REPORT TO PLANNING COMMISSION
SUBJECT
Title
Recommendation on an Amendment to the Zoning Code, Santa Clara City Code Chapter 18.76 Architectural Review and other clarifying changes (continued from May 22, 2019)
Report
BACKGROUND
At the May 22, 2019 Planning Commission meeting, the Planning Commission discussed a proposed Zoning Code amendment that would modify the City's Architectural Review process, including the composition of the Architectural Committee, with the goals of addressing potential due process conflicts for Planning Commissioners, establishing clearer policy guidance for appeals, streamlining the review process for non-controversial projects, eliminating double appeals and utilizing standard staff level public hearings practices found to be effective in other jurisdictions.
At the March 5, 2019 City Council meeting, staff received direction from the City Council to amend Chapter 18.76 of the Santa Clara City Code (SCCC) to revise the architectural review procedure, replacing the Architectural Committee with an administrative process. The City Council also provided direction to include design feedback from architectural professionals in the design review process and to maintain the City Council as the hearing authority for all appeals of architectural review public hearing actions. The March 5, 2019 City Council agenda report on this matter is attached (Attachment 2).
DISCUSSION
The Planning Commission discussed the proposal and gave staff direction to revise the proposed ordinance to keep the Architectural Committee as the initial decision maker for public hearing items, but to change the composition of the Architectural Committee to three Planning Commissioners, with all appeals going to the City Council. The Planning Commission also wanted to use the number of bathrooms as a criterion for determining which single-family houses were subject to a public hearing, and to include properties on the historic resources inventory undergoing exterior a...
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