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On July 19, 2005, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 938 amending the development rules for single-story, single-family residences located in single-family zoning districts. The new rules will take effect on August 18, 2005. The changes include: 1) elimination of the use permit requirement for single-story residences on lots with a minimum area of 5,000 square feet; 2) an increase in building coverage for single-story residences that ranges from 35 to 40 percent depending on lot size; 3) a reduction in the vertical plane of the daylight plane to 12 feet, 6 inches and the elimination of allowed gable and dormer intrusions for single-story residences; 4) an increase from 50 to 75 percent in the amount of new work that can be done on an existing, legal, nonconforming, single-story residence before triggering a use permit requirement; 5) addition of a new courtesy notice to contiguous property owners for demolition and building permits applications, with the exception of re-roofing, repair, and interior work only; 6) additions and revisions to definitions including attic, basement, contiguous property, family, height of structure, and story; and 7) deletion of regulations pertaining to nonconforming families to comply with State law.
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Zoning Ordinance Amendments require review by the Planning Commission and review and approval by the City Council. |
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The City Council’s consideration of potential changes to single-family residential zoning has been ongoing since 1999. During that time, two ordinance amendments, Ordinance Nos. 915 and 926, were adopted and subsequently rescinded. Following the rescission of the second ordinance amendment, the Council initiated work on the current ordinance amendment (Ordinance No. 938) with a joint Council and Planning Commission meeting in September 2004 to discuss alternative approaches to changes in single-family residential zoning. The joint meeting was followed by a January 25, 2005 meeting at which the Council gave direction to staff to prepare an ordinance amendment specific to single-story residential development. The Planning Commission reviewed the proposed ordinance changes at its meetings of April 25, and May 23, 2005. The Council reviewed the proposed ordinance amendment, as well as the recommendations of the Planning Commission, at its meetings of June 28 and July 19, 2005 before taking final action to adopt the ordinance at the July 2005 meeting. For reference, related documents and staff reports are available through the links on the left. If you would like a printed copy of the information listed, please visit the City Administration Building, Front Counter, 701 Laurel Street or call 330-6702 to make other arrangements.
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Ordinance No. 938 will become effective on August 18, 2005. Projects that have been issued a use permit by the Planning Commission and/or have filed a complete application for a building permit or been issued a building permit prior to August 18, 2005 will be exempt from the new regulations. All other projects must comply with the new regulations. |
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A Negative Declaration was prepared and circulated for public review from April 6 through April 25, 2005. The City Council approved the Negative Declaration on June 28, 2005.
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Project Planner: Arlinda Heineck, Community Development Director
E-mail: aaheineck@menlopark.org
phone: 650.330.6702 |
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