Cotati City Council
Agenda Staff Report
Item type:
To: City Council
Subject: Introduction of an Ordinance to amend the City's land use code to create a Woonerf design standard for multi-family, mixed-use, and other private developments, Citywide
Date: October 11, 2022
Written by: Autumn Buss, Associate Planner
Recommendation
It is recommended by the Community Development Department and the Planning Commission of the City of Cotati that the City Council introduce an Ordinance that would allow for the development and regulation of Woonerfs (multi-use/multi-modal zones) as part of certain new private development projects.
I. Background
On May 3, 2021, staff presented a proposal to amend the City’s multifamily open space standards to create a menu of useable open space options. The Woonerf concept was introduced and included as an option for providing this required common space.
On June 21, 2021, the Planning Commission held a public hearing on the Multifamily Objective Design Standards and voted to recommend approval of the proposed standards, including the Woonerf as an option.
On August 10, 2021, the City Council held a public hearing on the recommended Multifamily Objective Design Standards and discussed the Woonerf concept. Generally, the Council supported the Woonerf concept, but there was not a consensus on whether to count the Woonerf towards the required useable open space requirement. The City Council continued the item to allow staff to respond to the various questions and issues raised by the Council.
On September 28, 2021, the City Council held a second public hearing on the recommended Multifamily Objective Design Standards. At the hearing the City Council reached a consensus on the Woonerf issues and voted 5 to 0 to approve the Multifamily Objective Design Standards with modifications. The major modifications included capping the amount of common indoor recreation that could be counted as useable open space at 15-percent and to remove the Woonerf as a useable open space option. It was the City Council’s position that Woonerfs should generally be required for all new multifamily developments and the Council directed staff to draft an Ordinance to amend the Cotati Land Use Code to establish Woonerf requirements and standards, citywide. Staff has prepared draft Woonerf-living streets (multi-use zone) standards and an Ordinance to adopt them.
On November 1, 2021, the Planning Commission held a public hearing to review the proposed amendments to Chapters 17.36.100 and 17.90.020 of the Cotati Municipal Code, creating and regulating the Woonerf-living street as a development required design element. After reviewing and providing some direction to staff, the Commission voted to approve a resolution recommending adoption of an Ordinance to define and regulate Woonerfs to the City Council.
On December 14, 2021, the City Council held a public hearing to review the proposed amendments to Chapters 17.36.100 and 17.90.020 of the Cotati Municipal Code, creating and regulating the Woonerf as a development required design element. After reviewing the draft Ordinance and hearing public comment, the Council directed staff to make certain revisions to the draft Ordinance for future Planning Commission and Council consideration.
On September 19, 2022, the Planning Commission held a public hearing on the revised draft Ordinance and passed a resolution recommending that the City Council adopt the draft Ordinance with minor changes. The Planning Commission also requested the Council consider whether the proposed 60-foot transition zone between an arterial and a woonerf entrance is appropriate.
II. Analysis/Discussion
Generally, a woonerf is a street/driveway that takes the focus off the automobile, instead prioritizing pedestrians and cyclists. Through the absence of sidewalk boundaries, curbs, and distinct lanes, those on foot and bike have equal access to the street/driveway in a woonerf.
Traffic calming features consist of pedestrian amenities and decorative elements rather than speedbumps which do not add the pedestrian experience. Woonerfs are often used on public streets in the Netherlands to create public space in front of homes to provide a place to play, socialize, and engage in the community. In the United States the woonerf has been used as a placemaking strategy to create a more pedestrian-friendly environment within existing commercial areas as part of redevelopment projects.
The proposal before the City Council is an ordinance amending the Land Use Code to require new multifamily and horizontal mixed-use developments to include a woonerf(s) as a part of projects to make internal driveways more welcoming, appealing, and safer for everyone and to promote more options for common space. A woonerf will typically include features such as street furniture, planters, street trees, and benches, creating more opportunity for social interaction and bringing more people to driveways to walk, bike and play, while still accommodating automobile circulation and parking. For more information about Woonerfs, see Attachment 1: December 14, 2021 Staff Report to City Council on Draft Ordinance to create Woonerfs.
The City Council reviewed the previous draft Ordinance related to woonerfs in December 2021, and directed staff to make revisions reflecting certain concerns, including:
• Define “internal driveway” and require that all qualifying internal driveways within a development may be candidates for woonerfs.
• Remove the requirement of a minimum of 100 square feet of woonerf per dwelling in favor of design standards that will maximize the amount of woonerf space in each new development.
• Ensure that woonerfs are not placed on driveways that accommodate heavy motor vehicle circulation.
The revised draft Ordinance currently presented for the Council’s consideration includes revisions that attempt to address these concerns, as well as providing clarification and further refinement of the previous draft’s standards for clarification and in order to increase user comfort and safety within the woonerf. Major components of the current draft Ordinance are summarized below.
1. Woonerfs are generally required for new multifamily and horizontal-mixed use developments with private internal driveways that provide vehicular access within a single project. All internal driveways are candidates for woonerfs, with the goal of maximizing the amount of woonerf space within a given development. (This provision replaces the minimum 100 square feet of woonerf per dwelling unit proposed in the previous version of the draft Ordinance.)
2. “Internal driveway” is added to the definitions in the Land Use Code.
3. Internal driveways that accommodate heavy motor vehicular circulation (defined as more than 100 motor vehicles trips during the afternoon or evening peak hour) will not be subject to the woonerf requirement, although developers will be encouraged to design developments to reduce the occurrence of such heavy-traffic driveways and maximize the opportunities for woonerfs. Woonerfs shall be designed to minimize cut-through traffic by non-residents.
4. Woonerfs may be designed for one-way or two-way vehicular traffic.
5. The speed limit within a woonerf shall be 8 miles per hour, applied to all wheeled vehicles or devices.
6. Woonerfs shall be located in proximity to residential entries and common areas.
7. Woonerfs shall include clear and distinctive entrances and exits with signage, a change in pavement, and traffic calming features. Exits shall be clearly marked so that users are aware of the transition out of the woonerf environment.
8. Entrances to each woonerf shall be preceded by a transition zone of 20 feet from a public connector street or intersection with another (non-woonerf) driveway, or 60 feet from an arterial, to allow drivers time to reduce speed, facilitate vehicle stacking to avoid blocking streets and sidewalks, and improve emergency vehicle access. The transition zone shall be designed to slow traffic and alert drivers to the upcoming woonerf, with cautionary signage and a narrowed driveway, landscaping, and/or other measures.
9. Traffic calming measures shall be no less than 100 feet apart within the woonerf.
10. Emergency vehicle access shall be provided as approved by the Fire Marshal.
11. The minimum length of a Woonerf shall be 60 feet; there is no maximum length. The width may vary throughout the Woonerf to allow for traffic calming, seating, other amenities, and, as needed, motor vehicle passing bays.
12. Continuous curbs are prohibited to emphasize that the woonerf is a shared space.
13. The woonerf shall incorporate seating, landscaping, and other pedestrian and decorative amenities along its full length to promote common use of the space and to calm traffic.
Seating areas shall be provided at no less than 100 feet apart.
14. The surface shall be decorative pavement for the full length and width of the woonerf.
Permeable pavement is allowed.
15. Motor vehicle parking within and adjacent to a Woonerf is permitted provided the parking is intermittent and designed to calm traffic. Parallel parking is preferred, but non-parallel parking may be allowed. A woonerf adjacent to enclosed garages shall be allowed, but without tandem parking in front of such garages. Parking spaces within the woonerf will not be allowed within 35 feet of woonerf exits or entrances.
16. Bicycle parking shall be provided in the woonerf in accordance with standards in the Land Use Code and Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan.
17. Woonerf space shall not be used to meet the open space or other common space required for a development.
18. Developers may request approval of alternatives to woonerfs on a project-by-project basis, if such alternative design concepts are superior in terms of creating usable, safe, pleasant outdoor spaces for residents and reducing the impacts of motor vehicles. Such alternatives might include peripheral parking, clustered parking, and/or significant centralized open space amenities that serve all of the residential units.
For more information about the revisions to the draft ordinance in response to Council direction at the December 14, 2021 City Council meeting, please see Attachment 2: Redline of revisions from December 14, 2021 version of Draft Ordinance.
III. General Plan Consistency
Below is a summary of some of the most applicable General Plan policies that apply to the Woonerf Ordinance.
Policy CON 2.1: Improve air quality through continuing to require a compact development pattern that focuses growth in and around existing urbanized areas, locating new housing near places of employment, encouraging alternative modes of transportation, and requiring projects to mitigate significant air quality impacts.
Goal H-2: Provide adequate sites to accommodate the housing needs of all economic segments of the community.
Policy H-2.6: Ensure that the City’s development requirements, including the standards established by the General Plan and Land Use Code, accommodate and provide for available housing sites that are appropriate for a range of income levels and housing types, including housing to accommodate special needs populations.
Goal H-3: Expand affordable housing opportunities for lower income households and persons with special housing needs, including seniors, disabled persons, large households, and homeless persons and families.
Goal H-5: Promote energy efficiency and conservation in residential development.
Policy H-5-2 Encourage energy efficiency and energy conservation in existing and proposed residential development to ensure sustainable practices and reduce long-term housing costs.
Goal H-6: Ensure public participation in the development of the City’s housing policies.
Staff finds that the proposed Woonerf Ordinance is consistent with the adopted Cotati General Plan in that the Ordinance would require a circulation design element that would encourage compact development and encourage alternative transportation modes, require new development to incorporate design elements to reduce reliance on automobiles and calm traffic circulation speeds, thereby reducing the costs of transportation for some residents while also improving safety; would incorporate seating and universal design elements into the circulation networks of private development to reduce circulation barriers to seniors, disabled persons and other special needs populations; further support energy conservation and sustainable practices in residential development by accommodating all modes of transportation and requiring landscaping in circulation areas; and would do so through a collaborative and publicly engaged process.
IV. Planning Commission Review and Recommendtion
On September 19, 2022, the Planning Commission reviewed and considered the draft ordinance at a Public Hearing. After hearing the staff presentation and asking some clarifying questions, the Commission heard comments from the public. Following discussion, the Planning Commission voted to support the proposed Woonerf ordinance with minor changes and passed a resolution recommending City Council approval. Changes requested by the Planning Commission have been made to the draft ordinance for the Council’s review, and include:
1. Add “lane” to the definition of internal driveway for increased clarity. This expands on the previous list of “private driveway, accessway, driving aisle, street, or alley.”
2. Apply the 8 mph speed limit in the woonerf to all wheeled vehicles and devices, in addition to motor vehicles. This would encompass bicycles, scooters, skateboards, rollerblades, etc.
In addition, the Planning Commission expressed concern that the proposed transition zone of 60 feet from an arterial to the entrance to a woonerf is excessive, and would result in unnecessary additional pavement, reduced overall woonerf area, and driver acceleration on approaching the woonerf entrance. However, staff remains supportive of the 60-foot transition zone from arterials (E. Cotati Avenue, Old Redwood Highway, and Gravenstein Highway) in order to allow drivers to reduce speed, allow sufficient vehicle stacking to avoid blocking sidewalks or traffic on the arterial, and facilitate emergency vehicle access.
In an effort to clarify the nature of the transition zone, staff amended the draft ordinance following the Planning Commission to specify that transition zones shall be designed to slow traffic and alert drivers to the upcoming woonerf, with cautionary signage and a narrowed driveway, landscaping, and/or other measures.
V. Financial Considerations
With the exception of the staff time needed to create the Woonerf Ordinance, here are no direct financial impacts to the general fund associated with the creation of the Woonerf Ordinance.
There may be some additional cost associated with the inclusion of a woonerf in the design of future development projects withing the city, however these are likely to be marginal and not a significant strain on the budget of an individual project.
VI. Environmental Issues
The City of Cotati is proposing changes to the Land Use Code to allow for the development and regulation of woonerfs within new private developments to provide increased use of common space by requiring and/or allowing woonerfs to enhance the use of internal driveways by providing pedestrian amenities and utilizing traffic calming techniques. The code changes are also intended to maintain the potential intensity of development that may otherwise be permitted in the underlying zoning district where a woonerf may be developed. Thus, the proposed code changes maintain the current potential for environmental impacts as analyzed in the Cotati General Plan Environmental Impact Report (EIR) (SCH# 2013-08-2037), certified in March 2015.
No physical changes to the environment will result from adoption of the proposed code amendments alone. Future Woonerf developments allowed by the code changes would be subject to individual review and to project-specific use, development, and design standards on a project specific basis, including project-level CEQA analysis if applicable. Evaluation of future projectlevel impacts would be too speculative to include in this analysis. Accordingly, pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15145, project level impacts are not discussed herein.
VIII. Summary and Staff Recommendations
It is recommended by the Community Development Department and the Planning Commission of the City of Cotati that the City Council introduce an Ordinance that would allow for the development and regulation of Woonerfs (multi-use/multi-modal zones) as part of certain new private development projects.
Attachments:
1. December 14, 2021 Staff Report to City Council on Draft Ordinance to create Woonerfs
2. Redline of revisions from December 14, 2021 version of Draft Ordinance
3. Powerpoint presentation for October 11, 2022 City Council meeting Attachments:
Attachment 1 December 14, 2021 Staff Report to City Council on Draft Ordinance to create Woonerfs (PDF)
Attachment 2 Redline of revisions from December 14, 2021 version of draft ordinance (PDF) Attachment 3 Powerpoint presentation 10.11.22 (PDF)