HomeMy WebLinkAboutRESO 101501
0160135_20240201_ay16
Resolution No. 10150
Resolution of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Amending the Objective
Design Standards for SB9 Development
WHEREAS, on December 6, 2021, the City Council adopted Urgency Ordinance no. 5538,
as well as objective design standards to govern development under the Senate Bill 9 (2021) (SB9),
and directed staff to include in work plans of the City’s Architectural Review Board (ARB) and
Planning and Transportation Commission (PTC) reviews of these standards; and
WHEREAS, on January 24, 2022 and April 11, 2022, the City Council adopted Interim
Ordinance nos. 5542 and 5546, respectively, replacing and amending Ordinance no. 5538.
WHEREAS, on February 8, 2023, the Planning and Transportation Commission reviewed
and recommended adoption of a permanent ordinance governing SB 9 projects; and
WHEREAS, on June 12, 2023, the City Council adopted Ordinance no. 5587 governing SB
9 projects; and
WHEREAS, in March, April, May, and November 2023, the City’s Architectural Review
Board provided feedback to staff and Council to amend the SB9 objective development
standards, in public hearings allowing for public testimony, and included consideration of focus
group input from architects who had experience as applicants for SB9 projects;
NOW, THEREFORE, the Council of the City of Palo Alto does RESOLVE as follows:
SECTION 1. The City Council adopts the attached objective design standards for SB9
development (Exhibit 1), which shall be mandatory for SB9 development unless applicants prefer
to apply under the Individual Review program set forth in Palo Alto Municipal Code Sections
18.12.110 and 18.77.075;
//
//
//
//
//
//
DocuSign Envelope ID: 86440F89-B714-408C-BFD2-FEA7BE665F1A
2
0160135_20240201_ay16
SECTION 2. The Council finds that the revisions to the SB9 project objective design
standards will facilitate streamlined review of SB9 projects and are not considered a project
under the California Environmental Quality Act because it can be seen with certainty that there
is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant impact on the environment.
APPROVED:
______________________________
Mayor
______________________________
INTRODUCED AND PASSED: February 12, 2024
AYES: BURT, LYTHCOTT-HAIMS, STONE, TANAKA, VEENKER
NOES: KOU, LAUING
ABSTENTIONS:
ABSENT:
ATTEST:
________________________
City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
________________________
Assistant City Attorney City Manager
_____________________________
Director of Planning and
Development Services
DocuSign Envelope ID: 86440F89-B714-408C-BFD2-FEA7BE665F1A
*NOT YET APPROVED* Attachment A
3
0160135_20240201_ay16
EXHIBIT 1
SB 9 Objective Design Standards
Revised 1/26/2024
Applicability: All SB 9 Projects must meet all requirements of the Zoning Code, including
development standards, and special requirements for Flood Zones, Single-Story Overlays, etc.
They must additionally meet all applicable SB 9 Objective Design Standards (ODS) per PAMC
18.42.180(e)(2)).
Section A: All
The following ODS apply to all proposed new housing units as a part of an SB 9 project. When
existing units do not meet the ODS, they shall be treated as existing non-conforming when
proposing remodels.
A1: FRONT SETBACK Where the contextual front yard setback does not apply, the front
setback shall be no less than the average front setback of the homes on lots to either side of
the subject lot, up to a maximum of 25 feet. Otherwise, the zoning minimum front setback or
special setback would still apply.
A2: STUCCO TEXTURE: When stucco is used it shall be steel-troweled ‘Smooth’ or ‘Santa
Barbara’ texture as described in the Technical Services Information Bureau, Chapter 5 -
Plaster Textures & Acrylic Finishes (2011). For additions, stucco plaster texture on the
addition shall be allowed to match the stucco texture of the existing house.
A3: CONTEXTUAL PORCH ENTRIES: If porches (i.e., roofed, street-facing porches with posts/
column(s) and more than 3 feet deep), occur on more than half of the houses on the same
side of the block, including the subject site, the proposed house(s) with street frontage shall
include a street-facing porch no less than 4.5 feet deep and 6 feet wide.
A4: DRIVEWAYS: One curb cut and driveway per street frontage. Shared driveways are
encouraged but require an easement to which the City is a third party.
A5: DRIVEWAY WIDTH: 18-foot maximum driveway width (inclusive of uncovered parking)
within a front or street side yard setback.
A6: WALKWAY SEPARATION: Walkways shall be separated from driveways by a minimum of 2
feet of landscape planting or shall be a different paving material than the driveway.
A7: PLANTING STRIP: A minimum two-foot wide, landscaped planting strip is required
between a driveway and/or uncovered parking space and an existing interior lot line.
A8: DRIVEWAY MATERIALS: Driveway and uncovered parking surfaces that exceed 10 feet in
width shall not have asphalt or grey concrete surfaces. They must have a decorative surface
to blend with the landscape such as stone pavers, grass pavers, or bricks.
A9: GARAGE LOCATION: Attached garages adjacent to the front setback must be located a
minimum of 5 feet behind the forwardmost plane of the front facade or 3 feet behind the
forwardmost plane of the street-side façade. The forwardmost façade plane may be a
building wall or porch with posts/columns and must be at least 12 feet wide. In mapped
Eichler neighborhoods, this standard does not apply.
DocuSign Envelope ID: 86440F89-B714-408C-BFD2-FEA7BE665F1A
*NOT YET APPROVED* Attachment A
4
0160135_20240201_ay16
A10: GARAGE WIDTH: An attached garage or carport facing the street shall be no more than
30 percent of the total facade width facing that street, except that it may be 12 feet wide in
any circumstance.
A11: GARAGE DOOR DESIGN AND MATERIALS: The garage door shall match the material,
color, or panel design pattern of the entry door, window fenestration, or exterior cladding
material.
A12: GARAGE DOOR SIZE: When visible from the street, the maximum garage door width
shall be 16 feet and the maximum garage door height shall be 8 feet. If two single-wide
garage doors are used instead of one double-wide door, each door's maximum width shall be
9 feet and maximum height 8 feet.
A13: ROOF DECK NOT PERMITTED: A roof deck (i.e., a deck above the first level of a single-
story building or second level of a two-story building) shall not be permitted.
A14: ROOF HEIGHT FOR VARIED ROOF PITCHES: Roof height shall be limited to 27 feet for
roofs with pitches 9:12 or greater, 25 feet for roofs with pitches 3:12, up to 9:12, and 22 feet
for roofs with pitches less than 3:12, inclusive of parapets on flat roofs. In flood zones, the
maximum height is increased by one-half of the increase in elevation required to reach base
flood elevations, up to a maximum increase of 30 inches.
A15: GABLE ROOF FORMS: No more than three gable forms on an elevation facing a public
street.
A16: BAY WINDOWS: No more than two bay windows on an elevation facing a public street.
A17: STREET-FACING WINDOWS: Each street-facing building elevation shall have at least 20
square feet of glazing in a large window, multi-panel window or glazed door, or bay window
form, with minimum dimensions of 3 feet. In an Eichler tract, clerestory windows may have a
reduced minimum dimension.
A18: WINDOW TO WALL DETAILING: Window frames shall be recessed at least 2 inches from
the exterior wall face or have trim at least 2 inches wide and 0.5 inches thick on all four
window sides. Stucco over foam shall not be used as window trim.
A19: WINDOW PATTERNS: Window fenestration with divided lite appearance shall have
exterior applied muntin bars (i.e., true or simulated divided lites).
Section B: Two-Story Houses
The following ODS apply to SB 9 projects that include a new or expanded second story.
B1: SECOND FLOOR LOCATION: The second-floor area shall not be permitted within the
standard side or rear setbacks of the underlying single-family zoning district.
B2: SECOND FLOOR SIZE: The maximum second-floor area shall not exceed 35 percent of the
allowable gross floor area for the lot, or 400 sf, whichever is larger.
B3: CONTEXTUAL FIRST FLOOR EAVE HEIGHT: The height of the first floor's street-facing roof
edges (i.e., eaves or parapets) shall not exceed 18 inches above the average height of the
first-floor eave or parapet of the homes on the abutting lots at side lot lines as measured at
those homes' eaves nearest the subject lot. This first-floor roof edge height limit shall also
extend 15 feet back from the building corner. This standard shall be 24 inches within a flood
zone if either of the abutting homes’ first-floor levels does not meet current flood zone
regulations. This standard applies to the eave side of pitch roof forms and not the rake side
such as at a gable.
DocuSign Envelope ID: 86440F89-B714-408C-BFD2-FEA7BE665F1A
*NOT YET APPROVED* Attachment A
5
0160135_20240201_ay16
B4: CONTEXTUAL SECOND FLOOR EAVE HEIGHT: The height of the upper floor's street-facing
roof edge (eave or parapet) shall not exceed 18 inches above either: (a) the average height of
the upper floor street-facing eave or roof edge of homes to each side, or (b) in the case of
only one home having a second floor, the height of that home's eaves.
B5: GARAGE HEIGHT AND MASS: Maximum height of a roof over an attached garage shall not
exceed 15 feet in height as measured from existing grade. The maximum garage wall plate
height shall not exceed 10 feet.
B6: SECOND FLOOR BALCONY LIMITATIONS: No more than one second-floor deck/balcony
shall be permitted per dwelling and shall: (a) only be permitted on a street-facing facade, (b)
be located at least 10 feet from any interior side lot line with a 5.5-foot-tall solid privacy wall
or be located at least 30 feet from any interior side lot line, and (c) be limited in size to no
more than 40 square feet.
B7: SCREENING LANDSCAPE: For two-story houses, plant screening trees with a species
having a typical mature height of at least 25 feet and mature canopy width of 15 feet at a
quantity of at least one per 25 linear feet along each interior lot line. Existing trees to be
retained that are at least 25 feet tall and 15 feet wide count towards the required planting.
Three closely spaced tall screening shrubs with a mature height of at least 15 feet and a
mature width of at least 3 feet may be substituted for one screening tree.
Privacy screening landscape shall be located to align with proposed second-floor windows
across the side and rear lot lines and between windows at facing units on a single property.
B8: PLANTING TYPE AND SIZE: When required, screening trees and shrubs shall be specified
by botanical name with at least 50 percent of screening trees and shrubs being evergreen.
Screening trees shall be specified and planted at 24-inch box size or larger and 8 feet height
or taller. Screening shrubs shall be specified and planted at 15-gallon size or larger and 8 feet
or taller.
B9: PLANTING ADJACENT PUE’S: Where an easement such as a PUE exists along an interior lot
line, privacy landscaping is required to be planted on the same side of the easement as the
building, but not within the easement.
B10: SECOND FLOOR WINDOW PRIVACY: For any window on an upper floor or in a stairway,
facing an interior lot line that is located less than 20 feet from a side or rear lot line, one of
the following shall be used: (a) permanent obscure glazing to at least 5 feet from the finished
floor, or (b) exterior mounted permanent architectural privacy screens that block views more
than 70%, or (c) windows with sills above 5 feet from the finished floor level. In a stairway,
the finished floor is the height of the landing.
This standard shall also apply to first-floor windows less than 6 feet from a property line
where the finished floor height is 2 feet or more above grade.
B11: SECOND FLOOR OPERABLE WINDOWS ALONG SIDE LOT LINES: Operable casement
windows on the upper level with a sill height less than 5 feet above the finished floor and
within 20 feet of an interior side lot line shall be hinged so the windows open towards the
public street. Horizontal sliding windows shall not be permitted facing and within 20 feet of
DocuSign Envelope ID: 86440F89-B714-408C-BFD2-FEA7BE665F1A
*NOT YET APPROVED* Attachment A
6
0160135_20240201_ay16
an interior side lot line, unless the windowsill height is at least 5 feet above the finish floor
level.
Section C: New or Expanded Second Story Development Next to One-Story House(s)
The following Standards apply when an SB 9 project includes a new or expanded second story
adjacent to an existing one-story house.
C1: SIDE DAYLIGHT PLANE CLEARANCE: Where a home on an abutting lot across a side lot line
is single-story or has a second-floor area no more than 500 square feet, the side daylight
plane shall be measured from 8 ft above average grade instead of 10 ft. In the case of an
Urban Lot Split, the daylight plane only applies to the original property lines.
In flood zones, the average grade for determining daylight plane is increased by one-half of
the increase in elevation required to reach base flood elevations, up to a maximum increase
of 30 inches.
C2: SINGLE-STORY BUILDING FORMS: Where a home on an abutting lot across a side lot line is
single-story or has a second-floor area no more than 500 square feet, all houses with
frontage on the street shall have either: (a) a one-story building form (excluding garages) at
least 6 feet forward of the second-floor wall face, and at least 10 feet wide; or (b) a
protruding porch or one-story roof overhang at least 6 feet deep, and at least 8 feet wide.
Section D: Flag Lots and Substandard Lots
The following ODS applies only for projects proposed on an existing flag lot or substandard
lot. A lot created by an Urban Lot Split is not subject to this.
D1. SECOND FLOOR AREA ON FLAG LOTS AND SUBSTANDARD LOTS: On lots that are flag lots
(or similar lots without street frontage) and/or substandard lots prior to an Urban Lot Split, a
second floor shall only be allowed to facilitate the minimum 800 sf unit size.
Section E: Eichler Neighborhoods
The following ODS apply only in mapped Eichler Tracts, as listed on the map published in the
Eichler Design Guidelines (2018)
E1: EICHLER TRACT GARAGES: In mapped Eichler Tracts, a garage or carport may be located
forward of the front facade plane of the house so long as the garage or carport is: (a) no
more than 21 feet wide, (b) has a roof pitch of 3:12 (slope of 3 vertical feet for every 12
horizontal feet) or less, and (c) has a maximum height of no more than 12 feet above existing
grade.
E2: EICHLER TRACT GARAGES: In mapped Eichler Tracts, the garage may also count as the
required 1-story form in ODS A9.
E3: EICHLER TRACT ROOF HEIGHTS: In mapped Eichler Tracts the maximum roof height shall
not exceed 22 feet, as measured from existing grade to the roof surface. Properties in flood
zones shall be permitted to increase building height by one-half foot for each foot that the
base flood elevation exceeds the existing grade.
E4: ROOFLINES IN EICHLER TRACTS: In mapped Eichler Tracts rooflines shall meet the
following: (a) roof pitches no more than 3:12, (b) gable, shed, butterfly, or flat roof forms,
and (c) 2-foot minimum overhangs at eave and rake sides of roof forms for at least 50
percent of roof edges.
DocuSign Envelope ID: 86440F89-B714-408C-BFD2-FEA7BE665F1A
*NOT YET APPROVED* Attachment A
7
0160135_20240201_ay16
E5: EXTERIOR MATERIALS IN EICHLER TRACTS: In mapped Eichler Tracts, exterior wall
cladding shall be vertical board channel or flush siding, wood tongue, and groove board
siding, wood nickel-gap siding, smooth fiber cement panels, or metal panels. Board-form
concrete, concrete block, or stucco may be used as a secondary material, but collectively,
these materials shall not account for more than 30 percent of all non-glazed wall surfaces.
E6: ENTRIES IN EICHLER TRACTS: In mapped Eichler Tracts, a projecting entry porch shall not
be used. A covered trellis used as a colonnade or a side porch that does not project forward
of the facade at the entry would not be considered an entry porch.
DocuSign Envelope ID: 86440F89-B714-408C-BFD2-FEA7BE665F1A
Certificate Of Completion
Envelope Id: 86440F89B714408CBFD2FEA7BE665F1A Status: Completed
Subject: DocuSign: Resolution 10150 - SB9.pdf
Source Envelope:
Document Pages: 7 Signatures: 5 Envelope Originator:
Certificate Pages: 2 Initials: 0 Vinhloc Nguyen
AutoNav: Enabled
EnvelopeId Stamping: Enabled
Time Zone: (UTC-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada)
250 Hamilton Ave
Palo Alto , CA 94301
Vinhloc.Nguyen@CityofPaloAlto.org
IP Address: 199.33.32.254
Record Tracking
Status: Original
2/14/2024 4:49:05 PM
Holder: Vinhloc Nguyen
Vinhloc.Nguyen@CityofPaloAlto.org
Location: DocuSign
Security Appliance Status: Connected Pool: StateLocal
Storage Appliance Status: Connected Pool: City of Palo Alto Location: DocuSign
Signer Events Signature Timestamp
Albert Yang
Albert.Yang@CityofPaloAlto.org
Assistant City Attorney
City of Palo Alto
Security Level: Email, Account Authentication
(None)
Signature Adoption: Pre-selected Style
Using IP Address: 97.113.230.147
Sent: 2/14/2024 4:51:58 PM
Viewed: 2/15/2024 11:31:20 AM
Signed: 2/15/2024 11:37:40 AM
Electronic Record and Signature Disclosure:
Not Offered via DocuSign
Jonathan Lait
Jonathan.Lait@CityofPaloAlto.org
Interim Director Planning and Community
Environment
City of Palo Alto
Security Level: Email, Account Authentication
(None)
Signature Adoption: Uploaded Signature Image
Using IP Address: 99.88.42.180
Sent: 2/15/2024 11:37:41 AM
Viewed: 2/27/2024 2:31:38 PM
Signed: 2/27/2024 2:31:43 PM
Electronic Record and Signature Disclosure:
Not Offered via DocuSign
Ed Shikada
Ed.Shikada@CityofPaloAlto.org
Ed Shikada
City of Palo Alto
Security Level: Email, Account Authentication
(None)
Signature Adoption: Pre-selected Style
Using IP Address: 199.33.32.254
Sent: 2/27/2024 2:31:44 PM
Viewed: 2/27/2024 2:56:24 PM
Signed: 2/27/2024 2:56:38 PM
Electronic Record and Signature Disclosure:
Not Offered via DocuSign
Greer Stone
greer.stone@cityofpaloalto.org
Vice Mayor
Security Level: Email, Account Authentication
(None)Signature Adoption: Pre-selected Style
Using IP Address: 208.185.159.235
Sent: 2/27/2024 2:56:39 PM
Viewed: 3/5/2024 9:50:10 AM
Signed: 3/5/2024 9:50:22 AM
Electronic Record and Signature Disclosure:
Not Offered via DocuSign
Signer Events Signature Timestamp
Mahealani Ah Yun
Mahealani.AhYun@CityofPaloAlto.org
City Clerk
Security Level: Email, Account Authentication
(None)Signature Adoption: Pre-selected Style
Using IP Address: 199.33.32.254
Sent: 3/5/2024 9:50:24 AM
Viewed: 3/7/2024 2:33:33 PM
Signed: 3/7/2024 2:33:47 PM
Electronic Record and Signature Disclosure:
Not Offered via DocuSign
In Person Signer Events Signature Timestamp
Editor Delivery Events Status Timestamp
Agent Delivery Events Status Timestamp
Intermediary Delivery Events Status Timestamp
Certified Delivery Events Status Timestamp
Carbon Copy Events Status Timestamp
Witness Events Signature Timestamp
Notary Events Signature Timestamp
Envelope Summary Events Status Timestamps
Envelope Sent Hashed/Encrypted 2/14/2024 4:51:58 PM
Certified Delivered Security Checked 3/7/2024 2:33:33 PM
Signing Complete Security Checked 3/7/2024 2:33:47 PM
Completed Security Checked 3/7/2024 2:33:47 PM
Payment Events Status Timestamps