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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-03-25 - AGENDA REPORTS - ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN GUIDELINE (2)Agenda Item: CITY OF SANTA CLARITA AGENDA REPORT UNFINISHED BUSINESS City Manager Approval: Item to be presented by: Paul Brotzman DATE: March 25, 2008 SUBJECT: ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN GUIDELINE UPDATE DEPARTMENT: . Community Development RECOMMENDED ACTION City Council direct staff to continue preparation of the Community Character and Design Guidelines and not pursue the formation of an Architectural Design Review Board. BACKGROUND This item has been placed on the agenda in response to Councilmember Boydston's request to discuss the City's Architectural Design Review process. Current Architectural Design Guidelines The City Council adopted the current Architectural Design Guidelines in December of 2002 by Resolution 02-174. Prior to the adoption of these guidelines, current planning projects were designed and developed on a case-by-case basis and were not encouraged to conform to the character of the area in which they were located. The Architectural Design Guidelines were developed to promote the high quality standards that the City and community value by defining and illustrating the desired architectural styles within each community. The guidelines were intended to compliment the City's Beautification Master Plan which focuses on citywide streetscape improvements that strive to maintain the identity of the individual communities while unifying the whole of Santa Clarita. The Architectural Design Guidelines expand that goal beyond public rights of way by providing clear direction regarding the renovation of existing buildings and construction of new buildings. Design Review Process The Architectural Design Guidelines also outline the process for reviewing the design of development projects. For example, when a project is first submitted, the City's Development Review Committee reviews the project for consistency with various developmental codes and Architectural Design Guidelines. The process also requires that the project be submitted to RRM Design Group, the City's architectural design consultant, for review. RRM conducts its own internal design review of each development project utilizing a wide range. of expertise including architects, urban. Resigners, civil engineers, planners and landscape architects. If the project includes entitlements that require the approval of the Planning Commission and City Council, the final step of the ,development review process occurs during the public hearing and approval process. However, if the project does not include entitlements that require public hearings, the Director of Community Development reviews the design and approves the project. Community Character and Design Guidelines Since the adoption of the Architectural Design Guidelines in 2002, staff acknowledges that the document needs updating to meet the high design standards of the community. Staff has responded to these needs and is currently in the process of revising the guidelines to include the latest planning trends in the document. The updated guidelines go beyond architectural design to encompass a more comprehensive treatment of sustainable planning and the built environment. The Draft Community Character and Design Guidelines have been expanded to include the following concepts and principles: • Smart Growth • Sustainable Design • Green Construction and Technology • New Urbanism • Transit Oriented Development • Valley of Villages • Mixed Use Development Because the document will provide direction on more than just architecture, staff proposes that the document be renamed the Community Character and Design Guidelines. In addition to updating the content of the document, staff has also formulated a Design Questionnaire to accompany the guidelines that would be required as part of the project submittal packet. This new tool is intended to provide developers with an opportunity to demonstrate how their project meets all of the requirements of the design guidelines. The Design Questionnaire will help staff consistently implement design guidelines by requiring developers to utilize the design guidelines prior to submitting a project to the Planning Division. Design Review Board The development review process, as previously described, provides for consistent and comprehensive application of the Architectural Design Guidelines in a time -effective manner. This process also provides clear and consistent direction to the applicant while allowing the City Council, Planning Commission and Director of Community Development to retain ultimate control over the design of a project. Staff recommends that the Council avoid the. formation of an Architectural Design Review Board. An Architectural Design Review Board would delay the application process by requiring hearings in addition to those held before the Planning Commission and City Council. Requiring additional hearings would be inconsistent with. the City's application for the Enterprise Zone designation, which states: "Decreasing the amount of time spent on acquiring development permits has been a priority for the City of Santa Clarita. The ways the City has already labored to make the process easier include increased inter -department and inter -organizational communication, an education program for developers on the development process,. creating administrative approvals, the `One -Stop' Process, a landscape plan expediting fee, as well as making development information easily accessible to everyone." In addition to obtaining the Enterprise Zone designation, the City of Santa Clarita was named as one of the five most business -friendly cities by the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation in August 2006. Expedited plan reviews and permit processing were cited as reasons why the City received this honor.' The addition of hearings before a Design Review Board would conflict with the City's "business -friendly" reputation. If a Design Review Board were formed, the review process would take more time and the Commission and Council's authority to guide the design of development projects would be diminished. Schedule Staff anticipates that the Community Character and Design Guidelines will be presented to the Planning Commission on May 6, 2008. Prior to bringing this item before the Planning Commission, staff will circulate the current draft of the document among the City's Development Review Committee to ensure consistency with the development standards and policies of other City departments and divisions. Comments from this review will be incorporated into the Draft Community Character and Design Guidelines. Staff anticipates that this draft will be available in March of 2008. `When a draft version of the guidelines has been completed, an Initial Study will be prepared in order to determine the environmental impact of this document. An Initial Study for a project of this nature requires a 21 -day review period prior to adoption of a Negative Declaration or Mitigated Negative Declaration. Upon completion of the required review period associated with CEQA, staff will bring the item to the Planning Commission requesting a recommendation"of approval by the City Council. ALTERNATIVE ACTIONS Other action as determined by the Council. FISCAL IMPACT The costs associated with updating the Architectural Design Guidelines are being covered under the existing contract with RRM Design Group, the City's architectural design consultant.