HomeMy WebLinkAboutGT_ODS PC CC Workshop PPT 9-21-2026 (1)Multifamily
Objective Design Standards (ODS)
Joint Planning Commission and City Council Workshop
September 21, 2026
Team
Scott Hutter, Planning & Development Services Director
Gabriel Arguelles, Associate Planner
Michael Baker International
City of Grand Terrace
Cameron Savois, Project Manager
Dan Wery, Senior Advisor
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Agenda
ODS Purpose & Application Review
ODS Development Process
Key Revisions
Schedule & Next Steps
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ODS Review: Purpose
THE CITY MUST DEVELOP OBJECTIVE DESIGN STANDARDS (ODS) TO:
Implement 6th Cycle Housing Element Update
Program 13
Pursuant to SB 330, adopt objective design standards to ensure development standards, design
guidelines, and findings are objective, promote certainty in the planning and approval process.
Comply with State laws for multi-family housing
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ODS Review: Purpose
Establish objective criteria as a tool for the streamlined and ministerial review process to:
Comply with recent State housing legislation
•SB 167, SB 330, SB 35
Continue to enforce the City’s planning documents and enhance community character
•Housing Element -Program 13, Land Use Element, Title 18 -Zoning
Provide objective criteria for the review of multifamily residential and mixed-use development projects
Create predictability in the review process
Respond to demand for multifamily housing
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ODS Applicability
●Does not apply to
single family or
Specific Plans
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ODS Development Process
Received and
incorporated
comments
and feedback
Staff input
PC/CC
Workshop
#1
Coordination
on zoning
changes
Review
previous ODS
approval
process,
standards,
and work
done by City
Existing
Regulatory
Context
Process
Format
Provide
flexibility
Graphics
Best
Practices
Guidebook
format
New approval
process
New
standards
New graphics
Revised
Draft #2
Received and
incorporated
comments
and feedback
Staff input
PC/CC
Workshop
#2
Full draft
manual
Images and
graphics
New
standards for
mixed-use &
hotel
Revised
Draft #3
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Topics Presented
●Purpose & applicability
●ODS development process
●Key revisions
○Approval process
○Manual format
○Organization
○New and revised standards
August 25 Workshop Recap
What We Heard?
●Why is the update necessary?
●Difference between having ODS
as a guidebook vs in Zoning
Code
●Avoid being too prescriptive.
●Include more graphics and
images to avoid interpretation.
●Recommend remove chapter 2.
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Key Revisions: Approval Process
Ministerial
Approval
•100% compliance with all 150 design
standards
•Comply with all zoning standards
Discretionary
Approval
•Site and Architectural Review in accordance
with Chapter 18.63
Existing Process
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Key Revisions: Approval Process
Ministerial
Approval
1.Comply with all 98 design standards
2.Comply with all zoning standards
Discretionary
Approval
w/deviations
•May deviate up to 8 dimensional design
standards by no more than 20%.
•PC shall only consider the requested
deviations.
•Must meet the findings (4)
New Process
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Key Revisions: Revised Standards –LEED
LEED Costs
●Vivienda Manor Architect
○LEED Certification quotes
■$30k for LEED Consultant
■Through construction and LEED certification
●Assuming $200 sf construction costs and 1,000 sf/unit
○9 units: 9,000 sf X $200/sf = $1.8M -$30,000 / $1,800,000 = 1.6%
○12 units: 12,000 sf X $200/sf = $2.4M -$30,000 / $2,400,000 = 1.25%
○20 units: 20,000 sf X $200/sf = $4M -$30,000 / $4,000,0008 =≤ 1%
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Key Revisions: Revised Standards –LEED
Potential DUs
Zone <15 16-25 26-50 >50
Total
Parcels
Total by
Zone
R2-10 26 2 0 0 28 4%
(percent total lots)93%7%0%0%100%
R3-12 449 3 4 5 461 59%
(percent total lots)97%1%1%1%100%
R3-20 0 1 0 0 1 0%
(percent total lots)0%100%0%0%100%
R3-40 158 19 7 5 189 24%
(percent total lots)84%10%4%3%100%
BR-MU (future)83 14 7 5 109 14%
(percent total lots)76%13%6%5%100%100%
Total Parcels 644 36 13 15 708 100%
(percent total lots)91%5%2%2%100%
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
500
R2-10 R3-12 R3-20 R3-40 BR-MU (future)
<15 16-25 26-50 >5013
Key Revisions: Revised Standards –LEED
28 parcels
4% of parcels
461 parcels
59% of parcels
1 parcel
<1% of parcels
189 parcels
24% of parcels
109 parcels
14% of parcels
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Options 1
●Remove LEED requirement
Options 2
●Exempt projects with 15, 25, or 35
units
●Require Scorecard for projects with
units between 15–35, or 25–45, or
35–55/units
●Require Certification for projects with
more than 35, 45, or 55 of units
Key Revisions: Revised Standards –LEED
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Key Revisions: New Standards –Mixed Use
Building Design
●Buildings must not exceed 200 feet in length on any side.●Separate building entrances shall be provided for residential and
commercial uses.●Entrance to uses above the ground floor must be through lobby
accessible from the street.●Commercial entries shall not be recessed more than 10 feet from the
main façade.
Open Space
●Outdoor dining may be permitted on public sidewalks outside retail
frontages.●Outdoor seating and other pedestrian amenities must be provided. ●60% of the open space area shall be usable for active or passive
recreation in the form of landscaped or hardscaped areas.
Parking Structures
●Freestanding parking structures must have ground floor liner commercial
space along the street frontage.●Parking structures are located behind residential, office, or commercial
spaces.
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Key Revisions: New Section –Commercial Ground
Floor Design
●Minimum floor-to-ceiling height of 12 feet.
●Retail bays shall be 25 to 35 feet in width
●One entrance at each retail bay along the
primary street frontage.
●Minimum depth of 55 feet.
●Incorporate a horizontal element at a
minimum of 9 feet above sidewalk
elevation for a minimum of 30 percent of
building frontage.
●One canopy tree for every 25 feet of public-
street-facing frontages.
12 ft
25-35 ft
9 ft
55 ft
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Key Revisions: New Section –Horizontal Mixed Use
●Locate residential uses at the rear or side of
the site.
●Separate residential parking areas from
commercial parking areas.
●Screen surface commercial parking areas
from residential.
●Orient commercial uses so there is direct
line-of-sight into residential uses.
●All open space areas shall be linked by
internal pathways.
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Key Revisions: New Section –Hotels & Hospitality
●Back of house service areas shall be fully
screened
●Public sidewalks shall be provided along all
public road frontage.
●All hotel parking areas and hotel loading
and service areas shall be screened.
●Exterior corridors are prohibited for
buildings three stories or greater.
●Gated, fenced, or underground parking
facilities, and gated exterior stairwells shall
incorporate access control technology.
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Next Steps & Schedule
PLANNING COMMISSION HEARING
NOVEMBER 5,2026
CITY COUNCIL HEARING
DECEMBER 8, 2026
THANK YOU!
We will now open the floor to questions.