A. General. The standards listed below shall be utilized to evaluate the lot configuration of hillside subdivision applications. The standards augment lot design requirements contained in applicable land use zoning districts.
B. Lot Configuration.
1. The area of each lot shall be of sufficient size to include the house together with required setbacks and yards, adequate space or access drives and off-street parking, septic tank systems, if permitted, and necessary cut and/or bells.
2. Each lot shall be reviewed for appropriate building pad locations. Appropriate building pad locations shall take into account the ridgeline visibility standards, views from open space, slope of the lot, location to riparian corridors, protection of natural vegetation, and wildlife migration. These issues shall be studied to determine the best building location and mitigate any negative environmental impacts and meet the building and setback requirements as established in Chapter 19.40, Residential Hillside Zones, of this code.
3. The manmade environment (roads, houses, fences) is shaped to a large degree by property lines. Therefore, property lines shall reflect natural land forms to the greatest extent possible. For example, lot lines should follow the natural contour of a hillside, not straight lines drawn for engineering design and surveying convenience.
C. Clustering Development and Subdivisions.
1. Major Subdivisions in the Five to Twenty Acre Slope Density Designation.
a. Development lots and major subdivisions in the five to twenty acre slope density designation shall be clustered, reserving ninety percent of the land in private open space to protect the unique characteristics of the hillsides from adverse environmental impacts. The project shall keep the number of lot clusters minimized, and the open space area contiguous, to the greatest extent possible. The ninety percent private open space can be contained in individual lots regulated by an open space easement or as land held in common as dedicated open space. The project shall keep the open space area contiguous as much as possible. A lot having common ownership, containing the designated open space, will not be counted in the total dwelling unit yield.
b. Significant natural features shall be identified on the tentative map: riparian and native vegetation including trees, shrubs and ground cover; all topography and areas of slope over thirty percent watercourses; faults; landslides; views of prominent ridgelines; and views from adjacent properties.
c. As a condition of the subdivision, all development except that which is allowed in Chapter 19.88, Open Space Ordinance, of this code, shall be completely contained in the ten percent development area, which should be designed to avoid adversely impacting the natural features. The lot sizes will be determined in the review process. The use of the ninety percent open space area shall be limited to their uses allowed in Chapter 19.88, Open Space Ordinance, of this code.
2. Minor Subdivisions in the Five to Twenty Acre Slope Density Designation.
a. Development of lots and minor subdivisions in the five to twenty acre slope density designation are encouraged to be clustered, reserving ninety percent of the land in private open space to protect the unique characteristics of the hillsides from adverse environmental impacts. The project shall keep the open space area contiguous, and the number of lot clusters minimized, to the greatest extent possible.
The ninety percent private open space can be contained in individual lots regulated by an open space easement or as land held in common as dedicated open space. A lot having common ownership, containing the designated open space, will not be counted in the total dwelling unit yield.
b. Significant natural features shall be identified on the tentative map: riparian and native vegetation including trees, shrubs and ground cover; all topography and areas of slope over thirty percent; watercourses; faults; landslides; views of prominent ridgelines; and views from adjacent properties.
c. As a condition of the subdivision, all development, except that which is allowed in Chapter 19.88, Open Space Ordinance, of this code, shall be completely contained in the ten percent development area, which should be designed to avoid adversely impacting the natural features. The lot sizes will be determined in the review process. The use of the ninety percent private open space area shall be limited to their uses allowed in Chapter 19.88, Open Space Ordinance of this code.
D. Grading.
1. Preliminary or tentative grading plans will be required as specified in Chapter 16.08, Excavations, Grading and Retaining Walls, or as part of the conditional approval of the map. The extent of grading and size of building pads shall meet the requirements as specified in Chapter 19.40, Residential Hillside Zones.
2. A final lot grading plan and quantity estimate may be required as part of the conditional approval and as a part of the tract improvement plans with guarantee by separate performance bond of one hundred percent of cost of such lot grading and construction of driveway approaches for the entire tract.
3. Retaining walls may be employed to resolve ground stability problems or minimize grading.
E. Off-Street Parking. Where lots have frontage on a public roadway or driveway having a pavement section of less than thirty feet or on a roadway or driveway which does not permit parking at the curb, each lot shall provide adequate turnaround space and four independently functional off-street parking spaces. The four parking spaces shall be in addition to the required two garage or carport spaces.
F. Frontage.
1. All lots shall front on a public street or private driveway as provided in Section 18.32.120.
2. Where the principal frontage of a lot is by means of a corridor, such corridor shall be at least twenty feet wide. A lesser width for a corridor may be approved when a twenty-foot width would not be practical because of existing permanent structures or topography.
However, in all cases, the corridor width must be sufficient to accommodate a safe driveway of not less than twelve feet of improved width, and if the length of the corridor is over one hundred fifty feet, the usable width must be at least eighteen feet. Where two such corridors are combined, the total access width need not exceed thirty feet if each lot has right of access over the corridor of the adjoining lot and the total paved width is not less than eighteen feet.
G. Watercourse Protection.
1. Any watercourse identified in Figure 6-G of the Cupertino General Plan and its existing or potential riparian vegetation must be shown on all development plans.
2. Lots in major subdivisions must be clustered so that the water course and existing or potential riparian vegetation are retained in the required ninety percent open space designation. Building site shall be set back from said watercourse or existing or potential riparian vegetation a minimum of fifty feet on lots which are less than one acre in size and one hundred feet on lots which are greater than one acre.
The setback shall be measured from the top of the bank or from existing riparian vegetation, whichever is greater. The setback from riparian vegetation will be measured from the drip-line perimeter. The precise area will be established through presentation of evidence of the existing or potential riparian vegetation and wildlife habitat and by considering their relationship to all design factors.
3. Lots in minor subdivision are encouraged to be clustered so that development does not encroach on the watercourse. Building sites shall be setback from said watercourse or existing or potential riparian vegetation a minimum of fifty feet on lots which are less than one acre in size and one hundred feet on lots which are greater than one acre. The setback shall be measured from the top of bank or from existing riparian vegetation whichever is greater. Setback from riparian vegetation shall be measured from the drip-line perimeter. The precise area will be established through presentation of evidence of the existing or potential riparian vegetation and wildlife habitat and by considering their relationship to all site design factors.
H. Trail Linkages. In subdivisions, if a trail linkage, as shown in the General Plan Trail Plan, is identified on the property being developed, a trail easement shall be granted in favor of the City prior to approval of the final map.
(Ord. 2085, § 2 (part), 2011; Ord. 1635, (part), 1993; Ord. 1575, (part), 1991)