City of South San Francisco, CA Chapter 20.310 SITE AND BUILDING DESIGN STANDARDS

§ 20.310.001 Purpose.

The purpose of this chapter is to prescribe general citywide site and building design standards. The standards of this chapter shall be used in conjunction with the standards for the applicable zoning district located in Division II, Conventional District Regulations, Division III, Form-Based Zoning Districts, or Division IV, Overlays and Plan Districts. In any case of conflict, the standards specific to the zoning district shall override these regulations.

(Ord. 1646 § 2, 2022; Ord. 1656, 6/12/2024)

§ 20.310.002 General Site and Building Design.

A. Applicability. This section applies to all development throughout the City.

B. Grading.

1. Slopes of Cut/Fill Areas.

a. Cut surfaces may not exceed 40 percent (two horizontal to one vertical).

b. Fill slopes may not be constructed on natural slopes steeper than 50 percent and fill surfaces may not exceed 50 percent.

c. Grading requires conditional approval from the Review Authority where:

i. Slopes created by grading of the site exceed 30 percent; or

ii. The grading is within 100 feet of a watercourse (top of bank) or any other water body.

2. Height of Cut/Fill Areas.

a. Where the height of the fill area is greater than five feet, new fill shall be benched into sound bedrock or other material as determined by a soils engineer or engineering geologist.

b. Cut and fill banks shall not exceed 30 feet in height, vertically. In the cases of arterial streets, they may exceed 30 feet with the approval of the City Engineer.

Figure 20.310.002.A: Slopes and Height of Cut/Fill Areas

3. Fill Design Requirements.

a. All ground surface to be filled must be prepared to receive the fill by removing vegetation, noncomplying fill, topsoil and other unsuitable materials, and scarifying to provide a bond with the new fill.

b. No soils containing hazardous or toxic material of any kind may be used as fill. No rock, broken concrete, asphalt, or similar irreducible materials shall be used for fill.

4. Slope Stabilization. The faces of cut-and-fill slopes shall be prepared and maintained to control against erosion. This consists of planting, use of armor rock, terracing, water breaks, dams, cribbing, rip rap, or combinations thereof. Protection for the slopes shall be installed prior to final inspection. The Chief Building Official may require installation of temporary measures as required to protect exposed areas until permanent measures can be taken.

5. Terraces. Terraces a minimum four feet in width shall be established at not more than 15-foot intervals on all cut or fill slopes to control surface drainage and debris. Where only one terrace is required, it shall be at mid-height.

6. Dust Control. Contractors performing grading operations within the City where dry conditions or dry admixtures are encountered shall adequately and effectively control dust to prevent spread off-site or onto existing structures on-site. Prior to commencement of grading operations, the contractor shall furnish details of proposed dust control measures to the Chief Building Official for approval.

7. Protection of Trees. Construction vehicles and equipment and excavated soils shall be kept away from under the canopy of any trees on the site which are to be preserved.

8. Grading Plan Required. For any grading on a site with a natural slope of 15 percent or greater, a grading plan is required.

C. Drainage.

1. All drainage plans that alter the slope or contour of a site’s existing drainage pattern are required to obtain approval from the City Engineer.

2. Where possible, sites must drain directly into the Bay through drainage outfalls.

3. Cut-and-fill slopes shall be provided with subsurface drainage as necessary for stability. Paved interceptor drains shall be installed along the top of all cut slopes where the tributary drainage area above the slopes toward the cut has a drainage path greater than 40 feet measured horizontally.

4. All drainage facilities shall be designed to carry waters to the nearest drainage way approved by the appropriate jurisdiction.

D. Hillsides. All development on sites with an average grade of 15 percent or more is subject to the following standards:

1. Height. The maximum height of any building face is 20 feet from finished grade. The exterior wall of any portion of the building that is more than 20 feet above finished grade shall be set back a minimum of five feet from the face of the floor below.

Figure 20.310.002.B: Height of Building Faces on Hillsides

2. Articulation. Building articulation (bays, recesses, overhangs, or setbacks) shall be incorporated at the downhill side of the structure to reduce the visual impact of the vertical mass.

3. Roof Design. To encourage buildings with multi-level foundations, the maximum horizontal dimension on a roof plan shall be limited to 50 feet, and no more than 25 percent of the total roof may be less than 2.5 percent in pitch.

Figure 20.310.002.C: Roof Design on Hillsides

4. Screening of Underfloors. Areas between the lowest floor and finished grade shall be enclosed with finished walls or architectural screening. Exterior structural supports and undersides of floors and decks not enclosed by walls or otherwise screened may be approved only if the Review Authority finds that no alternative type of construction is feasible, and fire-safety and design considerations have been adequately addressed.

5. Driveways. Driveways shall follow natural terrain contours to the maximum extent feasible to minimize grading and the finished driveway grade shall not exceed an average grade of 18 percent.

6. Impervious Surfaces. On sites with an average slope of 15 percent or more, the maximum lot coverage by impervious surfaces shall not exceed 40 percent of the gross land area.

E. Block Lengths. Where a project includes the construction of new rights-of-way, resulting block sizes shall conform to the following standards:

1. Prohibition on Consolidation of Existing Blocks. Existing block configurations shall not be consolidated to create larger blocks.

2. Large Site Development. Sites larger than three acres shall be developed into uninterrupted blocks with block faces no longer than 350 feet in length. Where blocks are interrupted by or a publicly-accessible pedestrian path or paseo, block lengths may be a maximum 500 feet.

F. Building Entrances.

1. Building entrances shall be emphasized with landscape treatments and architectural treatments.

2. All building and dwelling units located in the interior of a site shall have direct entrances from the sidewalk that are designed as an extension of, and that connect to, a public sidewalk.

Figure 20.310.002.D: Building Entrances

3. Entrances located at corners shall have a distinct architectural treatment to create interest at the intersection and facilitate pedestrian flow around the corner. Treatments may include angled or rounded corners, columns, arches, and other architectural elements

G. Open Space Design and Orientation.

1. Open spaces shall be accessible, visible and well lit. Benches, light standards, kiosks, trash receptacles, and other street furniture shall be provided in open spaces and shall be designed in a coordinated fashion to enhance the appearance and function of the site and open space

2. Seating areas in open spaces shall be protected and oriented for maximum sun exposure and protected from the wind.

3. Creek Access. Unless it is demonstrated to the satisfaction of City staff that no feasible alternative exists, any property with frontage on Colma Creek or San Bruno Creek shall be required to provide, as a part of the on-site landscaping plan, a paved public-access trail along the top of the bank for the portion of the creek bank on the site. The trail shall be compliant with specifications of the City Public Works Department and the Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC), as applicable. Each such trail segment shall connect directly to the creek bank on each adjacent property or a trail segment along the Shoreline (e.g., the Bay Trail).

H. On-Site Circulation and Parking.

1. Pedestrian and Bicycle Pathways.

a. A system of pedestrian walkways shall connect all primary buildings entrances on a site to each other, to on-site automobile and bicycle parking areas, and to any on-site open space areas, pedestrian amenities, and transit stops.

b. Walkways shall be the shortest practical distance between the main entry and sidewalk, generally no more than 125 percent of the straight-line distance.

c. Walkways must link residential units with recreational and other internal facilities and with other residential units.

d. Sidewalks and/or walkways shall be provided at a minimum on at least one side of all private and public roadways to residential groupings within a project.

e. Walkways shall be a minimum of five feet wide, hard-surfaced, and paved with permeable materials.

f. Where a required walkway crosses driveways, parking areas, or loading areas, it must be clearly identifiable through a raised crosswalk, a different paving material, or similar method.

g. Where a required walkway is parallel and adjacent to a vehicle travel lane, it must be raised or separated from the vehicle travel lane by a raised curb at least four inches high, bollards, or other physical barrier.

2. Parking Lot Access and Design.

a. Shared access drives to parking areas are allowed in order to minimize curb cuts and potential conflicts with pedestrians.

b. Where a project side abuts an alley or lane, access to parking shall be provided from the alley or lane.

c. On corner lots, curb cuts shall be located on the street frontage with the least pedestrian activity whenever feasible.

d. On sites fronting local and collector streets, surface parking areas shall be located on the interior side or rear of the site and behind buildings. Parking may be located between a building and a street on sites fronting an arterial street only.

e. Curb cuts shall be allowed only to provide access to approved garages, carports and parking spaces.

f. Curb cuts shall be located at least 10 feet from any intersection curb return or pedestrian crosswalk.

g. Surface parking areas must be separated from on-site buildings by a minimum distance of five feet, which may be occupied by landscaping or walkways.

3. Parking Structure Access and Design.

a. Access stairs for parking structures or stackers must directly access a sidewalk or pedestrian alley and must be well-lit and secure.

b. Pedestrian entries and stairwells for parking structures or stackers must be located adjacent to public streets and along major pedestrian connections, except for a campus environment.

c. All building floors used as garages and other enclosed or covered parking facilities must be designed with at least one of the following:

i. Punched openings with spacing and proportions typical of a habitable space; or

ii. Screening that obscures the view of vehicles. Screening may take the form of plants, living walls, wire or metal mesh, fabric, or other durable screening material.

iii. Other design element that provides visual interest and high quality design, to be approved through the Design Review process.

I. Building Materials and Textures.

1. Building elevations must incorporate at least three materials and textures: primary, secondary, and detail. A primary material or color comprises 60 percent or more of the façade excluding transparent surfaces; a secondary color comprises no more than 30 percent of the façade excluding transparent surfaces; and a detail is used on trim and architectural details, comprising no more than 10 percent of the façade excluding transparent surfaces.

2. Primary Building Materials. The following primary cladding materials are allowed:

a. Glass;

b. Brick/masonry;

c. Steel;

d. Concrete/concrete block;

e. Metal/painted metal clapboard;

f. Wood;

g. Stucco; and

h. Stone.

i. Other quality, durable materials may be approved by the Review Authority as part of the project review.

3. Secondary Materials. The following secondary materials are allowed:

a. Metal (wrought iron, copper, bronze) with a non-reflective finish;

b. Wood;

c. Split-face CMU;

d. Terra cotta tile;

e. Brick or brick veneer;

f. Tile; and

g. Other quality, durable materials may be approved by the Review Authority as part of the project review.

4. Prohibited Building Materials. Plywood, corrugated metal, and aluminum are prohibited.

5. Ground Floor Building Materials.

a. Building materials used on the ground floor shall be high quality durable materials such as concrete, stone, tile, masonry, or other equivalent quality materials.

b. The portion of the building measured from grade to two feet above grade that front the public sidewalk shall be constructed of such materials, rather than glass, wood, or stucco.

6. Glazing for Bird Safety.

a. The use of bird-safe glazing is required for a minimum 90 percent of all glazing up to 60 feet in height for uninterrupted glazed segments 24 square feet or larger.

b. Bird-safe glazing includes the following:

i. Glass that reflects the ultraviolet light (which birds can see);

ii. Glass which has photovoltaic cells embedded;

iii. Dichroic glass;

iv. Fritted glass;

v. Etched glass;

vi. Translucent glass; and

vii. Film.

c. When glazing incorporates patterns, the pattern must uniformly cover the entire window and consist of elements separated by a minimum two inches wide and a minimum four inches tall (the "2x4 Rule").

d. Exceptions.

i. Residential-zoned buildings less than 45 feet tall with less than 50 percent glazing are exempt from glazing requirements. However, the requirement for bird-safe glazing applies to uninterrupted glazed segments 24 square feet or larger.

ii. A minimum 95 percent bird-safe glazing is required for residential-zoned buildings less than 45 feet tall with more than 50 percent glazing.

iii. Requirements may be modified or waived in accordance with a documented recommendation from a qualified biologist.

J. Architectural Integrity and Unified Palette. All buildings shall be designed with “360-degree design” where each exterior wall is designed equivalent to the primary façade in the extent of building articulation, level of detail, and quality of exterior materials, and consistent with the color scheme of the primary façade. Details include, but are not limited to, window and door trim, window and door recesses, cornices, belt courses, columns/piers, posts/beams, brackets, columns/arches, and roof forms.

K. Additions/Remodels. Notwithstanding the design standards of this chapter, additions to and remodels of existing buildings, including porches, balconies and decks, must match the architectural design and detail of the existing building.

L. Sustainability Standards. All development shall comply with all applicable requirements of Chapter 15.22 ("California Green Building Code") of the South San Francisco Municipal Code.

(Ord. 1646 § 2, 2022; Ord. 1656, 6/12/2024)

§ 20.310.003 Single-Family and Duplex Residential Design.

A. Applicability. This section applies to all single-unit and duplex development throughout the City.

B. Upper-Story Wall Planes. No upper-story wall shall run in a continuous plane of more than 20 feet without a window or a projection, offset, or recess of the building wall at least one foot in depth.

Figure 20.310.003.A: Upper-Story Wall Planes

C. Roofline. Roof design must include a minimum of two forms and slopes. Forms may include, but are not limited to, hips, gables, sheds, dormers, and parapets.

1. Parapet Length. Parapet segments may not exceed 25 feet in length without interruption in height or form.

2. Pitch. The pitch of the roof must be 3:12 to 5:12 ratio.

3. Eaves. Where eaves exceed 18 inches in depth, exterior brackets or beams are required.

D. Windows. Trim at least two inches in depth must be provided around all windows, or windows must be recessed at least four inches from the plane of the surrounding exterior wall.

E. Entrances.

1. Orientation. All units located along public rights-of-way, BART rights-of-way, or internal paseos/pathways must have the primary entrance, either individual or shared, facing the public street, BART right-of-way, or internal paseo/pathway.

2. Entry Protection. The principal entry shall be located in a visible location facing the street and shall incorporate a projection, recess, or combination of projection and recess at least 40 square feet in area, with a minimum depth of five feet. Alternative designs that create a welcoming entry feature facing the street, such as a trellis or landscaped courtyard entry, may be approved by the Chief Planner or the Design Review Board.

Figure 20.310.003.B: Entry Protection

F. Manufactured Homes. All manufactured homes shall meet the following standards:

1. Foundation. A manufactured home and any addition to a manufactured home shall be built and securely fastened to a permanent foundation system approved by the Chief Building Official and designed to meet the following requirements:

a. All manufactured homes and additions to manufactured homes shall be securely anchored to resist flotation, collapse, or lateral movement.

b. The lowest floor shall be at or above the base flood elevation.

2. Date of Construction. Each manufactured home shall have been manufactured within 10 years of the date of issuance of a permit to install the manufactured home and must be certified under the National Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Act of 1974.

3. Roof Overhang. The roof overhang shall not be less than 12 inches around the entire perimeter of the manufactured home as measured from the vertical side of the home. The overhang requirement may be waived at the point of connection where an accessory structure is attached to the manufactured home.

4. Roof Material. Roof material shall consist of material customarily used for conventional single-unit dwellings, such as tile, composition shingles, and wood shakes and shingles. If shingles and/or wood shakes are used, the pitch of the roof shall be not less than three inches vertical to 12 inches horizontal.

5. Siding Material. Siding material shall consist of exterior material customarily used for conventional single-unit dwellings, such as stucco, wood, brick, stone or decorative concrete. Metal siding, if utilized, shall be non-reflective and horizontally lapping. Siding material utilized as skirting shall be the same as the material used on the exterior wall surface of the manufactured home.

6. Skirting. The unit’s skirting must extend to the finished grade.

G. Parking Design and Access.

1. Carports and Detached Garages. Carports and detached garages must be constructed of the same materials and in the same style as the main building.

2. Garage Frontage and Location.

a. Where garage doors face a street or lane on lots 30 feet wide or more, the total width of the garage door(s) shall not exceed 50 percent of the lot width.

b. The front wall of a garage must be either set at least five feet behind the primary façade of the building or occupy less than 50 percent of the width of the building façade.

c. Garages with three or more doors, or garages designed to accommodate three or more non-tandem parked cars, are allowed only on lots 85 feet wide or greater, and at least one garage front must be separated from the remaining garage fronts by at least two feet. Driveways accessing three-car garages are limited to 20 feet in width at the point of intersection with a public right-of-way.

3. Maximum Number of Driveways per Lot and Maximum Driveway Width. Driveway approaches (curb cuts) shall be allowed only to provide access to, and shall be no wider than, approved garages, carports and parking spaces.

a. For lots less than 85 feet in width, a maximum of one driveway up to 20 feet wide is allowed for required parking.

b. For lots 85 feet wide or more, the combined width of all driveways may not exceed 28 feet.

c. Corner lots and through lots may be allowed more than one driveway on different street frontages if the lot has more than one approved garage, carport, or parking space.

(Ord. 1646 § 2, 2022; Ord. 1656, 6/12/2024)

§ 20.310.004 Multifamily Residential and Residential Mixed-Use Design.

A. Applicability. This section applies to all multifamily and residential mixed-use development throughout the City.

B. Building Modulation/Articulation.

1. Up to 75 Feet. Building façades up to 75 feet in length along a right-of-way must incorporate at least one of the following on all upper floors:

a. Window bays a minimum 30 inches in depth from building façade;

b. At least two recesses a minimum three feet in depth from building façade; or

c. A regular pattern of balconies.

Figure 20.310.004.A: Building Modulation for Street-Facing Façades Up to 75 Feet in Length

2. Between 75 and 300 Feet. When a building façade is between 75 and 300 feet in length along a right-of-way, it must be:

a. Separated into façade bays no greater than 50 feet in width defined by a recess a minimum of four feet in depth; and

b. Include a change in building height with a minimum of eight-foot difference.

Figure 20.310.004.B: Building Modulation for Street-Facing Façades 75 to 300 Feet in Length

3. 300 Feet or Greater. When a building façade is 300 feet or greater in length along a right-of-way, it must be separated into volumes by:

a. Recesses a minimum of 40 feet in width and 40 feet in depth that extend the full height of the building; and

b. A change in building height with a minimum of eight-foot difference.

Figure 20.310.004.C: Building Modulation for Street-Facing Façades 300 Feet in Length

4. Maximum Façade Length. The maximum dimension of any single building shall not exceed 500 feet; exceptions may be granted with approval of a Conditional Use Permit based on the finding that adequate design features have been incorporated to create visual variety and avoid a large-scale, bulky, or monolithic appearance.

5. Transitional Standards. Where a development abuts another district with a lower maximum height, the following standards apply:

a. The maximum height within 40 feet of the abutting district is equal to that of the abutting district.

Figure 20.310.004.D: Maximum Height in a District Within 40 Feet of an Abutting District with a Lower Maximum Height

b. The maximum height within 50 feet of the abutting district is an additional 10 feet or the maximum allowed height for that district, whichever is lower.

Figure 20.310.004.E: Maximum Height in a District Within 50 Feet of an Abutting District with a Lower Maximum Height

6. Transect Abutting an RL District. Where a building in a transect zone faces an RL District, the building façade plane may not exceed 40 feet in length without a break of minimum 10 feet in depth and 10 feet in length.

Figure 20.310.004.F: Transect Zones Abutting an RL District

7. Transect Zones Abutting an RM District. Where a building in a transect zone faces an RM District, the building façade plane may not exceed 48 feet in length without a break of minimum six feet in depth and 10 feet in length.

Figure 20.310.004.G: Transect Zones Abutting an RM District

8. Corner Treatment. Accentuate building massing at street intersections with at least one of the following elements:

a. A tower or dome element at least 80 square feet in area;

b. A decorative parapet;

c. A rounded corner with enhanced transparency;

d. Columns or other columnar features; or

e. Bay windows within six feet of the building corner.

9. Roofline Form and Variation. Roof designs shall be limited to:

a. Hip Roofs.

i. Hip roof design may not exceed 50 feet in horizontal length at the eave.

ii. Hip roofs may be minimum 4:12 slope.

b. Gables.

i. Gables must be open in design. Box gables are not allowed.

ii. Gables may be minimum 3:12 slope.

c. Mansard. Mansard roofs are allowed only for buildings three stories or greater in height.

d. Dormers.

e. Parapet.

i. When used on the first or second floor, a parapet longer than 50 feet in length must include a steps, curves, angles, or other motif to break up the length of the parapet.

ii. At the third floor and above, break up roof lines at intervals no greater that 50 linear feet by changes in direction, pitch, or similar approaches.

C. Zero Lot Line Façades. Any building façade built at the property line must include a mural or a wall with climbing vines or other vertical live planting.

D. Windows. Trim at least two inches in width and one inch in depth must be provided around all windows, or windows must be recessed at least three inches from the plane of the surrounding exterior wall.

Figure 20.310.004.H: Window Design

E. Entrances.

1. Orientation. All units located along public rights-of-way, BART rights-of-way, or internal paseos/pathways must have the primary entrance, either individual or shared, facing the public street, BART right-of-way, or internal paseo/pathway. Exceptions to this requirement may be approved for projects where multifamily housing is located on four-lane streets carrying high traffic volumes and/or streets that do not allow on-street parking.

2. Entry Protection.

a. Conventional Zones. All building entrances shall incorporate a projection (e.g., porch or stoop) or recess at least 40 square feet in area, with a minimum depth of five feet. Alternative designs that create a welcoming entry feature facing the street, such as a trellis or landscaped courtyard entry, may be approved by the Chief Planner or Design Review Board.

Figure 20.310.004.I: Entry Protection

b. Form-Based Zones. All building entrances shall comply with the standards of the applicable base zone and allowable building type and frontage type.

3. Dwelling Unit Access. Exterior entrances to units shall be in the form of individual or shared entrances at the ground floor of the building. Unit entrances located above the ground floor are also allowed; however, no exterior access corridor located above the ground floor may provide access to five or more units.

4. Separation of Residential and Nonresidential Entrances. Entrances to residential units shall be physically separated from the entrance to the allowed commercial uses and clearly marked with a physical feature incorporated into the building or an appropriately scaled element applied to the façade.

F. Residential Unit Design.

1. Residential Signifiers. Residential façades shall incorporate at least one element that signals habitation, such as bay windows or balconies.

2. Units Adjacent to Highways.

a. Sound-abatement windows shall be installed for all windows on the third story and above that are facing and within 200 feet of Highway 101 or Interstate-380.

b. All elevated private open spaces within 200 feet of Highway 101 or Interstate-380 shall face away from the highway or interstate.

3. Affordable Unit Design. Affordable units and market rate units in the same development shall be constructed of the same or similar exterior materials and details such that the units are not distinguishable.

4. Universal Design. For residential projects with at least 10 dwelling units, 10 percent of the units must adhere to the following principles of Universal Design:

a. At least one entrance without steps and a flat threshold.

b. Living space on one floor or stair landings big enough to accept lifts.

c. Wide interior doors (32-inch clear, typically provided with 36-inch door), hallways, and alcoves with 60-by-60-inch turning space at doors, in kitchens, and dead ends.

d. A 30-by-48-inch clear space at appliances and fixtures in bathrooms and kitchens.

5. Private Storage Space.

a. For every 10 units, a minimum of one 200 cubic foot enclosed weather-proofed and lockable private storage space with a minimum horizontal dimension of four feet shall be provided within the project common area.

b. The total number of private storage spaces may be reduced up to 25 percent by the Chief Planner to address operational characteristics that are incompatible with the storage requirement; the total number of private storage spaces may be reduced up to 50 percent by the Chief Planner if the storage is located proximate to the residential unit.

G. Open Space Design.

1. Required Private Open Space Design.

a. Required private open space may take the form of balconies, decks, patios, fenced yards, and other similar areas outside the residence.

b. Required private open space shall be accessible to only one living unit by a doorway to a habitable room.

2. Required Common Open Space Design.

a. Required common areas may be designed as landscaped areas, walks, patios, swimming pools, barbeque areas, playgrounds, turf, or other such improvements that enhance the outdoor environment of the development.

b. Required common open space shall be accessible to all living units on the development site by a stairway or other accessway qualifying as an egress facility from a habitable room.

c. Common open spaces may be at-grade, elevated, on parking podiums, or on rooftops.

d. A surface shall be provided that allows convenient use for outdoor living and/or recreation. Such surface may be any combination of lawn, garden, flagstone, wood planking, concrete, or other dust-free surfacing.

e. Slope shall not exceed 10 percent.

3. Required Public Open Space.

a. Conventional Zones. New buildings on lots greater than 15,000 square feet shall provide a plaza, widened sidewalk, or outdoor dining area which provides public seating and is accessible from the public sidewalk.

i. Minimum Size: 600 square feet.

ii. Minimum Dimensions: 15 feet.

iii. Parking Lot Buffering. The required public area shall be separated from any parking area with a minimum 10 foot wide landscaped buffer area and screened with a decorative wall or berm 2.5 to 3.5 feet high.

Figure 20.310.004.J: Public Open Space Orientation and Dimensions

b. Form-Based Zones. All development shall comply with the standards of the applicable base zone and required open space types.

4. Required Public Open Space Design.

a. Surfaces. Surfaces must be visually distinguishable from areas for vehicular travel. Materials may include turf, landscaping, flagstone, wood planking, textured pavement, pavers, concrete, or other dust-free surfacing.

b. Slope. Slope shall not exceed five percent.

c. Visibility and Accessibility. Public open spaces shall be visible from a public street or from on-site areas normally frequented by customers and shall be accessible during business hours. Areas within required setbacks may count toward the public space requirement.

d. Separation from Loading Areas. Plazas and courtyards shall be separated from loading areas with the placement of plazas and courtyards intended to further public access and use of these facilities.

H. Parking Design and Access.

1. Maximum Frontage. The total frontage of parking areas visible from the street, including open parking, carports, and garages, but excluding underground parking and parking located behind buildings, shall not exceed 30 percent of the lot frontage and may not exceed 120 feet of lot frontage.

2. Access.

a. One driveway or access per 120 feet of linear frontage is allowed.

b. Driveway or accessway widths shall not exceed 25 feet unless an enlarged width is approved by the City Engineer.

3. Structured Parking.

a. Where ground level structured parking or stackers occupy more than 30 percent of a building façade facing a right-of-way or paseo, the finished floor of the parking level must be a minimum four vertical feet below the finished grade at the building façade. This standard does not apply to parking structures or stackers within the SLR Overlay.

Figure 20.310.004.K: Ground-Level Structured Parking

b. Development of architectural elements as visual cues (such as stair towers) to promote site orientation and provide visual interest are strongly recommended.

c. Where buildings are designed with uses directly abutting or “lining” or “wrapping” above-ground parking structures or stackers, the portions of structured parking or stackers facing a street or paseo/pathways must be:

i. Limited to 30 percent of the building façade; and

ii. Either set back a minimum five feet from the building façade; screened with a living wall; or designed with punched openings to simulate habitable space.

Figure 20.310.004.L: “Wrapped” Structured Parking

(Ord. 1646 § 2, 2022; Ord. 1656, 6/12/2024)