[0:18] Good evening. It's September 2nd. Wednesday, this is the planning commission meeting. Six o'clock. So I'd like to start the meeting with a salute to the flag.

[0:33] Ready?

[0:35] We do

[0:50] the roll call, please.

[0:56] Commissioner Hold.

[1:00] Present.

[1:03] Commissioner Giles.

[1:06] Commissioner Clander.

[1:08] Here. Commissioner Suregiel.

[1:10] Commissioner Diaz here by Sterley Day by the chair.

[1:15] Here I'll read the procedures now.

[1:19] We see that I did the pledge of allegiance out of order.

[1:22] This meeting is being conducted in person electronically for each matter

[1:27] considered by the commission.

[1:28] There will be first a staff presentation followed by a presentation

[1:32] from the project applicant.

[1:34] testimony from the supporters of the project will then be taken

[1:37] followed by testimony from those in opposition. The applicant will have a right to a final

[1:43] rebuttal presentation prior to the closing of the public hearing. In accordance with section 13 of

[1:49] Article 2 of the Planning Commission rules and regulations governing the length of public debate

[1:54] all public testimony from those in support in opposition of the project will be limited to three minutes

[2:01] per person. The three lights on the podium next to the microphone will indicate the amount of time

[2:07] remaining for the speaker. The green light will be turned on when the speaker begins. The yellow light will come on with a soft bell ring when one minute is remaining. The speaker should be completing their.

[2:20] are leading their testimony by the time the red light comes on with a final bill indicating

[2:28] time has expired. All in-person public testimony must be presented to the commission at the podium.

[2:35] Any testimony that references race, religion, ethnicity, economic status, national origin,

[2:42] or any other classification protected understator federal law in a derogatory manner shall be deemed

[2:48] relevant and will not be considered by the commission in making its land use determinations.

[2:54] If you challenge these land use determinations in court, you may be limited to raising only

[2:59] those issues you or someone else raised in oral or written testimony or before the close of

[3:05] the hearing. So we'll start today's meeting with the approval of the agenda. Are there any changes?

[3:12] Good evening, Chair. We're eight members of the Planning Commission. I'm Israel Trejo with the

[3:16] Planning and Development Department. No changes to agenda. Thank you.

[3:18] Do any commissioners have a change for the agenda?

[3:23] If not, can we have a motion to approve?

[3:27] Okay, we had a motion to approve by Commissioner.

[3:31] Dia's seconded by Commissioner Leide.

[3:34] So if you're in favor say aye.

[3:38] If you're opposed signify by saying nay.

[3:42] Okay, motion passes.

[3:44] We'll move on to the consent calendar now.

[3:56] Fair, there are no items on the page.

[3:58] Okay.

[3:59] Yeah, thank you.

[4:00] No items on the consent calendar.

[4:02] I didn't know if I mixed that up.

[4:06] So we'll move on.

[4:09] Are there any reports by commissioners?

[4:14] I don't have any reports.

[4:15] I just want to throw a shot of that gentleman over there.

[4:17] I see him all the time.

[4:19] So man, thank you for joining us.

[4:21] I always see him just watching us.

[4:23] So thank you.

[4:24] That would be my famous husband, David Denham.

[5:03] So, he

[5:06] really likes it. So, hey, we'll move on to continued matters. So item 8, ID 261176 has been continued to

[5:18] September 16th. And we have new matters or workshops. 8A is a workshop on the development code.

[5:30] So, would

[5:31] Phil Cigrist and Israel Trejo are wonderful planning managers to come up tonight.

[5:40] We did this workshop three years ago, really the development code is a very large document

[5:48] if it was printed, it's about four inches thick and because as the planning commission it's

[5:55] your responsibility to know what is in that code and how to interpret it so that when we bring

[6:01] before you, you have the ability to make determination.

[6:06] So we thought it was a, it was time to do a refresher,

[6:11] and so turning it over to Phil.

[6:13] Good evening, Chair Brey.

[6:15] Commissioners, Philips Egris Planning and Development Department.

[6:19] As Director Clark mentioned, we'll be giving a presentation

[6:22] or a workshop over the development code.

[6:24] And this will be kind of high level, just break apart

[6:27] the different sections of the code.

[6:29] it's broken up through several parts

[6:31] and within those parts of different articles and sections.

[6:34] And again, just kind of high level overview

[6:35] of what those are, what those entail.

[6:38] And so I'll be given the first half of the presentation

[6:40] and then handed over to Israel.

[6:50] Okay, so some of the goals for the workshop

[6:52] are to understand what the development code is

[6:55] and why does it exist.

[6:57] Also, the goal is to learn the six parts structure

[7:00] of the development code, identify the planning authorities

[7:03] and their roles that are established within the code and understand how to locate applicable

[7:09] standards for a project that you might be reviewing. Also know how the code relates to the general

[7:16] plan and specific plans and understand how the commission uses the code to make decisions and findings.

[7:28] So what is the development code and why does it exist? So the development code, it's chapter 15 of

[7:34] Fresno Municipal Code. So, while it might be very big, it's kind of one small section

[7:41] of the entire Fresno Municipal Code. It's just chapter 15 of, I don't remember how many

[7:47] total chapters are in the Fresno Municipal Code. But in planning and our current planning,

[7:52] that's really where we live, what we work with is chapter 15, what we refer to as the

[7:57] development code. So, it's the primary regulatory document that governs land use, zoning,

[8:03] permits development standards that apply within the city of Fresno, and so general development

[8:10] generally occurs in compliance with the general plan, specific plans, the development code,

[8:17] and applicable city law. And so the development code really provides a clear definition,

[8:24] provides clear definitions, also addresses contemporary issues, such as maybe food walks,

[8:32] sidewalk vendors, smoke shops, it also enables quicker approvals for compliant projects, such

[8:41] as zone clearances, maybe go into those later, and also provide strong protections for legal

[8:47] non-conforming uses and buildings.

[8:51] And the code is plain, plain as the gates, it really implements the general plan at the project

[8:56] level.

[9:00] So, how is the development code used?

[9:02] So the code contains five types of regulations that control land use and development of property.

[9:11] Those five types of regulations are use regulations, development standards, land divisions, administrative regulations, and general terms and use classifications.

[9:22] So the use regulations, those regulations specify which uses are permitted, conditionally permitted or outright prohibited,

[9:33] based on the zoning that a property might be subject to.

[9:39] In the development standards, those are regulations that control height, density, setbacks,

[9:46] tax, parking, et cetera, and then the land divisions, that's also referred to as subdivision

[9:54] regulations, which I think Rob will be giving a presentation related to that.

[10:00] Again, general and include descriptions of different uses that are called out in the development code.

[10:09] And so how the development code is laid out, it's divided into generally six parts. Part 1 is the general provisions that includes purpose, applicability, as well as general rules for general rules for the code. Part 2 is the base and overlay districts.

[10:30] that's kind of what we think of as zone districts and use regulations that gets into the

[10:36] setbacks, the heights, et cetera. Part three are the regulations that apply to some or all districts.

[10:44] You know, that could be parking, landscaping, fencing, and signs. And then part four is land

[10:51] divisions, as I mentioned, the subdivision maps. And then part five is the administration impermits.

[10:58] and then par six is general terms and definitions.

[11:06] And so article one, which is the introductory provisions,

[11:10] that establishes the title, the authority of the development code,

[11:14] provides an overview of the code's purpose,

[11:18] that also establishes the code structure,

[11:21] which went over previously.

[11:24] Article two, the rules and construction language,

[11:27] that provides precision in the interpretation of the development code and how certain words or phrases are defined in Article 2 apply throughout the development code.

[11:38] So really kind of guides how do we calculate how do we calculate fractions and round numbers and then article, oh sorry, skipped.

[11:48] A head article three is the rules of measurement, again, that explains how various measurements

[11:55] are referred to in the code, how they're calculated in fractions, distances, height, floor

[12:00] area, density.

[12:01] It tells you how do we actually measure that so we can be consistent.

[12:06] And article four is non-conforming uses structures in site features and lots.

[12:11] And so the purpose of that section is to permit the continued utility and viability of

[12:18] uses and structures or site features and lots that were created lawfully prior to

[12:23] the establishment of the development code, but don't currently conform to the current provisions.

[12:33] Let's go on to article 4, the non-conforming uses, structures, site features and lots

[12:39] it would just mentioned. So again, the purpose of that article is to permit continued utility

[12:46] and viability of uses that are established on sites that were established legally, but

[12:52] don't currently conform to the code. So you might have a property that was established with

[12:58] a certain use 20 years ago. It was established legally. They went through the review process.

[13:03] Got a development permit or a conditional use permit. But now the zoning has changed. We have

[13:08] new development code, and it says that that use is not longer permitted.

[13:12] Well, this section, guys, that says, yes, it can continue in perpetuity,

[13:17] however, if there are any pauses in the operation of that, then that use would otherwise

[13:26] be discontinued and it can no longer continue. But if it continues to operate,

[13:30] it can continue to operate in perpetuity. And I'm just going to jump in there real quick,

[13:35] because one of the commissioners that are last meeting asked about that, and so it is very clear

[13:41] that it says, continuation of legal non-conforming uses, except as otherwise provided in this

[13:47] article, any legal non-conforming use may be continued indefinitely. So that has been in the code

[13:54] since the adoption. There have been some minor modifications to this section, but generally speaking,

[14:00] certain types of uses once they are paused for a certain period of time or they stop being

[14:08] actually used so residential district, legal non-conforming uses if they've ceased for

[14:14] consecutive six-month period. They have been abandoned. So think of it as you're right

[14:20] to use that property. If you stop using it that way for more than six months, it's a

[15:00] Or other districts, it's 12 months. And so it's there are different links of time, but that was a question at our last meeting. So I thought it was worth kind of diving a little deeper. But all of that is within this article four, non-conforming uses structure site features and lots. And so you can get more information if you drill down a little deeper.

[15:26] So, what do you consider

[15:30] artists as the non-conforming use in a way, but now it's a museum,

[15:48] which is a conforming use, so that, I mean, that would be a little different.

[15:52] So a non-conforming news, let's say my business was built on Blackstone.

[16:02] It's 200 feet back from the sidewalk.

[16:05] It's a big empty building, right?

[16:07] Office Depot on Blackstone.

[16:11] It's a sea of parking in front of it, right?

[16:15] To today, if I was coming in to build a new building on Blackstone

[16:19] an excuse district. I'd have to build up to the sidewalk, right? I'd have to build, potentially,

[16:26] a multi-story building with a mix of uses that were in that building. So that building is a

[16:33] non-conforming building. The use of the office, supply sales is fine, right? It can continue. It is a

[16:42] it used, right? So there's uses, there's structures, site features, like where a flagpole or a lightpole is located, where trees are located.

[16:54] There's more than just the uses, so the use can continue forever, as long as it doesn't cease, and then there are specific provisions after it ceases.

[17:04] So that, you know, the force your gardens, yes, he built that as a home, if it was still being used as a home, it would be illegal mon conforming use today.

[17:19] It is a museum which is a conforming use in a mixed use district. Does that make sense? Okay.

[17:26] Yeah. And so within that article four, it really tells us how do we determine what a legal

[17:33] non-conforming user a site feature is. In addition to calling out when those uses cease,

[17:40] it also allows for expansion of legal non-conforming uses as well and outlines the procedure

[17:46] and able to do in order to do that.

[17:51] So moving on to part two, which is the base and overlay

[17:53] districts, that's what we typically think about as zoning. Governs which uses are permitted,

[18:00] also governs how properties are developed, such as density, setbacks, and how they're physically

[18:06] developed.

[18:11] And so part two comprises various articles which cover different based own districts,

[18:17] such as single unit residential, which is in article nine, multi-unit residential,

[18:23] districts in Article 10, mixed use districts in Article 11 and employment districts in Article 13.

[18:29] And those are just a couple of the different zone districts based on districts that we have in the

[18:33] development code. And so each of those based on districts has its own table, I wish I had brought

[18:39] the table to bring in. Yeah, it has its own table of permitted uses as well as the development standards

[18:47] which we refer to as our use regulations table.

[18:51] So if you go there as the zone districts and then on the side think of it as a menu of different uses.

[18:58] And it'll say if it's a P it's a permitted use.

[19:01] If it's a C it's a conditionally permitted use if there's a line.

[19:05] Not permitted at all.

[19:06] And if it's uses and even listed not even yet outright prohibited altogether.

[19:11] And then there's also limitations.

[19:13] It might be a small little number, and that might give you a guidance on yes, it's permitted but it's subject to certain limitations. Yes, it's permitted but it can't be located within X number of feet of a BRT station or can't be located near a school.

[19:30] So, again, it's a table, it's pretty, I don't want to say, self-explanatory, but there are

[20:00] On to density and massing development standards, that provides regulations which control the height,

[20:05] the bulk location and appearance of structures within each zone district. So, similar to the use regulations,

[20:13] the density and massing standards are also provided in tables. That's specified the minimum and maximum standards by each zone district.

[20:21] So certain zone districts might have minimum or maximum or maximum.

[20:26] Allow density, minimum or maximum of loud setbacks.

[20:30] OK, hey, this building has to be at least five feet back

[20:35] from the back of the sidewalk and but no greater than 15 feet.

[20:38] Some zone districts don't have any manner of max setbacks.

[20:43] And then there's also height limitations, frontage coverage requirements.

[20:48] And then so following the density and massing standards

[20:51] are more focused site development standards.

[20:55] And those site development standards,

[20:58] that's really drills down that include site design

[21:01] and facade design development standards.

[21:04] Again, provides very more specific development standards

[21:08] such as residential transition standards.

[21:11] Yes.

[21:12] Thank you so much.

[21:14] This is our table.

[21:15] this is unique because it is all of our base zone districts all together in one place not within different

[21:22] articles and so bring the microphone. So starting on the far left we'll start with the residential

[21:31] single unit districts onto the multi unit mixed use commercial employment public semi public downtown

[21:39] and then our overlays. All of the different uses that are called out I'll talk about it later

[21:45] but in another section, our use classifications, all of those.

[21:49] And if you go through, it'll tell you if it's subject,

[21:52] if it's permitted, conditionally permitted,

[21:55] or outright prohibited, and then there's numbers,

[21:59] the specific limitations are located at the bottom,

[22:01] that gives you guidance on.

[22:03] Because sometimes it might look as something is permitted,

[22:06] but when you really apply that limitation,

[22:08] it might not actually be because it's maybe located 100 feet away

[22:13] from a BRT station.

[22:15] And then there's also use classifications.

[22:17] I'll go into that a little bit later, too.

[22:20] But those are additional regulations for specific uses.

[22:24] They don't apply to all districts,

[22:25] but they apply to certain uses.

[22:27] That's an article 27, I'll get into that in a little bit.

[22:32] And I think we're good.

[22:33] Thank you so much.

[22:40] And then on to overlay districts.

[22:42] So overlays are really additional regulations

[22:45] on top of our base districts.

[22:47] for specific areas of Fresno.

[22:50] That could be our bluff area overlay properties

[22:53] that are located along the bluff edge.

[22:55] They have additional specific development standards.

[22:59] A lot of those properties are zoned, maybe single unit,

[23:02] maybe even multi unit, residential.

[23:05] So in addition to those regular standards,

[23:08] they're subject to additional standards

[23:10] for that overlay district.

[23:11] Other ones are expressway area overlay districts,

[23:14] properties along the expressway areas might have greater setbacks from the actual, from the the right of way.

[23:24] And so really, they're intended to provide special land development standards,

[23:28] filled with the intent is to preserve specific areas of resources, such as bluff areas,

[23:35] as well as protect residents approximate to major thoroughfares such as the expressway areas,

[23:41] and preserve and enhance existing patterns of development.

[23:46] There's also the apartment area overlay,

[23:49] which you generally find in Howard District,

[23:52] along some of the commercial main street thoroughfares.

[23:58] Then, within each overlay,

[24:00] our unique use regulations and development standards

[24:03] that would apply to that overlay.

[24:08] Part three is regulations that apply to some

[24:11] or all districts,

[24:16] and that's section comprises a total of eight different articles, it covers

[24:22] certain regulations that are applicable in summer, all districts, as well as performance

[24:27] standards which govern special uses. Key topics include parking and landscaping, some

[24:34] examples include general site regulations, transit oriented development, height and density

[24:41] bonuses, affordable housing density bonuses, landscaping, parking, signs and specific standards

[24:50] for specific uses and activities.

[24:54] getting into our general site regulations that's still within part two.

[25:00] Based on district or development standards within these additional regulations, if there is a conflict and the more strict standard prevails, shall we plot?

[25:09] Yeah, it prevails.

[25:12] And then, so like if the base zone district required a ten foot setback into your side setback, but there's an additional regulation here that said, well, in this case it requires a fifteen foot setback, well, we have to go with a fifteen foot setback.

[25:27] So, examples might be general site regulations.

[25:34] There's would include accessory buildings.

[25:37] They have guidance on where and how accessory buildings,

[25:42] instructors are located on a site.

[25:45] Trails, pools and spas,

[25:48] screening between different land uses.

[25:51] If you had a commercial office complex,

[25:56] that's adjacent to residential, will there's standards that apply for that specific case,

[26:02] as well as guidelines for fences, walls, and hedges, and even trash collection areas.

[26:12] Then Article 21 is our transit oriented development height and density bonus section.

[26:17] So the purpose of this section is to provide flexibility for projects which promote

[26:23] walkability, livability, and transit,

[26:26] ridership, near stations for bus rapid transit

[26:29] and other enhanced transit service.

[26:32] So qualifying projects may be granted height

[26:36] and density bonuses.

[26:39] So for height, they can get a bonus of no more

[26:41] than 25% of the allowable height

[26:44] per the base zone district.

[26:45] And then the density bonus qualifying projects

[26:48] can get up to 100% density bonus.

[26:52] And they can also be used in conjunction or combination with a affordable housing density bonus.

[27:01] And so in order to be a qualifying project, it would have to be located in a mixed use or commercial main street district,

[27:07] as well as located within 500 feet of a bus rapid transit stop or a half mile of the Manchester Transit Center,

[27:16] which is over on Shields and Black Zone.

[27:18] And it also has to provide one of three of the following.

[27:23] A public plaza, public art, or provide 90%

[27:27] French coverage, and that needs to be the

[27:31] French coverage needs to be provided on the street

[27:33] French where the BRT stop or transit center

[27:37] would be located.

[27:42] Then affordable housing density bonuses, as it

[27:45] is similar to Article 21.

[27:47] It also establishes guidelines for affordable housing density bonuses.

[27:53] The purpose of that article is to lessen the shortage of housing.

[27:58] That's affordable to moderate low and very low income households within the city.

[28:04] It also implements policies of the housing element and allows developers to exceed standard residential density limits

[28:11] when they include designated affordable housing units within their projects.

[28:15] And so depending on the number and level of affordable units that a developer would provide in their project project can qualify for up to three incentives or concessions for their project.

[28:28] That could be modified development standards such as height, setback, reduced open space or even reduced parking.

[28:37] And it also establishes requirements for the resale and rental controls to ensure that the units remain affordable for at least 30 years.

[28:47] So we can't grant someone a concession or incentive for providing affordable units.

[28:53] And then they go around turning around and they're no longer affordable.

[28:57] Or they sell it and then the new buyer goes in and it locks it in for 30 years.

[29:02] at least.

[29:06] Then Article 23 establishes landscaping standards to enhance the appearance of the development,

[29:14] protect public health and safety, preserve community forest, promote energy conservation,

[29:20] and encourage water conservation through climate, appropriate planting, and efficient irrigation.

[29:25] And so these standards apply to new construction as well as additions, relanscaping if you're

[30:00] That me a certain size threshold. So if you had a certain use and you changed to a use that had certain landscaping requirements and screening,

[30:10] while you would have to provide that landscaping to comply with those used regulations.

[30:16] It also outlines the procedures for tree removal permits. We don't process too many, but on occasion we do get those tree removal permits.

[30:25] if someone is wanting to tear out all these existing trees within their parking lot, well there's

[30:31] an application process for that. There's requirements that we need such as an arborist report

[30:37] someone to go out and verify, well why do these trees need to go, oh are they at the end of their

[30:43] life, are they disease, et cetera, and then with that it tells how many trees need to be replanted,

[30:50] etc.

[30:54] And then Article 24, which is dressed as parking loading, is a

[30:58] detended to minimize design impacts for unpacking lots, driveways, and

[31:03] drive aisles within parking lots. And it also offers flexible means of

[31:08] minimizing the amount of area devoted to vehicle parking by allowing

[31:13] reductions. I have a question about the landscaping. I know with the new

[31:23] $75, $8, I'm not too sure, they do pay like with their mortgage payments for landscaping.

[31:32] So in those developments, when do they clean the landscaping? Like, you know, the flower beds,

[31:38] the trees, like, do they clean them once a month or twice a month?

[31:42] So every community facility district is different and it's based on and I don't know if you're going

[31:51] talk about that in the subdivision maps, yes, no. Maybe. So community facilities

[31:59] district, every new project either is annexed into the residential one or the commercial

[32:07] one. And that is based on how many trees did they put in? What kind of trees is their turf?

[32:14] are their bushes, are their flowers, and that builds their fee, their monthly and annual fee,

[32:22] and it also builds the maintenance schedule as to how frequently it needs to be done,

[32:27] and then that's paid for entirely by that CFD, but I can't tell you specifically if it's

[32:34] once a month, once a week, how frequently they come in and do that, it is based on that particular

[32:39] or projects agreement, subdivision agreement.

[32:47] Well, for sometimes, you know,

[32:48] they don't come and clean for three months.

[32:50] Is that normal?

[32:53] I would say that we could probably take that conversation offline,

[32:59] right if it's part of a CFD,

[33:00] and I can check and see what that specific CFD is supposed to be.

[33:05] But if it's like just trees and bushes,

[33:07] it's not going to be as frequently as grass. Grass is going to be once a week, trees and

[33:13] bushes are typically every few months. Every because I'm actually traveling around

[33:17] the grass now looking at new developments. Those homes are less than 10 years, five years,

[33:23] a couple years, and I do see flowers. They look beautiful. Small trees, but they're not getting

[33:29] cleaned. They have outgrown grass. The grass will really take you over the flowers. That was my

[33:35] reason for asking, like, do they go there once a month?

[33:39] It depends on on the site and that's definitely something

[33:44] if we want to have a training on community facilities district.

[33:47] We can do that at a different meeting.

[33:49] I would love to ask you.

[33:50] Thank you.

[33:51] I'd like to have us hold our comments to the end of its presentation.

[33:55] If you want to write down what your question is.

[33:58] So we can do that at the end of the presentation.

[34:03] There we go.

[34:05] Did I just guess parking already?

[34:07] Just started, okay, thanks.

[34:11] So I think I left off where it allows options for reducing parking, allows reductions of the

[34:20] number of required parking spaces and transit service locations, shared parking facilities,

[34:27] and other situations.

[34:29] So in certain cases, if you're located near high quality transit stop, you might qualify for

[34:34] parking reduction. Or if you have a shared parking facility that's being utilized by

[35:00] And then requiring a thousand parking spaces. Well, there's options to kind of consolidate that number and bring it down to a more realistic number.

[35:11] Just generalizing that.

[35:14] It ensures vehicle and parking. Bicycle parking is provided for new land uses and alterations to existing uses and provides loading and delivery facilities and proportion to the needs of specific uses.

[35:27] So, this article includes standards and requirements for specific base districts, access,

[35:35] lighting and surface standards, and it guides how many parking spaces are required depending

[35:41] on the use and the zone districts.

[35:43] So, certain zone districts just have standard minimum parking requirement, like the mixed

[35:49] own districts, and then other uses, depending on it, they have specific outlined prescribed

[35:59] parking requirements, based on maybe the square footage of the building or the use.

[36:05] And it also guides, in addition to how many parking spaces are required, guides, where is

[36:11] that located?

[36:11] Or where is that parking located?

[36:13] Sometimes it needs to be located behind a building and it can't be within a certain set

[36:18] and also tells how is that parking lot actually

[36:21] developed paved landscape, lighted, et cetera.

[36:28] And then onto Article 25, which covers our performance standards,

[36:32] it's intended to establish permissible limits

[36:34] and allow objective measurement of new senses, hazards,

[36:39] and objective objectionable noises.

[36:42] And sure, as uses, provide necessary control measures

[36:45] to protect the community from new senses and hazards,

[36:47] as well as protect industry from arbitrary exclusion

[36:51] from certain areas of the city.

[36:53] And subsections within this article include maintenance,

[36:58] noise, vibration, lighting, odors, fire hazards,

[37:03] liquid, and solid waste.

[37:08] Science, which is included in Article 26,

[37:11] that regulates the science as an information system,

[37:14] that expresses the character and environment of Fresno.

[37:18] Furthermore, the sign regulations recognize the importance of business activity to the economic

[37:25] vitality of the city as well as the need to protect the visual environment.

[37:31] The sign ordinance provides guidelines on when sign permit applications are required when

[37:36] they aren't, as well as provides more specific standards and allowances for sign types and

[37:41] uses depending on the zone district, certain types of signs, wall signs,

[37:48] monument signs, projected projecting signs are permitted, not permitted, and again,

[37:54] similar to this table, the sign ordinance has other, similar table as well,

[38:01] based on the zoning and the sign type, it'll tell you when it is and when it

[38:04] isn't permitted.

[38:10] And I think the last of my section is Article 27, and this is the standards for

[38:15] specific uses and activities, the purpose of this article is to establish standards for those specific

[38:22] uses and activities that are permitted or conditionally permitted in some or all zone districts.

[38:28] Going back to the table,

[38:32] they'd be on the far right hand side, and they're all within Article 27.

[38:37] And so it would be Section 15-27-06.

[38:43] Again, uses standards for specific uses activities.

[38:49] That would be your restaurants with alcohol sales.

[38:53] The responsible neighborhood market act, the establishments with the off sale of alcohol,

[38:58] outdoor dining, the smoke shops, provisions.

[39:02] Those are all within Article 27.

[39:04] And there's quite a few in there.

[39:07] And again, there's just additional standards and regulations

[39:10] that really address maybe how a certain business,

[39:13] if it is that, how it operates in my established location

[39:17] restrictions from sensitive uses, limitations

[39:20] on the hours of operation, et cetera.

[39:27] That is the end of my section.

[39:29] I'll hand it over to Israel.

[39:31] Thank you.

[39:32] Do any commissioners have any further questions?

[39:37] one clarification that community facilities district. Is that the equivalent of the UGM?

[39:50] I mean, is that what it's called now?

[39:52] No, it replaces UGM. So, but we certainly can do a different workshop. That's actually...

[40:00] All as the various applications that we process. If there's any specific session that you'd like to see a workshop in the future, please let us know. Again, just going to give a very high level review of those sessions quickly.

[40:13] Also, we'd like to let commissioners know that our code can be found.

[40:19] Jack can Google it with three words,

[40:20] Verizon Municipal Code, to locate our, you know,

[40:25] our development code, chapter 15.

[40:27] I believe it's pretty straightforward to use,

[40:31] a relative to, I've seen many other cities

[40:34] seen their code, and I believe our code is pretty straightforward

[40:39] to use.

[40:42] All right, so again, going to cover our subdivision section

[40:46] of the development code.

[40:48] So the purpose of the subdivision ordinance is to regulate the division of land within the city implements the subdivision map act, which is a state law concern the design and improvements of subdivisions.

[41:00] Also standardizes map forming content, I'll go in that later on, all maps and the procedure to be followed and securing approval.

[41:08] Also, this is very important, is that the subdivision section of our code is the ordinance is intended to protect and preserve public health, safety and general welfare and promote orderly growth and development.

[41:27] All right, so definitely not going to go over all of these sections, but these are the various sections within our land division section of our development code.

[41:34] So how I'm going to talk about how do you split or how do you subdivide property?

[41:40] So generally four lots or less a parcel map would be submitted and more than four

[41:45] lots a tentative map would be submitted.

[41:49] Did bring a Rob is going to go on this in more detail but we have a very detailed kind

[41:53] of a laundry list technical verification checklist that when a subdivision map is submitted.

[41:59] It's about three or four pages long and the engineer has to go through each section.

[42:05] It's very elementary like they have to show with of streets.

[42:09] They have to show zoning, they have to show with of sidewalks.

[42:12] They have to show who owns the property.

[42:15] Easements.

[42:16] All that information is important because we take those applications and we route them to not only internal departments,

[42:23] but external agencies.

[42:25] And so we need a standard format so appropriate conditions can be applied to those subdivision maps.

[42:32] Next section I wanted to talk about is the final map section.

[42:36] So the subdivisions that you see here at the planning commission are tentative maps.

[42:42] And this is where the conditions get applied by the planning commission to a subdivision.

[42:48] So that's the tentative map process. Now the final map process is done with public works

[42:54] And essentially what they do is they take all those conditions that were established here at Planning Commission,

[42:59] they implement those conditions and I've definitely do it a civil finance, but they take those conditions and that's how property gets subdivided.

[43:08] Next section I wanted to talk about is improvements and security.

[43:13] So you'll see a parcel map that would typically, they'll subdivide property into parcels anywhere from a few thousand square feet to 10 to 20 acres.

[43:24] And the important part about that is the improvements and security, so if a parcel map is creating a parcel that's between zero and four acres, public improvements are required.

[43:36] So that means that the developer has to construct the curve, the gutter, the sidewalk, the utilities, meaning the sewer and the water main in the street.

[43:46] Now, if a parcel is created between four and 10 acres, it's discretionary with the director of the public works department.

[43:55] And so, again, if a parcel is proposed between four and 10 acres, those public proven are discretionary.

[44:02] It's generally based on what's surrounded that surrounding that property.

[44:07] Now, parcels over 10 acres are code states that no public improvements are required.

[44:13] Next section I want to talk about is the common interest developments.

[44:20] Condominiums you probably see maybe one condominium every year and a half here at the planning commission.

[44:30] When the property is not occupied, the process is much easier.

[45:00] Much tougher, I think, in the past 25 years, has been maybe three connoe conversions here on the C of Fresno. That process for accounting and conversion includes inspections of the property to make sure that the property being a connoe of acting placed on it is in a livable state and also there's relocation assistance.

[45:22] So if there's a multi-family project that's being converted,

[45:26] the developer has to provide relocation assistance.

[45:29] So again, those are kind of conversions are very rare.

[45:33] Next section is subdivision design centers.

[45:37] I don't want to still rob hold standard here,

[45:40] but there's a chapter article 41 of our development code.

[45:45] And that covers how a subdivision should look or it's

[45:49] departments, rather, you know, how long a block must be how much open space based on the number

[45:56] of lots, pedestrian, the say those things of that nature. So Rob's going to cover that

[46:02] here in this presentation in a bit. Next, I don't want to cover as a lot of the adjustments.

[46:08] You don't see those here at the planning commission. Those are approved at the staff level. You may

[46:13] see those as part of conditions of approval that have been applied on a project. But basically,

[46:18] as the name applies, you're adjusting a lot.

[46:22] So if you had two five acre parcels,

[46:25] and you needed to another acre to develop,

[46:29] you could ask your neighbor,

[46:30] hey, I want to purchase an acre from your property,

[46:32] I need that additional acre.

[46:34] So the process for that would be a lot line adjustment.

[46:38] Last section I want to talk about under land divisions

[46:41] is corrections and amendments.

[46:44] So after a subdivision map is approved here

[46:47] by the Planning Commission,

[46:48] If there are minor adjustments that need to be made to that subdivision, minor meaning, you know, just a minor adjustment to a street or an addition, like removing a lot or add in a lot, let's say a minor revision and we can do that.

[47:03] the staff was not required to come back to planning commission.

[47:09] All right, so the next section here, again, we have six parts in our development code.

[47:15] So on part five, speaks to the development code, establishes the structural framework and

[47:22] decision making authorities for land use, including most of the applications, including

[47:28] the roles of the city council and planning commission.

[47:31] So, most of the applications that the clinic commission sees here are either for denial or approval.

[47:39] So, the applications that the clinic commission sees here are recommendations to the city council.

[47:45] Those include text amendments, which is changing as the name applies changing the text of our code,

[47:51] also resounds and plan amendments, those are recommendations to the city council.

[47:56] Also, I just want to briefly touch on public notices.

[47:58] So if a project comes here to the planning commission, those projects are required to be noticed.

[48:05] We have some projects that don't come to planning commission, and those are also required to be noticed.

[48:09] Our code states that we notice within a thousand feet of the subject property.

[48:15] That thousand feet includes not only property owners, but tenants as well.

[48:20] I wanted to touch on expiration.

[48:22] So typically, an entitlement has a life of three years.

[48:26] So, if we approve an application and is so divided does not act upon that and does not request an extension, that entitlement would expire after three years typically.

[48:39] Appeals want to briefly touch upon that.

[48:41] So, if a project, if we approve a project, let's say we approve it at the staff level, we approve the project and a developer wanted to contest a condition that would file on appeal within the appeals required to be followed within 15 days.

[48:55] What staff does is we try to work with the developer to potentially find a resolution and not bring it to the planning commission if we can't find a resolution and that appeal would come before the planning commission.

[49:12] So, wanted to talk about planning authorities which I touched upon earlier, so some applications are required to go to City Council.

[49:19] those include development of a specific plan, community plan, text amendments, general plans,

[49:27] and resounds.

[49:30] Some projects, including subdivision maps, the approving authority is you

[50:00] discuss is the council district project review committee. They are so each, there are seven council districts

[50:05] here in the city of Fresno. I think four or five of those districts have an actual committee,

[50:11] so not all the districts have a committee. Some specific projects are required to go to committee,

[50:17] so they're not, they're not an approving authority, rather they're a recommendation. And so if a project

[50:22] did go to a district council district advisor committee, you will see the summary of what happened

[50:28] on the staff report.

[50:34] All right, next session is so, don't have time again to go all, to go over all of these applications.

[50:40] I'm sure that you've heard many of them, so we're pretty common, you know, variants of condition

[50:44] used for me.

[50:45] There's a pretty common applications.

[50:47] These applications can take anywhere from a few minutes, like the Zelternance is a

[50:52] film editor, can take, you know, just matter of five minutes of process at our front

[50:57] counter, essentially zone premises are used to confirm that a particular use is allowed in a particular zone district.

[51:07] Other applications that you see on this board here can take, you know, a year or more process, including, you know, large master plan developments, large commercial centers, where there's an extensive environmental assessment typically an environmental impact report.

[51:26] Last but not least is our general terms and definition.

[51:32] So I'd like to call this as basically our dictionary and our encyclopedia of our development code.

[51:40] It's definitely not enough for thought we use it every day.

[51:45] Let's say someone comes in and it's very simple and it can be complex.

[51:51] So let's say for example someone wants to come in and build,

[51:55] you know, on the residential property. I want to build an accessory structure and I want to do, you know, industrial welding on there on, you know, in a residential property and the accessory structure. So the accessory structure would be allowed. But potentially, you know, you may not be allowed. So that's when we'd go into that general terms and definition to see within that umbrella, what's allowed within an accessory structure. It goes over many different things that are code, you know, what's what's lot kind of.

[52:25] So that's the front line, what's the side line, so the many different things that are covered within the general terms and definitions, it's very definitely a very important part of our development code.

[52:37] That concludes by portion of the presentation.

[52:39] If you have any questions, may I have, thank you.

[52:42] Does anyone have a question?

[52:45] I do.

[52:46] I just have a couple of I think he's the first of all.

[52:50] The business general is reporting that there will, that there potentially might be based

[52:56] on what Mayor Dyer and Council member Richardson said something coming before us about date,

[53:01] something coming before the city about data centers would something like that come to us as

[53:07] well as the C. Council. Correct. So that's a text amendment. So that would be amending the

[53:15] the development code or chapter 15 of the Fresno Municipal Code and a text amendment would

[53:22] actually go to each of the district committees would have a recommendation or have feedback

[53:28] that we would bring to the planning commission.

[53:31] We would take that to the airport land use commission.

[53:34] We would come to the planning commission before you make a recommendation to the city council.

[53:40] So yes, they're actually a handful of text amendments that will be coming forward in the

[53:44] last year, you've adopted quite a few,

[53:47] the residential and office text amendment,

[53:51] our what we called hot one or our housing text amendments

[53:58] where we're bringing forward changes

[54:00] that are either consistent with state law

[54:04] and or our requirements through our housing element

[54:08] so on a regular basis, we'll do that.

[54:10] So the council can initiate a text amendment,

[54:13] you can initiate a body, can initiate a text amendment, and I can initiate text amendment.

[54:19] So normally at our spot, when we have decision making, we're calling them your place

[54:25] mats, right?

[54:26] But those are the planning authorities, and it tells you whether an item is ministerial, discretionary,

[54:35] whether you're recommending body or a deciding body, whether it's come to you as an appeal

[54:40] or not.

[54:41] So that's one of those text amendment would be all the way through the process to the city council.

[54:49] Yep.

[54:49] One of my second question that's similar is the new smoke shop regulations that have already been enacted, but are now being implemented. I know part of that involves this.

[55:00] I was just for really clarity, because I think I know what this means, but it kind of hurt it in a way that maybe I misunderstood it.

[55:09] So, it is the developers responsibility to put in utilities for lack of a better word for, I forget that they're two different, the small, it's the smaller, but then for the, for a larger parcel, it's not that they're off the hook for paying for those correct.

[55:27] It's playing that a little bit more.

[55:29] So yes, correct.

[55:30] So if the parcel, so this is just a parcel map

[55:33] with no no development.

[55:36] So if the parcel is between zero and four acres,

[55:39] all the improvements are required.

[55:40] So there's no debate, all those improvements are required.

[55:43] Now if the parcel that's being created again, no development,

[55:46] if the parcel is between four and 10 acres,

[55:49] it's discretionary up to the public works department.

[55:53] And then over 10 acres, no improvements are required.

[55:56] Okay, and the thought there is that it's a big enough piece of the pie that a developer is going to come in and will probably want to be able to figure out exactly where the pipes go and all that type of thing is that kind of the thought.

[56:12] Yeah, that's correct. So when a development actually comes in, you know, to be ten acres would be a large shopping center.

[56:18] They would construct those improvements.

[56:21] Yep. Cool. I just want to make sure I understood it.

[56:24] It doesn't mean that the city has to pay for it down the road.

[56:27] No, definitely.

[56:30] Right.

[56:31] I have a question about, you know, in Fresno, with all the new developments, there are

[56:36] community parks, that's a new thing like anybody who's developing, they got to build community

[56:41] parks.

[56:42] And there are some big developments.

[56:44] They have multiple community parks, sometimes those community parks are not well-vent

[56:52] maintained.

[56:52] the city maintain them or do they have a special fund and if they're not being maintained,

[56:59] how can the work and the community reach out for who should they call to get that

[57:05] situated or clean? Because you know what I mean, there is a special fee that these people are

[57:09] being for those parks. Correct. Yes. And so I think I can definitely need that the CFD

[57:16] workshop. But so those those parks that you mentioned, those park parks, those are dedicated

[57:20] to the city and they would be maintained within that CFD. But as far as the schedule, I'm not aware

[57:27] of that, but we can we can get back to on that. Perfect. And then the other thing is I know whenever

[57:32] I know we have had a training on the approvals or denial, there are some rules that we look at.

[57:39] Do we have those do we have the worksheet? Findings here, you're findings. So each time

[57:46] And item comes before you, that specific, the findings for that specific type of approval will be part of your packet.

[57:56] So in the administration and permit section, which is part 5, that Israel went over each one of those types of uses.

[58:08] So if you go to conditional use, which is Article 53,

[58:14] it explains how it works and then it,

[58:16] and then it's 15, 53, 06 is the required findings.

[58:22] So each section, and each type of permit,

[58:25] will have required findings that you can look up in the code.

[58:31] Do we have a cheat sheet?

[58:32] Do you have a cheat sheet?

[58:34] We can absolutely create a findings cheat sheet.

[58:37] I have no problem. Well, we'll make you another play smart.

[58:41] Thank you.

[58:42] All righty.

[58:45] All right.

[58:45] Thank you.

[58:46] Thanks.

[58:51] And now, backed by popular demand.

[58:55] Mr. Rob Holt.

[59:04] And before getting into my presentation,

[59:05] just one clarifying point to Director Clark's statement on CUP's

[59:09] being under director authority.

[59:12] There is one specific CUP that is under planning commission

[59:15] authority and that is when a developer proposes multi-unit residential on single-unit zone property.

[59:22] That does have to come forward to the planning commission shortly and not confused.

[59:25] When you see that, would you have a few that probably will come your way in the near future?

[59:31] So my name is Rob Holt, a supervising planner city of Fresno. Good to see some of you again.

[59:38] This is the subdivision maps workshops specific to how subdivisions are designed,

[59:43] essentially what you see when we bring a subdivision to you is already been through all this

[59:49] process through what planning reviews and make sure it's consistent with so that when it comes

[59:53] to you it's completely or it should be a completely consistent with code. This is to get into the

[59:57] nuts and bolts of what we review so you understand.

[1:00:01] So, the process in design, the different types of maps available in our code and in law are parcel maps, which are defined as four or fewer proposed parcels. When it comes to residential parcel maps, that is the review authorities under the director. So, would not come to you unless appealed.

[1:00:21] But there are allowances for non-residential zone parcel maps, such as commercial industrial

[1:00:28] properties, more often with subdivisions for shopping centers that do allow more than

[1:00:35] four parcels as long as we had access to the street across all parcels.

[1:00:40] So then there's tenative and final maps, it's a two-step process, it starts with the

[1:00:44] tenative map, which is something the planning commission is the review authority for it,

[1:00:48] And that is when you have five or more parcels and typically comes as residential.

[1:00:54] And tentative maps are drawn for just designing improvements and the existing surrounding

[1:00:59] conditions of final maps come after the planning commission has approved the tentative map

[1:01:03] and that goes with public works and that gets through council not commission and then ultimately

[1:01:08] recorded with the county.

[1:01:10] So when you approve a tentative map those lots are not created until that final map records.

[1:01:14] So there's a two-step process and the final map will have much, much more detailed plans

[1:01:19] civilized than a tentative map wood, although our tentative maps are very detailed.

[1:01:25] And then there's vesting maps, which can apply to parcel maps, tentative maps, what essentially

[1:01:31] does it, it can, it can first have vested right to proceed with development and its substantial

[1:01:35] compliance with ordinances, policies, and standards and effect at that time, at the time

[1:01:40] investing map is approved or conditioning approved really it's when it's

[1:01:43] we accepted what this means is an example recently the West area neighborhood

[1:01:48] specific plan was adopted. If a map had come in was submitted accepted before

[1:01:55] that plan was adopted and it steered from the requirements of that plan because

[1:01:59] it was done prior to that plan being adopted it has a vesting right to be done with

[1:02:04] whatever was planned for on that property so if that property prior to that

[1:02:08] being adopted was RS4, and it turned to RM3, which is multi-init residential after. It could still

[1:02:15] come with the vested right of being consistent with the ordinance policies being RS4. So that's

[1:02:20] all that means for vesting maps. Give me one second I apologize.

[1:02:33] So density, density is calculated

[1:02:35] using the total number of lots divided by what we call net acreage. So normally you would

[1:02:42] look at a property online somewhere and you'll see the acreage and it's probably the gross acreage.

[1:02:46] the total acreage of the property. What acreage does is it reduces that gross acreage by subtracting

[1:02:53] the dedication for major streets and dedicated areas of land for large transmission lines,

[1:02:59] as well as remainder parcels. We'll get into remainder parcels in a bit. But essentially,

[1:03:04] if you have a property where you have those large transmission lines, you can think maybe

[1:03:07] have more close Fresno near hernerd in a haze area where there's these large lines and these

[1:03:13] lines, these transmission lines, those are easements on property that you can't build on.

[1:03:17] You can't not do anything with.

[1:03:19] So we're not counting it towards your density because it's not fair you can't build on it.

[1:03:23] As well as dedications for major streets, there's areas, subdivisions along major streets.

[1:03:29] Those are the more collectors, our materials, where part of the property is in the centerline

[1:03:35] of that street.

[1:03:36] No one knows that.

[1:03:37] And when you dedicate that line, it goes away.

[1:03:38] You can't build on it, right?

[1:03:39] You can't build in the street.

[1:03:41] So we removed that from the net acreage.

[1:03:42] So that's what density is based on.

[1:03:45] And what is noted in the code is it can be half.

[1:03:51] 0.5 less than the minimum density.

[1:03:54] So our RS5 zone district allows

[1:03:56] between a minimum of 5, 20 inch breaker and a max of 12.

[1:04:00] And so that minimum of 5, you're allowed

[1:04:02] to go down to 4 and a half.

[1:04:03] And you can count 4 and a half as 5 in our code.

[1:04:07] You just can't round down from maximum.

[1:04:09] If you're at 12.01, you can't round that down.

[1:04:12] So, you need to reduce your loss to get into that 12 range.

[1:04:17] So, for example, properties 20 gross acres, but 15 net acres,

[1:04:22] in the RSI Zisters, the RSI 5 allows between 5 and 12,

[1:04:25] doing units per acre. So, you would do 15, which is your net acres,

[1:04:28] times the 5 acres per 28 acres per unit.

[1:04:33] And, since I'm sorry, going to your hands per acre,

[1:04:34] and then 15 acres, times 12, and you have your density.

[1:05:00] There are requirements for lot size, depth, and width. We have to make sure that the depth width and lot size per each zone district is correct. It's not just your standard lot corner lot. There are some lots that have specific depths, if they about a major street, if they're in your freeways, things like that.

[1:05:18] Highways, the usually have a lot longer depth because it's usually more noise-based than you want to get away from that.

[1:05:24] There is an exception to go under the minimum allowance where 25% of the lots proposed can be up to 20% smaller in that area with their death.

[1:05:37] And it still does not require any additional permits like a variance or find development.

[1:05:42] They can there allowed to do that per the code.

[1:05:45] On the flip side, lots that exceed the maximum requirement are allowed so long as the density complies.

[1:05:51] So when you see that map, and you see, hey, RS5 only says 6,500 square feet to the max, and I see this 10,000 square foot property that tends to happen in subdivisions, and it's allowed for as long as that density overall complice.

[1:06:06] And I'm not going to go too much into this, just wanted to show this is what our table looks like when we get a map that comes in our planners look this is the first thing they look at.

[1:06:14] The majority of what this commission will see is kind of highlighted in gray there on the right, RS4 and RS5.

[1:06:20] And this just goes over again while you talk about the lot size, the lot depth and width you can see the different types of lots that we have to make sure if it's occurred lot, it's 30 feet minimum.

[1:06:31] So we look at all those things.

[1:06:36] So remainder properties, I just mentioned that previously, a remainder parcel is a parcel that it's a portion of land that's being subdivided that is not going to be subdivided for purpose of sale, lease or financing.

[1:06:51] So, it actually does not count towards density, it's one of those other things, it does not count towards density.

[1:06:58] And front-age improvements usually are not required unless there's some mechanism or situation where it's necessary to improve it because of health and safety.

[1:07:11] For one example, which I'm going to show you is safe routes to schools.

[1:07:15] If that's a requirement, even though you're not doing anything with this property, you still

[1:07:21] got to improve it because of the safety of the children in the area.

[1:07:25] And when this happens, usually, it is because you see a lot on rural residential properties,

[1:07:31] large, long thin properties, or big properties, which is just a house on the front or way in the

[1:07:37] back.

[1:07:38] They just want to live off this little land that they have left, and they want to sell off the

[1:07:41] rest.

[1:07:42] They don't have anything to do with it that they're done.

[1:07:44] And so that happened with this case.

[1:07:45] So this was a map that came to you within the last couple of years, up there, I'm a

[1:07:49] Kimley and Armstrong with the Northwest Corner and the same situation, the person

[1:07:53] along Armstrong and the East there with the Red Boundary and that's a house.

[1:07:57] And this was all a vacant property with the house and a front.

[1:08:00] And so they just wanted to live up the rest of their life on that land and sell off the

[1:08:03] rest of the developer.

[1:08:04] And so they did be dedicated as a remainder, although we did require improvements along both

[1:08:08] frontages.

[1:08:09] Today this is what this looks like and is currently still being built out.

[1:08:12] So it is moving forward.

[1:08:13] something to see live that you guys have proved, kind of cool. So, chapter 15, article 41,

[1:08:22] this is the article that governs subdivision design standards. This is how we make sure

[1:08:29] whatever's laid out is compliant with code and how a subdivision is designed. And so in starting

[1:08:35] it with subdivision blocks, which required to be 200 between 200 and 600 feet long, until you need

[1:08:42] get a new block developed, and the only way we can deviate is if there's alignment of existing

[1:08:47] streets on adjacent properties that justify it. So if the block was, you know, a thousand

[1:08:54] feet long onto the easter, whatever, that's the only way we will be able to justify getting above

[1:08:58] or below that length. Kind of standard on lots, but side lot lines required at right angles

[1:09:05] to the street. Basically, if you're a long street, you shouldn't have kind of curved property lines

[1:09:11] unless you're at a cul-de-sac or something like that,

[1:09:14] it should all just be angled a lot lines.

[1:09:17] And then we do require a frontage of all lots

[1:09:19] to a public street, unless they're private streets

[1:09:23] or they have access to a passale.

[1:09:25] And then going to go into double-frontage lots here,

[1:09:27] but basically double-frontage lots are lots

[1:09:31] that have a street in front and in back of them.

[1:09:35] Generally you'll see it along major streets

[1:09:37] where they won't have access to the major street.

[1:09:39] It'll be a wall and on the other side

[1:10:00] We do require access to be relinquished along the major street, meaning you cannot access it with your vehicle, the back of your lot.

[1:10:08] With that, there is an automatic minimum requirement of a 10 foot landscape area, and that shall be provided with a six foot wall.

[1:10:16] Now, there are instances that I'll go over soon. Should an operative plan require a greater landscape area, that wall shall be placed at the rear of the landscape setback.

[1:10:26] So if there's a community plan or a specific plan that says arterials in this location shall

[1:10:33] require a 20-foot setback, that would supersede the 10-foot requirement and we would apply

[1:10:38] it there.

[1:10:40] Beyond those two things, a greater landscape may be required to ensure visibility

[1:10:44] is maintained for adjacent properties, including driveway and garage locations, fences,

[1:10:48] trees, et cetera, something that the commission is able to do as the review authority

[1:10:54] is you can even do a greater landscape area than what we require based on what those

[1:10:58] operatives plan require. It could be something where today, that's required, the requirements

[1:11:05] 10 feet and the properties to the east have a 30 foot set back because it was some community

[1:11:10] plan from the 50s that no longer has been as active as repealed. You may only say because of the

[1:11:15] area, it would be in more harmony and add visual interest to be 30 feet instead of the required

[1:11:21] 10. That's something you have the ability to do. And just to kind of throw off some of those

[1:11:27] community plans. These are all the ones that we have active currently. So the Roosevelt Community

[1:11:33] plan has a 15-foot landscape boulevard for our Cheerios and collectors, South of Belmont and

[1:11:38] East of Chestnut. So if we have a map within that area, we check this and say, hey, you have 10 feet

[1:11:42] and you need 15. And then again, Bullard, Woodward Park, West area, they all have their different styles.

[1:11:48] So

[1:11:50] let's get into actual practicality.

[1:11:53] What does this mean?

[1:11:54] Words are just words.

[1:11:55] I like to show what it means.

[1:11:57] Here's an example of a double-frontage lot along a major street.

[1:12:00] This is at the southeast corner of Belmont, Armstrong.

[1:12:04] Map that was done probably in the last five years.

[1:12:08] And so here it was the Roosevelt Community Plan.

[1:12:10] So they had a 15-foot requirement.

[1:12:13] In the subdivision map picture, you can see the green area.

[1:12:15] That's the green area there in the street.

[1:12:17] That's that area that is shown.

[1:12:19] So, there's the 15 foot landscape setback.

[1:12:23] There is a requirement for corner lots that where they side onto a local street meaning

[1:12:28] you're entering off of the major street into the subdivision.

[1:12:32] So, major to local, when the street side of a corner lot is side onto a local

[1:12:37] but it intersects with the major, they need to have at least 10 feet and do a wall.

[1:12:43] On the street side there, so here you can see they have the 10 feet on the sides

[1:12:47] the agencies with the wall. And then additionally within the subdivision outside of the major

[1:12:53] streets. So now you're in the neighborhood. There is a requirement for also for corner lots when

[1:12:58] the street side faces the front of a not across the street. We either require a five foot landscape

[1:13:05] easement with a wall. They don't want to do that. They can do a four foot park strip and they

[1:13:09] wouldn't need a wall. They would just need a fence. So it's up to them to decide, but they need to

[1:13:14] of something. And so this is that case here where the blue is kind of pointing where the wall

[1:13:18] is across the street from those neighbors.

[1:13:29] So connectivity and street design, local streets

[1:13:32] are your standard within your subdivision, low level, low mile-power roads. So it's your minimum

[1:13:41] right away in real-way widths. And that's based on public work standards. Connector streets, I'll

[1:13:47] get into. They're a little confusing to describe, but I think the pictures will help. They are

[1:13:51] streets. They are also local streets. I call them a glorified local streets. Your standard

[1:13:56] locals about 50 feet wide. These are usually about 56 feet with added shade trees and things

[1:14:03] like that. It's kind of a base road. So what it does is it's supposed to connect those major

[1:14:08] streets through the center of the quarter sections going east west and going north south.

[1:14:13] And then there's major streets which is in our circulation element. We have collectors,

[1:14:16] are materials, super materials, expressways. So for connector streets, this is an example of a

[1:14:22] perfect scenario, how it worked out. These are Gettysburg, Fresno, first, and I forgot to

[1:14:29] gash them. And so that north-south street is a perfect north-south all the way through, and then you

[1:14:35] will east-west, and it's connecting those major streets, but also allowing you to get into the

[1:14:40] neighborhood on each quadrant. So you're not always just coming off of a major street where you

[1:14:44] the slow down and potentially cause a car wreck, right?

[1:14:47] So there's that and then there's situations

[1:14:50] where due to existing circumstances,

[1:14:53] it's not going to be perfect.

[1:14:55] And so it's our job to make sure that at least

[1:14:57] it's provided if available and sometimes.

[1:14:59] Thank you.

[1:15:00] One is up there in that subdivision, that was approved. So they did their best to bring that, I think it's Florence all the way over. And then eventually you can see to the west, there's that subdivision that brings that. So when the one to the west comes in, we'll have to figure out how to connect those two.

[1:15:14] So

[1:15:16] connections to adjacent areas.

[1:15:19] So we're the subdivision joins unsubbed divided land.

[1:15:23] Stubbed and street shall be extended to those unsubbed

[1:15:26] and lands to provide access in the event of its future subdivision.

[1:15:31] These those streets of the design is a temporary turnaround.

[1:15:33] That's not always the case where that's generally the case.

[1:15:35] But it's not applicable to plan developments for gated subdivisions.

[1:15:40] So kind of what this shows here's kind of

[1:15:43] both scenarios and one map. On the right you can see that this was a map that was approved

[1:15:49] and you see that to the east there's an existing subdivision with that stub street. So we connected it

[1:15:56] from the major street east into the stub street so that now we have connectivity to get out to the western

[1:16:03] that western major street and then also there's property to the north that has similar zoning

[1:16:09] that is either rural residential or undeveloped.

[1:16:12] And if there's a possibility to do that, we're going to require that they connect to that

[1:16:16] so that in the future, to the north, can do exactly what we just did to the east.

[1:16:20] When that comes in develops, we're going to capture that connection, but let's say someone

[1:16:25] comes in and wants to do a private street community and gate it off, and you'll have no

[1:16:29] development.

[1:16:30] Well that's the temporary turnaround.

[1:16:31] Now you have a cul-de-sac where, if that case happened, they would be able at least

[1:16:36] going to turn around or fire truck or trash pick up and going and turn around.

[1:16:43] So that's what that is. You can see a live action one onto onto the west there.

[1:16:47] That's the 10 turn around. There's eventually hopefully future development to the east,

[1:16:51] but that's what it looks like in real time.

[1:16:57] Okay. So EVAs, emergency vehicle access.

[1:17:00] So every subdivision for the most part, there's some leeway, but it requires minimum of two points

[1:17:07] of access and that's a fire requirement so the fire can go in and then turn around and get out

[1:17:12] without having to back out into a street.

[1:17:16] I'll show you examples of those but those use

[1:17:18] are required and that can come in form of just a little lot that's only for regate and it only

[1:17:24] gives access to those fire or police personnel. And then pedestrian access to major streets so

[1:17:31] any subdivision adjacent to a major street pedestrian path which has sidewalks or trails

[1:17:37] to the major street Shelby space no more than 600 feet apart.

[1:17:41] What we do count as pedestrian pass is a vehicular entrance.

[1:17:45] It's going to have sidewalk you can walk on it, so that would count.

[1:17:49] So here's an example of an EVA, you probably see them all around town

[1:17:53] through south divisions, usually gated communities.

[1:17:57] Where the truck will come, the far truck will come in and out,

[1:17:59] maybe there is in a second point of access other than the primary entrance,

[1:18:02] so then they alleviated that with this example here.

[1:18:06] This is an example of the 600 foot, so in on the right there in the subdivision map you see the blue

[1:18:14] entrances are the public entrances and between each other there's more than 600 feet, so the applicant did a

[1:18:21] Paseo to allow for connectivity for pedestrians to get out of the subdivision that wouldn't be all the way in and

[1:18:27] have to walk all the way around, you know, so that's the purpose for the 600 feet

[1:18:34] trails, so homes should

[1:18:37] front onto a trail or other communal area unless there's type of graphical conditions that justify

[1:18:44] variation, the homes would face a major street or the review 30, the review 30, the review 30,

[1:18:49] terms that there are no feasible of terms. So homes fronting onto a trail, I'll kind of show you

[1:18:58] this was how trails were done when they were not along major streets when they're along

[1:19:07] So this is how they used to be done in the past.

[1:19:10] We didn't have that code that says they shell front onto your trail and we got this result.

[1:19:15] You know, the trail looks nice but the practicality of use, there's no eyes on it.

[1:19:19] Nobody can see what's going on.

[1:19:21] If you were to write that at night.

[1:19:23] I mean it's so deep and long.

[1:19:25] You have way through.

[1:19:26] No one's going to see.

[1:19:27] No one's going to know what's going on back there.

[1:19:29] It's unsafe.

[1:19:30] And so that's why this code was developed.

[1:19:32] And so what happens is now when we look for it,

[1:19:34] This was a map that proposed that same kind of concept

[1:19:37] where the homes backed onto the trail.

[1:19:40] So we said, no, put a street,

[1:19:41] so that homes can view the trail.

[1:19:43] And there's a visibility.

[1:19:45] Now, this next thing isn't this map,

[1:19:47] but that's just showing you the trails of the green.

[1:19:50] The homes are finding it looking at trail.

[1:19:52] And that's what it can result in looking like.

[1:19:54] So now you have a street, you have your trail.

[1:19:56] Eyes on the trail, it's a lot more safer.

[1:20:00] That's why this code was developed and so what happens is now when we look for it, this was a map that proposed that same kind of concept for the homes back onto the trail.

[1:20:10] So we said no, put a street so that homes can view the trail and there's a visibility.

[1:20:15] Now this next thing isn't this map, but that's just showing you the trails, the green, the homes are front and looking at trail.

[1:20:22] And that's what it can result in looking like. So now you have a street, you have your trail, eyes on the trail.

[1:20:27] um, a lot more safer.

[1:20:31] Open space requirements. Uh, so open space is required when a subdivision

[1:20:36] has more than 50 parcels. If it has 50 or less, they are not required to, um, propose

[1:20:43] any open space, but they do still have to pay in new fees. Once you hit that 50 first

[1:20:48] parcel net threshold, you are at, uh, so basically what I'll get at is it's a lot of math, but

[1:20:55] What it boils down to, it's 0.001-884 acres per dwelling unit, and that stems from our

[1:21:02] park semester plan based on a 0.68 per thousand visiting calculation.

[1:21:07] So for a pocket park to give you an example, the minimum bare minimum, 51 watts,

[1:21:11] you're looking at about a 4,100 square foot open space area. 150, you're looking at 12,000.

[1:21:17] 300 watts, you're looking at 24,000. So that's the requirement for that. And then there's

[1:21:23] It's shelf front, if there are parts face is required, it's shelf front to at least 50%

[1:21:30] a street, a styled trail, internal literal, or sidewalk.

[1:21:36] And then they should generally home, should generally face or side the park.

[1:21:39] And then the location, it says that parts like shall be essentially located, there is some

[1:21:46] wiggle room on this.

[1:21:47] The purpose and intent is to not put the only parts face for the subdivision in some corner of the area.

[1:21:54] It's supposed to be essentially located for all residents. Now, that can stray a little bit. There's some, there's some river room there, but generally we want it close to the center of the subdivision.

[1:22:06] I think all the fun stuff's done. So let's get into explorations.

[1:22:13] So interesting on this, just to update, but so tentative maps currently,

[1:22:19] whether it's a parcel, whether it's investing, whether it's a track map.

[1:22:23] They expire two years from their approval date.

[1:22:25] So when it gets through here, they have two years to get a final map.

[1:22:30] There isn't update, and although it's not signed by Governor Newsom yet,

[1:22:34] as of last week to the day, there's a new Senate bill,

[1:22:38] 1169 that made it through assembly, and Senate 39 votes to nothing.

[1:22:43] So unanimous approval, it's likely to go through it hopefully.

[1:22:46] But that will update the two-year expiration to eight years, which is significant.

[1:22:54] It's a big deal.

[1:22:56] So if Governor Newsom were to sign that it would be enacted in January 1 of this year of next year.

[1:23:01] But as of now, until then, it is two years.

[1:23:05] And then there are discretionary extensions that developers can utilize at one or two year increments,

[1:23:10] so they can say, hey, the market's not right right now.

[1:23:13] we need additional time, can we get a one year or two year extension that has to come to you

[1:23:19] for approval but they can get up to six years using one or two at a time and then there's some

[1:23:25] other legislative extensions depending on older maps that have been around for a while.

[1:23:30] And then there's also a phased map so you may have proved a large subdivision let's say 300 plus

[1:23:36] lots is unlikely that developers are going to have the money to be able to do all those improvements

[1:23:40] everything right out of the gate. So what they do is when they go to final, they're first map

[1:23:45] for final, maybe a hundred of those lots, and that's phase one. And then once that gets approved,

[1:23:54] they have two more years to get the next phase going, so on and so forth. And until it's all done,

[1:24:01] and each map will have its own, each final map will have its own number.

[1:24:08] So you're going to see

[1:24:10] phase, third phase, they have different map numbers.

[1:24:15] So, and then getting into the revisions, so is reflection on this earlier, minor revisions

[1:24:20] are direct to level decision, they wouldn't come back to you, it's if a lot size, shape,

[1:24:26] and dimensions are all in substantial compliance, the number of lots isn't reduced, number

[1:24:32] of lots of units of sites are added, the amount of open spaces is not reduced, so if they

[1:24:38] increase the open space that wouldn't come to you, that'd be a minor revision.

[1:24:42] Pedestrian connectivity to schools is not reduced, pre-pressed minor changes.

[1:24:48] For a major revision, that would come back to you, but it would be more of a director

[1:24:54] report.

[1:24:55] So it's just our director informing you of what is coming forward to you.

[1:24:59] This happened.

[1:25:00] So on and so forth, if they wanted it to exceed all of that, that's a new map, brand new map.

[1:25:09] Yeah. Although that tandem map is still approved, they can still move forward with the original.

[1:25:13] And then these are the findings, which I'm sure we'll find a TCH4.

[1:25:20] I don't know if I want to read all of them off, but basically it's just to comply with code, the general plan, the subdivision map act.

[1:25:26] Make sure it's the site's physical suitable for the development, the density, it's likely

[1:25:36] not to cause substantial environmental damage and or health problems.

[1:25:41] Basically, if the commission makes only one of these findings, any other, then we have

[1:25:47] to recommend to know of the map.

[1:25:52] And with that, that concludes my presentation, I'd have to be answering any questions.

[1:25:56] I

[1:26:00] have a question about, you know, the sidewalk, the landscape being, you know, the corner lots.

[1:26:08] Sometimes, developers, they do their advertisement saying, oh, it's a 10,000 square footage lot.

[1:26:14] But technically, the property on, they're losing a lot of the land.

[1:26:19] So who holds that land? Like, just...

[1:26:21] Are you talking about the remainder property?

[1:26:24] Yes. Like, on the corner lot, where there's landscape being...

[1:26:28] Can you go back to the presentation?

[1:27:10] It's on slide 15 and 16.

[1:27:25] Yeah, something like that.

[1:27:26] So, who is responsible for that part?

[1:27:31] Like outside of the wall.

[1:27:36] Is that homeowners?

[1:27:39] So, who's required to maintain that area?

[1:27:42] Right.

[1:27:44] That'll be part of the CFD.

[1:27:45] I see.

[1:27:46] And then, technically, who holds that?

[1:27:48] Does the city own it?

[1:27:50] Yeah, it would be dated to the city, it would be dated in the city, public landscape and irrigation purposes, thank you.

[1:27:58] Yeah, you will see those on on maps, they're called outlots, outlots are something that that area is being dedicated for a specific reason or purpose, it could be anything, it could be for public open space reports.

[1:28:13] Um, it could be for, um, in a gated community, they have open space, it could be for private

[1:28:19] purposes, private utilities, private open space, parking, um, just depends what it is.

[1:28:43] Thank you.

[1:28:44] Thank you.

[1:28:48] I apologize for having to get up.

[1:28:51] So do we have a report by the Secretary?

[1:28:53] No, I'd just like to say thank you to my team for the hard work that they put together

[1:28:58] these workshops for you.

[1:29:01] Um, and we'll just continue.

[1:29:03] So you got to see a little snippet of kind of the high level rules if you want more detail on any of the rules that we talked about tonight

[1:29:13] Please let our staff know you can let Jada or Ashley or Israel or Phil no and we would be happy to bring back a workshop on a more specific topic

[1:29:23] Maybe that's on parking. Maybe that's on signs, right? And we'd be happy to do that

[1:29:28] Thank you through the chair real quick. If the money fairy comes to

[1:29:33] your department director Clark at and you can get us hard copies of the

[1:30:00] And we are looking into that pricing to see what it would cost to reprint them. We did it a number of years ago, but it hasn't been done recently. So, yes, I like a hard copy. Mine is probably six years old. And so the rules aren't exactly right when I read from it, but it is nice to have a hard day.

Planning Commission on 2026-09-02 600 PM - Regular Meeting

Agenda

Transcript