RPVCCA_SR_2010_05_18_12_Floor_Area_RatioMEMORANDUM
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT:
CITY COUNCIL
MAYOR PRO TEM TOM LONG
May 18,2010
Floor Area Ratios ("FAR")
The purpose of this memorandum is to seek the Council's instruction to staff to
study the imposition of a "floor area ratio"("FAR")limitation for residential and
nonresidential zones in the City.
The size and density of residential and other structures in the City is governed by
the City's ordinances.In the residential area,a number of limitations are established
for various residential zones.These limitations include the neighborhood compatibility
rules which limit the apparent density and mass ofJhe home.However,these rules are
enforced with reference to nearby structures.This sometimes causes difficulty if the
nearby structures do not provide a good guide for suitable development on the subject
property.For example,nearby structures provided no helpful guide on the Johnson
project.Nearby structures were arguably also not helpful on the Nantasket property.In
addition,if only the limitations of the existing codes are applied,such as hardscape
coverage,setbacks,lot size and neighborhood compatibility rules,it would often be at
least theoretically possible to build a very large house on a very small lot and
nonetheless comply with the City's code.
One of the features of the current neighborhood compatibility rules is to consider
whether the newly proposed residential structure is out of proportion to other homes in
the neighborhood.Of course,this means that the neighborhood compatibility rules set
no upper limit.Instead,the rules look at the size of nearby structures and (typically)the
new proposed structure is approved even if it is larger than any nearby structures as
long as it is not hugely larger.As larger and larger structures are built,the overall
average size in the neighborhood increases and the size of a home that would be
approved under the neighborhood compatibility rules in the future increase as well.In a
sense,the neighborhood compatibility rules do not set any upper limit on density,they
simply slow the pace by which the neighborhoods become more dense.I have
proposed at various times that we do computer modeling to see what neighborhoods
will look like once all of the homes in the neighborhood are built out to the maximum
density allowed under our existing codes.This is the direction we are headed in
(unless we change the rules)and yet there has been up to now no interest in studying
the topic.The City seems to have no final view of what the ultimate density of the
development in the City should be.
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Floor Area Ratios (FAR)
May 18,2010
Page 2 of2
I request that the council instruct staff to research and prepare a staff report to
consider alternative FAR restrictions for residential and/or nonresidential zones within
Rancho Palos Verdes.The research should include looking at FAR regulations
adopted in other comparable cities.I believe there are FAR regulations in Palos Verdes
Estates and Del Mar,for example.
Attachments
Typical Definition of Floor Area Ratio (FAR)
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The Floor Area Ratio (FAR)or Floor Space Index (FSI)is the ratio of the total floor
area of buildings on a certain location to the size of the land of that location,or the limit
imposed on such a ratio.
The Floor Area Ratio is the total building square footage (building area)divided by the
site size square footage (site area).
As a formula:Floor Area Ratio =(Total covered area on all floors of all buildings on a
certain plot)/(Area of the plot)
Thus,an FSI of 2.0 would indicate that the total floor area of a building is two times the
gross area of the plot on which it is constructed,as would be found in a multiple-story
building.
SOURCE:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floor Area Ratio
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Carfree Cities
FAR Explained
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A FARof1.0
The illustration above shows a Floor Area Ratio (FAR)of 1.0.This
simply means that,if the area of the plot is 100 square meters,then
100 square meters of gross floor area has been built on the plot.
The illustration above shows a 4-story building covering 1/4 of the
site,giving a FAR of 1.0.Four floors of 25 square meters each are
built on a site of 100 square meters.
The reference design for carfree cities is based on a FAR of 1.5.
Here are some ways to get to a FAR of 1.5:
•Build a 2-story building on 75%of the site (2 x 0.75 =1.5)
•Build a 3-story bUilding on 50%of the site (3 x 0.5 =1.5)
•Build a 4-story building on 37.5%of the site (4 x 0.375 =1.5)
It will be noted that a FAR of 1.5 is quite high,although this density
is not unusual in Venice or central Paris,and is considerably
exceeded in most of Manhattan.It requires 4-story buildings and
narrow streets with modest interior courtyards.(Higher buildings
would leave more room for streets and gardens,but buildings
higher than 4 stories are not desirable because they are expensive
to construct and unpleasant to live in.)
-----------.-----------SOURCE:http://www.carfree.com/far.html
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