Chapter 4.2 –
Site Plan Review
Sections:
4.2.400 Submittal Requirements
4.2.700 Approval Period, Expiration and Extension
4.2.800 Bonding and Assurances
4.2.100 Purpose
The purpose of Site Plan Review is to ensure that structures, parking areas, walks, refuse containers, landscaping and street improvements are properly related to their sites and to surrounding sites and structures; to protect natural features; and to encourage originality in site design and development in a manner which will enhance the physical appearance and attractiveness of the community.
4.2.200 Applicability
A. Unless exempt, any new development, structure, building, or substantial alteration of an existing structure or use shall require Site Plan Review in accordance with Chapters 4.1 and 4.2. For the purposes of this Chapter, the term “substantial alteration” shall mean any development as defined by this Code that generally requires a building permit and may exhibit one or more of the following characteristics:
1. The activity structurally alters the exterior of a structure, building or property by more than 25% of the existing floor area or 500 square feet, whichever is less.
2. The activity involves changes in the use of a structure, building, or property from residential to commercial or industrial.
3. The activity involves non-conforming uses as defined in Chapter 5.2.
B. Exemptions from site plan review are as follows:
1. Exterior elevation alterations that do not increase the square footage of the existing structures’ interior;
2. Interior work which does not alter the exterior of the structure or affect parking standards by increasing floor area;
3. Regular building maintenance including the repair or maintenance of structural members (e.g., roof, siding, paint, awnings, etc.), parking resurfacing;
4. All residential development, except multi-family and group residential;
5. Shared residential amenities (e.g., swimming pool, clubhouse, play equipment, picnic area, gazebo, barbecue area, and court-game facilities) approved through a master planned development;
6. Manufactured homes on individual lots;
7. Child Care Home;
8. Home occupation;
9. Residential accessory structures and accessory dwelling units;
10. Other Accessory structures 200 square feet or less; or
11. Landscaping, fences and similar developments/structures.
12. Notwithstanding anything in the Development Code to the contrary, development not requiring public improvements may be exempt at the discretion of the Community Development Director.
C. Notwithstanding any exemption to Site Plan review, compliance with the Development Code, including without limitation Chapter 3.5, is still required. Verification of compliance may be a condition to issuance of a building permit. City may require any of the submittal items required for Site Plan analysis to verify compliance with the Development Code. [Ord. 505 § 2 (Exh. D), 2020; Ord. 497 § 2 (Exh. B), 2019].
4.2.300 Application Procedure
A. Application Review. Site Plan Review shall be conducted as a Type II procedure using the procedures in Chapter 4.1, and using the approval criteria contained in Section 4.2.500.
B. The Community Development Director shall have discretion to forward any site plan submitted for administrative approval to the Planning Commission for review.
4.2.400 Submittal Requirements
In addition to the submission requirements required in Chapter 4.1, the Community Development Director or designee shall require all of the following existing and proposed information as deemed applicable for Site Plan Review.
A. The scale, north arrow, date of preparation, name and address of project designer, street address and tax lot number.
B. Lot or site dimensions.
C. All existing and proposed buildings and structures: location, square footage and height.
D. Elevations, floor plans with dimensions, building materials, color, and details of all mechanical equipment screening.
E. Setbacks and space between buildings.
F. Walls and fences: location, height and materials.
G. Off-street vehicular and bicycle parking and off-street loading: location, number of spaces and dimensions of vehicular and bicycle parking and loading areas, internal circulation pattern.
H. Access – pedestrian, bicycle, vehicular, service: points of ingress and egress, internal circulation. Pedestrian and bicycle circulation areas, including sidewalks, internal pathways, pathway connections to adjacent properties, and any bicycle lanes or trails.
I. Signs: location, size, height and type of illumination.
J. Lighting in compliance with the Dark Skies Ordinance: location and general nature.
K. Name all adjacent streets, roads or alleys, showing right-of-way and dedication widths, reservation width, easements, utilities and all types of improvements existing or proposed.
L. Landscaping: location, type, and method of irrigation.
M. Outdoor recreation spaces, common areas, plazas, outdoor seating, street furniture, and similar improvements, as applicable.
N. Refuse enclosures: location, type and material.
O. Location of mail boxes, if known.
P. Location and descriptions of any major topographic, natural or man-made features on the site such as rock outcrops, water features, existing vegetation, trees, graded areas, etc.
Q. Preliminary Grading Plan. A preliminary grading plan prepared by a registered engineer shall be required for developments which would result in the grading (cut or fill) of 1,000 cubic yards or greater. The preliminary grading plan shall show the location and extent to which grading will take place, indicating general changes to contour lines, slope ratios, slope stabilization proposals, and location and height of retaining walls, if proposed. Surface water detention and treatment plans may also be required.
R. Topographic contour lines at intervals determined by the City.
S. Documentation that development will not exceed the trip generation thresholds identified in the Transportation System Plan or a transportation impact analysis conducted in a manner satisfactory to the City if the development will exceed the trip generation thresholds.
T. Such other data and analyses pertaining to site development, including without limitation water and sewer, capacity analyses as may be required by the Community Development Department to make the required findings.
U. Emergency vehicle turning movements and wheel tracking. [Ord. 505 § 2 (Exh. D), 2020].
4.2.500 Approval Criteria
Prior to issuance of building permits, the Community Development Director or designee shall approve, approve with conditions or disapprove the proposed site plan. In approving the plan, the Community Development Director or designee shall find that all provisions of the Development Code are met. The following criteria shall be considered:
A. Conformance with applicable Design Standards in Chapter 3.
B. Adequacy of public and private facilities.
C. Traffic safety, internal circulation and parking, including pedestrian and bicycle safety;
D. Provision for adequate noise and/or visual buffering from non-compatible uses.
E. Conformance with applicable public works, building and fire code standards.
F. Conformance with development requirements of the underlying zone.
4.2.600 Modifications
A. Following site plan approval, an applicant may make modifications to the plan consistent with the following procedures. The Community Development Director or designee will determine whether the proposed modification is a minor or a major modification.
1. Minor modifications are those which are in substantial compliance with the layout, uses and conditions of the original plan review. Minor adjustments are those that entail minor changes in dimensions or siting of structures and location of public amenities, but do not entail changes to the intensity or character of the use or changes to the required development standards. The Community Development Director or designee may approve a minor modification upon finding that the modification is substantially consistent with the approved plan review, is consistent with the provisions of this code and the conditions of approval, and do not have substantially greater impacts on surrounding properties than the original plan. Other modifications are major modifications. See Chapter 4.1
4.2.700 Approval Period, Expiration and Extension
A. Approval Period – General. Site Plan Review approvals shall be effective for a period of two (2) years from the date of approval for a single-phased development, and up to two (2) additional years for all subsequent phases. In no case however shall any approval exceed 4 years for single phase development, including extensions, and 6 years for multi phased development, including extensions, from the original approval date. The approval shall lapse if:
1. A building permit has not been issued within the time period stated herein; or
2. Construction on the site is in violation of the approved plan.
B. Single-Phased Project Extension.
1. The Community Development Director or designee may, upon written request by the applicant prior to the expiration date, grant a single one-year extension per project; provided that:
a. No changes are made on the original approved site plan;
b. The applicant can show intent of initiating construction on the site within the extension period;
c. There have been no changes to the applicable Code provisions on which the approval was based. If there have been changes to the applicable Code provisions and the expired plan does not comply with those changes, then the extension shall not be granted; in this case, a new site plan review shall be required;
d. The applicant demonstrates that failure to obtain building permits and substantially begin construction within two years of site plan approval was beyond the applicant’s control.
2. Additional Extension by Original Decision-Making Body. The original decision-making body may or may not, upon written request by the applicant prior to the expiration date granted by the Community Development Director, grant a single additional one-year extension at their discretion. In no case however shall extensions combined with original approval durations exceed four years for single phased development from the original approval date.
C. Phased Development. The City, at its discretion, may approve a time schedule for developing a site in phases. Any such approval shall be subject to the following standards and procedures:
1. Approval Procedures and Durations.
a. A phasing plan shall be submitted with the Site Plan Review application.
b. The Community Development Director may approve a time schedule for developing a site in phases, but in no case shall the time period be greater than 2 years from the date that the decision became final for the first phase or 4 years from the date the decision became final for the final phase unless an extension is granted under SDC 4.2.700(C)(2).
c. Approval of a phased site plan review proposal requires satisfaction of all of the following criteria:
i. The public facilities required to serve each phase are constructed in conjunction with or prior to each phase;
ii. The development and occupancy of any phase dependent on the use of temporary public facilities shall require City Council approval. Temporary facilities shall be approved only upon City receipt of bonding or other assurances to cover the cost of required public improvements, in accordance with Section 4.2.800. A temporary public facility is any facility not constructed to the applicable City or district standard, subject to review by the Public Works Director or designee;
iii. The phased development shall not result in requiring the City or other property owners to construct public facilities that were required as part of the approved development proposal; and
iv. An application for phasing may be approved after Site Plan Review approval as a modification to the approved plan, in accordance with the procedures for minor modifications (Section 4.2.600 – Modifications).
2. Extensions.
a. The Community Development Director may, upon written request by the applicant prior to the expiration date, grant a single (not one per phase for a phased development) one-year extension to any approval provided that:
i. No changes are made on the original approved site plan;
ii. The applicant can show good faith efforts have been made towards completion of the project or the applicable phase, prior to the expiration date;
iii. There have been no changes to the applicable Development Code, Public Works Construction Standards, or other applicable criteria on which the approval was based. If there have been changes, then the extension shall not be granted and a new site plan review shall be required, unless the development can, in the discretion of the Community Development Director be modified to comply with all current standards and the Community Development Director adds conditions of approval to ensure compliance.
b. Additional Extension by Original Decision-Making Body. Upon written request by the applicant prior to the expiration date of the extension granted by the Community Development Director, the original decision-making body may grant a single (not one per phase for phased developments) additional one-year extension subject to SDC 4.2.700(C)(2)(a). In no case however shall extensions combined with original approval durations exceed four years for single phased development, and six years from the original approval date for subsequent phases within a multiple-phased development.
c. Extensions for Phased Developments. If an extension is granted for a phased development, the extension extends the current phase and all subsequent phases by the length of the extension.
3. Additional Approval Time Extension. Notwithstanding Sections A, B and C, above, all City Site Plan Review approvals, including approvals for which the City has granted an extension of time, that were due to expire on or after December 31, 2014, are hereby automatically and exceptionally extended to June 30, 2015. Site Plan Review approvals that were approved after January 1, 2015 shall comply with Sections A, B, and C, above. Approvals that have been automatically extended by this regulation may apply for an additional extension of time in accordance with Sections B and C, above. [Ord. 497 § 2 (Exh. B), 2019].
4.2.800 Bonding and Assurances
A. Performance Bonds for Public Improvements. On all projects where public improvements are required, the City shall require a bond in an amount not greater than 120% or other adequate assurances as a condition of site development approval in order to guarantee the public improvements;
B. Release of Performance Bonds. The bond or assurance shall be released when the Community Development Director, Public Works Director or designee finds the completed project conforms to the site development approval, including all conditions of approval.
C. Completion of Landscape Installation. Landscaping shall be installed prior to issuance of occupancy permits, unless security equal to the cost of the landscaping as determined by the Community Development Director, designee or a qualified landscape architect is filed with the City Recorder assuring such installation within six months after occupancy. If the installation of the landscaping is not completed within the six-month period, the security may be used by the City to complete the installation.
D. Business License Filing. The applicant shall ensure that all business occupants of the completed project, whether permanent or temporary, shall apply for and receive a City business license prior to initiating business.