Updated Objective Design Standards and Streetscape & Public Realm Standards Scope of Work
The Urban Field (UF) team will provide the following scope of work for the Updated Objective Design Standards and Streetscape & Public Realm Standards project.
Urban Field is the prime consultant and project manager for this project, conducting project management, community engagement, and the development of updated objective design standards and new streetscape/public realm standards. The subconsultants, Lexington Planning and Miller Planning Associates, will support the team and integrate the updated/new standards into the City of South San Francisco Zoning Code. The project team will ensure consistency in language and format across all deliverables.
Task 1. Project Management
Project Management
Urban Field (UF) will manage the project schedule and budget using a spreadsheet which will be maintained and regularly updated for reference during check-in calls. Meeting agendas will be provided on a shared Google document with links to deliverables and supporting documents to record progress throughout the project.
The UF project manager will hold biweekly check-in meetings with City staff. Other UF team members will be brought in based on the agenda for the check-in meeting. Meetings are assumed to be one (1) hour and held via Zoom, or other virtual meeting software. 80 meetings are assumed based on a .75 utilization of a 2-year schedule.
The UF team will provide invoices and a monthly progress report providing an overview of all services rendered for the invoice, status of remaining fee, and a summary of completed deliverables.
Kick-Off Meeting
The UF team will conduct a project kick-off meeting with City staff via Zoom to discuss project goals, key issues, expectations, project milestones, schedule, file access, community engagement strategy, and deliverables.
City Tour
The UF team will tour the project area covering districts and recent projects on a tour led by City staff.
The tour is expected to occur on one day, including travel time.
Meetings
• Kick-off meeting
• City tour of districts and recent projects
• Biweekly project check-in meetings
Deliverables
• Biweekly Meeting Agendas / Google Docs Master File
• Project Budget and Schedule / Google Sheet Master File • City Tour Agenda and Map materials / Google Drive resource folder • Kick-off Meeting Agenda and materials
• Monthly Invoice and Progress Reports
Task 2. Community Outreach & Engagement
Task 2.0: Community Engagement Strategy & Communications Plan UF will prepare a Community Engagement Strategy which will outline meetings and events, and a Communications Plan developed with City staff to clarify the necessary deliverables, tone, and coordinated graphic needs of the effort.
Community engagement will consider both objective design standards for new buildings and the public realm as a continuation of community engagement for the General Plan update. The proposed community outreach and engagement will target stakeholders in the most affected areas and the general public. The general public will also be informed throughout the project with a project website, surveys, and a chance to discuss the project in-person with City staff at office hours.
Task 2.1: Focused Stakeholder Outreach
UF will work with City staff to identify key stakeholders to involve throughout the project. UF will begin by listing and identifying stakeholders in the areas likely to be affected by new standards for buildings and streetscape. The target outreach population is anticipated to be the development community, architects, advocates for the area, and landowners, residents, and visitors to the areas. UF and City staff will put together a focus group/task force that will advise the project. The group will meet up to three times over the course of the project to provide input, review proposed changes, and provide feedback and recommendations.
Task 2.2: Project Website & Communication Materials
Urban Field will put together FAQ’s and materials that can be posted on a City-hosted project website. Materials can include background information and context, proposed standards, and surveys, amongst other materials deemed relevant. The project website will provide context for the project with posted project deliverables and project narrative.
UF will work with the City’s Communications Manager to provide draft emails and a flier to notify the general public on outreach efforts related to the project. It is the City’s responsibility to distribute the information during outreach through emails, social media, and other City communication channels.
Task 2.3: Online Survey and Office Hours
Urban Field will create materials that can be shared in an online survey format to gather input and feedback on proposed standards. UF plans to use SurveyMonkey which can be translated easily into other languages. The survey will be conducted in four languages: English, Spanish, Tagalog, and simplified Chinese.
There will be two surveys: the first survey aims to gather input for the project, and the second survey aims to collect feedback on proposed standards. Visual materials will be developed to accompany the survey sequence and lead people through the important issues. The features of SurveyMonkey include the ability to use graphics and imagery for questions of choice. Urban Field will design the surveys with City staff review. A downloaded summary of the survey results will be provided with minimal editing at the end of the surveys.
Accompanying both surveys will be City staff-led Office Hours which will be a chance for people to talk in-person and in real time, online. Office hours will be scheduled based on the availability of City staff to facilitate. If there is great interest in meeting in-person as proven by office hours, more office hours can be added, either in person or virtually.
Meetings
Task 2.1:
• Three (3) virtual focus group meetings
• Up to three in-person Design Review Board meetings at the City Hall Annex Building • Up to three in-person Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee meetings at the City Hall Annex Building
Task 2.2:
• Two (2) Website content coordination meetings
Task 2.3
• Two (2) Online Survey content coordination meetings
Deliverables:
Task 2.0:
• Community Engagement Strategy & Communications Plan (draft and final) Task 2.1:
• Presentation materials to facilitate stakeholder meetings • Summary Presentation of Stakeholder Feedback
Task 2.2:
• Website Content
• Flier and email copy for distribution and notification about outreach opportunities Task 2.3:
• Two multilingual surveys using SurveyMonkey
• Survey summaries
Task 3. Objective Design Standards Update
The revised Objective Design Standards (ODS) will address both multi-family and mixed-use residential projects, and single-family residential projects. The revised ODS will apply city-wide.
More refined standards will be developed for the four districts, as shown in Figure 1 below and outlined in yellow. Task 3 aligns with the focus areas for Task 4: Streetscape & Public Realm Standards, as Task 4 will develop public realm and streetscape standards for these four districts.
Alternatively, as the project gets underway, City staff and the consultant team may determine that the refined standards may apply to all parcels in the Transect Zones.
Figure 1. Four districts for refined objective design standards and streetscape/public realm standards Task 3.1: ODS Precedent and Best Practice Research
The UF team will gather three examples of objective design standard precedents to serve as references. Research examples will target:
• District identifying characteristics
• Building detailing, scale, and ornamentation
• Adaptive re-use of historic buildings and sensitivity to historic districts The materials in Task 3.1 will be presented along with Task 4 precedent research materials to City staff and stakeholders.
Task 3.2: Scale of Development and Architectural Analysis Architectural analysis will focus on the scale of development as it relates to the size of the parcels and its influence on the character of the district and surrounding urban context. Analysis of historical and present-day development patterns will be presented to stakeholder groups as background to how existing standards are modified, and new standards are constructed.
Architectural analysis will document trends in residential and mixed-use residential building design, methods of construction in today’s development community, the urban context of each district and building types, scale in height and massing, materiality, and parcel scale. For the areas of study that touch the city's historic districts, UF will work with the SSF Historical Society to obtain historic aerial photography, photos, and key parcel maps of subdivisions and set up a site visit to document how the character of development has changed over the years.
Task 3.3: ODS Review and Refinement
Code/Plan Amendments:
As part of Task 3, the UF team will review adopted area plan policy documents and objective standards in SSFMC Section 20.310 and the Transect Zones in SSFMC Section 20.135 to understand the current basis for regulating design through both guidelines and standards and discuss with staff what is working and not working with the current framework and regulations. The analysis includes evaluation of proposals designed in response to the recent standards, preferred design from community engagement, opportunities for changes that could improve project design.
Improvements to the administration of the ODS:
The UF team will work with the City to evaluate the administration and success of existing objective design standards in meeting the City’s objective to achieve more articulated buildings and public realm. This includes, but may not be limited to:
• Organization: general standards codified in the Zoning Ordinance vs. design standards in area plans
• Applicability: standards that apply citywide vs. specific change areas or the Transect Zones • Topics: massing, facade length and articulation standards in Section 20.310.004 can be augmented to address ornamentation
• Implementation: outcomes based on any recent projects that have used objective standards, how exceptions are currently permitted, and the relationship to State Density Bonus Law waivers and concessions
• Character areas: based on design guidelines and standards from area plans and Section
20.310.004, and site visits, characterize the various areas of the city, including desired transitions east of 101
• Three precedent examples of Objective Design Standards that integrate ornamentation, character standards.
Based on the analysis above and the findings from community outreach activities and stakeholder input, UF will prepare options / recommendations for approaches for Task 3, including gaps in regulations that can better support building articulation and architectural details. UF will prepare a summary Standards Update Strategy Memo that outlines the approach to modifying and expanding the existing standards to meet the City’s objectives.
Refining Standards with Respect to Effective Regulation:
UF will refine and augment the existing single and multifamily residential and mixed-use objective standards to enable more articulated buildings that engage the public realm. In neighborhoods and zoning districts with specific character features or design preferences, focused standards can support architectural form and details, such as roof forms, building entries, and materials. This targeted approach will streamline administration for City staff and decision-makers and clarify expectations for community members and applicants.
Addressing Density Bonus Law Waivers:
The ODS refinements will focus on developing design regulations based on community priorities, understanding that some projects will be able to modify them in return for delivering affordable and senior housing.
Styles and Ornamentation Approach:
The approach to architectural style and ornamentation will be based on numerous factors, but primarily proportion, scale, and detail and how those elements enhance the public realm and where appropriate, draw upon local influences and history.
Task 3.3 Deliverable Description:
UF will be supported by Miller Planning Associates and Lexington Planning to review and refine existing development standards to streamline and integrate new standards. This task includes the following:
• Prepare redline changes and new or modified standards for Sections 20.135 and 20.310 and/or a stand-alone document. Refine existing and add new objective standards to complement existing standards, guidelines, and adopted policy goals. • Distinguish applicability, as appropriate: by use (i.e.,100% residential vs. mixed use), zoning district, and/or location (e.g., East of 101, Downtown, adjacent to freeway/railroad). • Prepare diagrams and annotated graphics to illustrate written standards. • Develop a design standards checklist to assist applicants and City staff with requirements for multifamily and mixed-use residential projects and that summarizes locations in the Zoning Ordinance and other adopted policies where objective standards are located. Rather than repeat adopted standards verbatim, this checklist would be the form of one or more handouts (not subject to adoption) that would cross-reference where to find objective standards in the Zoning Ordinance or other locations.
• Prepare an administrative draft for staff review. An initial public review draft will be prepared for community, Planning Commission, and City Council review. A second public review draft will be prepared for adoption hearings and a final draft for publication.
Task 3.4: Building ODS Transect Zones
Objective design standards will also include specific criteria for each of the transect zones. These will be developed in parallel with Task 4 to allow for the integration of building standards and the public realm standards. This task includes the following:
• Prepare a design narrative for each district or Transect Zone that defines the aesthetic parameters specific to the area
• Within each district area, building massing and site design standards may address:
o Parcel scale
o Building scale in terms of massing and building height o The design of private open space and courtyards
o Setbacks
o Facade length
o Facade treatments along primary and secondary frontages • Ornamentation and Detailing objective design standards o Architectural Ornamentation focus zones
▪ Grade Level Facade
▪ Facade Body (upper levels)
▪ Crown (parapet line)
o Fenestration
o Building materiality
• Where new standards can be applied citywide, they will be integrated into the existing code sections.
Meetings:
• Task 3.1: Three (3) specific meetings to review Precedent ODS and Best Practice Research • Task 3.2: Three (3) specific meetings to review Scale of Development and Architectural Analysis
• Task 3.3: Eight (8) meetings with City staff from relevant departments in addition to the biweekly check-in meetings. • Task 3.4: Eight (8) meetings to conceptualize, refine, and finalize new standards.
Deliverables:
Task 3.1:
• Example ODS by other cities pertaining to District Criteria and Ornamentation and Detailing (minimum of 3) including a summary of highlights from each example Task 3.2:
• Slide deck summarizing findings of site and architectural analysis of SSF research • Slide deck summarizing findings of current trends in contextual residential design Task 3.3 and 3.4: (Presumes access to original, editable digital files used to create the existing ODS document)
• Standards Update Strategy Memo
• Section 20.135 and 20.310 Redlines and areas of expansions and distinguished applicability. • Administrative Draft of the Standards
• Public Review Draft of the Standards
• Design Standards Checklist
• Draft and Finalized Diagrams communicating revised and new Single and Multi-Family Design Standards
Task 4. Streetscape & Public Realm Standards
The UF team will develop Streetscape & Public Realm Standards that integrate urban design with the public realm, enhancing user experience and supporting diverse transportation modes in South San Francisco.
Goals
• Capture Design Cohesion: Harmonize the visual and functional elements of buildings and streetscapes.
• Clarify and Streamline: Define clear requirements for streetscape improvements in development proposals.
• Enhance User Experience: Promote a cohesive streetscape character reflecting the unique areas of South San Francisco.
• Support Planning Goals: Align with the General Plan and Active South City Plan to enhance transportation and public spaces.
Focus Area
The focus area for the public realm standards will be the four corridors / districts as shown in the map in Figure 1, highlighted in yellow. City staff and the consultant team specifically identified these areas for the streetscape and public realm standards because they are the most likely to change in the near-term.
Task 4.1: Precedent and Best Practice Research
• Research recent streetscape and public realm standards from across the US and synthesize best practices. Explore how these standards have been integrated into urban design standards and into the municipal code.
• Assemble precedent images of best practices regarding streetscape and public realm elements such as paving, planting, lighting, seating.
Task 4.2: Desktop and Field Research on South San Francisco Streets • Field research to 4 focus area sites to evaluate existing conditions (this is in addition to the City tour)
• Using the General Plan Transportation Chapter and Active South City as starting points, expand on the LOS classification of street type by integrating pedestrian movement data from Strava Metro and Replica to develop holistic street types • Conduct field research to ground truth holistic street types Task 4.3: Streetscape Principles & Guidelines
• Develop Sidewalk Standards:
o Sidewalk Design Principles: Craft principles for SSF sidewalks framing them as the foundation of the transportation network and a vital part of SSF's public realm o Sidewalk Zones: Definition and delineation of building frontage / setback, pedestrian through, furnishing / streetlife, and landscape / planting zones o Features to activate sidewalks: Vibrant Street Wall, Green Walls, Plazas, Sidewalk Cafés, Driveways, Building Entrances
o Greenscape: Benefits of Street Trees, Vegetated Stormwater Management, Soils Selection and Management
o Lighting: General lighting principles
• Develop Intersection Standards:
o Design principles & User Experience: Multimodal intersection design principles.
Pedestrian, transit, bicycle, and motorist user experience. o Placemaking at intersections: Reclaiming space at intersections, gateways and transitions, building entrances.
o Crosswalk Design: Standard Crosswalks, Enhanced Crosswalks • Curb Management
o Curb management principles: Drawing on best practices and precedent research, develop SSF specific curb management principles for the focus areas o Alternative Curbside Uses: Accessible Parking, Scooter and Motorcycle Parking, Bicycle Share Stations, On-Street Bicycle Parking, Electric Vehicle Charging Stations, Parklets, Food Trucks
Standards Integration
The project team recommends adopting the public realm guidelines and standards by resolution, separate from the zoning ordinance in the form of a clear illustrative handbook. This allows for a layout that incorporates graphics and text to illustrate requirements. This document can be posted to the City’s website and more easily shared between City departments and updated from time to time. This document can be used to enforce public realm standards for residential, non-residential and municipal projects. This could be a single document or multiple documents “owned” by different departments (e.g., Street Tree species list, street furniture catalog). The zoning ordinance will cross-reference public realm guidelines standards, so that all objective standards are easily found and understood by applicants, City staff, and decision-makers.
Task 4.4: Applying the Guidelines to SSF's Streets
• Apply guidelines to SSF street types, providing specific guidance on design and material selection for the four districts identified above. Create graphic visualizations in coordination with ODS:
o Sidewalks by SSF Street Types: Building on the guidelines, apply sidewalk guidelines to SSF street types within the four focus areas.
o Sidewalk Materials: Materials and Sidewalk Zones, Permeable Paving Materials o Street Trees: Street Trees and Urban Design, Street Trees and Street Types, Choosing the Right Tree, Tree Siting and Spacing, Root Environment for Street Trees, Open Tree Trenches, Covered Tree Trenches, Raised Tree Beds, Tree Pits. o Vegetated Stormwater Management: Stormwater Planters, Rain Gardens o Street Furniture: Seating, Bollards, Trash Compactors and Recycling Bins, Bicycle Parking, Bicycle Racks
o Transit Stops: Bus Stops, Bus Shelters
o Street Lights: Street Lights, Light Fixtures, Lighting Elements (Lamps), Siting and Clearances
o Corridor Studies: Test fit guidelines to specific locations. Produce one detailed, oneblock plan line / horizontal layout for each district focus area. Eight (8) plans total.
Meetings:
• Task 4.1: One (1) meeting with City staff to review public realm guidelines precedents and best practices.
• Task 4.2: One (1) meeting with City staff (multiple departments) to review and select priority street types in the four focus districts.
• Task 4.3: Three (3) meetings with City staff to review public realm draft standards; this includes a preliminary draft, administrative draft, and public draft. • Task 4.4: One (1) meeting with City staff (multiple departments) to select locations for corridor studies.
Deliverables:
Task 4.1:
• Best Practice Research in form of 11x17 digital slide deck presentation Task 4.2:
• Summary of priority street types and characteristics in focus areas Task 4.3:
• Administrative and Public Review Drafts of the Streetscape and Public Realm Standards (PDF report)
• Summary Presentation of Streetscape and Public Realm Standards • Integrated Public Realm and Streetscape Standards
Task 4.4:
• Application of guidelines to SSF street types, providing specific guidance on design and material selection for the four districts
• Graphic visualizations in coordination with ODS
• Conduct corridor studies - Test fit guidelines to specific locations. Produce one detailed, one-block plan line / horizontal layout for each district focus area. Eight (8) plans total.
Task 5. Review and Adoption
Task 5.1 Design standard integration with existing documents Approach
The UF team will assemble the collective materials from the previous tasks into the Final Objective Design Standards and Streetscape & Public Realm Standards. UF will work with staff to determine the best format to implement (discussed in more detail below), and distill a significant amount of process into clear and concise presentations highlighting the overarching strategies, practical application, and the personal touches that came from the Community and Stakeholder Outreach process. The UF team places a great value in presenting how the ideas were sourced and refined through the community process, it is an essential path to adoption.
Final Code / Plan Amendments
Once the UF team has crafted the content in Tasks 3 and 4, the next step is finalizing their format, and strategy for integration. The South San Francisco Municipal Code contains primarily objective standards, while area plans contain both objective standards and subjective guidelines. The recommended outcome of the assignment would be codifying refinements and new standards using a combination of these two different methods:
• Amendments to Sections 20.135 and 20.310 to refine and augment existing standards.
Objective design standards would remain within the Zoning Ordinance alongside the development standards and other regulations applicable to the project site. The City may consider amending area plans only if necessary, retaining them as written, since they will continue to pertain to 100% non- residential projects and can continue to be enforced for residential and residential mixed use projects that are not subject to the Housing Accountability Act. Alternatively, the objective standards contained in the area plans could be integrated into the Zoning Ordinance. The subjective guidelines would remain in the area plans to provide guidance for all applications and as review criteria for projects that are not subject to the Housing Accountability Act. Note that the scope of work does not include modifications to area plan documents.
• A stand-alone document that establishes design standards for aspects of the residential and mixed-use residential projects as well as the standards for the Public Realm and Streetscapes. If adopted by resolution, the document could be more easily amended from time to time. This method allows for more detailed diagrams or photographs in an integrated booklet. Cross-references to this booklet in the zoning ordinance would help ensure that these standards do not get missed by applicants or future staff members.
Through the project, UF will work with staff to develop an approach that best fits within the City’s regulatory framework.
CEQA Review
The scope of zoning revisions anticipated represent implementation of adopted plans and policy.
Therefore, the revisions are expected to be categorically exempt under CEQA and/or addressed by the CEQA documents prepared for the General Plan and area plans. The project does not propose to increase development beyond what was analyzed in the General Plan or area plans. As a result, the scope of work does not include CEQA review.
Task 5.1 Deliverable Description
• Provide assistance in the final integration, cross referencing of the revised Building and Public Realm ODS into the zoning ordinance.
Task 5.2 Planning and City Council Public Hearings
• Prepare materials for and make formal presentations at up to two (2) Planning Commission and two (2) City Council public hearings to support adoption of the Objective Design Standards and Streetscape & Public Realm Standards.
Task 5.3 Final Objective Design Standards and Streetscape & Public Realm Standards. • Based on City Council action, prepare the final Objective Design Standards and Streetscape & Public Realm Standards.
Meetings:
• Planning Commission meetings (2)
• City Council meetings (2)
Deliverables:
• Meeting presentations (draft and final) (with slight revisions to tailor to PC and CC audiences) (2)
• Final Objective Design Standards and Streetscape & Public Realm Standards • Assistance with final integration of standards into the Zoning Code • Additional data, graphics, and other support, as needed