A. This chapter is established to achieve the city’s objective to facilitate and permit the orderly development of property within the hillside areas through a set of hillside development standards aimed at protecting the public health, safety and welfare; protecting and preserving natural and biological resources for the long-term benefit of the Brea community and the broader community; recognizing the inherent value in the properties subject to this chapter; allowing size, type, location, density, and intensity of development based on available infrastructure, the geographic steepness of terrain, presence of unique geographic conditions and constraints, and presence of environmentally sensitive areas; and optimizing the use of sensitive site design, grading, landscape architecture, and architecture, all to achieve the city’s objectives.
B. The Hillside Residential (HR) zoning district and the regulations contained in this chapter are intended to provide development that is consistent with and serves to implement the goals and policies of the Brea General Plan for properties designated Hillside Residential. Specific regulations and standards address the following city objectives:
1. To establish a hillside development application process that requires property owners to select suitable development sites on their real property for new hillside development projects based off of science-based conclusions, including the use of slope density calculations, maximum land holding capacity, or specific plans or development agreements as set forth in § 20.206.060.C.3, to determine the appropriate density and intensity of a structure that can be built on a particular hillside slope.
2. To involve early participation of affected resource agencies at an early stage of the application process with new hillside development projects.
3. To protect the value to the community and the subject property of ridgelines, prominent landforms, rock outcroppings, open space areas, hydrologic features, wildlife communities, unique and sensitive habitat and vegetation communities, and other natural, biological, and scenic resources.
4. To preserve and enhance the visual and aesthetic quality of hillsides from the surrounding community.
5. To encourage all the characteristics and qualities of a cohesive neighborhood that promotes a “sense of place” within a hillside setting.
6. To promote and encourage a variety of high-quality, alternative architectural and development designs and concepts appropriate for hillside areas by utilizing the highest quality of prescribed standards.
7. To preserve the public health, safety, and welfare and specifically protect the public and property from hazards such as seismic, geologic, and fire.
(Ord. 1079, passed 11-2-04; Am. Ord. 1101, passed 5-15-07)