Loading...
50 ORDINANCE NO. 50 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GRAND TERRACE, CALIFORNIA, PERTAINING TO ARCHI- TECTURAL REVIEW BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION. WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Grand Terrace finds that comprehensive site plan and architectural review is necessary in order to promote the orderly and harmonious growth of the City of Grand Terrace; the stability of land values, investments, and the general welfare; and to further enhance land values and land development by the erection of structures, additions, or alterations with proper attention to the siting and appearance thereof; NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Grand Terrace DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1 . Purpose and Authorization - The purpose and intent of this Ordinance is to empower the Planning Commission with the responsi- bility for comprehensive site plan and architectural review in order to achieve the following: A. To ensure that new development and/or the alteration or enlargement of existing development occurs in a manner that is consistent with policies of the General Plan; B. To preserve the natural beauty of the City and setting to prevent the indiscriminate clearing of property, the destruction of trees and natural vegetation, and the excessive and unsightly grading of hillsides, and to preserve the natural land forms; C. To ensure that the location and configuration of structures are visually harmonious with their sites and surrounding sites and structures, do not unnecessarily block scenic views from other buildings or tend to dominate the townscape or natural landscape, and create an internal sense of order and provide a desirable environment for occupants and the general community; D. To protect and enhance public and private investments in the community; E. To ensure that the architectural design of structures and their materials and colors are visually harmonious with surrounding development, natural land forms, and appropriated to the function of the project; and promote harmonious transitions between different land uses; F. To ensure that plans for the landscaping of open spaces conform with the requirements of this Ordinance; and that they provide visually pleasing setting for structures on the site and on adjoining and nearby sites, blend harmonious with natural landscape, and are appropriate to the design and function of the structures; G. To ensure that the design and location of signs and their material and colors are consistent with the character and scale of the building to which they are attached or which are located on the same site, and ensure that the signs are visually harmonious with surrounding development; H. To encourage the maintenance, rehabilitation and improvement of existing buildings and structures; and to encourage the conformance of all signs with this title to ensure access to the property and circulation thereon are safe and convenient for pedestrians, bicycles, and vehicles. SECTION 2. Scope of Design Review A. Design Review approval shall be required of the following: (1 ) All new commercial , industrial , and office develop- ment, including all signs; (2) Remodeling or renovation of existing commercial , industrial , and office buildings which result in: a. Change of use; b. Increase of building size; c. Need for additional street access; d. Increase the capacity; (3) All new residential development for which a parcel or tract map is approved (condo conversion, commer- cial , or residential ) ; (4) Multiple residential structures; (5) Construction of single family houses by owner/ builder; (6) Placement of modular homes in R-1 7200; B. The following development and improvements are excluded from Design Review: (1 ) Roof additions to single-family houses; (2) Remodeling of, or additions to, single- family houses. C. Where design review is required for a use or structure, review and approval by the Planning Commission shall be directed to the following considerations: (1 ) The proposed location of the structure on its site in relation to the location of buildings on adjoining sites, with practical attention to view considerations, privacy, and topographic or constraints on development imposed by practical site conditions; -2- (2) The extent to which the site plan obtains the minimum amount of grading and/or removal of trees and vegetation in creating a building site, including access drives and off-street parking areas; (3) The size or bulk of the proposed building in relation to the character of existing buildings in the vicinity; (4) The extent to which exposed underframing and utility ducts will be visable; (5) Proposed building material and colors to ensure that they are harmonious with existing development in the vicinity and will not stand out in sharp contrast with natural earth color or vegetation on the site; (6) Proposed landscaping, insofar as it is required to prevent erosion, to protect the privacy of adjoin- ing residents, and to mitigate the visual or impacts of the proposed development; (7) Details of required irrigation system; (_81 In addition to gradually upgrading the appearance of existing development, improvements to existing buildings and sites may be required as part of the review of applications for additions or changes to existing development; (9) In addition, the Planning Commission may prepare and adopt a special set of criteria applicable to design corridors or design districts, or to any particular area or areas in the City; provided that the criterial are available for public reference in the Planning Department. (10) In all cases, special attention should be given to any site located in a design corridor or a design district, and the policies of the General Plan related thereto. SECTION 3. Application and Fee - The application for design approval or sign approval shall be filed with the Planning Department on the prescribed form and shall include any or all of the following, as determined to be necessary by the Planning Director for the particular application: A. An accurate scale drawing of the site showing the contours at intervals of not more than five feet, the locations of existing trees and other natural features, and the locations of existing uses, structures, and other improvements, including driveways, pedestrian walks, off-street parking, and off-street loading areas, landscaped areas, and fences and walls. The drawing also shall show the locations of streets and other rights-of-way adjoining the site and the locations of structures on adjoining properties within fifty feet of the site; -3- B. A site plan, drawn to scale, showing the proposed layout of structures and other improvements, including driveways, pedestrian walks, off-street parking and off-street loading areas, landscaped areas, fences and walls, and sign locations. The site plan shall indicate the locations of entrances and exits and the direction of traffic flow into and out of off-street parking and off-street loading areas., the location of each parking space and each loading berth, and areas for turning and maneuvering motor vehicles; C. Architectural drawings and/or perspective sketches, drawn to scale, showing elevations of the proposed structure, including any sign to be attached thereto, as they will appear upon completion, showing their relation to all structures within fifty feet. D. A landscape plan showing the locations of existing trees and other natural features proposed to be retained on the site, the location and design of landscaped areas and the varieties of plant material to be planted therein and provisions for maintenance, and all other landscape features; E. Scale drawings of all sions showing size, material , text or other graphic symbols, color, type and source of illumination, total sign area, proposed location, and method of attachment; F. Grading plans when determined by the Planning Director to be necessary; G. The Planning Director or Planning Commission may require additional information, plans, drawings, scale models, color samples, -or material samples if they are needed in order to assist in the evaluation of design adequacy, or may authorize ommission of any of these if they are not necessary; H. The application shall be accompanied by the required fee; I . The Planning Director shall review the application and the material submitted therewith and, if found to be complete, shall refer them to the Planning Commission. If any data or information is found to be lacking, the applicant shall be so advised, and the application and accompanying material shall not be referred to the Planning Commission until the missing data or information have been provided. SECTION 4. Planning Commission Action - On the basis of the application and the evidence submitted, the Planning Commission shall not approve a site or design plan unless the Planning Commission makeses tFe — following findings: A. General site considerations, including site layout, open space and topography, orientation and location of buildings, vehicular access, public safety, and similar elements, have been designed to provide a desirable environment for the development; -4- B. General architectural considerations, including the character, scale and quality of the design, the architectural relationship with the site and other buildings, building materials, colors, screening of exterior appurtenances, exterior lighting and signing, and similar elements, have been incorporated in order to ensure the compatibility of this development with its design concept and the character of adjacent buildings; C. General landscape considerations, including the location, type, size, color, texture and coverage of plant material , provision for irrigation, maintenance and protection of landscaped areas, and similar elements, have been considered to ensure visual relief, to comple- ment buildings and structures, and to provide an attractive environment for the enjoyment of the public. SECTION 5. Changes in Design Review Plan - Any major deviation from the approved architectural and site plans shall be resubmitted for Planning Commission approval . The Planning Director is authorized to approve minor deviations where, in his opinion , such changes are minor in nature and not in conflict with the intent of this Ordinance. SECTION 6. Revocation - Approval of a design review plan and/or site plan may be revocable, may be granted for a limited time period, may be granted subject to such conditions as the Planning Director or Planning Commission may prescribe, or may be denied. SECTION 7. Appeal A. The decision of the Planning Commission shall be final and conclusive ten (10) days following the Planning Commission action in the absence of a timely filed appeal . The timely filing of an appeal shall stay the effective date of the Planning Commission 's decision pending action by the City Council . B. Upon the filing of a letter of appeal with the City Clerk, the Secretary of the Planning Commission shall forward to the City Clerk the Planning Commission's files with regard to such application, Upon receipt of the same, the City Clerk shall promptly set the matter for a hearing before the City Council . The City Council shall conduct a de novo hearing upon said matter, and thereafter shall determine whether the application shall be approved, conditionally approved, or denied. In making its determina- tion, the City Council shall observe the standards as set forth herein, which- ever is applicable. In its discretion, the City Council may, prior to its decision, refer such matter to the Planning Commission for a further report, with or without additional hearings before said Planning Commission. The decision of the City Council shall be final and conclusive in all cases. SECTION 8. Lapse of Site or Design Approval - Any approval of the Planning Commission given pursuant to the provisions of this Ordinance shall lapse and shall become null and void one (1 ) year following the date on which the approval became effective unless, prior to the expiration of one (1 ) year, a building permit is issued and construction is commenced -5- and diligently pursued toward completion on the site which was the subject of the application, a Final Inspection is issued for the structure which was the subject of the application, or a sign permit has been issued for the sign which was the subject of the application. A design approval may be renewed for an additional period of one (1 ) year, provided that, prior to the expiration of one (1 ) year from the date when the original approval became effective, an application for renewal of the approval is filed with the Planning Department. The Planning Director may grant an extension of the site plan or design approval for a period not exceeding one (1 ) year where only minor changes in conditions or requirements have occurred, but an application involving any change shall be treated as a new application, subject to all provisions of this Ordinance. SECTION 9. Following the denial or revocation of a design review, site plan, or sign application, no application for the same or substantially the same design, site plan, or sign shall be filed within one (1 ) year of the date of denial or revocation of the variance unless the denial or revocation is made without prejudice. SECTION 10. This Ordinance shall become effective thirty (30) days after its adoption. SECTION 11 . The City Clerk shall cause this Ordinance to be posted within fifteen (15) days after its adoption in three (3) public places established by the City Council . SECTION 12. First read at a regular meeting of the City Council of said City held on the 28th day of May , 1981 , and finally adopted and ordered posted at a regular meeting of said City Council on the llth day of June 1981 . Mayor of the"City o nd Te ace and of the City ci t eof. ATTEST: Deputy City Cl of the City of Grand Terrace nd of the City Council thereof. Approved as to form: City Attorney -6- i STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO) ss. CITY OF GRAND TERRACE ) I, ILENE DUGHMAN, Deputy City Clerk of the City of Grand Terrace, DO HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing Ordinance was duly adopted by the City Council of said City at a regular meeting of the City Council held on the 11th day of June 19 81 , and that it was so adopted by the following vote: AYES: Councilmen Grant, Petta, Nix, Rigley; Mayor Tillinghast NOES: None ABSENT: None Deputy City Elerk f the City of Grand Terrace a of the City Council thereof. STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO) ss, CITY OF GRAND TERRACE ) I , ILENE DUGHMAN, Deputy City Clerk of the City of Grand Terrace, DO HEREBY CERTIFY that the above and foregoing is a full , true and correct copy of Ordinance No. 50 of said City Council , and that the same has not been amended or repealed. DATED: June 11, 1981 Deputy City Cler of the City of Grand Terrace ant of the City Council thereof.