Chapter 17.345
SITE PLAN AND ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW

Sections:

17.345.010    General.

17.345.020    Preapplication.

17.345.030    Application.

17.345.040    Hearing and notice.

17.345.050    Decision.

17.345.060    Conditions.

17.345.070    Findings and order.

17.345.080    Reapplication.

17.345.010 General.

(1) The purposes of the site plan and architectural review process are to:

(a) Implement the policies, goals, and standards of the city council and the comprehensive plan.

(b) Conserve the city’s natural beauty and visual character and charm by ensuring that structures, landscaping, and other improvements are suitably related to their sites and surrounding sites and structures with regard given to aesthetic qualities of natural terrain, and that proper attention is given to exterior appearances of structures, landscaping, and other improvements.

(c) Protect and enhance the city’s appeal to tourists and visitors and thereby support and stimulate business and industry and promote desirability of investment and occupancy in business.

(d) Achieve the beneficial influence of pleasant environments for living and working.

(e) Provide for the orderly development of property with the timely construction or assurance of necessary public facilities and services in a manner compatible with surrounding property.

(f) Encourage development with appropriate access and transportation systems, and prevent undue traffic congestion and pedestrian hazards.

(g) Minimize costs to the general public of facilities and services necessitated by development by requiring the developing party to bear a reasonable share of these costs when a particular site is developed.

(h) Provide for reasonable development of the city in a manner that will protect the health, safety, and general welfare of the public.

(2) The need for site plan and architectural review shall be specified by the property development standards of the zoning district or by the special condition of the planning commission when approving a special development permit. When required, no building or other general development permit shall be issued until the plans are approved. Site plan and architectural review, if required, shall also apply to major remodeling, that is, any remodeling that represents more than 50 percent of the current value of a building as defined by the International Building Code within a 12-month period.

(3) Construction, site development, and landscaping shall be carried out in accord with the plans, drawings, sketches, and other documents approved by the commission, unless altered with commission approval. Nothing in this section shall prevent ordinary repair or maintenance of a structure or the replacement of landscaping which does not involve a substantial change from the approved plans. [Ord. 93 § 5.11.1, 1987].

17.345.020 Preapplication.

An applicant may submit a sketch plan to be reviewed by the commission before the formal application is filed in order to discuss the general design of the project in relation to the site and surroundings and to property development requirements. An applicant is encouraged to take advantage of a preapplication conference before accruing a considerable expenditure in plan preparation. [Ord. 93 § 5.11.2, 1987].

17.345.030 Application.

An applicant for a general or special development permit for a development which is subject to site plan and architectural review shall submit a plan or plans drawn to scale showing the following as applicable:

(1) Contour lines related to some established bench mark or other datum approved by the public works and development director and having a minimum interval of five feet.

(2) The location and direction of all watercourses and areas subject to flooding.

(3) Natural features, such as rock outcroppings, marshes, wooded areas, indicating those to be preserved and/or removed.

(4) Location of all structures and improvements.

(5) Property lines of the subject site.

(6) Location and size of any areas to be conveyed, dedicated, or reserved as common open spaces, recreational areas, and similar uses.

(7) Existing and proposed vehicular and pedestrian circulation system including bike paths, off-street parking areas, service loading areas, and major points of access to public rights-of-way.

(8) Location and type of irrigation.

(9) Existing and proposed utility systems, including sanitary sewer, storm sewer, drainageways, water and fire hydrants.

(10) General location of and type of trees to be retained on site having a trunk diameter of six inches or more at a point of 24 inches above natural grade.

(11) Precise location or pattern and spacing of all proposed plant materials by size and common name, acceptable alternatives, expected mature appearance, estimated time of maturity, and the purpose intended to be achieved by the landscaping.

(12) Other elements and material type used in site treatment such as fences, walls, paving materials, planter boxes, screening, and ground control.

(13) Architectural drawings or sketches, drawn to scale, showing all elevations and exterior materials of the proposed structures and other improvements and floor plans.

(14) Proposed exterior lighting showing type, height, and area of illumination.

(15) Size, location, material, and illumination of signs.

(16) Time schedule for completion. [Ord. 93 § 5.11.3, 1987].

17.345.040 Hearing and notice.

A public hearing is required before approving a plan and shall be conducted in accordance with all provisions of Chapter 17.300 CBMC. [Ord. 93 § 5.11.4, 1987].

17.345.050 Decision.

No general development permits shall be issued for new construction or major remodeling until the plans have been reviewed and approved by the commission. The site plan and architectural review process shall be used to establish how, not whether, a development may occur, and shall not affect dwelling unit densities, although conditions may be imposed which are necessary for a development to achieve the minimum requirements of this title. The planning commission may approve, or conditionally approve, the proposed site plan after addressing the following criteria:

(1) The location, size, shape, height, spatial and visual impacts and arrangements of the uses and structures are compatible with the site and surroundings.

(2) The public and private sewerage and water facilities provided by the development are adequate in location, size, design, and timing of construction to serve the residents or establishments. These facilities meet city standards and relevant policies of the comprehensive plan and provide adequate fire protection.

(3) The grading and contouring of the site, and how site surface drainage and/or on-site surface water storage facilities are constructed to ensure that there is no adverse effect on neighboring properties, public right-of-way, or the public storm drainage system; and that the site development work will take place in accordance with city policies and practices.

(4) Based on anticipated vehicular and pedestrian traffic generation, adequate rights-of-way and improvements to streets, pedestrian ways, bikeways, and other ways are provided to promote safety, reduce congestion, and provide emergency equipment access.

(5) There are adequate off-street parking and loading facilities provided in a safe, well-designed, and efficient manner.

(6) Adequate dedication or reservation of real property for public use, as well as for easements and right of entry for construction, maintenance, and future expansion of public facilities are addressed.

(7) The structural design, location, size, and materials used for buildings, walls, fences, berms, traffic islands, median areas, and signs serve their intended purposes.

(8) Other property development requirements of the zoning district are satisfied. [Ord. 93 § 5.11.5, 1987].

17.345.060 Conditions.

The planning commission may impose other reasonable conditions deemed to be necessary if it is determined the development may have an impact on the site or surrounding property. These conditions shall be stated in terms that are specific and measurable so the applicant is fully aware of the intent and justification of the condition and how and when implementation is to be accomplished. These conditions may include but not be limited to those listed in Chapter 17.355 CBMC and below:

(1) Refine the landscaping plan to specify the size, type by common name, and spacing of trees, shrubbery, ground cover, and other plantings and where this landscaping shall occur. Include, as part of the landscaped plan, clearances from specified trees, rocks, waterponds or watercourses, or other natural features. Require that the landscape plan be prepared by a licensed landscape architect, contractor, or nursery proprietor.

(2) Obtain city engineer’s approval of a grading, drainage, erosion control, and ground stabilization plan for the collection and transmission of storm or ground water.

(3) Establish vehicle and pedestrian access facilities, including sidewalks.

(4) Limit the height of a building that is proposed to be constructed over 35 feet or increase a building setback up to an additional 20 feet.

(5) In the case of commercial or industrial development, provide access by a frontage road having limited and controlled access onto an arterial street by means of traffic signals, traffic control islands, or other means that will preserve the traffic-carrying capacity and safety of the arterial street and that will avoid the cumulative effect of individual access points directly onto the arterial street.

(6) In the case of a development that is not required to provide a frontage road, provide access to a street that intersects an arterial street instead of taking access directly from the arterial street.

(7) Special studies, investigations, or reports to verify that any aspect of the development will not create hazardous conditions for persons or property, for such impacts as geologic or soils conditions, noise, traffic, or landscaping.

(8) Modify the design to provide energy conservation and protect solar or wind access. [Ord. 93 § 5.11.6, 1987].

17.345.070 Findings and order.

The planning commission shall put forth in writing its decision and reasons for making this decision, in addition to explicitly stating any special conditions attached to the approval. This order shall be forwarded to the applicant within 10 days of the decision. [Ord. 93 § 5.11.7, 1987].

17.345.080 Reapplication.

There shall be no time restriction on a reapplication for site plan and architectural review. [Ord. 93 § 5.11.8, 1987].