The Housing Opportunity Overlay (HO-O) Zone is established to facilitate the development of affordable multi-family housing, enable the City to meet its housing goals, and ensure that affordable housing developments will be compatible with surrounding land uses.
(Ord. 19-876, § 6)
Premises designated within the Housing Opportunity Overlay (HO-O) may be developed either in the manner provided in this article or in the manner provided in the underlying zoning district.
(Ord. 19-876, § 6)
(a) 
Form of Application. An application for a project approval under the HO-O shall be completed on a form provided by the Planning Department.
(b) 
Ministerial Approval Process. Projects that comply with the requirements of this article shall be permitted by right. Compliance with the requirements of this article shall not, however, waive any additional requirement for compliance with Chapter 1 of Title 9 of this Code. If an applicant requires approval of an application for a lot line adjustment, merger of parcels, or subdivision in conjunction with approval of an application pursuant to this article, a separate application for the lot line adjustment, merger of parcels, or appropriate subdivision map shall proceed in accordance with Chapter 1 of Title 9 of this Code.
(c) 
Approving Body. The Planning Director shall approve an administrative permit to construct and operate an apartment house under this article if the application complies with all of the requirements of this article.
(d) 
Notice of Decision. A notice of decision shall be mailed first class and postage pre-paid to both the applicant and the applicant's representative (as shown on the application) and to any person who has made a written request for a copy of the decision. The decision of the Planning Director shall be final and conclusive.
(e) 
Expiration of Administrative Approval. Within two years of the date of approval by the Planning Director, commencement of construction shall have occurred or the approval shall become null and void.
(Ord. 19-876, § 6)
Projects seeking approval pursuant to this article shall be subject to the following development standards:
(a) 
Lot Area. Each lot or parcel of land shall have a minimum lot area of not less than 10,000 square feet.
(b) 
Density. Each lot or parcel of land shall have a minimum residential density of 20 dwelling units per acre, with a maximum density of 30 dwelling units per acre. For the purpose of calculating the allowed number of units on a particular lot, quotients ending in 0.5 or higher shall be rounded off to the next higher whole integer.
(c) 
Yards. The following yard requirements shall apply:
(1) 
Front Yards. Each lot or parcel of land shall have a front yard of not less than 15 feet in depth. Garages and parking areas facing a street shall be located a minimum of 25 feet from the curb or proposed curb line.
(2) 
Side Yards. Each lot or parcel of land shall have a side yard of not less than five feet in width, except on the street side of a corner or reversed corner lot, which shall have a side yard of not less than 10 feet in width. Garages and parking areas facing a street shall be located a minimum of 25 feet from the curb or proposed curb line.
(3) 
Rear Yards. Each lot or parcel of land shall have a rear yard of not less than five feet in depth. Ancillary structures abutting an alley including, but not limited to, garages, carports, and parking areas, shall be located a minimum of five feet from the alley line.
(d) 
Height Limits. No lot or parcel of land shall have a building or structure in excess of three stories, or 50 feet, whichever is less.
(e) 
Lot Area Building Coverage. No more than 70% of the lot area of any lot or parcel of land shall be covered by roofed structure(s) of any kind.
(f) 
Off-Street Parking. Each lot or parcel of land shall comply with the following parking requirements:
(1) 
Location of Parking Facilities. The required parking facilities set forth in Subsection (f)(2) of this section shall be conveniently accessible and located on the same lot or parcel of land as the use such parking facilities are intended to serve. Such facilities may include enclosed paved parking spaces within a garage and/or unenclosed paved parking spaces.
(2) 
Parking Spaces Required.
(A) 
For dwelling units with one bedroom or less, there shall be one and a quarter (1 1/4) parking spaces per dwelling unit;
(B) 
For dwelling units with two bedrooms, there shall be one and one-half (1 ½) parking spaces per dwelling unit;
(C) 
For dwelling units with three bedrooms, there shall be two parking spaces per dwelling unit; and
(D) 
For dwelling units with four or more bedrooms, there shall be two and one-half (2 ½) parking spaces per dwelling unit.
(3) 
Guest Parking. In addition to the required off-street parking spaces set forth in Subsection (f)(2) of this section, a lot or parcel developed pursuant to this article shall provide one quarter (1/4) parking space per unit in an unenclosed space for guests, with any fractions rounded down to the nearest whole number.
(4) 
Parking Space Dimensions. The minimum size of an open parking space shall be a width of nine feet and a length of 18 feet. The minimum size of an enclosed parking space shall be a width of 10 feet and a length of 20 feet.
(5) 
Accessible Parking Spaces. A lot or parcel developed pursuant to this article shall comply with the accessible parking space requirements per the Building Code of the City of Artesia.
(6) 
Bumper Guards and Wheel Stops. Bumper guards or wheel stops, where appropriate, shall be provided for all the required motor vehicle parking spaces, except spaces established in a garage.
(7) 
Maneuvering Areas, Turnaround Areas, and Driveways. Maneuvering areas, turnaround areas, and driveways shall comply with all applicable requirements of the Fire Code of the City of Artesia. The required back-up area shall be 25 feet.
(g) 
Signs.
(1) 
Signs Permitted. Each lot or parcel of land shall have no more than one permanent sign, which shall be either a monument sign, as such term is defined in Section 9-2.420(l) of Article 4 of this chapter, or a wall sign, as such term is defined in Section 9-2.424(b) of Article 4 of this chapter.
(2) 
Standards Applicable to Monument Signs. Monument signs are subject to the following limitations, restrictions, and provisions:
(A) 
Height. Monument signs shall not exceed four feet in height, inclusive of the height of the supporting structure, as measured from the ground surface level at the point on which the sign is to be placed to the top of the sign structure. The ground surface level upon which a monument sign may be placed shall not exceed three feet above the elevation of the top of the nearest street curb.
(B) 
Length. Monument signs shall not exceed eight feet in length.
(C) 
Area. The maximum area of a monument sign, excluding the supporting structure, shall be 24 square feet.
(3) 
Standards Applicable to Wall Signs. Wall signs are subject to the following limitations, restrictions, and provisions:
(A) 
Projection. No wall sign shall project more than 12 inches from the wall face.
(B) 
Area. The maximum area of a wall sign shall be 40 square feet.
(C) 
Letter and Characters. No wall sign shall have more than two rows or columns of letters or characters.
(D) 
Conduits, Raceways, Transformers, Junction Boxes, and Openings. All conduits, raceways, transformers, junction boxes, and openings in the building surface shall be concealed.
(E) 
Mounting. All wall signs shall be mounted directly onto the building face and shall be completely sealed in a watertight enclosure. All bolts, fastenings, and clips used shall be of hot-dipped galvanized iron, stainless steel, or other non-corrosive material.
(4) 
Illumination. All signs intended to be illuminated shall be illuminated internally.
(5) 
Channel and Reverse Channel Letters. All signs shall consist of channel or reverse channel letters.
(6) 
Signs Prohibited. Cabinet signs, moving signs, digital changing signs, and neon signs are prohibited.
(h) 
Outdoor Living Space. Each lot or parcel shall provide a minimum of 200 square feet of usable outdoor living space per dwelling unit. Such outdoor living space may be configured as communal space, private space, or a combination of both communal and private space. Outdoor living spaces may include, without limitation, rooftop decks, balconies, or patios.
(i) 
Landscaping. Each lot or parcel of land shall be landscaped in accordance with both Articles 15 and 15.5 of this chapter.
(j) 
Trash Containers. Trash enclosures shall comply with Section 9-2.2904(j) of Article 29 of this chapter.
(k) 
Air Conditioning Units. Air conditioning units shall comply with Section 9-2.2904(k) of Article 29 of this chapter.
(l) 
Landscape Accessories. Landscape accessories, as such term is defined in Section 9-2.413 of Article 4 of this chapter, shall not exceed three feet six inches when measured from the ground level and shall not encroach into or overhang the sidewalk or public right-of-way.
(m) 
Lighting. All outdoor parking lot and security lighting, except for ornamental landscape lighting, shall be full cutoff, directed downwards, and shielded so that illumination from such lighting does not exceed 0.5 foot-candle at the property boundaries.
(n) 
Building Standards. Projects seeking approval under this article shall comply with all applicable standards in Title 8 of this Code.
(o) 
Affordability. At least 20% of the residential units in each project developed pursuant to this article shall be reserved for households earning no greater than 80% of area median income adjusted for family size appropriate to the unit. The units shall be sold or rented at an affordable housing cost or affordable rent, as those terms are defined in Sections 50052.5 and 50053 of the California Health and Safety Code. If the units are rental units, the affordable units shall be deed-restricted for a period of not less than 55 years. If the units are for-sale units, the units shall be sold in accordance with California Government Code Section 65915.
(p) 
Density Bonus. An applicant for a project pursuant to this article may apply for a density bonus in accordance with California Government Code Section 65915. The units that must be reserved pursuant to Subsection (o) of this section shall not count towards the percentage of units that must be reserved to qualify for a density bonus under California Government Code Section 65915(b), as that section may be amended from time to time. For the purpose of any density bonus granted, the maximum allowable residential density for a project applying for by-right approval in the HO-O Zone shall be 30 dwelling units per acre.
(q) 
Regulatory Agreement. A legally binding agreement, in a form approved by the City Attorney, shall be executed and recorded against the property to ensure that the property complies with all of the requirements of this article, including, but not limited to, the requirement that affordable units shall be deedrestricted for a period of not less than 55 years. The property owner shall record the regulatory agreement prior to recording any final map for the underlying property, or prior to the issuance of any building permit for the project, whichever comes first. The regulatory agreement shall be binding on all future owners and successors of interests of the project. The City Manager is authorized to execute the regulatory agreement, and any related document(s), on behalf of the City Council for projects approved pursuant to this article.
(Ord. 19-876, § 6)