CC SR 20201104 02 - ADU Status
PUBLIC HEARING
Date: November 4, 2020
Subject:
Consideration and possible action to amend Chapters 17.02 (Single-Family Residential (RS) Districts),
17.04 (Multiple-Family Residential (RM) Districts), and 17.96 (Definitions), and repealing and
replacing Chapter 17.10 (Accessory Dwelling Unit Development Standards ) of Title 17 (Zoning) of the
Rancho Palos Verdes Municipal Code to update the development standards for accessory dwelling
units and to create development standards for junior accessory dwelling units (Case No. PLCA2020-
0001)
Recommendation: Continue the public hearing to November 17, 2020.
1. Report of Notice Given: Deputy City Clerk
2. Declare Public Hearing Open: Mayor Cruikshank
3. Request for Staff Report: Mayor Cruikshank
4. Staff Report & Recommendation: Octavio Silva, Deputy Director of Community Development
5. Council Questions of Staff (factual and without bias):
6. Testimony from members of the public:
The normal time limit for each speaker is three (3) minutes. The Presiding Officer may grant additional time to a representative speaking
for an entire group. The Mayor also may adjust the time limit for individual speakers depending upon the number of speakers who
intend to speak.
7. Declare Hearing Closed/or Continue the Public Hearing to a later date: Mayor Cruikshank
8. Council Deliberation:
The Council may ask staff to address questions raised by the testimony, or to clarify matters. Staff and/or Council may also answer
questions posed by speakers during their testimony. The Council will then debate and/or make motions on the matter.
9. Council Action:
The Council may: vote on the item; offer amendments or substitute motions to decide the matter; reopen the hearing for additional
testimony; continue the matter to a later date for a decision.
CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: 11/04/2020
AGENDA REPORT AGENDA HEADING: Public Hearing
AGENDA TITLE:
Consideration and possible action to amend Chapters 17.02 (Single-Family Residential
(RS) Districts), 17.04 (Multiple-Family Residential (RM) Districts), and 17.96 (Definitions),
and repealing and replacing Chapter 17.10 (Accessory Dwelling Unit Development
Standards) of Title 17 (Zoning) of the Rancho Palos Verdes Municipal Code to update the
development standards for accessory dwelling units and to create development standards
for junior accessory dwelling units (Case No. PLCA2020-0001).
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
1) Continue the public hearing to November 17, 2020.
FISCAL IMPACT: None
Amount Budgeted: N/A
Additional Appropriation: N/A
Account Number(s): N/A
ORIGINATED BY: Octavio Silva, Deputy Director of Community Development
REVIEWED BY: Ken Rukavina, P.E., Director of Community Development
APPROVED BY: Ara Mihranian, AICP, City Manager
ATTACHED SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS:
A. September 15, 2020 City Council Staff Report
(https://rpv.granicus.com/GeneratedAgendaViewer.php?view_id=5&clip_id=3
728)
B. October 13, 2020 Planning Commission Staff Report
(https://rpv.granicus.com/GeneratedAgendaViewer.php?view_id=5&clip_id=3
744)
C. October 27, 2020 Planning Commission Staff Report
(https://rpv.granicus.com/GeneratedAgendaViewer.php?view_id=5&event_id=
1841)
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION:
On September 1, 2020, the City Council, after considering public testimony and
information presented by Staff including the recommendation of the Planning
Commission, accepted a draft accessory dwelling unit (ADU) ordinance. The City
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Council-accepted ordinance mirrored the Planning Commission’s recommendation with
the exception of prohibiting ADUs on streets in the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone
(Fire Hazard Zone) that did not have two distinct means of access. Instead, the City
Council opted for a Director-level review process to allow for ADUs on such streets. The
City Council continued the public hearing to September 15, 2020, to provide Staff an
opportunity to incorporate its Fire Safety Review criteria into the draft ordinance for the
City Council’s consideration.
On September 15, 2020, the City Council considered a revised draft ordinance that
included criteria for a Fire Safety Review, whereby the Director could consider ADU
projects on properties in the City’s Fire Hazard Zone that do not have two distinct
means of access (Attachment A). However, at the meeting, the City Council moved and
approved a motion that the Fire Safety Review be conducted by the Planning
Commission. The City Council also remanded the specific matter of reviewing the Fire
Safety Review criteria back to the Planning Commission, along with the addition of a 10-
business day appeal period for both approvals and denial of applicable projects.
On September 24, 2020, staff met with the Planning Commission’s Zoning Code Update
Subcommittee members, consisting of Commissioners Chura, Hamill and Saadatnejadi,
to present, discuss and collect input on the draft Fire Safety Review criteria and appeal
provisions. At this meeting, the Subcommittee, among other things, discussed not
forwarding any recommendations to the City Council regarding the draft criteria or
appeal process; but instead, recommending that the Planning Commission re consider
its recommendation to prohibit ADUs on streets that did not have two direct means of
access. The Subcommittee also requested that additional clarification be added to
Section C (1) (Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone) of the draft ordinance that better
defined the phrase “two distinct means of vehicular access (a street) such that the two
distinct means of vehicular access, as measured from the lot to the point of intersection
with a street, shall not overlap with each other” as written in the draft ADU ordinance.
On October 13, 2020, the draft criteria and associated code updates were presented to
the Planning Commission for consideration including input from the Subcommittee
(Attachment B). At this meeting, the Planning Commission directed Staff to develop
additional criteria that included enhanced accessibility measures to a potential project
site. The Planning Commission also considered recommending that the City Council
reconsider prohibiting ADUs on streets that did not have two direct means of access .
Due the breadth and scope of the Planning Commission discussion, t he matter was
continued to the October 27, 2020 Planning Commission meeting to allow Staff
additional time to further expand the proposed criteria as directed. The October 27,
2020 Planning Commission meeting overlaps with the publishing and posting of the
November 4, 2020 City Council agenda; therefore, the matter is recommended to be
continued to the November 17, 2020 City Council meeting to allow time for the Planning
Commission to make and formalize its recommendations and Staff to memorialize the
Planning Commission’s actions in the staff report.
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ALTERNATIVES:
In addition to the Staff recommendation, the following alternative action is available for
the City Council’s consideration:
1. Identify additional issues or concerns, provide direction to Staff and/or the
Planning Commission, and continue this item to a future agenda.
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