Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

pretty stacked. They're going be tough to beat. 5050. I don't follow baseball. I just like the playoffs. But yeah, same here. If I go to the game or the playoffs. Yeah, perfect. You ready? Recording. Maybe you're ready, too.

I'd like to Is it on? Yep. I'd like to call to order the planning commission meeting for October 7th, 2025. Start with the pledge of allegiance. Commissioner Williams, will you please start us off? I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Mr. City Clerk, can I please have a roll call?

Thank you, Chair. Let the record reflect that Commissioner AC and Commissioner WG are both absent today. Does anybody have any conflicts of interest in today's agenda? Let the record reflect that there are none. Uh Mr. City Clerk, are there any uh changes or deletions to the agenda? No changes. Chair,

um are there is there at this time is there anybody who would like to make public comments? There are no members of the audience for public comment today. There are no presentations. We have no approval of minutes. Um, that brings us to item E, amendments to title 18 of the Cloverdale Municipal Code to incorporate objective design and development standards for multifamily and mixeduse projects. You

want to go? I'll just Thank you, chair. Um, as you know, over the last few years, we've been amending our codes to reflect uh new laws that state of California has uh passed. Senate Bill SB35. It's hard to keep them all keep them all in order, but SB35 requires well, we I think we mentioned this before, objective design standards. So basically they want to eliminate things like the development should fit in with the character of the neighborhood, things like that where people can't, you know, it's hard to quantify um and hard to really put a handle on what exactly that is. So we're can, you know, we're moving more towards very prescriptive design standards. We didn't really have to amend. We have our two consultants, Luke and and Eli from Forleaf, who have been helping us with this, and we didn't have to really amend too much in our code, and we'll let them talk about the amendments that they're proposing. Um, this will get us in conformance, we think, with SB35. Again, if that law hadn't occurred at the state level, we probably wouldn't be doing this. I mean, I'm not saying it's not a bad idea. It's probably a good idea ultimately, but um we didn't really have to amend too many things. there wasn't a lot of subjective things in our code design code to begin with. So, uh we can turn it over to them unless you want to say something.

We'll just clarify that that that the change was Yeah. the changes for um specifically for uh residential and and multif family um specifically multif family projects. So it's not uh you know the uh when we when we might review an industrial building or a commercial building something like that we we will still have you know design standards that are that that are in the code that those aren't changing. This is just related to the residential portion and specifically multif family residential. Um yeah I'll let uh turn it over to our consultants if yeah Luke and Eli want to take it over from here and after they're done you have any questions for staff and we'll provide you the recommendation.

Excellent. Thank you very much. Uh Raphael and city manager Thompson. Uh good evening. My name is Luke Lindbush uh with Forleaf uh project manager for the objective design and development standards project. Um and before I jump in um just want to see or do we want to bring up the slide deck or I can just kind of give a brief presentation of Okay. Yeah. Um do you need it or either way where where is it? Do we I don't think we have it.

That's okay. I can I can that's all good. I can just give a high level overview of the objective design development standards. Um so first and foremost um Forleaf has been consulting with the city for the last four years or so. Um first um I served as project manager for the housing element update uh for 2023 to 2031. Uh and then after that had some code amendments to implement the housing element uh to zone for a variety of housing types. Uh remove some subjective language from uh the city's code um that was out of conformance with Senate Bill 330 uh which is the state uh legislation that requires objective design and development standards. Uh so we already took out some of the subjective language in the residential design standards um and just had some minor edits to that along with the fence ordinance within title 18 city zoning code. Uh and also have proposed adding uh new objective design and development standards. Uh so those standards would apply to any projects uh that use um streamlining under a number of different state laws. Uh that's inclusive of SB35 as city manager Thompson referenced. um Senate Bill 330 which allows for a pre-application process uh for many different types of mixed use and multif family development projects. Um and every year there's new streamlining legislation that requires uh these objective design and development standards to be utilized. Um so instead of taking the approach of having a separate set of standards uh that you know development applicants could use um for u you know project that wasn't under a streamlined application process. We really just wanted to make sure that we could have a very straightforward application process, a set of criteria for objective design and development standards that could be used for all multif family and mixeduse projects throughout the city. Uh so we really uh led with the intention of making sure that there was uh only only standards that were objective in there um that don't require any subjective judgment to be able to interpret uh and really making it so you know the standards could apply uh to just about any project that comes in. Uh there's a number of

different approaches to objective design and development standards that we've seen throughout the state. Uh some of them are 3 400 pages long and and really regulate every single aspect of the building form. Uh and really we we wanted to make sure that the objective design and development standards that we developed for Cloverdale uh were focused on issues of public health and safety uh and really you know basic design uh issues to make sure that you know they're products that that are um you know aesthetically pleasing and also um can really uh be delivered without adding unnecessary cost or time delay onto the project um creating unnecessary burden on applicants or on staff as they move forward with processing those applications. Um so we really wanted to focus on a couple of key areas um unique to Cloverdale um and well increasingly not very unique to the state of California but uh fire hardening um was one issue that we really looked at making sure that the materials that are incorporated within the objective design and development standards um can be considerate of the fact that the city has a number of high and very high fire hazard severity zones. uh really looking at incorporating other aspects of the city's code and just harmonizing it throughout um through different um standards like you know existing density and development standards, open space requirements, um uh consistency with the fence ordinance. Um really just making sure that it could be as integrative throughout the rest of the code as possible. Um, so that's essentially um where we're at with the objective design and development standards uh and and what we're recommending for uh the ordinance to move forward um for recommendation to the city council this evening. I'm happy to go into any of the aspects of um the proposed amendments to uh the zoning code uh to to establish the objective design and development standards uh or or you know provide any answers to any other questions that you may have about the process or how it'll look. Um and so just want to thank the city for the opportunity to um continue to work u on Cloverdale's housing policy. Um also want to shout out Eli Areola um who's served as a project lead um assistant planner on the fourleaf team um and Dave Cloverdale resident

who's really been involved um from day one on this project. Well, thank you. So I mean you can see it's we didn't have to do a lot which is kind of our direction to for leaf. We didn't want to reinvent the wheel. So, I think this is really great that you guys were able to get us into conformance without having to do a ton of things. And once you change one thing in the code, then it sometimes affects others. So, you're just chasing it around. So, thank you. Good job. Good luck. Thank you. Does anybody want to start us off some questions? Okay. Go ahead.

Thank you. I just had a um just a general overview question. My understanding is that these changes are done in order to comply with the state regulations and I also know that the state regulations really handcuff the local municipalities with regards to what they can impose on certain projects and I'm just wondering if in the process any consideration was given to additional objective standards that the city might desire that are not necessarily required under state law. I mean, purple piping is something that came to my mind and there I'm sure there are others. I just want to know that the the view was not solely directed at compliance with the state law, but also looking at the um entire macro of how the uh planning is done to ensure that additional things that the city might find favorable are taken into consideration.

I could start off Yeah. the um when we first uh embarked on this the yeah the applicants as asked us yeah essentially how far did the city want to take it as you know do we want to go into single family or even um you know commercial like I said there's uh we could have we could have taken it a lot farther essentially but yeah we decided just to stick with m multif family

um I know that the new highfire um maps put a lot of Cloverdale into the highf fire zone. Um, are there any other areas that we can or have considered that we would want to make wooi to reduce the density in certain areas that maybe aren't higher zone or can we do that as part of the objective standards? What's the question? It's just if are there in addition because like we currently like they moved more areas into high fire but I guess like I'm thinking of the ASI road project which was medium fire when we looked at it

and my question is are there areas like that that maybe aren't designated high fire but could we have it as an objective standard that it has to meet the criteria of a highf fire zone of a wooi zone to you know maybe make it a little bit more difficult to have high density building in some of these areas that could be risky even though maybe we're saying they're not exactly high fire zone but they're close too. Well, I don't know. I mean, I think um some of that bears out in the building code. So, the way that they have to build certain windows and roof, you know, all the fire stuff that's

can be way more can be expensive. Um I don't I I'd have to research that. We are going to be in the process of uh updating our building code which is going to start next year. Something we have to do every two years. So we do have some flexibility in that process to add things that are more strict than what the state requires. We generally don't because I mean the state code is is pretty strict to begin with. So, and the fire department does weigh in on the adoption of the building code because certain sections are related to their, you know, fire stuff. So, um I don't know. I mean, those maps were created by Cal Fire and along with the maps are certain things that you're supposed to do if you're in those areas. And what you're saying is, can we apply those things to other areas? I I think that's what you're asking.

Exactly. Yeah.

I'll I'll look into it. I mean, I think we probably could. we probably we might get challenged. Um I know there's things in the building code like uh higher energy efficiency things that we can choose tier 1 2 3. Those are already spelled out and the city can make the determination of which tier they want to be on. I've never heard of that for fire stuff, but maybe it's a possibility. I can jump in as well just on uh with regard to the objective design and development standards. So any developments that come through in the very high fire hazard severity zones are required to comply with chapter 7A of the California building code um which set out a number of very rigorous fire hardening measures. Um so it wouldn't necessarily stop the development from going through but would require that the materials setbacks things along those lines would be up to that level of standard as set by the building code. Um with regard to you know very high fire hazard severity zones and streamlining SP330 projects for example cannot move forward in those zones. Um and there's a number of other streamlining provisions, small lot subdivision law as well that uh you know restricts those kind of developments from moving forward in the very high fire hazard severity zone. Um while the maps are set by CalFire, there are options for local agencies to upgrade uh the classification of certain zones um from moderate or high to higher. You can't downgrade them from what the CalFire assignment is. Um but that is an option if there's local knowledge that signifies that you know there are certain areas that maybe do have a higher level of hazard um fire hazard um than was noted by the state um that's something that could move forward in a local process. Um so and I'll also just note too with with regard to the building code um revisions uh there were a set of budget trailer bills that went through this year um went into effect on July 1st that dealt with a number of different aspects of environmental law. of the largest reforms to SQUA uh in California history. Uh and that included a moratorium on some aspects of uh

revisions to building codes. Um not all. So there's a there's a few more restrictions in terms of what local amendments to building codes can be made through I believe I want to say 2031 2033. Um we can check on that number for sure, but um there is a moratorum in in effect for um building code revisions as well. So some some opportunities, some challenges within there, but wanted to explore a little bit of that as well.

Okay. I guess where I was kind of going with this is that we are, you know, tethered to build certain types of developments and um we have in cases had to approve ones that were in areas that could like be, you know, that have been close to fire zones and that could be problematic if there were a large fastmoving wildfire. And this to me seems like a way because my understanding is that objective standards and I don't know if that would necessarily be an objective standard, but my understanding is that we can't say that once somebody proposes a development that oh well no because we think this is going to be high fire. We have to have that in place prior to the development. We can't analyze it once something's put forward. So that's kind of where my mind was at was this that would be a way that we could restrict these large developments in areas that maybe aren't the best area um because we are in a rural in in a rural area where fire is an issue. And so that would kind of be not necessarily a loophole, but just be a way of being very pragmatic about an issue that like really some developments shouldn't be built in high fire dangerous areas. And um as it was pointed out on that one that that wasn't enough for health and safety for us to be able to say no even though there's been 80 fires in a year and a half within a mile stretch behind it doesn't matter. So that's just

No, I I understand. I I just I don't know the answer. I mean I I will bring it up when we started talking about the building code which is going to be next month. Um the consensus kind of at the council when we had to adopt the CalFire maps was we we wanted them to move it back and not not make our entire town a giant, you know, red. Yeah. Um and the fire chief was, you know, thinking it was overkill a little bit the way they mapped it and there was really no appeal process or anything. So that was that and but you're you're asking about a more specific type of development and so I understand I'll I'll when it comes up I'll I'll bring that up.

Okay. Thank you. Um any other questions or comments?

I just have one uh technical question and that's with regards to the amendments. I note that in materials that we received um section 18930 uh the subsection D is omitted from the original um municipal code and that's the section that talks about chain link fencing not being allowed in the certain downtown areas and I just wanted to make sure that that provision was not going to be taken out of the municipal code. Yeah. No, that that that part is staying. Yeah. The changes is in the red. Yeah. Perfect. Thank you. Chain link is is not allowed downtown. I Yeah.

And that doesn't change. Yeah. I I kind of thought that just the provisions that were being changed of that sub paragraph were included. I just wanted to make sure of that. Thank you. Any other questions or comments? All righty. Uh can I get a motion then to adopt or

Yeah, there's a resolution recommending the amendments to the council. Since since it's in the code, the council uh is the final say on it, but the planning commission is required to make a recommendation that we'd bring to council in the next month or so. So there is a resolution. Um somebody can read the top and make a motion. Before we before we move to a motion, if you can officially open up and close the public hearing since it's an official public hearing. We catch Mike. Sorry. Okay. We don't do public hearings as often. I know you didn't give me a script. I know. Just kidding. Um only here two days a week.

Are there are there any members of the public at this time that would like to comment on the current item um amendments to title 18 of the Cloverdale Municipal Municipal Code? Let the record reflect there are no members of the audience present of the public in the audience present. Sorry. Thank you.

Thank you. At this time, I'd like to move uh to adopt the resolution recommending that the Cloverdale City Council adopt an ordinance amending title 18 of the Cloverdale Municipal Code uh to adopt objective design standards. Thank you. Can I get a second? I second. May I have a roll call, Mr. City Clerk? Sure. We can actually do a All in favor say I if you'd like. All in favor? I I

Perfect. All opposed. Perfect. Motion passes. Uh Luke, Eli, thank you guys for your contributions. All right. Uh there's no new business today. Do any of the commissioners have any commissioner reports? Department reports.

Okay. Thank you. Uh I'll just run through some things that are happening. We um the council adopted the squa document for the soda springs open space at the last meeting. So the work has started on the parking lot and the trails. Um they did identify in the SQA document potentially some areas of sensitive uh wildlife. So that they're going to have to wait till spring. It really won't be that big of a delay. I mean, the there's a small stretch of trail that's shown on the map that can't be completed until they do this biological survey to make sure. I can't remember what it was, but uh it was a plant. Um so, but anyway, it it will be 99% open hopefully by the end of the year and then they'll do that survey. Worst case, they just won't build that little section of trail. Um, we, uh, Mike just put up with the with the police department's help a survey about ebikes on our website. So, if anyone's interested in that, we're trying to figure out if we want to get some regulations about those, but we're just looking for a little background information on what the community thinks about that. Yes. Uh I did mention our next meeting is no November 4th probably be cancelled but we are at this point on November 12th planning a joint meeting with the city council to re start to review Emeralda project. So um we'll probably have you guys maybe sit right here and you'll be able to ask questions. They'll give a presentation and it'll be kind of a discussion and then you know afterwards you can either stick around for the rest of the meeting or you can you can take take off. So we'll have that in the beginning. Um I think that's it. Am I missing anything you guys? Oh the other just kind of a fun thing. We are coordinating with the chamber for a pretty big Halloween thing. I think we're last year we noticed there was like just tons of kids and so this year

we're going to actually close the street and we're going to set up as a city at the stage and make a spooky scene and give out our candy there and have music playing. Um yeah, there's some discussion of Pix doing their grand opening that day too, but I'm not sure if that's happening. So anyway, it's going to be really fun. So, if anyone wants to come down to to the stage and help us give out candy or or participate, Mike, you got anything on that? I mean,

I just wanted to mention I know our member from the police department just sent you an RSVP to our holiday shinding at the end of the year. So, if you can please RSVP to that, we're hoping that all the commissioners and their family members, loved ones, kids can join us. So, just if you can RSVP soon so we can get a final headcount, it' be great. And you'll notice uh on the council agenda tomorrow if you check it out, we are in escrow to purchase the property um I guess south of the plaza. You guys got that? The city got that real quick. Okay.

It's it's on the agenda. So I I feel like we can announce it now at this point. The agenda is on the website. So yeah, we're in escrow. Um and there'll be a lot more discussion. I mean, I think the main goal is to expand the plaza and so we'll be looking for a lot of community input on that. So, it's pretty exciting. That is exciting. That includes um the barber shop and the laundry mat. And is that just that square? Are there other buildings? Uh the old uh what was it called? The trading post or the outpost? Yeah. So, that's part of it too. Okay. What about the um on the corner state farm or the insurance?

It's its own that's a separate lot. Yeah. You can check out the uh agenda report on the website. So that it we're good. Okay. I will uh join this meeting to the next regular meeting scheduled for November 5th at 6:27.