses;

2.    Specific standards of development including, but not limited to, circulation of traffic, landscaping and architecture;

3.    Specific density;

4.    Other items as deemed appropriate by the Planning Commission and City Council. (Ord. 977 § 1 Ex. A (part), 1987)

18.104.060 Permitted uses.

A.    Single-family dwellings or any alteration thereof; provided, that plans and a Code Compliance Certificate therefor have been approved by the Planning Commission or Exception Design Control Committee.

B.    One attached second dwelling unit which complies with the standards established in Chapter 18.114 of this Code.

C.    Accessory structures (two per property) when constructed simultaneously with or subsequent to the main building on the same lot. (Ord. 1319 §§ 25, 26, 2003; Ord. 1121 § 3, 1993: Ord. 1082 § 5, 1991: Ord. 977 § 1 Ex. A (part), 1987)

18.104.070 Conditional uses.

A use permit shall be required for any and all other uses in a P-C District. The development plan shall be submitted as part of the application for a use permit. The Planning Commission shall not grant a use permit for any use or uses in a P-C District unless it finds:

A.    Such use or uses substantially conform to the General Plan of the City;

B.    Such use or uses are as shown on the approved development plan for the particular P-C District. (Ord. 1082 § 6, 1991: Ord. 977 § 1 Ex. A (part), 1987)

18.104.080 Design standards.

The following design standards shall be established for each P-C District by the development plan approved by the Planning Commission and City Council:

A.    Minimum building site;

B.    Minimum lot dimensions;

C.    Maximum building site coverage by buildings and structures;

D.    Minimum yards;

E.    Maximum building or structure heights;

F.    Maximum height of fences and walls;

G.    Signs;

H.    Off-street parking; provided, that in the case of single-family residences not less than two garages or carports shall be provided for each such residence. No garage or carport, the entrance of which faces upon any property line, shall be situated closer to such property line than twenty-two feet or such greater distance as needed for accessibility, with the exception of those garage setbacks as specified in P-C Ordinance No. 910 (Area Nine, Vista de San Carlos), P-C Ordinance No. 918 (San Carlos Manor No. 2), and P-C Ordinance No. 985 (San Carlos High School). (Ord. 985 § 3, 1987; Ord. 977 § 1 Ex. A (part), 1987)

18.104.085 Design standards applicable to all single-family residences in planned community zones.

The following design standards shall be established for all new residences or residential additions in a planned community zone:

A.    Height. Maximum heights are:

1.    Dwellings, twenty-eight feet. To verify building height, the applicant must submit a topographic site plan and all four building elevations with original grade elevations plotted along the foundation of the building in five-foot intervals.

B.    Site, Bulk and Floor Area Limit. Any new residential construction, addition or remodel to any existing building shall be designed and constructed to be architecturally compatible with the existing building on the property and the neighborhood in which the site is located with respect to size and bulk. Consideration should be given to properties immediately adjacent to the site. Where neighboring properties’ views of San Francisco Bay, the Western Hills, or any other significant natural vistas are substantially impacted by a development, mitigation by design features and/or building placement may be considered where feasible. In addition, construction should be sensitive to solar access on adjoining properties. To accomplish these objectives, the following review thresholds on total building floor area (including garages) are established:

Average Cross-Slope of Project Site (Percent)	Floor Area Threshold Percent of Total Lot Area1,2
0  —   4.9	40
5  —  19.9	30
20  —  29.9	25
30+	20

1.    In all cases, up to three thousand square feet of floor area (including garages) may be constructed on any lot regardless of size or slope.

2.    In cases in which the ratio of average lot depth to lot width exceeds two to one (2:1), the floor area review threshold will be based on width ¥ (2¥ width) ¥ maximum allowable coverage.

C.    1. Review Process—Floor Area Below Threshold. All proposed residential construction, remodeling or home expansion projects which would result in a floor area less than the thresholds established in subsection B of this section are subject to the discretionary review authority of the Planning Director for compatibility as defined by the Planning Director based on their total square footage.

a.    The Planning Director may refer items directly to the Residential Design Review Committee when:

i.    The addition is greater than fifty percent of the floor area before the addition or two thousand five hundred square feet, whichever is less;

ii.    The addition is a second story of greater than five hundred square feet in size;

iii.    The proposal involves the construction of a new residence; or

iv.    In his or her opinion the public interest would be better served by Residential Design Review Committee review of the addition.

b.    Appeal Process. Should any interested party not be satisfied with the decision of the Planning Director, he or she may appeal the decision to the Residential Design Review Committee by filing an appeal with the City within ten calendar days of the date of the Planning Director’s decision, pursuant to the regulations in Chapter 18.132, Appeals.

c.    Notice of review of applications involving a second story addition shall be mailed at least ten calendar days prior to the decision date to the applicant and to each owner of record of property within a one-hundred-fifty-foot radius of the exterior boundaries of the subject property.

2.    Review Process—Floor Area Above Threshold. All proposed residential construction, remodeling or home expansion projects which would result in a floor area equal to or in excess of the floor area threshold standards established in subsection B of this section are subject to review and approval by the Residential Design Review Committee established under Section 18.116.135 of Title 18 (Zoning) of the Municipal Code. If the proposal also requires architectural review under planned community zoning provisions, the Residential Design Review Committee review shall encompass all additional aspects of architectural review so that only one review is required of the applicant.

3.    Design Review Guidelines. The following guidelines, if reflected in the design of proposed residential development projects, may serve as bases upon which to grant approval of the project’s neighborhood compatibility pursuant to this section:

a.    Building design features which effectively mitigate adverse height and bulk impact, such as:

i.    Roof angles or design used to break up vertical mass or to blend with site topography,

ii.    Use of vertical treatments designed to break up mass and make structures appear smaller,

iii.    Designing the building as a series of segments as opposed to a single, massive structure,

iv.    Use of features such as windows, bays or doorways to break up massiveness,

v.    Use of surface materials, finish and texture to soften the design;

b.    Landscaping features which effectively mitigate adverse height and bulk impacts, such as:

i.    Massing and placement of plant materials to soften and screen the view of the building,

ii.    Use of larger, box-size trees to achieve early results,

iii.    Use of substantially greater than minimum amounts of landscaping for screening,

iv.    Use of landscaping to blend with the building design;

c.    On-site parking provisions which acceptably offset negative aspects of increased home size, such as:

i.    Provision of additional on-site parking,

ii.    Use of design techniques to screen or soften on-site parking areas;

d.    Provision of affordable housing through construction of a second dwelling unit or participation in the Human Investment Project Homesharing Program. (Ord. 1384 § 3, 2007; Ord. 1343 § 3, 2004; Ord. 1319 §§ 27, 28, 2003; Ord. 1091 § 3, 1991; Ord. 1056 § 6, 1990)

18.104.090 Open space and density.

Open space and density shall be shown on the development plan for the particular P-C District, as approved by the City Council. The total open area and average density shall substantially conform to the adopted General Plan of the City. (Ord. 977 § 1 Ex. A (part), 1987)

18.104.100 Amendment of development plan.

Changes or amendments in the development plan shall be considered the same as changes to the zoning map, and shall be made in accordance with the procedures set forth in Chapter 18.136, Amendments. (Ord. 977 § 1 Ex. A (part), 1987)

18.104.110 Revocation of use permit.

If, in the opinion of the Planning Commission or City Council, the owner or

owners of property in a P-C District are failing or have failed to meet an approved development schedule, or other conditions of the development plan or approved use permit, the Planning Commission or City Council may initiate proceedings under this title, or suspend the applicant’s use permit until such time as the applicant conforms to the conditions thereof, or to revoke such use permit. For good cause shown by the property owner in writing, prior to the expiration of the original development schedule, the Planning Commission may recommend the City Council extend the limits imposed by the development schedule. (Ord. 977 § 1 Ex. A (part), 1987)