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PUD development plan and would require a development plan modification to change. As conditioned, the building setbacks for the primary structures would also apply to the enclosed accessory structures -second units, cabana buildings, etc., but would exclude open accessory structures -pools, spas, patio covers, arbors, gazebos, etc. -including second units. The required setback for an open accessory structure would be 15 feet or 50 percent of the required primary structure setback whichever is greater. Building Height The proposed design guidelines would allow a 30-foot maximum building height, measured parallel to the lot's existing topography. The method for defining building height for the Oak Grove development is different from past practice on hillside developments where the building height was measured from the lowest to highest point on the structure in order to reduce the building height and building mass of the home and groups of homes. However, the previous hillside developments with this standard were typically flat-pad lots or split-pad lots with a relatively small separation between the building pads. The Oak Grove design guidelines limits the homes to two stories, with a building story defined as an average internal height of 14 feet. The design guidelines (p. 5) would allow athree-story tall house provided that no two-story tall sections overlap each other. For lots designated as "steep-sloped lots" by the Design Guidelines, a 36-foot maximum building height would be allowed to account for the "pony" walls supporting the structure's lowest floor level. Where a 36-foot building height is allowed, the building elevation facing the street must still maintain a 30-foot building height. The Design Guidelines, however, do not specify building heights for accessory structures. Hence, staff recommends the primary structure height for an accessory structure located in the building envelope area and 15 feet for an accessory structure located in the building setback area. Only an open accessory structure would be allowed to encroach into a setback area. If the structure straddles the setback line, the lower height standard would apply. The proposed design guidelines emphasize stepped designs for the lot's primary and accessory structures and landscape features including patio areas. Stepped designs typically require a flexible building height standard to achieve a design that reflects the site's topography. Staff, therefore, believes the proposed height standard would work with the "stepped" building design concept to distribute the building mass over the building's footprint in relation to the site's topography. By "hugging" the ground, the visual impacts associated with the "building block" type of house design would be prevented. Additionally, the proposed homes would have building-to-building separations between lots varying from 40 feet to 50 feet or greater, allowing for generous landscape treatments between homes, or would adjoin the development's open space areas. Public concern and comment has been expressed regarding the total building height for structures on sloped lots. The design guidelines do not establish a maximum, total building height for these lots. Staff believes that the visual impact of the houses on these lots would be reduced by the "stepped back" design specified in the design PUD-33 Page 50 of 59 June 13, 2007