| | | | | | | |  | Committee Assignments - C4 H
COMMISSION MEMORANDUM |
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| | | | | | | | | TO: | Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Commission | | | FROM: | Jimmy L. Morales, City Manager | | | DATE: | July 29, 2020 | | | |
| | SUBJECT: | REFERRAL TO THE PLANNING BOARD - SIMPLIFICATION OF SINGLE FAMILY HOME DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS. |
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| | | | | | | | RECOMMENDATION
| | The administration recommends that the City Commission refer the attached draft ordinance to the Planning Board. |
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| | | | | | | | BACKGROUND/HISTORY
| In order to ensure that the City’s regulations and processes relating to private development projects are fair, balanced and efficient, the City solicited proposals from qualified firms to provide data-driven regulatory and process reviews, peer and best practice recommendations and recommendations for process improvement (both administrative and legislative). The goal of this comprehensive effort is to ensure that the regulations and processes affecting private development are efficient and streamlined. Specifically, the goals are to:
• Attract sustainable and resilient development;
• Safeguard quality of life within neighborhoods;
• Promote historic preservation;
• Improve both the customer experience and staff process.
The Matrix Consulting Group, LLC was chosen to review the City’s regulations and processes related to private development.
On May 22, 2019, the Land Use Development Committee (LUDC) reviewed the report of the Matrix Group and recommended that the City Commission accept the recommendations of the administration and requested that the administration provide a timeline for the recommendations moving forward. On June 5, 2019 the City Commission adopted Resolution No. 2019-30863 endorsing the administrations recommendations based on the Matrix study.
The adoption of this resolution included a referral of the work plan to the LUDC. Additionally, required amendments to the LDR’s were referred to the LUDC and Planning Board. One of these amendments was the simplification of the single-family development regulations.
On July 24, 2019, the LUDC discussed this amendment and recommend that the Planning Board endorse the Ordinance. On September 24, 2019, the Planning Board transmitted the ordinance to the City Commission with a favorable recommendation. On October 16, 2019, the City Commission discussed the proposed ordinance amendment and rereferred the item back to the LUDC to start the amendment process with the new City Commission from the beginning. Commissioner Ricky Arriola agreed to become the new sponsor for the proposal.
The December 2019 LUDC was cancelled, and the subject ordinance was placed on the January 21, 2020 agenda of the Land Use and Sustainability Committee. The item was deferred to the February 18, 2020 LUSC meeting. On February 18, 2020 the item was deferred to March 17, 2020. The March 17, 2020 LUSC meeting was postponed and the item was placed on the June 30, 2020 LUSC agenda.
Commissioner Mark Samuelian became the sponsor for the item on June 30, 2020. Additionally, the LUSC discussed the item on June 30, 2020 and continued the matter to July 21, 2020. On July 21, 2020 the LUSC recommended that the City Commission refer the ordinance to the Planning Board.
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| | | | | | | | ANALYSIS
| The Matrix study contained 33 initial recommendations, five of which staff has recommended not move forward. 11 of the initial recommendations have already been implemented by staff. Several of the recommendations required amendments to the Land Development Regulations. The subject ordinance is related to the recommendation that single-family home development regulations be simplified.
The simplification of the single-family home development regulations will accomplish three main objectives:
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The regulations will be easier for lay-persons to understand;
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The regulations will be easier for design professionals to understand and meet code requirements; and
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They will help to simplify and expedite permit review.
Among other changes, the attached proposal would simplify how lot coverage and unit size is calculated for single-family homes. The ordinance also proposes staff review for homes utilizing the understory regulations in all circumstances. The attached chart (Exhibit A) is a summary of the proposed amendments, as refined and modified based on the discussion at the City Commission meeting of October 16, 2019 and further analysis by staff. Graphic illustrations of existing and proposed regulations are also attached (Exhibit B).
Additionally, staff has met with practicing architects who frequently use the single-family regulations, as well as representatives of MDPL and MBU for their input. These discussions have also informed the proposed revisions to the ordinance.
At the June 30, 2020 LUSC meeting, additional information was requested regarding understory homes that have been reviewed by the DRB. The following is a summary of homes reviewed by the DRB with an understory, since 2017:
DRB Meeting DRB File Address Description
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7/7/2017
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DRB16-0082
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2120 Lucerne Ave
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Understory and Pre-1942
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1/2/2019
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DRB18-0334
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40 West Rivo Alto Dr
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Understory, Pre-1942, waivers
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2/5/2019
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DRB18-0347
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4534 Sheridan Ave
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Understory, Pre-1942, waivers and variances
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10/2/2019
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DRB19-0427
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4260 Pine Tree Dr
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Understory, waivers and variance
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11/5/2019
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DRB19-0456
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250 South Hibiscus Dr
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Understory, Pre-1942 and waiver
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12/13/2019
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DRB19-0445
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420 South Hibiscus Dr
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Understory, Pre-1942, waiver and variance
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3/3/2020
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DRB19-0395
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426 W. San Marino Dr
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Understory, Pre-1942 and waivers
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7/7/20
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DRB20-0514
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250 E Rivo Alto Dr
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Understory ONLY
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7/7/20
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DRB19-0468
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4880 Pine Tree Dr
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Understory, Pre-1942 and waivers
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7/7/20
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DRB20-0507
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10 Star Island Dr
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Understory, waivers and variance
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10/6/20
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DRB20-0558
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1161 Stillwater Drive
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Understory ONLY (pre-application)
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As noted above, other than 250 East Rivo Alto and 1161 Stillwater Drive, all the applications included a mandatory review by the DRB, due to a pre-1942 replacement, waiver or variance request. The administration still recommends that the understory portion of a new single family be reviewed administratively, as the overall height of the home would not be impacted by the introduction of an understory area.
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| | | | | | | | CONCLUSION
| | The administration recommends that the City Commission refer the attached draft ordinance to the Planning Board. |
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| | | | | | | | | Is this a "Residents Right to Know" item, pursuant to City Code Section 2-14? | | Does this item utilize G.O. Bond Funds? | | | Yes | | No | |
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| | | | | | | | Legislative Tracking
Planning |
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| | | | | | | | Sponsor
Vice-Mayor Mark Samuelian |
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