Status:

As a result of the City Council’s consideration regarding whether to implement a Floor-Area-Ratio, the City Council directed Staff to study Floor Area Ratio (FAR) in addition to the neighborhood compatibility process.  The intent is to establish a Floor-Area-Ratio to limit residential structure size as part of the neighborhood compatibility process.

Staff is currently collecting citywide data on parcel size and structure size.  This item will be presented to the Planning Commission on September 27, 2011 for discussion by the Planning Commission.

Background:

Prior to 1997, the City’s Development Code did not state a maximum structure size for single-family residential structures.  Rather, structure size was constrained by the Development Code’s requirements for height, setbacks and open space.  In 1997, a comprehensive update to the City’s Development Code was completed, which included the establishment of a maximum structure size for single-family residences.  A residence maximum structure size was based upon when the lot was created.  Pursuant to the development standards at that time, residences on lots created prior to incorporation/annexation were limited to a size equivalent to a 100% expansion of the original structure size or a structure size equivalent to the maximum open space percentage allowed for the residential zoning district, whichever was less.  For lots created by the City after incorporation/annexation, the structures were limited to a specified size established for each zoning district.  As such, if a residential structure complied with the Development Code standards, then the project could be approved.

In 2000, the City Council replaced the maximum structure size requirement with the Neighborhood Compatibility requirement to allow property owners more flexibility.  The existing Neighborhood Compatibility review process typically involves the submittal of detailed project plans, the construction of a project silhouette, certification of the silhouette, the issuance of a public notice with a minimum 15-day comment period, site visits by staff to address issues raised by the public and the preparation of a Staff Report that analyzes the proposal in the context of the closest 20 properties.  Neighborhood Compatibility has since been used to analyze a myriad of projects that include one-story and two-story additions, new residences that replace existing structures on developed parcels, and new residences on vacant parcels.

In 2003, the City Council formed the Residential Development Standards Steering Committee (RDSSC).  The RDSSC was charged with the task to review the City’s residential development standards in relation to current housing construction trends.  The Council also agreed that the RDSSC should, at a minimum, review items such as setback, lot area, and lot coverage requirements.  Although there was no discussion regarding establishing a FAR, the RDSSC discussed the possibility of re-establishing a maximum structure size for each lot.  The consensus of the Steering Committee, however, was not to pursue a maximum size requirement since it concluded that re-establishing a maximum structure size was not warranted.

On June 1, 2010, Councilmember Long presented an item to the City Council, where he raised a raised concern that the Municipal Code does not have a stated maximum structure size.  Councilmember Long expressed that without a maximum square footage limitation, incremental increases to the average structure size within an immediate neighborhood will continue to increase and will thereby alter the character of residential neighborhoods.  As a result, the City Council directed staff to present the issue of Floor Area Ratio to the Planning Commission for its independent review and recommendation to be brought back to the Council for its consideration. 

In response to the Council’s direction, Staff conducted research on the topic and presented the issue of developing a Floor Area Ratio or other structure size limit to the Planning Commission.  The considering the issue at their meetings on October 26, 2010, January 11, 2011 and January 25, 2011, the Planning Commission concluded that a Floor Area Ratio (FAR) or other maximum structure size is not necessary since the City’s current regulations and Neighborhood Compatibility review process works to regulate residential construction and helps preserve the character of existing neighborhoods, and directed Staff to report back to the City Council on the discussion and recommendation by the Planning Commission regarding the development of a Floor Area Ratio (FAR).

On March 15, 2011, the City Council considered the Planning Commission’s recommendation.  After considering the Planning Commission’s recommendation and discussing the issue of limiting structure size, the City Council directed Staff to further study implementing Floor-Area-Ratio as an additional tool in the Neighborhood Compatibility process.

Contact Info:
The City’s project planner overseeing the development of creating a Floor-Area-Ratio is Senior Planner Eduardo Schonborn.  He can be contacted by telephone at (310) 544-5228, or via email at eduardos@rpv.com.
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