Distinctive Neighborhood Program Outreach Presentation

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Distinctive Neighborhood ProgramOutreach
Presentation
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(No Transcript)
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Presentation Overview

• Initial concerns
• Program goals and timeline
• Existing permitting process
• Examples of potential distinct neighborhoods
• Case studies from other cities
• Potential policy options
• Questions for the community

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Neighborhood Concerns

• 1. Demolition of homes

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Neighborhood Concerns

• 2. Building homes that are out of character and
  out of scale with existing neighborhoods

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Neighborhood Concerns

• 3.Insensitive additions such as second stories,
  attached garages, etc.

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Program Goals

• Add further Protection and Enhancement to
  San Joses Unique Residential Neighborhoods
• Define characteristics of Distinctive
  Neighborhoods
• Review existing protections and propose revisions
• Indentify Municipal Code or policy changes
• Other steps required for implementation
• Outreach at key mile stones
• Proposal to City Council

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Preliminary Time Line
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Existing Permitting Process

• Residential Zoning Districts
• Single-Family House Permit
• Additional Permits in Single-Family Neighborhoods
• Guidelines used in Review Process

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Existing Permitting Process
Residential Zoning Districts

• R-1 R-2 R-M PD
• Regulate allowable property uses
• (single-family, duplex, multi-family)
• Regulate the intensity and bulk
• (height and setbacks from property lines)

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Existing Permitting Process
Single- Family House Permit

• A Single-Family House Permit is required if
• New construction meets or exceeds 30 feet or 2
  stories in height, or
• The floor area ratio (F.A.R.) of the house meets
  or exceeds 0.45, or
• The house is listed on the Historic Resource
  Inventory or is in a Conservation Area.

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Existing Permitting Process
Single-Family House Permit not
Required
Currently No Design Review Addition/Demolition
below SF House Permit Size Thresholds and not
listed on Historic Resource Inventory Building
Permit (No Design Review)
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Existing Permitting Process
Zoning
Use
For City Landmarks or in City Landmark Districts,
Historic Preservation (HP) Permits are required.
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Existing Permitting Process
Guidelines Used
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Existing Areas in San Jose

• Designated/Established Areas
• San Jose Historic Districts/Areas
• San Jose SNIs

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Historic Districts/Areas in San Jose
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Strong Neighborhood Initiative
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Historic Districts and Areas and SNIs
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Northside
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Brookwood Terrace
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Willow Glen and the Rose Garden
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Eichler Homes in San Jose
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Ranch Homes in San Jose
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Edenvale Area
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Efforts from other Cities

• Los Angeles
• Sunnyvale

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Los Angeles Neighborhood Character Study

• Program to address Mansionization - new
  construction that is out-of-scale but complies
  with zoning regulations
• Code Revision
• Reduction of FAR from 31 to 11
• FAR Bonus if second story does not exceed 2/3 of
  the Base Floor.
• Creation of a Single-Story Height District
• Discretionary Review Process

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SunnyvaleResidential Single-Story Combining
District

• Code section intended to preserve and maintain
  single-family neighborhoods of predominantly
  single-story character.
• Imposes building intensity and height limits upon
  affected properties (0.45 FAR, 17ft height
  limit).
• Requires agreement of a min of 55 of property
  owners in neighborhood.

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Potential Policy Options

• City Wide Policy
• Neighborhood Specific Policy

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Citywide Policy Options

• Code revisions that would require discretionary
  review for the following
• Demolitions
• Second story additions
• Additions affecting the front facade.
• Additions over a certain size
• Other

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Neighborhood Specific Policy Option

• Identify neighborhood boundaries
• Designate neighborhoods

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Neighborhood Specific Policy Option
Option A Enhanced Design
Review Overlay

• Research Existing Neighborhoods
• Work with neighborhood to identify neighborhood
  characteristics
• How to move forward
• How can new development, address modern needs,
  fit in and enhance neighborhood?

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Neighborhood Specific Policy Option
Option B Zoning Overlay
Conduct same research as Option A Create Zoning
Overlay
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Neighborhood Specific Policy Option
Option C Conservation
Study Area
Designation Process Context Statement No
individual historic evaluations required at this
time Design Review SF House Permit required If
proposal does not meet Guidelines
then, Individual historic evaluation required
Incentives State Historic Building Code
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Question for Community

• 1. What are the characteristics in your
  neighborhood worth preserving?
• Architectural style
• Single story/height
• Trees
• Size of houses
• Neighborhood perimeters/borders
• Other

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Question for Community

• 2. What changes to your neighborhood would
  adversely affect the character?
• Demolition of houses
• Second stories
• Insensitive additions
• Attached garages
• Other

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Question for Community

• 3. Should policy be city wide or neighborhood
  specific?
• Design Review Overlay (option A) versus Zoning
  Overlay (Option B)
• Existing Guidelines (City wide) or Neighborhood
  Specific Guidelines