Planning & Community Development Department Zoning Code Amendment Public Hearing Proposed elimination of the 50% review step from the design review process

Planning & Community Development Department

Zoning Code AmendmentPublic Hearing

Proposed elimination of the 50% review step from the design review process and preliminary

consultation process changes.

City CouncilAugust 17, 2015


Staff Recommendation

• Find that this action is exempt under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) in accordance with Sections 15061 (b)(3), the general rule that CEQA only applies to projects that may have an effect on the environment.

• Direct staff to prepare an ordinance amending the Zoning Code to: a) eliminate the 50% advisory review from the design review process; and b) to require the preliminary consultation for a project be the same as the review authority for the project;

• Direct staff to prepare a text amendment to Title 2.80 of the Pasadena Municipal Code related to composition of the Design Commission; and add the requirement that one of the five Mayoral appointees be reserved for an individual with historic preservation expertise. 2


Presentation Outline

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• Zoning code amendment information>Elimination of 50% advisory design review

step>Require preliminary consultation for a project

be the same as the review authority for the project

• Information for a potential text amendment to Title 2.80 of the P.M.C. related to the Design Commission

• Information regarding the on-going exploration and implementation of additional methods to streamline the Design Review process


Background

• On December 8, 2014 the Planning and Community Development Department presented an agenda report to the City Council providing an update on improvements to the development review process and recommendations for changes to design review.>Improvements and changes outlined in the

report were related to a 2012 study (Matrix) of the development review process.

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Background (cont’)

• After receiving the report, taking public testimony, and deliberation, the City Council directed staff to work with the Design Commission to: >Review the composition of the Design

Commission>Review ways to streamline the Design Review

Process and>Return to the City Council with a

recommendation.

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Design Review Process

• Currently the Design Review process consists of 3 mandatory steps with an optional fourth step.

• The required steps are; preliminary consultation, concept design review, and final design review. At the Design Commission’s discretion and optional step (50% advisory review may be imposed between concept design review and final design review.

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Preliminary Consultation

• Informal discussion between the Director and applicant.

• Explanation of the applicable design guidelines

• Findings• Procedures applicable to the project• Discuss project’s compliance with

design guidelines.

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Concept Design Review

• Primary step in the Design Review process

• Items discussed:>Basic design of the project>Compatibility with surroundings (context)>Massing, proportion, siting, solid to void

relationships and compliance with the applicable design guidelines.

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50 Percent Design Review

• Included as a condition of Concept Design Review.

• Resolution of specific design items of concern revealed during concept design review.

• Advisory review and not subject to appeal or call for review.

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Final Design Review

• Final phase of the design review process.

• Focus on construction details, finishes, materials and landscaping

• Confirm consistency with design approved and related conditions of approval included with Concept Design Review approval.

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Elimination of 50% design review

• Applicants, property owners, and other stakeholders have expressed concern with the length of time as well as the extent the Design Commission modifies a project.>Areas where process could be improved:

Preliminary consultation 50% design review

»Create a greater level of certainty»Reduce processing time.

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Elimination of 50% design review

• The Design Commission and Staff recommends elimination of the 50% advisory review>Greater level of certainty>Create fewer steps in the design review

process• Design Commission can focus on

major design issues and consistency with the applicable design guidelines during preliminary consultation and concept design review.12



• The Design Commission and Staff recommend that the Code be amended allow the Design Commission to review preliminary consultation applications.>Code currently states that PC is handled through

and informal meeting with the applicant and Director.

>October 19, 2009, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 8987 establishing design guidelines for Neighborhood Commercial and Multi-family residential districts and creating a process for Preliminary Consultation phase of Design Review.

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>The new process sought to bring design review to the beginning stages of the process.

>Allow feedback on proposed design prior to significant investment in detailed drawings.

>Significant change was that Design Commission would conduct Preliminary Consultation on those projects subject to Commission level review.

>This has been the practice since the City Council in 2009, the municipal Code has not been amended to reflect the process identified in Resolution No. 8987

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Design Commission (Title 2.80)

• Currently the Design Commission consists of 9 members>Four (4) members (1 each) representing

the Planning Commission, the Transportation Advisory Commission, the Historic Preservation Commission and the Arts and Culture Commission and five (5) mayoral appointees.

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• As directed by City Council on December 8, 2014, a subcommittee of the Design Commission was established to discuss the issue. The Design Commission, subcommittee, and staff recommend:>No changes be made regarding the

existing Commission representation i.e. Planning Commission, Historic Preservation Commission, Transportation Advisory Commission and the Arts and Culture Commission.

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• One of the five (5) mayoral appointees be reserved for an individual with “historic preservation expertise”.>The remaining four (4) positions should be

filled with a “person with interest” in one of the following areas: architecture, landscape architecture, city planning, historic preservation, urban design, and engineering.

>The “artist” and “transportation” areas of interest can be removed given Commission representation.

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Design Review process improvements (completed)

• Preliminary consultation>Application and staff reports have been

revised to create a more meaningful and efficient step Application encourages a dialog between

the applicant and Design Commission Staff report identifies basic project

information, applicable guidelines Reduction in time in which a project gets

before the Commission.

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Preliminary Consultation (sketches)

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Preliminary Consultation (sketches)


Concept Review (renderings)

21Western ElevationEastern Elevation

Street-facing Elevation (south)


Final Review (renderings)

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Design Review process improvements (completed)

• Cycle time objectives>Predictable review and processing times for

both Commission and staff reviews Staff review are usually completed in 4-6

weeks: Commission review (date of submittal to hearing date) is 6-8 weeks.

Increased level of predictability for applicants regarding review times

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Design Review process improvements completed

• Revised Preliminary Consultation application and associated staff report.>Concise submittal requirements for more

efficient Commission reviews.>Staff reviews focus on key design issues

such as building massing and project context.

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Design Review process improvements completed

• Improved case tracking and monitoring>Target dates for Design Commission

hearings and completion dates for staff level reviews for all cases assigned within one week of application submittal.

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Design Review process improvements (in process of completion)

• Revisions (similar to Preliminary Consultation) to the Concept Design and Final Design Review applications and the associated staff reports.

• With more robust reviews at Preliminary Consultation and Concept Design Review it is anticipated that more Final Design Review applications can be delegated to staff reducing processing time.

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Zoning Code AmendmentPublic Hearing

Questions?

City CouncilAugust 17, 2015

Documents

Planning & Community Development Department Zoning Code Amendment Public Hearing Proposed elimination of the 50% review step from the design review process