ATTACHMENT C
Objective Design Standards
Adopted by City Council Resolution No. 2023-_____ on ___________________
Objective Design Standards
Adopted by City Council Resolution No. 2023-_____ on ___________________ The City has developed the herein “Objective Design Standards” (ODS) from the City’s existing design guidelines 1 in response to Program 17 of the City’s 2023-2031 Housing Element. Program 17 requires the City to clarify its existing design guidelines to provide a predictable basis to review housing projects. To satisfy this objective, miscellaneous, minor, administrative, clarifying, and technical revisions are made to the City’s adopted design guidelines to produce the ODS with the intent to facilitate implementation of the City’s existing “design rules” and design guidelines. Furthermore, the ODS are provided as a checklist to help reduce delays and uncertainty for property owners and developers by emphasizing the required standards. Therefore, the purpose of the ODS is to comply with State housing law while honoring the City’s existing regulations. The ODS are mandatory standards that must be satisfied by all residential development including the residential component of a mixed-use development.
Housing development project applicants who seek exceptions or deviations to the ODS may proceed with the City’s existing discretionary design review process, as provided in the Fremont Municipal Code . The ODS apply to residential development , unless certain residential projects (i.e., accessory dwelling units, two-unit developments, small-scale multifamily developments) are otherwise governed by State law or explicitly controlled by the Fremont Municipal Code. Non-residential development must continue to be subject to both the ODS and the City’s existing design guidelines and standards, as applicable.
1 Citywide Design Guidelines, Glenmoor Gardens Design Guidelines, Mission Ranch Design Guidelines, Mission San Jose Design Guidelines, Multifamily Design Guidelines, Niles Design Guidelines and Regulations, and Small-Lot Single-Family Design Guidelines
ATTACHMENT C
Objective Design Standards
Adopted by City Council Resolution No. 2023-_____ on ___________________
CONTENTS
1. Citywide Objective Design Standards .................................................................................................................................................. 3
2. Glenmoor Gardens Objective Design Standards .................................................................................................................................. 4
3. Mission Ranch Objective Design Standards ......................................................................................................................................... 6
4. Mission San Jose Objective Design Standards: Residential Properties – Neighborhood Conservation Area ...................................... 8
5. Multifamily Objective Design Standards ............................................................................................................................................ 10
6. Niles Objective Design Standards ...................................................................................................................................................... 13
7. Small-Lot Single-Family Objective Design Standards ....................................................................................................................... 17
ATTACHMENT C
Objective Design Standards
Adopted by City Council Resolution No. 2023-_____ on ___________________
1. Citywide Objective Design Standards
Objective Design Standard
Complies?
N/A No Yes Comments
1. A minimum 1.5-foot-wide landscape strip is required along the property line adjacent to a driveway leading to a rear garage. ☐ ☐ ☐
2. Landscaping, consisting of trees, shrubs, groundcovers, and an automatic irrigation system, shall be provided in the front and exterior side yards on newly constructed or substantially reconstructed homes.
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3. Street trees are required on all residential lots per applicable City Standard Details. ☐ ☐ ☐
ATTACHMENT C
Objective Design Standards
Adopted by City Council Resolution No. 2023-_____ on ___________________
2. Glenmoor Gardens Objective Design Standards
Objective Design Standard
Complies?
N/A No Yes Comments
1. Include a raised brick foundation, or horizontal wood siding for a base, or board- and-batten for gable end walls. ☐ ☐ ☐
2. Minimum lot area: 6,000 square feet ☐ ☐ ☐
3. Minimum lot width: 55 feet. ☐ ☐ ☐
4. Minimum lot depth: 100 feet. ☐ ☐ ☐
5. Minimum front-yard setback: 20 feet. ☐ ☐ ☐
6. Minimum side-yard setback: 5 feet. ☐ ☐ ☐
7. Minimum aggregate side-yard setback: 12 feet. ☐ ☐ ☐
8. Minimum street side-yard setback: 10 feet. ☐ ☐ ☐
9. Minimum rear-yard setback: 25 feet. ☐ ☐ ☐
10. Minimum street frontage: 35 feet. ☐ ☐ ☐
11. Roof pitch: 3:12 (minimum) to 5:12 (maximum). ☐ ☐ ☐
ATTACHMENT C
Objective Design Standards
Adopted by City Council Resolution No. 2023-_____ on ___________________
Objective Design Standard
Complies?
N/A No Yes Comments
12. Maximum floor area, including garage: 40-percent of lot. ☐ ☐ ☐
13. Maximum building height, as measured to the top of the ridge: 17 feet. ☐ ☐ ☐
14. Maximum height above grade for finish floor level: 28 inches ☐ ☐ ☐
ATTACHMENT C
Objective Design Standards
Adopted by City Council Resolution No. 2023-_____ on ___________________
3. Mission Ranch Objective Design Standards
Objective Design Standard
Complies?
N/A No Yes Comments
1. Include a raised brick foundation, or horizontal wood siding for a base, or board- and-batten for gable end walls. ☐ ☐ ☐
2. Minimum lot area: 8,000 square feet ☐ ☐ ☐
3. Minimum lot width: 75 feet. ☐ ☐ ☐
4. Minimum lot depth: 100 feet. ☐ ☐ ☐
5. Minimum front-yard setback: 25 feet. ☐ ☐ ☐
6. Minimum side-yard setback for single-story elements: 7 feet. ☐ ☐ ☐
7. Minimum aggregate side-yard setback for single-story elements: 16 feet. ☐ ☐ ☐
8. Minimum side-yard setback for second-story elements: 8 feet. ☐ ☐ ☐
9. Minimum aggregate side-yard setback for second-story elements: 20 feet. ☐ ☐ ☐
10. Minimum street side-yard setback: 12.5 feet. ☐ ☐ ☐
11. Minimum rear-yard setback for single-story elements: 25 feet. ☐ ☐ ☐
ATTACHMENT C
Objective Design Standards
Adopted by City Council Resolution No. 2023-_____ on ___________________
Objective Design Standard
Complies?
N/A No Yes Comments
12. Minimum rear-yard setback for two-story elements: 30 feet. ☐ ☐ ☐
13. Minimum street frontage: 35 feet. ☐ ☐ ☐
14. Roof pitch: 3:12 (minimum) to 5:12 (maximum). ☐ ☐ ☐
15. Maximum floor area, including garage, for a one-story residence: 40-percent of lot. ☐ ☐ ☐
16. Maximum floor area, including garage, for a two-story residence: 30-percent of lot.
A two-story residence is only allowable if the first-floor lot coverage reaches 22 percent but does not exceed 30 percent.
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17. Maximum building height, as measured to the top of the ridge, for a one-story residence: 17 feet. ☐ ☐ ☐
18. Maximum building height, as measured to the top of the ridge, for a two-story residence: 27 feet. ☐ ☐ ☐
19. Maximum height above grade for finish floor level, first story over basement: 28 inches. ☐ ☐ ☐
ATTACHMENT C
Objective Design Standards
Adopted by City Council Resolution No. 2023-_____ on ___________________
4. Mission San Jose Objective Design Standards:
Residential Properties – Neighborhood Conservation Area Objective Design Standard
Complies?
N/A No Yes Comments
1. Maximum building height, as measured to the top of the ridge: 25 feet. ☐ ☐ ☐
2. Maximum number of stories: 2. ☐ ☐ ☐
3. Maximum lot coverage: 2,500 square feet. ☐ ☐ ☐
4. Minimum lot width: 50 feet. ☐ ☐ ☐
5. Minimum lot depth: 150 feet. ☐ ☐ ☐
6. Minimum front-yard setback: 20 feet.*
* Parking or storage of motor vehicles within the front-yard setback is prohibited.
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7. Minimum side-yard setback: 5 feet. ☐ ☐ ☐
8. Minimum rear-yard setback for residential structures: 15 feet. ☐ ☐ ☐
9. Minimum rear-yard setback for parking structures: 3 feet.* ☐ ☐ ☐
ATTACHMENT C
Objective Design Standards
Adopted by City Council Resolution No. 2023-_____ on ___________________
Objective Design Standard
Complies?
N/A No Yes Comments
* If a residential structure on an adjoining property already exists within 15 feet of that property’s rear property line, then the required minimum rear-yard setback for a parking structure shall be 15 feet.
10. Mid-parcel outdoor areas: 1,000 square feet.*
* This standard is required when a parcel accommodates more than one detached residential unit.
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11. Parking: 2 enclosed spaces per dwelling unit.*
* Tandem parking within structures or enclosed parking areas is permitted to satisfy this requirement.
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ATTACHMENT C
Objective Design Standards
Adopted by City Council Resolution No. 2023-_____ on ___________________
5. Multifamily Objective Design Standards
The Multifamily Objective Design Standards shall not apply to mixed-use developments and projects within the City’s Downtown District, the City Center District, and the Warm Springs Innovation District.
Objective Design Standard
Complies?
N/A No Yes Comments
1. Any temporary street stubs intended for future through circulation shall be marked with street signage at the street terminus to reinforce and alert residents of eventual through connection.
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2. Accent elements, made up of trellises, arches, arbors, columns, or low monument features, shall be used to demarcate entrances to the development and common open space areas.
See Multifamily Design Guidelines Section 2, page 20 for an illustration of this concept.
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3. When buildings are adjacent to a public street, building entrances shall be oriented to face the public street, unless such orientation is obstructed by a required sound wall or a noise mitigation barrier.
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4. For sites greater than two acres, the majority of required common open space (greater than 50%) shall be consolidated into a primary central open space area. ☐ ☐ ☐
5. Stormwater treatment facilities shall not be located in areas counted towards minimum common open space requirements, unless such facilities can be designed to accommodate usable open space.
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6. Windows shall be oriented to face onto common open space and play areas to provide informal surveillance and safety. To meet this requirement, at least two ☐ ☐ ☐
ATTACHMENT C
Objective Design Standards
Adopted by City Council Resolution No. 2023-_____ on ___________________
Objective Design Standard
Complies?
N/A No Yes Comments
windows, no smaller than 24 inches in height by 20 inches in width, shall be provided per building adjoining the common open space areas on the building frontage facing common open space.
7. Private streets that run along perimeter property lines shall include a minimum six-foot-wide planter to provide landscape feature as well as vegetative separation between developments.
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8. Upper stories shall not project beyond the ground floor footprint, except for bays no wider than 50-percent of the primary facade. Bays shall be set within the main facade, not flush with side facades. See Section 2, page 29 for an illustration of this concept.
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9. The massing of upper stories, particularly those over a garage, shall be modulated by stepping back massing elements a minimum of two feet from the ground floor setback, and/or through the use of projecting bays. See Section 2, page 14 for an illustration of this concept.
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10. Side yards or separation between buildings shall be a minimum of 10 feet wide when the upper story steps back 15 feet or more, and 15 feet wide when second story does not step back.
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11. For every 100 feet of building length, there shall be a plane-break along the facade comprised of an offset of at least five feet in depth by 25 feet in length.
The offset shall extend from grade to the highest story. ☐ ☐ ☐
12. Garage entries, loading and service entries, utility rooms, stairs, elevators, and other similar inactive elements shall occupy no more than 20% of the width of a public street facing building façade.
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ATTACHMENT C
Objective Design Standards
Adopted by City Council Resolution No. 2023-_____ on ___________________
Objective Design Standard
Complies?
N/A No Yes Comments
13. Horizontal eaves longer than 40 feet shall be broken up by gables, building projections, or other articulation. ☐ ☐ ☐
14. Pedestrian-scaled lighting, less than 16 feet in height, shall be used to illuminate areas used for pedestrian circulation. See Section 2, page 34 for an illustration of this concept.
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15. All illumination shall be controlled with cutoffs that primarily direct light downward. ☐ ☐ ☐
ATTACHMENT C
Objective Design Standards
Adopted by City Council Resolution No. 2023-_____ on ___________________
6. Niles Objective Design Standards
Objective Design Standard
Complies?
N/A No Yes Comments
1. Second stories of new corner buildings with a frontage on Niles Boulevard shall not extend over a public sidewalk more than three feet, subject to issuance of an encroachment permit. The projection along the face of the building from the property line corner shall not exceed 15 feet in either direction (see 6.2 Corner Building Styles of the Niles Design Guidelines). The vertical clearance of the encroachment shall be a minimum of eight feet, plus one additional foot of vertical clearance for each foot of projection (see Figure 8 of the Niles Design Guidelines).
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2. Awnings shall not extend over the public sidewalk more than five feet, and awnings shall maintain at least an eight-foot vertical clearance above the sidewalk.
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3. Commercial block/corner buildings:
a. Appropriate materials and colors:
(1) Building walls, windows, and doors
(A) Concrete and plaster (lightly troweled or sand finished). (B) Stucco with deep reveals.
(C) New structural and face-brick.
(D) Concrete block and brick block (concealed side and rear elevations only).
(E) Terra cotta.
(F) Decorative ceramic tile, with integral color, used as an accent.
(G) Clear glass.
(H) Wood frame window systems.
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ATTACHMENT C
Objective Design Standards
Adopted by City Council Resolution No. 2023-_____ on ___________________
Objective Design Standard
Complies?
N/A No Yes Comments
(I) Aluminum windows and doors, if substantial.
(2) Roofs
(A) Concrete or clay tiles to be single color.
(B) Dark-colored metal with standing seam.
(C) Composition shingle.
(3) Fences, walls, and gates
(A) Stucco walls.
(B) Painted wood fences and gates.
(C) Open wrought–iron style fence.
b. Inappropriate materials and colors:
(1) Building walls, windows, and doors
(A) Glass block.
(B) Any rough-hewn or rustic material.
(C) Wood siding or hardboard.
(D) Synthetic stucco when used to create overly built-up elements, such as column capitals.
(E) Baked enamel panels, tiles (except as accents), or other reflective materials.
(F) “Narrow line” aluminum window and door systems.
(G) Imitation stone.
(H) Used brick.
(I) Molded foam decorative elements.
(2) Roofs
(A) Cedar shake.
(B) Crushed stone.
(C) Brightly colored reflective tile or standing seam metal. (D) Slate or slate substitutes.
(3) Fences, walls, and gates
ATTACHMENT C
Objective Design Standards
Adopted by City Council Resolution No. 2023-_____ on ___________________
Objective Design Standard
Complies?
N/A No Yes Comments
(A) Concrete masonry units, unless covered with stucco. (B) Chain link.
(C) Rough swan or natural wood.
4. Mid-block and Victorian-derived styles:
a. Appropriate materials:
(1) Building walls, windows, and doors
(A) Solid body-stained wood siding.
(B) Painted horizontal wood shiplap.
(C) Painted exterior “hardboard,” resembling shiplap.
(D) Any of the original colors used on Victorian style
buildings in the Niles, as confirmed by research or filed investigation.
(E) Clear glass in doors and in true, divided light systems. (F) Wood frame windows and doors.
(G) Cast iron.
(H) Ceramic tile with integral color emulating building tiles in Niles.
(I) Copper window frames, combined with bulkheads.
(2) Roofs
(A) Composition shingle.
(3) Fences, walls, and gates
(A) Wood picket.
(B) Wrought iron, but not combined with only masonry.
b. Inappropriate materials and color:
(1) Building walls, windows, and doors
(A) Glass block.
(B) Cement plaster and synthetic stucco.
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ATTACHMENT C
Objective Design Standards
Adopted by City Council Resolution No. 2023-_____ on ___________________
Objective Design Standard
Complies?
N/A No Yes Comments
(C) Imitation stone.
(D) Exterior plywood.
(E) Aluminum windows and doors.
(F) Baked enamel panels.
(G) Brick or brick veneer.
(2) Roofs
(A) Cedar shake.
(B) Crushed stone.
(C) Brightly colored (e.g., orange, blue) reflective tile or standing seam metal
(D) Slate or slate substitutes.
(3) Fences, walls, and gates
(A) Stucco or synthetic stucco.
(B) Chain link.
(C) Rough sawn or natural wood.
(D) Any fence that is not constructed of an open material (i.e., not more than 50-percent visually open), except such
fencing is permissible for side and rear yards.
ATTACHMENT C
Objective Design Standards
Adopted by City Council Resolution No. 2023-_____ on ___________________
7. Small-Lot Single-Family Objective Design Standards
The following objective standards apply to lots less than 6,000 square feet in area to allow for development at the densities permitted by the General Plan. The City will rely on these objective standards, in addition to any other applicable objective development standards, to evaluate small-lot, single-family projects.
Objective Design Standard
Complies?
N/A No Yes Comments
1. Minimum building separation*:
a. A single-story residence adjacent to a single-story residence: 10 feet. b. A single-story residence adjacent to a two-story residence: 12 feet. c. A two-story residence adjacent to a two-story residence: 15 feet.
* Zero-lot line configurations are preferred, making more useful side yard spaces.
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2. Minimum front-yard setback: 10 feet.*
* Porches may encroach a maximum of three feet into the minimum front-yard setback.
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3. Minimum rear-yard setback: 15 feet.
a. Minimum setback for ancillary buildings shall be sufficient for fire and safety.
b. Garages along alleys shall provide a minimum setback/apron of 4 feet. ☐ ☐ ☐
4. Minimum street side-yard setback shall match the minimum front-yard setback for a lot with both conditions. ☐ ☐ ☐
5. Front yard parking aprons shall not be considered yard area. ☐ ☐ ☐
ATTACHMENT C
Objective Design Standards
Adopted by City Council Resolution No. 2023-_____ on ___________________
Objective Design Standard
Complies?
N/A No Yes Comments
6. Street trees shall be provided no more than 25 feet on center along each side of the street. ☐ ☐ ☐
7. The minimum size of all street and yard trees shall be 24-inch box. ☐ ☐ ☐
8. Front yards shall include a minimum of one, 24-inch box tree. Tree species shall be selected from the City’s list of approved street trees. ☐ ☐ ☐
9. The minimum dimension of the rear yard shall not be less than 15 feet by 20 feet. The minimum rear yard area shall not exceed a 10-percent slope. ☐ ☐ ☐