Title:
Title
Ordinance Amending Various Provisions of Title 17 of the Sacramento City Code Relating to Streamlining Land Use and Entitlement Processing Requirements and Code Maintenance (M18-012)
End
FileID
File ID: 2018-01597
Location
Location: Citywide
Recommendation:
Recommendation
1) Review an ordinance amending various provisions of Title 17 of the Sacramento City Code relating to Planning and Development; and 2) pass a Motion forwarding to City Council for approval.
Contact: Evan Compton, Principal Planner, (916) 808-5260, Community Development Department
Body
Presenter: Evan Compton, Principal Planner, (916) 808-5260, Community Development Department
Attachments:
1-Description/Analysis
2-Ordinance (Redline)
3-Ordinance (Clean)
Description/Analysis
Issue Detail: Staff has prepared an ordinance that proposes numerous amendments to the Planning and Development Code (title 17 of the City Code) to incorporate City Council directed changes, correction of errors, and streamlining of land-use entitlement processes. All the proposed changes are summarized below in the Background section.
Policy Considerations: The 2035 General Plan Update was adopted by City Council on March 3, 2015. The Land Use and Urban Design section of the General Plan is primarily implemented through the Planning and Development Code (17.100.010 B.). The 2035 General Plan’s goals, policies, and implementation programs define a roadmap to achieving Sacramento’s vision to be the most livable city in America. The five-year update to the 2030 General Plan focused on updating policies and programs to reflect changed conditions and priorities, streamline development review and implementation, and address new State laws. The proposed amendments support the new priorities.
Economic Impacts: None.
Environmental Considerations: The changes to existing ordinances would revise existing administrative processes for development entitlement applications and amend various provisions regarding development standards. No physical development or change in the existing setting is proposed. The action would not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical effect on the environment. Therefore, the adoption of the ordinance is not a “project” covered by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under CEQA Section 21065 and CEQA Guidelines Section 15060(c)(2). Individual projects that may apply for entitlements under the ordinances would undergo separate environmental review.
Sustainability: Not applicable.
Commission/Committee Action: The Planning and Design Commission is scheduled to review the amendments on November 29, 2018 and their recommendation and any comments provided will be forwarded to the City Council.
Rationale for Recommendation: The amendments further the implementation of the 2035 General Plan by further streamlining the Planning and Development Code by simplifying the project review process in some instances. The amendments also incorporate the Council directed changes. Finally, the proposed amendments clean up previous errors, omissions, and corrects unintended consequences that hinder or lengthen the development process.
Financial Considerations: None.
Local Business Enterprise (LBE): Not applicable.
Background Proposed Amendments to the City Code: Staff has prepared an ordinance that amends Title 17 (the Planning and Development Code) that incorporates Council directed changes, corrects errors, fixes unintended consequences from the original adoption, and streamlines processes for land use entitlement processing. The City Council has directed staff to make several changes to Title 17. The proposed changes that eliminate confusing code, correct errors or correct unintended consequences are considered clarifying changes. The proposed changes that simplify the development process or requirements are considered streamlining changes. All the proposed changes to Title 17 are summarized below.
Council Directed:
Vice Mayor Hansen requested that staff forward an amendment to change the rounding for fractional requirements related to density calculations. Currently, the city code rounds down when there is a fractional requirement and the request is to change the rounding to allow rounding up to the whole number for calculations of 0.5 or more.
• Rounding up for fractional requirements when calculating density. (Section 17.104.050)
Councilmember Carr requested that staff forward an amendment to prohibit chain link fencing in the front yards of residential properties.
• Prohibition on chain link fencing for residential uses in the front and street side yards. (Section 17.620.110)
Clarifying/Corrections/Administrative Clean-Up Language:
• Public Works staff requested to clarify the applicable development standards for parcels with site access via the alley. (Subsection E.2 of Section 17.508.070)
• Planning staff requested to correct an error within the industrial land use sections which mislabeled a “Nonresidential care facility” as a “Non-profit residential care facility.” (Section 17.220.210; 17.220.310; 17.220.410)
• Planning staff requested to correct the bicycle parking requirements for multi-unit dwellings in the Suburban Parking District which has a missing number for long-term standards and an incorrect number for short-term standards. (Section 17.608.030 Part C)
• Planning staff requested to update the residential accessory structure section which references the driveway requirements in Section 18.08. However, this section of code has moved to 17.508. (17.624.040; 17.624.050; 17.624.060)
• Planning staff requested to update the parking section which references the driveway requirements in Section 18.08 which has moved to 17.508.
• Planning staff requested to correct an error for the Cannabis dispensary locational requirement language to require Commission level review for sites within 600 feet of tobacco retailers less than 15,000 square feet regardless of the shelf space devoted to tobacco.
Streamlining:
• Change the minimum rear setback of a secondary dwelling unit from 15 feet to 5 feet to be consistent with the setback requirement for constructing a secondary dwelling unit above an existing accessory building and also remove the requirement of the secondary dwelling unit to match the architectural style of the main home. (Section 17.228.105)
• Allow Administrative Parking Permits to be applied to single-unit and duplex dwellings instead of requiring a Commission-level hearing to waive parking. (Section 17.608.060)
• Allow multiple temporary construction trailers for large construction projects and provide the ability for multiple renewals. (Section 17.228.126)
• Exempt antennas from site plan and design review which are granted a revocable permit for placement on city-owned property or as a secondary use on an existing utility pole. (Section 17.228.300)
• Remove the conditional use permit requirement for vet clinics in the Shopping Center (SC) zone consistent with other commercial zones. (Section 17.216.510)
• Remove the conditional use permit requirement for hotels/motels in the Shopping Center (SC) zone consistent with other commercial zones (Section 17.216.510)
• Planning staff requested to allow an option for a 24 hour desk service instead of requiring an onsite manager for projects with over 15 multi-unit dwellings.
• Planning staff requested to modify the level of review for PUD amendments to allow a Director level review for signage amendments only and the remainder of the amendment requests would be heard at the Planning and Design Commission level.