HomeMy WebLinkAbout2005-09-06 - AGENDA REPORTS - UDC AMEND (2)CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor Smyth and Members of the City Council
PlaC yerson jtrom and Members of the Planning Commission
FROM:
DATE: September 6, 2005
SUBJECT: CITY COUNCIL AND PLANNING COMMISSION JOINT STUDY SESSION
ON UPCOMING UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE (UDC) AMENDMENTS
At this evening's joint study session, Planning staff will be making a presentation on three
special code studies which will be included as part of the upcoming amendments to the UDC.
All of the amendments include provisions for overlay zoning, one for mixed use, one for
ridgeline protection and the other for auto uses. Two of the items, mixed use and auto uses, have
been presented to the Planning Commission at a previous study session. However, this would be
an introduction to the City Council on all three items. All of these items would be part of the
annual UDC amendments which are scheduled to be brought to the Planning Commission in
October 2005.
Ridgeline Protection Overlay Zone
This is a follow-up to the issues raised by both the Planning Commission and City Council
during public hearings on projects requiring "Innovative" findings. Staff is proposing to separate
the Ridgeline designation from the Hillside Development Standards and create an overlay zone
for areas containing prominent ridgelines. Development in these areas would be required to
meet a higher level of review and development standards. The modifications include the
creation of a Ridgeline Preservation overlay zone, a new Ridgeline Alteration permit in lieu of
the current Innovation application and augmentation to the hillside standards for retaining walls
and architecture.
Mixed Use Overlay Zone
The implementation of a mixed use overlay zone comes from the Housing Element Update
adopted by the City Council in May 2004. Goal 1 of the Housing Element is to provide
opportunities for the production of a range of new housing to meet the needs of all income
groups. In order to implement Goal 1, a Mixed Use Overlay Zone is listed as Program Ld of the
Housing Element Update. This evening's presentation will provide a summary of staffs
research and development of a draft ordinance and provide suggested locations throughout the
City where the overlay zone could apply.
Agenda Item :''
Vehicle Service Overlay Zone
This is a follow-up to the January 2004 joint City Council/Planning Commission study session
regarding auto uses. At that meeting, staff was asked to find a method to encourage the
concentration of these uses in areas that would not impact existing residential uses or be located
along major commercial corridors. This evening's presentation will suggest five areas of the
City where staff feels these uses should be concentrated and thereby would create an overlay
zone where the permitting process would be streamlined. Development standards for auto -related
uses would also be established through this zoning overlay.
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