DECEMBER 12, 2023, 5:30 PM
SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA
CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, 150 CITY PARK WAY
*IMPORTANT NOTICE ABOUT PUBLIC COMMENTS AND MEETING PARTICIPATION* City Council Members will be participating from the Council Chamber. Members of the public are invited to attend and participate at: the Council Chambers, 150 City Park Way, Brentwood CA As a courtesy and technology permitting, members of the public may provide remote public comment during public hearings and on business items via the City’s Zoom Platform. However, the City cannot guarantee that the public’s access to teleconferencing technology will be uninterrupted, and technical difficulties may occur from time to time. In those instances, so long as the public may still attend the meeting in person, the meeting will continue. In addition, the Zoom participation option is provided to the public as a courtesy in order to facilitate participation. If Zoom participation is not enabled, the meeting will continue with public attendance in person only. Members of the public desiring to provide comments as a part of the meeting are encouraged to either submit written comments by 3:00 p.m. prior to the meeting or to attend the meeting in person.
HOW PARTICIPATE
The public is invited to participate in the City Council meeting using any of the following methods:
1. IN PERSON:
a. Members of the public can provide in-person comments in the Council Chambers.
Members of the public are encouraged, but not required, to fill out a speaker card. The Council Chambers will have seating available for members of the public to attend in person up to full seating capacity.
2. REMOTE (if enabled): Remarks by members of the public participating via Zoom are limited to speaking on items listed under public hearings; business items; and requests for future agendas items, existing requests.
a. Zoom: www.brentwoodca.gov/vcc or Zoom Webinar ID: 760 1397 0037 b. Zoom Phone Numbers. Dial Toll Free: (833) 548-0276 or (833) 548-0282 or (877) 853-5247.
c. During the meeting, each period for public comment will be announced, and participants may use the “Raise Hand” feature on Zoom to request to speak. (If you need instructions on how to use this feature, please contact the City Clerk by noon of the meeting date at [email protected] or 925.516.5182.)
3. E-MAIL
a. Public comments can also be submitted via e-mail to [email protected].
Any public comments received up until 3:00 p.m. of the meeting date will be:
1. distributed to the Council via email before the meeting,
2. posted online for public inspection at www.brentwoodca.gov/meetings and
3. later summarized in the meeting minutes.
b. As e-mails containing public meeting comments are part of the official record, note that personal contact information may be published if it is included with your e-mail.
4. TO WATCH OR LISTEN ONLY:
a. The public may view the meeting via one-way video feed by selecting the video option at the City Council Agendas’ link on the City webpage at www.brentwoodca.gov or via the City’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/cityofbrentwoodca
CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA
Zoom Webinar ID: 760 1397 0037
December 12, 2023, 5:30 p.m.
City Council Chambers
150 City Park Way
Brentwood, CA 94513
City Council Zoom Link
Following the staff presentation of the Agenda Item C.1, and before direction is provided, public comment will be taken on the agenda item.
A. CALL TO ORDER & ROLL CALL
B. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
C. BUSINESS ITEMS
C.1 Discussion and Direction on Initial Goals and Objectives for Drafting Comprehensive Objective Design Standards
Title/Recommendation
Within the framework of the larger Zoning Code Update, staff is recommending that the City Council discuss and provide direction on the goals and objectives for moving forward with the new Comprehensive Objective Design Standards (ODS).
D. ADJOURNMENT
Any disclosable public records related to an agenda item for the open session of this meeting distributed to all or a majority of the City Council less than 72 hours before this meeting is available for inspection at City Hall, located at 150 City Park Way, during normal business hours.
These writings will also be available for review at the City Council meeting in the public access binder in the entrance of the City Council Chambers.
Public comments received after 3:00 p.m. of the meeting date, but prior to the start of the meeting, will be emailed to the City Council, posted online at www.brentwoodca.gov/councilmeetingonline within one day following the meeting, and will be summarized in the meeting minutes.
The Closed Captioning provided via Zoom is auto generated. It is not the official record and is provided as a convenience.
NOTICE
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the meeting room is wheelchair accessible and disabled parking is available at the City Hall parking lot. If you are a person with a disability and you need disability-related modifications or accommodations to participate in this meeting, please contact the City Clerk's Office at (925) 516-5440 or fax (925) 516-5441. Notification 48 hours prior to the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to this meeting. {28 CFR 35.102-35, 104 ADA Title II}
POSTING STATEMENT
On December 7, 2023, a true and correct copy of this agenda was posted on the City Hall Bulletin Board, outside City Hall, 150 City Park Way, Brentwood, CA 94513 and at our website www.brentwoodca.gov
A complete packet of information is available for public review at City Hall or on our website at www.brentwoodca.gov
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM NO. C.1
12/12/2023
SUBJECT: Discussion and Direction on Initial Goals and Objectives for Drafting Comprehensive Objective Design Standards
DEPARTMENT: Community Development Department
STAFF: Alexis Morris, Director of Community Development Erik Nolthenius, Planning Manager
Jennifer Hagen, Senior Planner
TITLE/RECOMMENDATION
Within the framework of the larger Zoning Code Update, staff is recommending that the City Council discuss and provide direction on the goals and objectives for moving forward with the new Comprehensive Objective Design Standards (ODS).
FISCAL IMPACT
The Zoning Ordinance Update, CIP Project No. 337-37228 (“Project”) is included in the adopted 2023/24 – 2027/28 Capital Improvement Program with a total budget of $450,000. Current funding for the Project is $310,000 from a SB 2 grant, and $140,000 from the General Fund.
In response to feedback from the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), staff is working to submit a revised scope of work to the State for the SB 2 grant to allow the grant to be utilized on the Housing Element Update and Safety Element Update, CIP Project 337-37258 (“H&S Project”) which is included in the adopted 2023/24 – 2027/28 Capital Improvement Program. The H&S Project is funded almost entirely by the General Fund. If the State allows for the redirection of the SB 2 grant to the H&S Project, funding from the General Fund for the H&S Project would be transferred to the Project, with no net impact to the General Fund.
BACKGROUND
On January 24, 2023, the City Council provided direction on reinitiating the City’s Zoning Code Update, including new objective design standards for new residential development. The current Residential Design Guidelines were adopted by the City in 2006 to articulate the importance of high-quality design that complements and enhances the existing fabric of the community. These guidelines have helped to express the community’s desires and ensure that new residential development respects the past, while embracing the future and welcoming new residents. Many of the current guidelines however, are subjective and may be argued to contain
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM NO. C.1
12/12/2023
ambiguous or unclear standards for the review of new development. This has required applicants and decision-makers to interpret terminology such as “desirable qualities,” “compatible design,” or “appropriately sensitive,” which has not always resulted in consistent interpretations over time.
Based on the City Council’s direction on January 24, 2023, staff drafted a set of interim Objective Design Standards (Interim ODS) for residential development. On June 27, 2023, the City Council adopted Interim ODS that are intended to provide minimum enforceable standards until comprehensive standards can be implemented.
De Novo Planning Group and JZMK Partners, in collaboration with City staff (collectively referred to as the project team), are preparing to initiate new Comprehensive Objective Design Standards that will replace the current interim standards. JZMK Partners is an award-winning international architectural and urban planning firm that will lead the preparation of the Comprehensive Objective Design Standards. JZMK and De Novo Planning Group have collaborated on a number of projects including general plan updates, specific plans, zoning code updates, and objective design and development standards.
RELEVANT STATE LAWS
The intent of the ODS project is to address recent changes in State law that seek to streamline and increase housing production, focused on making approval processes more routine and predictable for those developing housing. A key component of several of these new laws is increased limitations on discretionary review processes, placing an increased emphasis on objective design and development standards as the primary criteria for project approval or denial. Relevant laws include those adopted as part of the 2017 "housing package" (a series of 15 separate pieces of legislation), including SB 35 that allows "by right" approval of certain housing projects, followed by more recently passed legislation, notably SB 330, the Housing Crisis Act.
SB 330 placed additional limitations on project review and the application of objective design standards to all multi-family residential units, not just those that are affordable, to further encourage housing production. Specifically, SB 330 amended the Housing Accountability Act to clarify, among other things, that design review must be objective and “strictly focused on assessing compliance with criteria required for streamlined projects, as well as any reasonable objective design standards” (i.e., non-subjective). SB 330 also prohibits cities from adopting new or enforcing design standards established on or after January 1, 2020, that are not objective design standards. It is important to note that pursuant to these legislative changes, the role of design review bodies in municipalities will be required to evolve with the
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM NO. C.1
12/12/2023
introduction and implementation of objective design standards. For example, there will be instances where the City will be limited in its ability to apply subjective design standards and conditions of approval. Thus, it is important for the City to prepare and adopt appropriate objective standards to continue to implement its design review goals where discretionary review is limited.
With these new laws and procedures in place, and expecting the emphasis on objective standards to continue in future legislation, it is in the City’s interest to have a robust group of residential design and development standards (i.e., objective design standards) in place, to ensure that projects deliver high-quality design, appropriate site planning, and amenities, and are compatible with surrounding neighborhoods and the community. It is anticipated that the project team will use the current Residential Design Guidelines as inspiration for the future standards to continue to respect the past while embracing the future of Brentwood. Development of the permanent objective design standards would then replace the existing guidelines.
DISCUSSION
The project team is requesting that the City Council discuss and provide direction on the goals and objectives that the Council would like to be achieved within the final Comprehensive Objective Design Standards moving forward.
OBJECTIVE DESIGN STANDARDS CONTENT FORMAT
Consistent with the requirements of recent and pending legislation (SB 35, SB 330, and others), objective design standards are intended to provide a basis for review and approval of residential projects based on objective, measurable, and verifiable design criteria that seek to ensure new residential development is attractive, compatible, appropriately scaled, and visually harmonious with existing neighborhoods and environments within Brentwood. Objective standards should include simple and clear language, using terms that are universally understood. The use of technical terms should be avoided in favor of objective standards that are easily defined and “black and white” in their interpretation. While objective standards are meant to be clear and concise, there are many ways in which the standards can be relayed, written, and/or illustrated in the City’s new Design Standards. Some ODS are more illustrative, while some are more text and chart based.
A graphically rich objective design standards document would typically employ features such as use of simple and clear language, having a picture-based format, containing a combination of text, diagrams, and imagery, and may be structured in
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM NO. C.1
12/12/2023
a form-based code style, which would focus more on achieving a specific built urban form. These features are further discussed below.
The project team is requesting the City Council’s preliminary direction on the approach to the new Comprehensive Objective Design Standards and the format of the ODS document itself, in order to best implement the community’s goals and ensure high-quality building design.
1. Picture-Based Code Style
Graphics, photos, drawings, sections, maps, and concept plan diagrams may be used to illustrate application of the standards. Use of annotations and callouts are used to further clarify the relationship between the standards and the graphics. The example below shows an annotated image calling out specific architectural features.
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM NO. C.1
12/12/2023
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM NO. C.1
12/12/2023
2. Text, Diagrams, and Imagery Code Style
The use and combination of text, diagrams, and imagery helps to illustrate complex design standards.
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM NO. C.1
12/12/2023
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM NO. C.1
12/12/2023
3. Form-Based Code Style
Using a form-based code style to define the objective design standards helps to foster predictable built results and a high-quality public realm by using physical form (rather than separation of land uses) as the organizing principle for the objective design standards. Like a form-based code, the objective design standards are regulations, and not mere guidelines, adopted into the Zoning Code.
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM NO. C.1
12/12/2023
Brentwood ODS Format
Objective design standards are intended to make the requirements that apply to certain eligible residential projects more predictable and easier to interpret for all stakeholders, including decision-makers, staff, applicants, and members of the public. The purpose of objective design standards is for applicants to know beforehand what requirements apply to a proposed development and for the applicant to be able to design a project that meets those requirements before submittal. The project team is requesting the City Council’s preliminary direction on the approach to the new Comprehensive Objective Design Standards and the format of the ODS document itself, in order to best implement the community’s goals and ensure high-quality building design. The project team is recommending that all of the above-mentioned elements be incorporated into the Comprehensive Objective Design Standards to clearly demonstrate and articulate the high-quality level of residential design that is expected in the city with an emphasis on text, diagrams, and imagery.
BRENTWOOD’S ARCHITECTURAL STYLE
Between the years 1990 and 2010, the City of Brentwood’s population increased from approximately 8,000 to approximately 51,000 people, and has continued to grow to the current population of approximately 65,000 people. While the city was thoughtfully planned out, there has never been a distinct architectural style or theme that has been prevalent throughout residential developments in Brentwood. As part of the new ODS, the project team would like the City Council’s direction on whether to incorporate specific architectural styles into the guidelines. Identified architectural styles could be utilized throughout the city or special attention and themes could be placed on specific areas such as the Downtown or the Innovation Center to elicit a greater “sense of place” within these areas.
Recommended Architectural Styles
The project team has identified the following architectural styles that it believes are most compatible with the existing development throughout the city and that will work well within the confines of the current development standards and allowable density ranges.
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM NO. C.1
12/12/2023
Craftsman
The Craftsman style features overhanging eaves, a low-slung gabled roof, and wide front porches framed by pedestal-like tapered columns. Materials often include stone, rough-hewn wood, and stucco. Many homes have wide front porches across part of the front, supported by columns.
Mediterranean
Mediterranean-style residential design usually has stucco or plaster exteriors with shallow red tile roofs that create shady overhangs. Along with large windows and exposed beams, Mediterranean-style architecture includes patios or loggias to catch breezes.
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM NO. C.1
12/12/2023
Spanish
Spanish-style architecture takes its cues from the missions of the early Spanish missionaries and includes details from the Moorish, Byzantine, Gothic, and Renaissance architectural styles. The houses usually have low-pitched tiled roofs, white stucco walls, and rounded windows and doors. Other elements may include scalloped windows and balconies with elaborate grillwork, decorative tiles around doorways and windows, and a bell tower or two.
Contemporary
Not to be confused with modern architecture (though sharing some elements with it), contemporary architecture has a streamlined aesthetic and minimal ornamentation. The style varies substantially, but in general it is minimalist, favoring clean lines and unfussy, open-plan spaces. Contemporary architecture also often utilizes eco-friendly materials or construction methods.
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM NO. C.1
12/12/2023
Additional Styles
In addition to the above-mentioned architectural styles, additional styles such as Monterey, Modern Mountain, and/or Ranch could also be considered at the direction of the City Council.
Downtown Specific Plan Area
While staff believes that the above-mentioned styles are the most appropriate to be utilized throughout the city, staff does recommend adding additional standards for residential development within the Downtown Specific Plan area, as well as the Innovation Center (PA-1) Specific Plan area. Within the Downtown, the project team recommends limiting architectural styles to only those that provide historic context to the city such a Victorian, Craftsman, Spanish Mission, and others as mentioned and envisioned in the Downtown Specific Plan.
Innovation Center Specific Plan Area
The majority of future very high-density housing and mixed-use developments in the city are anticipated to be located within PA-1. Within PA-1, specific standards were established that included standards for the physical development of property,
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM NO. C.1
12/12/2023
including building placement, scale and form, and site design. While the specific plan stated that “contemporary and innovative designs are encouraged provided that the design includes human-scaled proportions and engaging, pedestrian-oriented ground-floor features”, the plan did not include objective standards for contemporary architecture or specific architectural styles. In order to create a unique and distinct area within the city that is cohesive and consistent throughout, staff recommends requiring all residential developments within PA-1 to include Contemporary architecture, as described above, to create a specific and unique architectural theme for this area.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
As part of the originally approved scope for the Objective Design Standards, the project team envisioned incorporating either a community meeting or other form of engagement to gain public participation in order to gather feedback and input on the community’s preferences and priorities.
The project team would like direction from the City Council on what format the City Council envisions this community engagement would take. Two suggested options include an interactive community meeting or an online community survey. Positive aspects of a community meeting include direct real-time feedback and dialogue between members of the project team and the community about what the preferences and priorities are. While online community surveys do not allow a direct dialogue, they often reach a larger audience that is more diverse, providing a wider sample of the greater community who may not be able to attend meetings in person.
It should be noted that as originally approved, the project scope did include a budget for a community meeting related to the objective design standards. The project team has discussed this and believes within that same budget, a community survey can be produced for a similar cost, but it is currently not in the budget to provide both.
In addition to future community engagement, the project team is committed to making draft materials and standards available for review for periods of time greater than the typical agenda publication timelines. For example, if materials and standards are to be reviewed by a Commission or City Council, the project materials and standards will be made available approximately two weeks ahead of the meeting in order to allow the City Council, Planning Commission, and the public additional time to review and provide comments on all drafts.
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM NO. C.1
12/12/2023
SUMMARY OF REQUESTED CITY COUNCIL DIRECTION
The project team is requesting that the City Council discuss and provide direction on the following questions:
1. Comprehensive Objective Design Standards Format
Does the City Council have a favored approach to the new Comprehensive Objective Design Standards and the format of the ODS document itself, in order to best implement the community’s goals and ensure high-quality building design.
Specific formats include:
Picture-based code style
Text, diagrams, and imagery based code style
Form-based code style
Recommendation
The project team is recommending that all of the above-mentioned elements be incorporated into the Comprehensive Objective Design Standards to clearly demonstrate and articulate the high-quality level of residential design that is expected in the city utilizing text, diagrams, and imagery.
2. Architectural Style
Does the City Council have a preference on whether to incorporate specific architectural styles into the guidelines?
If so, does the City Council support identified architectural styles that could be utilized throughout the city as a whole or special attention and themes that could be placed in specific areas such as the Downtown or the Innovation Center to elicit a greater “sense of place” within these areas?
Recommendation
The project team has identified and is recommending the following architectural styles that it believes are most compatible with the existing development be utilized throughout the majority of the City:
Craftsman
Mediterranean
Spanish
Contemporary
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM NO. C.1
12/12/2023
In addition, the project team is recommending that the following areas include unique and individualized architectural style creating a sense of place:
Downtown: Historical architectural styles such as Victorian, Craftsman, Spanish Mission, and others as mentioned and envisioned in the Downtown Specific Plan
PA-1 Specific Plan: Contemporary architecture
3. Public Participation and Engagement
What type of community engagement does the City Council envision for this project? Two suggested options include an interactive community meeting or an online community survey.
Recommendation
The project team is open to City Council direction on this item and believes that both of the suggested options could provide meaningful engagement.
NEXT STEPS
The project team is looking for direction and input as described in this report in order to identity City Council’s goals and objectives before initiating drafting of the Comprehensive Objective Design Standards.
The next key steps in the process after receiving Council direction are as follows:
The project team will begin to outline and frame the Comprehensive Objective Design Standards based on the initial direction provided. Depending on the direction of Council, community engagement is anticipated to start in February 2024 followed by an initial check-in with the Land Use and Development Committee.
A comprehensive draft is anticipated to be available for initial review in May 2024.
CITY COUNCIL STRATEGIC INITIATIVE
City of Brentwood Strategic Plan FY 2022/23 – FY 2023/24 Focus Area 4: Land Use Planning, Goal 1: Implement Zoning Ordinance update to maintain compliance with State law, including developing objective design standards (SB 330 compliance).
PREVIOUS ACTION
Previous Action by the City Council is included on Attachment 1.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Previous Action
ATTACHMENT 1
Previous actions related to this agenda item that were taken by the Council are listed below. To view prior actions and materials, and Brentwood Municipal Code references in the staff report, as applicable:
Visit www.brentwoodca.gov/meetings, and select the meeting date(s) desired to see the reference materials and videos.
Visit www.brentwoodca.gov/municipalcode to research references to the Brentwood Municipal Code and search by the code section(s) cited.
On November 16 and 17, 2017, the City Council held workshops to discuss, deliberate, and direct staff on priorities and the allocation of financial resources for the development of a Strategic Plan initiative. The Council directed staff to initiate a comprehensive zoning ordinance update.
On February 27, 2018, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 2018-21 to approve the FY 2018/19 and FY 2019/20 City of Brentwood Strategic Plan, including Strategic Initiative 4.1.c, preparation of a comprehensive zoning ordinance update, which has been continued over the past few years into the current Strategic Plan FY 2022/23 – FY 2023/24 (Focus Area 4: Land Use Planning, Goal 1: Implement Zoning Ordinance update).
On June 9, 2020, by Resolution No. 2020-73, the City Council adopted the City’s 2020/21 – 2024/25 Capital Improvement Program (“CIP”), which includes the Zoning Ordinance Update, CIP Project No. 337-37228.
On January 24, 2023, the City Council provided direction on reinitiating the City’s Zoning Code Update, including a new focused and phased approach that is to be scaled down in size and focused into specific tasks.
On May 23, 2023, the City Council approved a Professional Services Agreement with De Novo Planning Group to prepare and complete the Focused Zoning Ordinance Update and Objective Design Standards.