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HomeMy WebLinkAbout3.4J TOWN OF LOS ALTOS HILLS June 2, 2011 Staff Report to the Planning Commission SUBJECT: AMENDMENT TO ZONING ORDINANCE SECTION 10-1.202 (BASEMENT ORDINANCE) FROM: Brian Froelich, AICP, Associate Planner APPROVED BY: Debbie Pedro, AICP, Planning Director RECOMMENDATION: That the Planning Commission: Review the staff report and proposed Basement Ordinance amendments, consider any revisions, and forward a recommendation to the City Council to adopt a resolution approving the amendments in Attachment 1. BACKGROUND On February 17, 2011, the City Council formed an ad Hoc Committee to review the Town's Grading Policy and Basement Ordinance and propose any changes necessary to clarify the existing standards and solve the recurring problems associated with daylighted basements and three story fagades. The Committee consisted of members: Mayor, Ginger Summit, Planning Commissioner Eric Clow, Planning Commissioner Richard Partridge, architect Peter Duxbury, civil engineer Mark ' Helton, and staff. Over the past four months, the Committee has worked on modifications to the Basement Ordinance. (Attachment 1) DISCUSSION Basements are exempt from inclusion as floor area and this incentive has lead to designs, including daylighted basements that push the limits beyond the original intent. Specifically, daylighted basements that are leveraged with a Grading Policy exception create visible floor space where the exempt floor area is maximized. The Town has received several of these proposals with three story facades because basements are excluded from the building requirements. The Ad Hoc Committee was charged with reviewing these recurring issues and the Basement Ordinance in conjunction with the Grading Policy. The proposed amendments to the Ordinance are intended to prevent the types of building designs that have deviated from the original intent. Item 3.4 Staff Report to the Planning Commission Amendment to Zoning Ordinance Section 10-1.208 June 2, 2011 Page 2 of 2 Summary of Amendments • Bunker area exceeding 1,000 square feet will be counted as floor area — All bunkers currently require Planning Commission review. Adding this requirement will deter applications with large bunkers that would necessitate excessive earth excavation outside of building footprints. Daylighted basement structure height limit — daylighted -basements under two- story buildings create three story facades that could be visible from offsite. Requiring a height limit for daylighted basements will require that they be designed like the floor area portions of the building and step with the land contours. This requirement is consistent with the Fast Track Guide Goal III E.2. • Daylight basements can face road right-of-ways — The current Basement Ordinance states "That side of basement not wholly underground shall not be located on any side of a lot abutting one side of a road". The Committee determined that the intent of this requirement was to prevent three story facades facing streets. The application also promotes additional grading quantity with daylight basement garage designs to accommodate back up space. The Committee concluded that this requirement is no longer necessary if a structural height limit is applied to daylighted basements. CEQA STATUS The proposed application is exempt from California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15061 (b) (3). TTACHMENTS 1. Draft Basement Ordinance M Attachment 1 10-1.202 Basement means a floor level, or portions thereof, which has: (1) all portions directly below a building; and (2) the finished floor elevation of the building level above shall not be greater than twenty- eight (28") inches above the adjoining natural or finished grade, whichever is lower; and (3) have at least 3 side&, or at least 75% of its perimeter length wholly underground; and (4) Daylight Basement Structure Height Setback: For basement floor levels, the floor areaportion and the first 20 feet of a daylighted basement shall be limited to a structure height of 27 feet as measured from the basement pad elevation to the highest portion of the roof structure above; and road.That side of the basement not wholty underground shall not be loeated on any side of a lot abutting one side of a Daylighted basements shall comply with all height and setback requirements of this ordinance. Basements including cellars and bunkers, which are not located within the footprint of the building above, may be permitted by the Planning Commission when it finds that such structures do not encroach in setbacks, are a minimum of 18 inches below natural grade, are wholly underground except for required exiting, lighting and ventilation and are counted as development area except when placed under a surface already counted as development area.. Bunker area that exceeds 1,000 square feet shall be counted as Floor Area.