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themes for our approach to the project. These themes
serve as the organizing principles for our proposed
work program.
Close collaboration 2$/#$/4./
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our team has unparalleled, broad experience with
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existing political and social trends, the day-to-day City operations, and the decision-making process. We will
establish a close working relationship and regular
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communication protocols and the document review
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consultant project team and maintain close, regular
communication.
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success of the Zoning Ordinance Update is clearly
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and opportunities for improvement. At the outset
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explore the issues and opportunities, and prioritize
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the regulated community. We will facilitate multiple
workshops with the Planning Commission and City
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provisions.
Prioritize Work. Based on the initial exploration of
issues and opportunities, we will work closely with
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it will be important at this point to address broader,
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will also determine the appropriate division of
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Incorporate New Ideas. At each step in the process,
we will incorporate new ideas and innovative
approaches to addressing key issues and capitalizing
on opportunities to improve the Development
Ordinance. We will base these approaches and choices
on our understanding of best practices in zoning and
our extensive experience working with a wide array
of cities throughout California and the San Joaquin
Valley.
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Development Ordinance will establish an
unambiguous and streamlined process for building
and development permits, especially related to
housing. This could include providing more by-right
uses with objective design and development standards
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increased use of administrative permits.
Work Plan
Phase 1: Project Initiation
Objective. At the outset of the Update, our Team
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expectations, needs, and objectives for the Zoning
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ADU and PRD provisions. This will establish the
organizational foundation for the planning process.
We envision a series of collaborative meetings, work
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expectations and build a consensus on the scope and
content of the updated Ordinance.
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Consultant will prepare a meeting agenda for the City
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meeting. Following the meeting, we will prepare notes
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be addressed at the meeting include the following:
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the Zoning Ordinance Update.
• Discuss the ADU and PRD issues.
• Discuss the community engagement strategy.
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schedule as necessary.
• Agree on a detailed schedule with key milestones
and meetings leading to the adoption of the
updated Zoning Ordinance.
• Establish protocols for providing information on
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other public information platforms.
6 CITY OF VISALIA | Zoning Ordinance Standards for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU) and Planned Residential Development (PRDs) Task 2.1: Diagnostic Review
The Consultant will review documents relevant to
the Zoning Ordinance update, including the Zoning
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ADU requirements are fairly prescriptive, the City
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ADU provisions. However, we will highlight options
where they exist. We will also review and compare
ADU ordinances prepared for other valley cities,
including the model ordinance prepared through the
SJV REAP program. The Consultant will review the
background and history of the Planned Development
regulations and the results of recent discussions at the City Council, identify key issues, and explore options
for improving the Planned Development standards and
requirements.
Task 2.2: Stakeholder Interviews
An important source of information about how
existing Planned Development regulations are and
are not working is to talk to the regulated community.
The Consultant will conduct up to 12 virtual or
conference call interviews with individuals and
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stakeholders who can speak about issues relative to
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(e.g., builders, developers, civil engineers, architects, residents, community representatives, neighborhood
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participants in advance of the interviews and will
document the interview results in a summary report.
Task 2.3: Memo of Options
and Approaches
Once the technical diagnosis and stakeholder
interviews are complete, the Consultant will prepare
a Memo of Options and Approaches. This memo will
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in Task 2.1 and will identify, at a minimum:
• ADU required and optional provisions.
• Optional approaches to the Planned Development
regulations.
• Opportunities for including additional graphics,
diagrams, tables, and charts.
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and approaches outlined in the Task 2.3 memo. Based
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documents relevant to the Update.
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examples of key planned development projects, good
and bad, to gain an understanding the related issues.
We may also want to look at successful and, if any,
unsuccessful, ADU projects
Task 1.2: Workshop #1 – Zoning
Ordinance Presentation
The Consultant will facilitate a citywide workshop with /# $/4*0)
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interested community members. This meeting will
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public about the process and objectives of the Update.
This meeting will provide the opportunity for the
Council/Commission to provide initial direction on
ADUs and Planned Residential Development issues.
The Consultant will summarize the results of the
Workshop.
Phase 1 Work products:
•
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• Workshop #1 materials and presentation
• Workshop Meeting #1 Summary Report
Phase 1 Meetings:
•
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Phase 1 Timeline:
• September 2022
Phase 1 Completion date:
• September 30, 2022
Phase 2: Diagnosis
Objective. The Consultant will conduct a thorough
review of the existing Zoning Ordinance ADU and
PRD provisions, including case studies of successes
and failures. This Phase is the foundation for how
the Ordinance will be updated and where updates are
needed.
7 MINTIER HARNISH | August 17, 2022
on the results of the working Session, the consultant
will initiate preparation of the new ADU and PRD
provisions.
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• Stakeholder interview questions
• Stakeholder interviews summary report
• Memo of options and approaches
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Phase 3: Zoning
Ordinance Update
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ADU regulations to comply with State law, as well
as to establish additional regulations and objective
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objectives for allowing ADUs and maintaining
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will also prepare Planned Development regulations to
provide clear and concise standards and protocols for
developments that do not conform to typical Zoning
Ordinance development standards.
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Accessory Dwelling Unit Provisions
The Consultant will prepare updated ADU provisions
consistent with State law. There have been a multitude
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including changes pertaining to the allowed
size of ADUs, permitting ADUs by right, parking
requirements, reduced permit application review time,
lot size and replacement parking space requirements,
junior ADUs, owner-occupancy requirements, and
tiered fee structure. At a minimum, the provisions will include:
• Zoning and development standards
• Lot and unit size requirements
• Allowed uses
• Parking requirements
• Setbacks and height limits
• Infrastructure requirements
• Impact fees
• Owner occupancy
• Junior ADAs
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one or more virtual meetings to discuss comments
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Residential Development Provisions
The Consultant will prepare updated Planned
Residential Development provisions. At a minimum,
the PRD provisions will include:
• Zoning and development standards
• Lot and unit size requirements
• Allowed uses
• Parking requirements
• Setbacks and height limits
• Infrastructure requirements
• Private streets and sidewalks
• Open space requirements
• Common area maintenance
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The Consultant will revise the two Administrative
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discussion and input and will prepare a complete
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detailed table of contents, graphics, and illustrations.
The Consultant will submit a complete Preliminary
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City Attorney, for review. The Consultant will meet
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8 CITY OF VISALIA | Zoning Ordinance Standards for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU) and Planned Residential Development (PRDs) Task 4.2: City Council Study Session
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a Study Session with the City Council. We will make
a general presentation of the major changes to the
Ordinance, the reasons for the changes, and how
the City will administer the updated provisions.
Additionally, we will present the comments and
recommendations from the Planning Commission
Study Session. We will facilitate a question-and-
answer period and record all comments and
recommendations. Our team will prepare a summary
of all comments which we will use, in consultation
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Zoning Ordinance Update.
Task 4.3: Revised Public Review
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City Council, we will prepare a Revised Public Review
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for review prior to submission to the City Council for
adoption consideration.
Task 4.4: Response to
Comments from HCD
The Consultants will respond to one round of
comments on the ADU provisions following HCD
review. We will then prepare a Second Revised Public
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Phase 4 Work Products:
• Planning Commission Study Session materials,
presentation, comments, and recommendations
• City Council Study Session materials, presentation,
and direction
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Phase 4 Meetings:
• Planning Commission Study Session
• City Council Study Session
Phase 4 Timeline:
• March - April 2023
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Ordinance which will be provided to the City for
review by the City Council, the public, and other
applicable groups.
Phase 3 Work Products:
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Phase 3 Timeline:
• November 2022 - February 2023
Phase 3 Completion date:
• February 28, 2023
Phase 4: Public Review
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facilitating public review of the Zoning Ordinance
Update at the Planning Commission and City Council.
Task 4.1: Planning Commission
Study Session
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with facilitating a Study Session with the Planning
commission. We will make a general presentation
of the major changes to the Zoning Ordinance,
the reasons for the changes, and how the City
will administer the updated provisions. We will
facilitate a question-and-answer period and record
all comments. Our team will prepare a summary
of all public comments and Planning Commission
recommendations, which we will provide to the City
Council.
9 MINTIER HARNISH | August 17, 2022
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Phase 4 Completion date:
• April 28, 2023
Phase 5: Environmental
Review
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environmental review of the Revised Public
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requirements of CEQA.
Task 5.1: Environmental Review
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probable contents of the updated Zoning Ordinance
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already likely to have been addressed in the 2014
General Plan EIR. Based on the direction from the
City, the Consultant expects be able to tier from the
2014 General Plan EIR and prepare either a letter of
consistency or addendum, or prepare an Initial Study/
Negative Declaration.
Phase 5 Work Product:
•
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of consistency of the updated Zoning Ordinance
with the 2014 General Plan EIR or an Initial Study/
Negative Declaration.
Phase 5 Meetings:
• None
Phase 5 Timeline:
• April 2023
Phase 5 Completion date:
• April 28, 2023
Phase 6: Adoption of the Final
Zoning Ordinance Update
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and adoption of the Zoning Ordinance Update. The
Consultant will prepare presentations and support
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Task 6.1 : Planning Commission
Public Hearing
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with facilitating a public hearing with the Planning
Commission to consider adoption of the Updated
Zoning Ordinance.
Task 6.2: City Council Public Hearing
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facilitating a public hearing with the City Council to
consider adoption of the Updated Zoning Ordinance.
Task 6.3: Final Document to
be Provided to the City
The Consultant will prepare the Final Zoning
Ordinance Update for delivery to the City for
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reproducible camera-ready copy of the adopted
documents and a digital copy of the Zoning Ordinance
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Task 6.4: Informational Materials
The Consultant will prepare informational materials
and guides with graphics for use by the public,
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regulations in a more easily understandable and user-
friendly how-to format.
Phase 6 Work Products:
• Planning Commission and City Council public
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• Final Zoning Ordinance Update
• Informational materials and guides
Phase 6 Meetings:
• Planning Commission Public Hearing
• City Council Public Hearing
Phase 6 Timeline:
• May - June 2023
Phase 6 Completion date:
• June 30, 2023
10 CITY OF VISALIA | Zoning Ordinance Standards for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU) and Planned Residential Development (PRDs)