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HomeMy WebLinkAbout105-Conforming Amendments-Land Use Element/Open Space Element/Conservation Element.pdf Attachment 2A Proposed Conforming Amendments City of Saratoga General Plan Land Use Element City of Saratoga Open Space and Conservation Element The following amendments to the Land Use Element and the Open Space and Conservation Element of the City of Saratoga General Plan (dated June 6, 2007) are intended to ensure internal consistency between the Land Use Element and the 2007-2014 Housing Element of the General Plan to be adopted concurrently with these amendments and to readopt incentives to be offered to promote agricultural uses in the City’s hillsides that were erroneously removed during the June 6, 2007 update of the Open Space and Conservation Element. 1. The discussion of the “Commercial/Office” land use designations in the General Plan is revised as shown below. Text to be added is indicated in bold double-underlined font (e.g., bold double-underlined) and text to be deleted is indicated in strikeout (e.g. strikeout Commercial/Office Commercial land is broken into two general subcategories. Densities and intensities of uses permitted in these subcategories are as follows: ). Text in standard font remains unchanged. • Commercial Retail (CR): There are five main commercial areas in the City with this designation. The main commercial areas include Downtown Big Basin Way (including Neale’s Hollow), Argonaut Shopping Center, the Gateway, Quito Shopping Center and the Center at Prospect and Lawrence (including nearby Big Tree Center). These commercial areas serve the community and/or their immediate neighborhood. They are not regional in orientation and tend to be located in relatively small complexes. Maximum intensity of building coverage is 60% of net site area, except as regulated by an applicable specific plan. Commercial uses in the downtown Village Area are regulated by the Village Specific Plan (adopted in 1988 and as may be revised by City Council from time to time), including building coverage and height. Where a new commercial development is to be located adjacent to or across from an established single-family or multi-family residential use, appropriate landscape buffers shall be required that are at least equal to the setbacks of the adjacent residential district. No single tenant of said development shall exceed 15,000 square feet of floor area. The commercial area near Prospect and Lawrence is suitable for high density mixed use development with a minimum density of 20 units per net acre and for emergency shelters, transitional housing, and supportive housing for homeless individuals and families. • Professional Administrative (PA): The maximum intensity of building coverage for this designation is 0.30 of net site area. This designation may conditionally allow small scale professional schools and similar uses. In 2004, the City implemented a residential mixed-use ordinance, which establishes standards for mixed use development. Mixed uses are allowed by use permit in commercial and office zones within the City of Saratoga. Mixed use is defined as the 2 development of a lot or building with two or more different land uses, such as residential, commercial, office or public. The purpose of the mixed use development standards is to further accommodate the City’s fair share of the regional housing need and to implement the policies of the Housing Element of the General Plan, adopted in 2002, 2. The existing text presenting the “Summary Description Of Use” of the Commercial Retail (CR) land use designation in Table LU-1 on page 16 of the Land Use Element is amended as set forth below. Text to be added is indicated in bold double-underlined font (e.g., bold double-underlined). Text in standard font remains unchanged. in a consistent manner throughout the various commercial and office zoned districts of the City. It is further the goal of these standards to protect existing and future commercial development by establishing standards to ensure compatibility of adjoining commercial and residential uses. (Refer to the Saratoga Housing Element regarding the Density Bonus program). Commercial uses/centers serving community and/or neighborhood; not regional in orientation. Refer to Saratoga Village Specific Plan for uses, height and lot coverage permitted in Specific Plan area. High density mixed use projects and emergency shelters, transitional housing, and supportive housing for homeless individuals and families are appropriate consistent with applicable zoning. 3. The existing Goals, Polices and Implementation Programs of the Open Space and Conservation Element for Agricultural Resources on page 25 of the Open Space and Conservation Element is amended to add Policy OSC 8.3 immediately following Policy OSC 8.2 . Text to be added is indicated in bold double-underlined font (e.g., bold double- underlined). Policy 8.3: Encourage significant investment in agricultural improvements (e.g., vineyards, wood lots or orchards) and open space dedications through residential density bonuses. Allowing additional dwellings on family farm operations when such additional dwellings will permit continuance of inter- generational agricultural uses consistent with Williamson Act provisions. This will not constitute a residential subdivision of the land under the Williamson Act.