BOS Agenda Date: January 10, 200(3
Composite Agenda Item No.53 - 1

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System Generated Transmitta
SANTA CLARA COUNTY

Board Date :

January 10, 2006

Transmittal ID :

PLN02 101805

Agenda Item Details

53. Held from December 13, 2005 (Item No. 62); Accept report relating to e.stabli.shing policy to
limit development on ridge line.s.

Board of Supetvisors: Donald F. Gage, Blanca .Alvarado, Pete McHugh,Jim Beall, Liz Kniss
Count:/ Executive: Peter Kutras Jr.

BOS Agenda Date: January 10. 2006
Agenda ttem No.63

bounty of Santa Clara

Department of Planning and Development
Planning Office

PLN04 011006

Prepared by: Valentin AlexeeH
Director. Department of
Planning and Development

Reviewed by: Reshma Ruzicka (g ^ Y3
Admini.strativc Scrvice.s

Manager 1
DATE:

January 10, 2006

TO;

Board of Supervisors

EROM;

Valentin Alexeeff

Director, Department of Planning and Development

SUBJECT: Viewsheds Update and Response to Referral PLN02 101805.2

.

^

RErOMMF.NnF.l)ACTION

Accept report back on development of house ridgeline policies and house size policies
FTSCAT.IMPLICATIONS
None.

CONTRACT HISTORY
'
'one.

Board of Supetvisors: Donald F. Gage, Blanca .Alvarado, Pete McHugh, Jim Beall, LizKnlss
County Executive: Peter Kutras Jr.

1

BOS Agenda Date: January 10, 2006
Agenda ftem No.53

REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION

The viewshed issue encompasses ridgeline protection and rural house size regulations. On
October 18, 2005, the Board of Supervisors accepted the Department of Planning and

Development workplan schedule. The schedule has been amended to add development of

2006 target dt^te. In this
draft ridgeline policies and house size t^icies within the Marchat31,
the same time.
the stakeholder commiireFcafradHr^ss a numto of issues

The complete schedule is attached (Attachment 1).
BACKGROUND

Items that have already been completed include:

• Completed two major reports with comprehensive recommendations
• Conducted a Land Use workshop

• Provided preliminary work products and initiated public participation
• Analyzed region to valley lloor proximity
Items to be accomplished by the end ol 2005 include:
• Additional mapping analysis

^ ^ ♦ Preparation of more detailed maps

r

♦ Identification of all potentially affected parcels

A,
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'♦ Mapping analysis of major ridgelines

♦ Identification and response to other relevant mapping and analysis needs

• Development of website inlormation

♦ Creation of webpage within Planning Department website
♦ Posting of reports and status information to the public
• Development of stakeholder and property owner lists
♦ Development of mail and e-mail lists

A

♦ Initiate meetings with stakeholders

• Identification of staff resources needed to accomplish this assignment in order to;
♦ Obtain historical design review zoning district development application
information

♦ Project percent increase in area potentially subject to design review
♦ Project future CIS service needs and staff needs

Board of Supervisors: Donald F. Gage, Blanca Alvarado, Pete McHugh, Jim Beall, Liz Kniss
Counp’ Executive: Peter Kutras Jr.

2

BOS Agenda Date: January 10, 2006
Agenda ttem No.53

ems to hft accomplished by March 31.2006 include;
• Develop policies and ordinances

¤ Develop draft General Plan Policies pertaining to viewshed and ridgeline
protection

¤ Develop draft Design Review Zoning Districts/Ordinances directed to viewshed,
ridgeline and house size regulation

¤ Develop revised guidelines, illustrations, and other work products identified in
the recommendations

¤ Consult with other jurisdictions about "model" ordinances/policies
¤ Consider and develop proposals for simplifying Design Review statutory and
discretionary exemptions per Zoning Ordinance

¤ Conduct shareholder participation and community meetings with feedback to the
Board of Supervisors

The issues that must be addressed in a completed policy to limit development on ridgelines
will include;

• Precise identification of ridgelines and properties to which new development policies
might apply

•'DeveiopmenTof a range of options on how to control development and visual impacts

• Development of public outreach and communication to affected property owners

• An environmental assessment under the requirements of CEQA

v-^

• An analysis of the number of properties for which a ridgeline development is likely the
only feasible building site

• Formal noticing and hearing before the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors \y
for amending the General Plan, if there is a change from current ridgeline policies

Board of Supervisors: Donald F. Gage, Blanca Alvarado, Pete McHugh, Jirn Beall, Liz Kniss
Countv Executive; Peter Kutras Jr.

3

BOS Agenda Date: January 10, 2006
Agenda ttem No.53

CONSEQUENCES OF NKCA I IVE ACTION

The Board of Supervisors will not have the most up-to-date information available related to
the Viewsheds and referral PLN()2 101805.2
STEPS EOLT.OWING APPROVAL

Notify Department of Board of Supervisors action.
ATTACHMENTS

• Viewshed Protection Work Plan Schedule, 2005—06

Board of yuper/isors: Donald F. Gage, Blanca Alvarado, Pete McHugh, Jirn Beall, Liz Kniss
Count;,' Executive: Peter Kutras Jr.

4

Draft Santa Clara County Viewshed Work Plan Schec^ule, 2005-2006
Activities
Additional

Description

Time Period
Dec. 31, 2005

^

• Prepare more detailed maps.

Mapping Analysis • Identify all potentially affected parcels, by

analysis region and valley floor proximity.
• Mapping analysis for major ridgelines.
• Identify and address any other relevant
mapping and analysis needs.

Develop Website
information

Develop

stakeholder and

Dec. 31, 2005

• Create webpage within Planning Office ■
website.

• Post reports and status information for public.

• Develop mail lists and email informatior .
• Limited number of meetings with sh-ikeliloldcrs.

Dec. 31, 2005

• Obtain historical DR Zoning District

Dec. 31, 2005

A

/

property owner

contact lists
Develop staffin

& other resource
needs for

implementation

development application information.
• Project percent increase in area potential y
Skibject to DR (primary viewshed, secondary

viewshed, other areas of importance, duj^ to
sensitivity to development impacts).
i

• Project future staff needs, CIS Services nk'ds,
etc.

Develop draft
policies,

ordinances,etc.

• Develop draft General Plan policies.

• Develop draft Design Review Zoning

L

!

March 31, 2006

Districts/Ordinances for Viewshed Protff'Ction.

• Develop revised Guidelines/Illustrati
• Other work products as identified in
recommend a ti ons.

ons

i

• Consult with cities and other jurisdictior s
about "model" ordinances/policies used as
basis for proposals.
• Consider and develop proposals for

simplifying Design Review statutory and
discretionary exemptions per Zoning

Ordinance, enacting landscaping standards,
retaining wall height regulations, and

clarifying/simplifying floor area definitibn.
[NOTE; these are desirable candidate topics for
interim development standards to be enacted
pending final adoption of viewshed protection
measures].

Project staffing

• Develop projected staffing needs based on
alternative outcomes of potential new pc

and other
resource needs

Dec. 31, 2005

licics

and ordinances.

• Develop other projected resource needs.

Viewshed Schedule 0.5-06.doc

1 of 2

Activities
Environmental
Assessment

(CEQA)

Description

• Scope nature and extent of CLQA revie\At and
documentation.

• !d-epare preliminary environmental
assessments.

Conduct initial

public outreach

meetings

Inc(.irporate public
Public review and

Time Period
Dec. 31, 2005
March 1, 2006

IdolcT^proximately three initial commuinity
treach meetings(West Valley, East Hills, and

March 1,, 2006

Provide reports to decision-makers regarding

March 1, 2006

ou

South County).
• Informal meetings with key stakeholders.
outreach and public comment.
V”'Determine realistic schedule for HLUE7',

March 1, 2006

Planning Commission, Board of Supervisors

hearings

public hearings.

• Develop staff reports, transmittals, CEQA
documents, presentation.s, mapping exhibits,
other materials as needed.

June 30, 2006
to

Sept. 30, 2006

• l,.)eterminc possible ordinance enactment

alternatives (e■‘O .: interim ordinance to be fine'a

tuned following a certain period of

implementation, or standard ordinance).
• Conduct public hearing process and adopt
Post-Adoption
Follow-up

policies, ordinances, guidelines.
• Following adoption of Viewshed Protection
measures ultimately decided upon, provide

information on County website. Public Service
Counter handouts, and mailings informing

Sept. 31, 2006
to Dec. 31,

2006

public of changes to policies and/or
rc'g 1.11 ations that are adopted.

Ncke: Quarterly status reports (off-a enda) to the Board of Supervisors December, 2005;
March 2005, June, 2006, etc.

Vunvshecl Sdicdulr DS-Dn.di'C

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