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Home My WebLink About1850 ORDINANCE NO.1 &50 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ARCADIA, CLAIFORNIA ADDING DIVISION 5 TO PART 9 OF CHAPTER 2 OF ARTICLE IX OF THE ARCADIA MUNICIPAL CODE REGARDING ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN REVIEW REGULATIONS FOR MULTIPLE- FAMILY, COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL PROJECTS. WHEREAS, a text amendment was initiated by the City for the consideration of adding Section 9295 to tl1e Arcadia Municipal Code establishing regulations pertaining to Architectural Design Review, and WHEREAS, a Public Hearing was held on January 27, 1 9fj7 before tl1e Planning Commission at Which time all interested persons were given full opportunity to be heard, and to present evidence, and WHEREAS, the Planning Commission of the City of Arcadia recommended subject amendment to tl1e City Council, and WHEREAS, the City Council conducted a Public Hearing concerning this proposal on Febraury 17, I 9fj 7 and approved tl1e amendment, and WHEREAS, the City of Arcadia is primarily a residential community Which has always emphasized its appearance and taken substantial steps tl1rough tl1e enactment and enforcement of various ordinance provisions such as property maintenance, and homeowner association design control to help perpetuate and assure tl1e value and appearance of property in the City and tl1e concomitant benefits to economic, social, and business development, and cultural characteristics of tl1e City, and WHEREAS, tl1e City of Arcadia has engaged in various programs such as Downtown Revitalization, and Housing Rehabilitation in order to help maintain tl1e quality of life in tl1e City, and WHEREAS, the City of Arcadia is experiencing a proliferation of multiple-family, commercial and industrial projects in tl1e context of a substantially developed community and desires to maintain the stability and character of tl1at community. NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ARCADIA DOES HEREBY ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS: 1 1&50 Section I. That the Title to Part 9 of Chapter 2 of Article IX of the Arcadia Municipal Code be amended to read as follolNS: PART 9 VARIANCES, MODIFICATIONS, AMENDMENTS, ZONE CHANGES, ANNEXATIONS AND ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN REVIEW Section 2 That a Division 5 be added to Part 9 of Chapter 2 of Article IX (Sections 9295 - 9295.14.) to read as follolNS: DIVISION 5 ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN REVIEW 9295. PURPOSES. Design review is intended to implement the goals set forth in the preamble to Ordinance I &50, the City's General Plan, and the folloWing purposes: A. Ensure that the location and configuration of structures are visually harmonious With their sites and With surrounding sites and structures, and do not dominate their surrondings to an extent inappropriate to their use. B. Ensure that the architectural design of structures and their materials and colors are visually harmonious With surrounding development. C. Ensure that plans for the landscaping of open spaces conform to the requirements of this title, and that they provide visually pleasing settings for structures on the site and on adjoining and nearby sites and blend harmoniously With the natural landscape. D. Ensure that the design and location of signs and their materials and colors are consistent With the character and scale of the buildings to 'Nllich they are attached or 'Nllich are located on the same site, and ensure that signs are visually harmonious With surrounding development. E. Encourage excellence in architectural design to enhance the visual environment of the city, preserve and protect property values, the character of the community, and mitigate against degradation and depreciation. F. Promote and protect the health, safety, comfort and general welfare of the community, to promote the standards of appearance in the community and encourage the appropriate use of land Within the City. 2 1350 9295.1. APPLICABILITY. A. Design approval is required prior to tlle issuance of a Building Permit, Sign Permit, Conditional Use Permit, Variance, Modification, or Certificate of Occupancy for all projects located witllin tlle following zone classifications: R-2, R- 3, C-O, C-l, C-2, CPD-l, C-M, M-l and M-2. B. Exception. The provisions of tllis chapter do not apply to tlle following: 1. 2. Signs having no words or symbols exceeding 3 inches in height. Building permits for work which is located entirely witllin a building, and which does not alter tlle external appearance of said building. 9295.2. SCOPE AND AUTHORITY. Design review shall consist of three steps: A. Preliminary consultation between tlle project sponsor and tlle Planning Director to discuss design guidelines and design criteria applicable to tlle site and use. B. Design concept review by the Planning Director, Modification Committee, Planning Commission or City Council, as provided for in tllis chapter. C. Final design review by tlle Planning Director for consistency with tlle approval or conditional approval as established in design concept approval stage. 9295.3 DESIGN REVIEW RESPONSIBILITIES A. Design concept review of projects which do not require a Modification, Conditional Use Permit, or Zone Variance will be performed by tlle Planning Director. B. Design concept review of projects which require a modification, conditional use permit or zone variance may be performed by tlle body acting on such modification, conditonal use permit or zone variance. C. Not "litllstanding any provision of tllis chapter giving tlle autllority to grant design concept approval, tlle Planning Director, Modification Committee, or Planning Commisssion may in its discretion decline to handle or determine tlle matter and instead may refer it to the body which would consider tlle matter as if an appeal had been filed. 3 1&50 \ c ,-r- v 92594. INITIATION OF DESIGN REVIEW. A. Preliminary Consultation. Preliminary consultation shall be initiated by requesting an appointment with the Planning Director or a designated rep[resentative. B. Design Concept Review. Design concept review shall be initiated by an application submitted to the Planning Director. The application shall be in a form prescribed by the Planning Director and shall include such plans and materials required for adequate concept review. C. Final Design Review. Final design review of development plans shall be initiated within one year of design concept approval by filing an application with the Planning Director. The application shall be in a form prescribed by the Planning Director and shall include such plans and materials required for adequate design review. 9295-5- DESIGN CONCEPT REVIEW AND APPROVAL. A. By Planning Director. The Planning Director shall review development plans submitted for design concept approval within 10 working days of receipt, and may approve, conditionally approve or disapprove the plans. Within 5 working days after a decision, notice shall be mailed to the applicant. Notice of actions shall also be submitted to the Planning Commission and City Council . B. By Modification Committee, Planning Commission or City Council. Concurrent with the hearing of an application for a Modification, Conditional Use Permit or Zone Variance, the Modification Committee, Planning Commission or City Council may approve, conditionally approve or disapprove the design concept plans. Notice of actions taken by the Modification Committee shall be submitted to tile Planning Commission and City Council. Notice of actions taken by the Planning Commission shall be submitted to tile City Council. 9295.6. FINAL DESIGN REVIEW AND APPROVAL. A. The Planning Director shall review development plans submitted for final design approval within 10 working days of receipt, and may approve, conditionally approve or disapprove said plans. Witilin 5 working days after a decision, notice of the decision shall be mailed to the applicant. Notice shall also be submitted to tile Planning Commission and City Council. 'i 1&50 B. If in th~ opinion of th~ Planning Dir~ctor, th~ final plans ar~ not consistent with the pr~viously approv~d design concept plans, the Planning Director shall refer said plans to the body which had previously acted on the design concept plans, for their review and action. Said body may approv~, conditionally approv~ or disapprove said plans. Within 5 working days after a decision, notice of the decision shall be mailed to th~ applicant. Notice shall also be submitted to the Planning Commission and City Council. 9295.7. DESIGN REVIEW CRITERIA. A. General Criteria 1. The location, configuration, size, and design of new buildings and structures, or the alteration or enlargem~nt of existing development should be visually harmonious with their sites and compatible with the character and quality of surrounding sites, buildings, and structures. 2. The height and bulk of proposed buildings and structures on the site should be in scale and in proportion with the height and bulk of buildings and structures on surrounding sites, and should not visually dominate their sites or the neighborhood. 3. The architectural treatment of buildings and structures and their materials, textures and colors shall be visually harmonious with existing buildings and structures, and surrounding development, and shall enhance the appearance of the area. 4. Design and location of proposed signs should be consistent with the provisions of the zoning ordinance and with characteristics of the area in which the site is located. Signs should be designed to be in keeping with the use to which they are related. Sign materials should be compatible with the materials and colors used on th~ ~xterior of th~ structur~ to which the sign is related and should be complementary to the appearance of the building. ). Architecture, landscaping, and signage design elements shall be consider~d in their overall visual design to be harmonious and attractive. Review shall include: materials, textures, colors, illumination, and landscaping; and design, location, and size of signs attached to buildings; and the design, location, and size of any free-standing sign. 6. Garish, non harmonious, or out-of-character colors should not be us~d on any building face, or roof visibl~ from the street or from an adjoining site. Exposed metal flashing or trim should be anodized or painted to blend with the exterior colors of the building. ) 1/350 7. The development of the site should protect the site and surrounding properties from noise, vibration, odor, and other factors which may have an adverse effect on the environment. a. All mechanical equipment on the site shall be appropriately screened from view. Large vent stacks, and similar features should be avoided, and if essential, shall be screened from view or painted so as to be nonreflective and compatible with building colors. 9. Utility facilities must be placed underground whenever feasible. 10. ~ep eaves, overhangs, canopies, and other architectural features that provide shelter and shade should be encouraged. 11. Rooflines on a building or structure should be compatible throughout the building or structure and with existing buildings and structures on surrounding properties. 12. Exterior project lighting shall be designed to contribute to the aesthetic quality of the proje<:t. 13. Proposed lighting should be so located so as to avoid glare and to reflect the light away from adjoining property and public rights-of -way. 14. The design of accessory structures, fences, and walls should be harmonious with the principal building and other buildings on the site. Insofar as possible, the same building materials should be used on all structures on a site. 15. The design of the buildings, driveways, loading facilities, parking areas, signs, landscaping, lighting, solar facilities, and other sight features should show proper consideration for the visual effect of the development upon other properties from the view of the public rights-of- way and from eye level at grade on the adjoining properties. 16. Off -street parking and loading facilities should function efficiently with minimum obstruction of traffic on surrounding streets and alleys. 17. Trash collection areas shall not intrude into major lines of sight from residential units or landscaped open areas of the subject development or adjacent properties. 13. Trash collection areas shall be located where the noise of trash pickup intrude minimally into the residential units on the site or adjacent properties. 6 1350 19. Propos~d proj~cts shall accommodate ~zisting matur~ tr~es wher~ ev~r f~asible and shall provide for their protection during construction. 20. New landscaping materials shall be of a size and quality appropriate to th~ scale of th~ project. 2 1. Landscaping shall be an integral part of the project, and shall be considered early in the design of the project. 22. Landscaping ar~as shall be provided to enhance walkways. B. Additional Criterial for Commerical/lndustrial Projects I. Large expanses of flat building walls shall be avoided by providing sufficient architectural indentations and/or projections in both the horizontal and vertical direction, so as to provide opportunity for shade, shadow and visual relief. 2. Space for signage shall be designed into the building elevations which are adjacent to public streets. 3. Signs proposed to be located on buildings having an ezisting sign, shall be designed (size, location, colors, lighting, materials, etc.), and considered in relationship to other signs on the building, and compatible With the architecture of the building. 4. The main pedestrian entrances to buildings shall be enhanced by the use of colored and textured paving materials, which are appropriate . to the design of tlle building. 5. Walkway paving materials shall provide walking surfaces which are even surfaced and easily negotiated. 6. Parking areas shall be enhanced tllrough tlle use of colored and textured paving materials, so as to visually break up tlle large expanse of asphaltic paving material. 7. Special attention shall be given to th~ location and number of vehicular access points and th~ir r~lationship to vehicular and ped~strian traffic on the adjacent public rights-of-way. 3- Landscape buffers required between the parking ar~as and adjacent public rights of way and adjacent residentially zoned property shall not be includ~d in the calculation of the required interior landscaping. 9. Additionallandscap~ space may be required for scre~ning or buffering from adjacent uses. 7 1850 C. Additional Criteria for Multipl~-Family Proj~cts 1. Expans~s of flat building walls shall not ~xc~ed 25 fe~t in width without providing architectural indentations and/or projections with a minimum depth of 2 feet and a minimum width of 6 feet, so as to provide opportunity for shade, shadow, and visual relief. 2. Long straight driveways and walkways shall be mitigated through curvalinear approaches, landscaping, and cbanges in textures and/or colors. . 3. Walkways shall be designed to minimize visual intrusion into adjoining properties. 92953. FEE. Before accepting for filing any application for design review under this title, the City shall charge and collect a f~ which shall be paid in an amount established by resolution of the City Council. 9295.9. EFFECTIVE DATE No permit or license shall be issued for any use involved in an application for design review until action on such application shall have become final by reason of the expiration of time to make an appeal as herein provided. 9295.10. EXPIRATION OF APPROVAL A. Design Concept Approval. Design concept approval shall expire one (1) year following its effective date unless final design approval has been granted. B. Final Design Approval. Final design approval shall expire one year (I) from its effective date unless: I. A building permit has been issued and construction diligently pursued; or 2. A certificate of occupancy has been issued; or 3. The approval is renewed. 9295.11. EXTENSION OF APPROVAL. The Planning Director or the body that reviewed a project may renew design concept approval or final design approval for a period not to exceed one year beyond the initial expiration date, upon determining that the findings made remain valid. An application for an extension shall be made a minimum of thirty (30) days prior to the initial expiration date. 9295.12. PLAN REVI SIONS. The Planning Director or the body that conducted design concept review of a project may approve changes to approved plans or in conditions of approval upon determining that the 3 1350 changes are minor and are consistent with the intent of the original approval. 9295.13- APPEAL. A. Appeals from the Planning Director's or Modification Committee's decision shall be made to the Planning Commission. Said appeal shall be made in writing and delivered to the Planning Department within five (5) working days of the Planning Director's or Modification Committee's decision and shall be accompanied by an appeal fee in accordance with the applicable fee schedule adopted by resolution of the City Council. Upon receipt in proper form of an appeal from the Planning Director's or Modification Committee's decision, the secretary of the Planning Commission shall fix a time and place for public hearing thereon to be held not less than ten (10) calendar days nor more than forty (40) calendar days thereafter. Public notice shall be given in the same manner as set forth in Section 9292.1.13- B. Appeals from the decision of the Planning Commission's decision shall be made to the City Council. Said appeal shall be made in writing and delivered to the City Clerk within five (5) working days of the Planning Commission's decision and shall be accompanied by an appeal fee in accordance with the applicable fee schedule adopted by resolution of the City Council. At its next regular meeting after the filing of such appeal, the Council shall set a date for a public hearing thereon. The matter of setting the hearing asnd giving notice shall be the same as prescribed for hearings before the Planning Commission. 929.5..14. ENFORCEMENT. A. Building Permits. Building Permits shall not issue if conditions imposed under authority of Division 5 of Part 9 are not satisfied. Compliance with the requirements of Division 5 is a prerequisite to issuance of a Building Permit. B. Conditions. Non-compliance with design review requirements that are included as conditions to discretionary land use approvals of the City such as Conditional Use Permits, Modifications and similar actions, shall constitute grounds for the suspension or revocation of such approval. C. Misdemeanor and Public Nuisance. Violation of any of the requirements of this Ordinance (Division 5) shall constitute a misdemeanor 9 11)50 and a public nuisance pursuant to Sections 1200 and 1201 of the Arcadia Municipal Code. Section 2. That Subsection 16 be added to Section 9405 of the Arcadia Municipal Code to read as follows: 16. The use, or maintenance or allowance of conditions that are inconsistent with the architectural design review regulations, and any non- compliance with said regulations as set forth in the Arcadia Municipal Code Sections 9295 et. seq. constitutes a substandard condition. 10 1&50 Section 1 The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Ordinance and shall cause a copy of the same to be published in the official newspaper of said City within fifteen (15) days after its adoption. Passed,approvedandadoptedthis 7th day of April, 1987. ATTEST: / .~5?~ City Clerk of the City of Arcadia STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) SS CITY OF ARCADIA ) I, CHRISTINE V AN MAANEN, City Clerk of the City of Arcadia, hereby certify that the foregoing Ordinance Nol8StWas passed and adopted by the City Council of tl1e City of Arcadia, signed by tl1e Mayor and attested to by the City Clerk at a regular meeting of said Council held on the 7th day of April 1987, and that said Ordinance was adopted by the following vote, to-wit: AYES: NOES: ABSENT: Councilmembers Chandler, Gilb, Harbicht, Lojeski and Young None None ,~~" ~~ 1:3f-:o=:.' .... ./ .... ~~~"1,{~<(,~iW Clerk of the City of Arcadia .........;O:;f.;:l'~~...:.-~~ ~ .:;:;." /.:,>--".::--:;, ~- . ....::;::~..,,_.:.~:~'j '/}:..-',-:'::" _">tdj.":".....,~.. .-;...-.~...........-.. '''f/,f.~ ',~ ....-'; ,,=..........-" <;;.;"'--~''':::''/ ,.-';' ,.....- ". ".':,. .~~:.' ",\,,:,-,.::,v '1;:"":;?,./~lC - .),':'"-...." ~"":.~ j(:r~7....r.-....~ ........~......... -.. 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