(A) Use regulations: New residential development that meet the underlying zone requirements shall incorporate the following standards into their design in order to be processed ministerially through an appropriate permit.
1. Building Siting, Access & Orientation: Orient building doors, windows, and entrances to relate directly to public and private streets, drives, paseos, greenways, and common open space amenities and generally create an attractive presence.
(a) Provide direct access from ground level residential units to streets and communal areas.
(b) Provide direct access from ground level commercial to the primary street frontage.
2. Access, Circulation & Parking:
(a) Maximize a feeling of openness in residential developments by orienting road access to open space areas and areas of visual interest.
(b) Minimize cross circulation between vehicles and pedestrians by providing a continuous, clearly marked walkway from the parking areas to main entrances of buildings. The use of enhanced paving for crosswalks and entries is encouraged (such as concrete surface treatment, brick, terra-cotta or stone pavers).
(c) Provide walkways and/or corridors between residences, parking areas, and all site facilities for safe access. Pedestrian walkways in parking areas should be provided, clearly identified, and made safe and attractive using hardscape design, landscaping and lighting.
(d) Incorporate any two (2) or more of the following design features in surface parking areas of the development:
(1) Carports/ Shade Structures providing a minimum of 50% shade covering for parking area. Carports and Shade Structure shall be constructed of similar or consistent material, and colors, of the primary residence(s).
(2) A minimum 10-foot landscape area (trees, shrubs, groundcover) at the exterior perimeter of all parking lots. The 10-foot landscape area may consist of existing and established native and naturalized vegetation and new container plant material consisting of 24-inch box trees and 1- and 5-gallon shrubs and groundcover. New planting should consist of a combination of small, medium, and large-scale trees, shrubs, and groundcover. All landscape and irrigation shall be consistent with section 6-11-41 of this title.
(3) One 24-inch box canopy shade tree for every 30 linear feet of parking area. Tree spacing may be varied to accommodate site conditions or design considerations; however, the total number of trees calculated for all parking areas shall be maintained.
(4) Decorative, but non-porous, paving and pavers are encouraged throughout the site to reduce the amount of irrigation water used due to the reduced landscaped area.
3. Building Scale, Massing and Articulation: Reduce the visual bulk of new development by incorporating any three (3) of the following design features:
(a) Frontage elements, such as bay windows, porches, projecting eaves, awnings, and similar elements, to add visual interest and reduce the scale and mass of buildings.
(b) Blank walls without windows, doors, or other articulation are strongly discouraged. The maximum length of any blank wall shall be limited to 15 feet.
(c) Accentuated building corners, with architectural treatments, such as a change in material, greater building height at the corner, rounded or chamfered building facades, pronounced building forms, enhanced window treatments or projections - such as awnings, trellises, parapets, roof overhangs, etc.
(d) Fenestration elements, such as recessed windows, decorative panels and trim, color accents, offsets and framed openings to reduce their visual bulk and scale.
(e) Patterned garage doors, painted trim, or varied garage door colors.
(f) A change in materials and finishes, providing at least three materials and finishes across the building façade.
(g) A horizontal offset in the building plane consisting of a minimum six-inch offset in the building façade for every 30 feet of building frontage.
(h) A ten-foot step-back of the third floor.
(i) Housing within new residential subdivisions shall, be situated with recognizable variations in front and side yard building setbacks.
(j) To reduce architectural massing at street corners and to create congruity where a two-story structure is next to a one-story structure, the incorporation of a one-story element into the two-story structure shall be required when determined as feasible by the planning director or planning commission.
4. Area: The minimum size for the livable area within a new detached single-family residence in the city shall be one thousand (1,000) square feet.
5. Roofline Variation: Provide variation in the roof lines of new development through breaks in parapets, varied parapet heights, pitched roofs, gabled roofs, and/or mansard roofs.
(a) The use of roof forms, including shed, gable and hip roofs, alone or in combination, shall be used to achieve a variety of rooflines for houses adjacent to public streets. All such roofs shall be of a concrete tile, approved shake or shingle, or an architectural style composition shingle with dimensional variations. All other proposed roofing materials shall be subject to review and approval by the building official.
6. Building Materials, Finishes and Colors: Residential dwelling units, community facilities, and other structures shall provide a unified appearance through a consistent use of building materials, textures, and colors. Exterior columns or supports for site elements, such as trellises and porches, shall utilize materials and colors that are compatible with the rest of the development. The color of relief, decorative trim, and wood frames shall be compatible with the overall building color.
(a) Materials such as brick, stone, copper, etc. shall be left in their natural colors. Veneer shall turn corners and avoid exposed edges.
(b) Storefronts shall be of a non-reflective glazing.
(c) The use of monochromatic and complementary accent and trim colors is considered to meet the intent of this chapter.
(d) The use of bright or garish colors (i.e., fluorescent “hot” or “day glow” colors) shall not be permitted.
(e) The use of colors to express individuality and identity within a cohesive and attractive framework is encouraged. Such colors should be in harmony with other colors used in the immediate area.
7. Design: Architectural styles and themes should be compatible with the surrounding environment. However, to assure individuality among projects, each development shall vary its architectural design to avoid monotony and create visual interest, while remaining compatible with surrounding development.
8. Sustainable Design Features:
(a) Provide an adequately sized, conveniently located, and accessible area on site for the storage and disposal of refuse and recyclables (for recycling of paper, glass, plastic, and metal waste).
(b) Limit the amount of nighttime light that is projected upward and beyond the site and direct light into high-traffic areas of the development. Lighting in parking areas shall be arranged to prevent direct glare into adjacent dwelling units and onto neighboring uses/ properties.
(c) Provide adequate, accessible, and conveniently located bicycle parking and storage and accommodate bicycle traffic within the development.
(d) To the extent feasible, provide roofing materials with a minimum 3-year aged solar reflection and thermal emittance or solar reflection index equal to or greater than the values specified in the voluntary measures under California Green Building Standards Code.
(e) Provide low flow plumbing fixtures and fittings that do not exceed the maximum flow rate specified in Table A5.303.2.3.1 (voluntary measures) of the California Green Building Standards Code and Appliances and fixtures for commercial applications that meet the provisions of Section A5.303.3 (voluntary measures) of the California Green Building Standards Code.
9. Landscape Elements: All subdividers/developers shall be required to provide landscaping and an irrigation system for each lot of a residential subdivision prior to receiving a final inspection for any house constructed in that subdivision, as follows:
(a) Landscaping and an irrigation system for both the front yard and the street side yard, provided the street side yard is not obscured from sight from an adjacent street by fencing, of each lot shall be provided. Said landscaping shall consist of the following:
(1) No less than one 15-gallon size tree;
(2) Ten percent (10%) of said yard area shall consist of a landscaped planter; and
(3) The remaining portion of said yard area not occupied by a driveway, shall be improved with sod, including one six-station clock timing mechanism and two (2) 1-inch valves for irrigation.
(b) Any proposal for an alternative landscaping plan shall be subject to review and approval by the planning director.
Additionally, each development shall strategically locate landscape elements to define and accentuate different areas:
Edges
i. Provide a unifying and three-tiered system of formal and mature trees, dense rows of shrubs and groundcover within the setback areas of development.
Gateways
i. Frame the project entrances with corner markers, low garden walls, gateway signage, perennial color accent landscape, and signature trees.
ii. Provide enhanced paving and landscape to accentuate the entrance of the development.
Internal Drives
i. Provide landscaping at internal drives with a consistent species of low-level shrubs and groundcover between bays of garage doors and on-street parking spaces, with accent landscape planted at all corners and bends.
Paseos & Courtyards
i. The spaces between buildings that are not dedicated to parking and drives may be designed as landscaped paseos and courtyards, with highly connected paths and planting schemes that match the size, character and activity envisioned for the space.
ii. Landscape elements such as bushes, shrubs, flowers shall be maintained at a height of no more than three feet when located adjacent to pedestrian pathways and building facades so that viewpoints are not obstructed.
iii. Screen mechanical equipment, garages, maintenance areas, and utilities with landscape materials, such as vines, hedges, shrubs, berms, or garden walls so that these are not exposed to view from the street, major walkways, or residences within the development.
iv. Provide clear, legible entry signage to identify each building. Clearly indicate internal circulation signage and visitor parking areas. For sites greater than one acre in area, provide a directory and map that shows the location of buildings and amenities within the neighborhood.
10. Floor Plans: If custom homes are not proposed, subdevelopers of residential subdivisions shall provide a variety of floor plans and building elevations. as depicted in table 4.C of this section:
TABLE 4.C | ||
RESIDENTIAL FLOOR PLANS AND ELEVATIONS GUIDELINES | ||
Number Of Single-Family Dwellings | Minimum Number of Building Footprints (Excludes Reverse Plans) | Minimum Number of Elevations Per Building Footprint |
TABLE 4.C | ||
RESIDENTIAL FLOOR PLANS AND ELEVATIONS GUIDELINES | ||
Number Of Single-Family Dwellings | Minimum Number of Building Footprints (Excludes Reverse Plans) | Minimum Number of Elevations Per Building Footprint |
1-5 | 1 | 1 (2 color palettes) |
6-25 | 2 | 2 |
26-50 | 3 | 2 |
51-75 | 3 | 3 |
75-100 | 4 | 3 |
100+ | 5 | 3 |
11. Elevations: Elevations, for the purpose of meeting the requirements of this section, shall mean the treatment of materials, trim, roofs or other architectural features which are considerably different than the elevations of any other house in the same subdivision as seen from the street upon which it faces. No two (2) identical elevations shall be placed side by side within a subdivision.
12. Agricultural Land Uses: Where portions of a proposed development share a common boundary with existing agricultural properties, the following concepts for transitions and buffers shall be incorporated into the development proposal where feasible:
(a) The incorporation of existing orchards, vineyards and groves into new development as landscaping, or as passive open space, is encouraged, however, the following provisions shall be met:
(1) All such trees located in a public right of way shall be approved for that purpose by the public works director.
(2) All trees within common areas shall be provided with the assurance of a continued maintenance mechanism, homeowners’ association or a special landscape district. (Ord. 849-22, 12-6-2022)