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<br />(CEQA) pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 15061(b)(3)
<br />
<br />2. Introduce an ordinance approving Case P25-0352, rescinding City Council Resolution
<br />No. 91-132, and amending Chapters 18.08, 18.12, 18.20, 18.22, 18.68, 18.103, 18.104,
<br />18.105, 18.110, 18.116, 18.124, 18.128, 18.132, and 18.144 of the PMC, as shown in
<br />Attachment 1.
<br />
<br />
<br />BACKGROUND
<br />In recent years, staff has received feedback from the development community and the public
<br />that the City’s current application review processes are burdensome and present barriers to
<br />development. The City Council identified amending the Pleasanton Municipal Code (PMC) and
<br />improving processes to simplify permitting, reduce delays, streamline the Design Review
<br />process, and support business and retail attraction as a priority project during the current two-
<br />year budget cycle. In addition, the recent budget reductions approved by the City Council
<br />included a return to a more limited and cost-effective neighborhood notice requirement, more
<br />closely aligned with the requirements of the Government Code, rather than the City’s current
<br />notice procedures that result in greater costs and are labor-intensive.
<br />
<br />Based on this direction, staff conducted a review and analysis of the PMC and identified three
<br />key areas for improvement: 1) the Design Review process, 2) noticing procedures, and 3)
<br />appeals and call-up procedures. The analysis included a review of neighboring jurisdictions'
<br />procedures, gathering an inventory of common process complaints, and analyzing data for the
<br />most common Planning application types (i.e., Design Review).
<br />
<br />Existing Design Review Process
<br />Projects involving exterior changes typically require a Design Review (DR) permit through the
<br />Planning Division, followed by review and issuance of building permits through the Building
<br />and Safety Division.
<br />
<br />Both the Design Review and Building Permit review processes involve evaluation by all
<br />applicable City divisions (e.g., Planning, Engineering, Landscape Architecture, and Traffic) to
<br />ensure compliance with codes, policies, and guidelines. However, as a discretionary process,
<br />aesthetic and design aspects of the projects are reviewed as part of a DR application, and
<br />there is an opportunity for neighborhood notification and input. The hearing authority (i.e., the
<br />Zoning Administrator or Planning Commission) may approve, conditionally approve, or deny
<br />applications based on a set of established criteria (e.g., relationship of proposal to surrounding
<br />sites and preservation of views).
<br />
<br />PMC Chapter 18.20 (Design Review) prescribes which project types are subject to design
<br />review, outlines the level of required review (administrative/staff-level versus Planning
<br />Commission), contains a series of “criteria” against which projects are evaluated, and
<br />establishes procedures for review, appeal, and call up of projects. Chapter 18.20 has not
<br />undergone a comprehensive review and update since 1993.
<br />
<br />The DR process is required for a wide range of projects, from new commercial/industrial
<br />buildings to the construction of small residential accessory structures such as arbors, and
<br />minor exterior commercial building and site modifications. Single-family residential projects are
<br />processed with an Administrative Design Review (ADR). The DR process is valuable because
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