983 Osos Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 | (805) 595 1345 | lisawiseconsulting.com | 2 − Division C: Citywide Standards
General development standards (e.g., performance standards, lighting requirements, screening standards)
Landscaping standards
Parking requirements and development/design standards Sign standards
Specific to use standards (i.e., special standards for certain uses) Affordable housing incentives and density bonus provisions Nonconforming standards
− Division D: Administration and Procedures
Common procedures
Permits and approvals, including approval authorities Zoning Code, Zoning Map, General Plan, amendment standards and Specific Plan standards
Development agreement standards
Enforcement standards
− Division E: Definitions
Definitions of terms
Definitions of uses
Definitions of sign terms
Key Content Changes
Industrial Design Standards
One of the primary objectives of the Zoning Code Update is to create design standards for industrial uses.1 Proposed Section 17.B.12.040 (Industrial Zones Supplemental Standards) provides standards regarding the following:
• Building entrance, orientation, and placement;
• Articulated frontage design and transparent frontage standards; • Façade design and articulation, including transparency requirements and preventing continuous open planes; and
• Site design, aesthetics, and required open space standards.
General Streamlining
The proposed Zoning Code generally reflects a priority for streamlining development and simplifying the permitting process. Proposed changes include:
• Consolidation of the administrative plot plan into the minor plot plan. • Creation of a minor use permit that is approved at the staff level for certain uses in certain zones.
1 Although Assembly Bill 98 does create some standards for certain logistics or warehousing uses, including buffers from sensitive receptors, LWC has specifically proposed design standards that go beyond the requirements of that bill.
983 Osos Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 | (805) 595 1345 | lisawiseconsulting.com | 3 • Creation of a staff-level approval temporary use permit for model homes and complexes, temporary construction office trailers, and storage containers, including timelines for removal.
See Sections 17.D.04.020 – 17.D.04.040 for more information on plot plans, minor use permits, and temporary use permits.
Parking
The Update implements policies of the 2040 General Plan and Parking Management Master Plan.
Proposed changes include:
• Moderate reductions in the number of parking spaces generally required. • Introduction of a maximum number of parking spaces in Downtown to encourage efficient use of land and critical mass of uses to support a vibrant and walkable Downtown. • Refined and expanded alternative parking strategies, such as shared parking for sites or buildings with two types of uses that may have different peak parking demands. • Requiring Transportation Demand Management (TDM) measures for larger residential projects (the City already requires TDM for commercial and industrial uses).
See Chapter 17.C.06 (Parking Requirements) for more information.
Specific to Use Standards
Standards for specific uses have been included, such as for outdoor dining components of alcohol-serving and restaurant uses, drive-through facilities, and gas/service stations. Drive-throughs for fast-food restaurants citywide and gas/service stations in Downtown are proposed to be required to be separated from like uses by 1,000 feet. See Chapter 17.C.10 (Specific to Uses) for more information.
Tree Preservation
The updated Zoning Code proposes to require tree removal permit to protect mature trees from removal.
The proposed section (Section 17.C.04.050) includes:
• Permit requirement for tree removal;
• Exemptions to tree removal permit requirement; and
• Permit approval findings.
Overlays
The Update proposes new Downtown R-SF and Downtown R-TN overlays to achieve consistency 2 between the densities allowed in the R-SF and R-TN zones that are located in the Downtown and the densities allowed by the Downtown Mixed Residential land use designation (see Chapter 17.B.16).
2 The Downtown Mixed Residential land use designation allows densities up to 15 dwelling units per acre, whereas the R-SF and R-TN base zones (outside of Downtown) allow maximum densities of 4 (R-SF) and 12 (R-TN) dwelling units per acre. The Downtown R-SF and R-TN overlays allow a maximum density of 15 dwelling units per acre.