ORDINANCE NO. _____
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF FOSTER CITY AMENDING TITLE 17, “ZONING” OF THE FOSTER CITY MUNICIPAL CODE BY ADDING A NEW CHAPTER 17.15 “SINGLE-
FAMILY AND TWO-FAMILY OBJECTIVE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT
STANDARDS” AND FINDING THE AMENDMENTS WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THE
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT (EIR) PREPARED FOR THE FOSTER CITY HOUSING AND SAFETY ELEMENT UPDATE (SCH NUMBER 2022010509) – RZ2024- 0005
CITY OF FOSTER CITY
WHEREAS, the Housing Element is an integral part of the Foster City General Plan that identifies the community’s housing needs, states the community’s goals and objectives regarding housing production, rehabilitation, preservation, and conservation to meet those needs, and defines the policies and programs; and WHEREAS, Chapter 8, Housing Goals, Policies, and Programs of the Housing Element, forms the housing policy roadmap for the city and describes the implementation measures that the City needs to undertake in the planning period 2023-31; and WHEREAS, these goals, policies, and programs aim to provide additional housing in a way that is balanced with the community’s desires to retain the aspects of Foster City that make it a great place to live, work, and play; and WHEREAS, the Housing Element Programs include the City’s commitment to timeframes for implementation and the Annual Progress Report (APR) to the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), due by April 1 of each year, reports on progress in implementation of these Programs; and WHEREAS, amendments to Title 17, Zoning, of the Foster City Municipal Code to establish single- and two-family objective design standards and provide a streamlined review process for affordable housing projects are required by Housing Element Implementation Programs, including, H-B-4-a Update Architectural and Solar Guidelines for Single Family Homes and H-D-6-a Minimize Governmental Constraints; and WHEREAS, the proposed amendments to implement programs contained in the RHNA 6 Housing Element for the 2023-2031 Planning Period are within the scope of the environmental impact report prepared for the Foster City Housing Element and Safety Element Update (SCH# 2022010509); and
WHEREAS, on September 11, 2024, a Land Use Subcommittee meeting and on September 19, 2024, a Planning Commission study session were held to discuss the implementation of the Housing Element programs; and
WHEREAS, staff reviewed existing policies, guidelines and other Chapters of the Municipal Code pertaining to the review of single-family and two-family homes; and WHEREAS, staff drafted a new Chapter 17.15 Single-Family and Two-Family Objective Design and Development Standards and amendments to various Chapters of Title 17, Zoning, including, 17.04 “Definitions”; 17.12 “R-1 Single-Family Residence District”; 17.14 “R-2 Two-Family Residence District”; 17.58 “Architectural Control and Supervision”; and 17.96 “Multifamily and Residential Mixed-Use Objective Design and Development Standards, in order to implement the Housing Element programs H-B-4-a and H-D-6-a; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission reviewed the proposed amendments to Title 17, Zoning, at Study Sessions on July 18, 2024, April 17, 2025, June 5, 2025, September 18, 2025, and November 6, 2025; and
WHEREAS, on November 20, 2025, the Planning Commission conducted a duly and properly noticed public hearing to take public testimony and consider proposed amendments to Title 17, Zoning, of the Foster City Municipal Code, adding a new Chapter
17.15, Single-Family and Two-Family Objective Design And Development Standards, and finding that the amendments are within the scope of the Environmental Impact Report prepared under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) for the Housing Element and Safety Element Update (SCH#2022010509); and
WHEREAS, on November 20, 2025, Planning Commission voted 5-0-0-0 approving Resolution P-14-25 recommending that the City Council amend Title 17, Zoning of the Foster City Municipal Code by adding a new Chapter 17.15 Single-Family and Two-Family Objective Design and Development Standards and finding the amendments within the scope of the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) prepared for the Foster City Housing And Safety Element Update (SCH NUMBER 2022010509); and WHEREAS, on December 2, 2025, a Notice of Public Hearing was duly posted for consideration of the proposed amendments to Title 17, Zoning, of the Foster City Municipal Code, adding a new Chapter 17.15, Single-Family and Two-Family Objective Design and Development Standards, and the related CEQA finding, for the City Council public hearing on December 15, 2025; and
WHEREAS, on December 15, 2025, the City Council held a duly noticed public hearing where it carefully reviewed and considered the staff report and all attachments thereto presented as part of the agenda for the public hearing regarding the proposed amendments to Title 17, Zoning, of the Foster City Municipal Code, adding a new Chapter
17.15, Single-Family and Two-Family Objective Design And Development Standards, as referenced above, as well as the proposed CEQA finding, including any and all timely submitted correspondence, all information submitted at or prior to the public hearing, and all public comment and testimony presented at the public hearing (collectively, the “Record”).
NOW THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FOSTER CITY DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. The City Council does hereby find and determine based upon the aforementioned Record as follows:
1. The foregoing recitals are true and correct and are incorporated by reference into this action.
2. The proposed amendments are internally consistent with all other provisions of the General Plan and do not conflict with any of the previously adopted goals, policies, or programs of the General Plan.
3. The proposed amendments will not be detrimental to the public interest, convenience, and general welfare of the City.
4. The proposed amendments to implement programs contained in the RHNA 6 Housing Element for the 2023-2031 Planning Period are within the scope of the environmental impact report prepared for the Foster City Housing Element and Safety Element Update (SCH# 2022010509), and no further environmental review is necessary.
Section 2. The City Council does hereby amend Title 17, “Zoning” of the Foster City Municipal Code by adding a new Chapter 17.15, “Single-Family And Two-Family Objective Design And Development Standards” as set forth in the attached Exhibit A and attached hereto and incorporated herein.
Section 2. Severability. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase of this Ordinance is for any reason held to be invalid, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this Ordinance. The City Council does hereby declare that it should have adopted the Ordinance and each section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase thereof, irrespective of the fact that any one or more sections, subsections, sentences, clauses or phrases be declared invalid or unconstitutional.
Section 3. Taking Effect. This Ordinance shall take effect and be in force thirty (30) days from and after its adoption.
Section 4. Posting. Within fifteen (15) days after the adoption of this Ordinance, the City Clerk shall have it posted in three (3) public places designated by the City Council.
This Ordinance was introduced and read on the 15th day of December 2025, and passed and adopted on the__ day of _____, 20xx, by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSTAIN:
ABSENT:
_______________________________
ART KIESEL, MAYOR
ATTEST:
________________________________
PRISCILLA SCHAUS, CITY CLERK