A.
Responsible
development of the Northern Foothills of the city can be ensured through
the adoption of a development control mechanism that reflects thorough
and comprehensive land use planning. The most suitable development
control mechanism is the specific plan, which when adopted, serves
both a planning function and a regulatory function.
B.
The
purpose of Specific Plan No. 25 is to provide for managing environmental
values and future development within the northern foothills area in
order to protect the area's natural environment and existing resources
and to ensure that the design of future hillside developments preserves
sensitive resources in place, considers the natural hillside topography
and maximizes view opportunities to, as well as from, the developments.
Overall, the strategy encourages fitting projects into their hillside
setting rather than altering the hillside to fit the project. Thus,
although individual property rights within the northern foothills
area must be recognized, the priority between development and natural
resource values should be balanced.
C.
Specific
Plan No. 25 establishes the type, location, intensity and character
of development to take place. It functions as a general blueprint
of future development, focusing on the physical characteristics of
the site and integration of the same with surrounding uses.
D.
Development
standards are proposed to achieve the following objectives:
1.
To minimize alterations to the natural terrain, not only to preserve
natural environmental features, but also to protect residents' health
and safety within nearby developed areas;
2.
To provide an enriched low density residential environment with aesthetic
cohesiveness, harmonious massing of structures, and interfacing of
open space through the utilization of superior land planning and design;
3.
To minimize the impact of new development into the surrounding viewshed,
especially as seen from public intersection viewpoints in the city;
4.
To utilize current practices of good design, architecture, landscape
architecture, civil engineering, and hillside land planning to preserve,
enhance and promote the existing and future appearance and resources
of hillside areas;
5.
To protect public health and safety from the potential damaging effect
of hillside alteration and to minimize conventional flat land development
practices, except in clustered developments;
6.
To provide for the planning, design and development of single-family
residences that provide ample safety with respect to fire hazards,
exposure to geological and geotechnical hazards, drainage and erosion;
7.
To maximize preservation of the area's natural environment, recognize
the opportunities and constraints that the land itself imposes, and
accommodate such development as can be designed to minimize impacts
on the natural environment and protect the public health and safety;
8.
To provide a safe means of ingress/egress for vehicular, equestrian
and pedestrian traffic to and within the northern foothills with a
minimum disturbance to the natural terrain;
9.
To preserve natural landforms in order to recognize and live within
the limits placed by natural environmental constraints;
10.
To facilitate development within the northern foothills which is
rural in character and which contributes to the open space character
of the area.
(Ord. 1106 § 1, 1999; Ord. 1201 § 1, 2011)
The adoption of Specific Plan No. 25 by the city is authorized
by the California Government Code Title 7, Divisional Chapter 3, Articles
8 and 9, Sections 65450 through 65507.
(Ord. 1106 § 1, 1999)
Specific Plan No. 25 only applies to that property within the
city indicated on Exhibit A attached to and located at the end of
this chapter.
(Ord. 1106 § 1, 1999)
A.
Unless
otherwise specified, all uses and development within Specific Plan
No. 25 shall comply with the provisions of this code. Terms used in
this chapter shall have the same meaning as defined in this code unless
otherwise defined in this chapter.
B.
Any
details or issues not specifically covered in the specific plan shall
be subject to the regulations of this code.
C.
The
approval of uses and development within the specific plan area shall
be governed by Section 65450 et seq., of the Government Code.
D.
All
construction within the boundaries of this specific plan area shall
comply with all provisions of the building code and the various mechanical,
electrical and plumbing codes adopted by the city.
E.
Minor
modifications to the specific plan, which do not give rise to a conflict
with the intent of the specific plan as approved, may be approved
by the director of planning at his or her discretion.
F.
A
program environmental impact report which analyzes the "worst case"
scenario for possible build-out and public improvements and for the
cumulative impacts, which may occur by subsequent implementation of
the specific plan, has been certified by the city council and is referenced
by this section. This environmental impact report will be utilized
as a master CEQA clearance document for future focused studies, if
determined necessary by the city, which will tier off of the program
environmental impact report in accordance with Section 15152 of CEQA
Guidelines, as amended.
G.
Any
land use not specifically authorized by Specific Plan No. 25 shall
not be permitted.
H.
If
any regulation, condition, program or portion thereof of the specific
plan is for any reason held invalid or unconstitutional by any court
of competent jurisdiction, such portion shall be deemed a separate,
distinct and independent provision and the invalidity of such section
shall not affect the validity of the remaining provisions thereof.
(Ord. 1106 § 1, 1999)
means the average slope in a given geographical area as determined
according to the following formula:
|
S = 2.29 x 10-3 I L / A
|
|
S = Average slope percent
|
|
A = Total acreage of the area being measured
|
|
L = Length of each of the contours, in feet (with appropriate
scale), within the area being measured
|
|
I = Contour intervals, in feet
|
means the vertical change in elevation over a given horizontal
distance prior to grading or any alteration.
means a contour grading method which creates artificial slopes
with curves and varying slope ratios in the horizontal and vertical
planes designed to simulate the appearance of surrounding natural
terrain.
means a way of life characterized by living in an area with
few people; a natural, peaceful, quiet setting; allowance for a sense
of solitude; and, unhindered views of stars in the night sky. Rural
areas are unencumbered by typical urban/suburban facilities, including:
curbs, gutters and sidewalks; street lighting except where needed
for safety purposes; formal, manicured landscaping; and commercial
facilities.
mean four or more lots, not less than one-half acre in size,
sharing a common road or driveway access.
(Ord. 1106 § 1, 1999; Ord. 1201 § 1, 2011)
