REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Action on Adoption of Ordinance No. 2011 Amending Chapter 18.76, ("Architectural Review") of Title 18 ("Zoning") of "The Code of the City of Santa Clara, California" and Making Other Clarifying Changes
[Council Pillar: Deliver and Enhance High Quality Efficient Services and Infrastructure]
Report
BACKGROUND
At the December 10, 2019 Council meeting, proposed Ordinance No. 2011 was introduced and passed for the purpose of publication. Pursuant to City Charter Sections 808 and 812, a summary of proposed Ordinance No. 2011 was published by The Weekly on December 18, 2019, and copies were posted in three public places. The Ordinance now comes to Council for final adoption.
DISCUSSION
Proposed Ordinance No. 2011 would modify the City's architectural review process, in the interest of streamlining the review process and avoiding any potential due process issues associated with appeals. At the December 10, 2019 Council meeting, the Council considered two alternatives for the ordinance, one that would have maintained an Architectural Committee but change the composition to three Planning Commissioners ("Alternative 1") and another that would establish an administrative hearing process conducted by staff ("Alternative 2").
The Council selected Alternative 2, under which staff will make a determination to approve or deny the architectural design of a project based upon the consistency of the project with adopted ordinances and guidelines. In most cases the initial staff action could then be appealed, once, to a higher decision-making body (e.g., the Planning Commission or the City Council). Generally, this process reduces the time and costs associated with architectural review, particularly for routine items, while allowing more controversial projects to progress to review by a higher hearing body.
The Planning Commission would, however, remain involved in the architectural review of properties listed on the Historic Resource Inven...
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