Objective Design Standards for 1-4 unit residential buildings

This initiative is to develop Objective Design Standards (ODS) for one-to-four-unit residential development, and to update objective design standards for accessory dwelling units (ADU) and multi-family and mixed-use development. The Design Standards will streamline the design review process and enhance production by providing clear and consistent expectations of high-quality design to architects, developers, and the City’s decision makers.

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About Bbjective Design Standards

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What are Objective Design Standards?

State law defines objective standards as those that “involve no personal or subjective judgment by a public official and are uniformly verifiable by reference to an external and uniform benchmark or criterion available and knowable by both the development applicant and public official before submittal.”

In contrast, subjective standards require interpretation by City staff or discretionary boards. For example, a requirement for a 40-square-foot front entryway is an objective standard, while a “welcoming front entry” requirement is subject to interpretation. An objective standard like “building exteriors shall utilize at least two different colors” could replace a current subjective requirement such as “every building shall have complementary colors which demonstrate a harmonious relationship.”

Why should we create Objective Design Standards?

  • State Legislation: The State of California has adopted legislation requiring cities to approve certain housing proposals through ministerial (staff level) processes based on objective standards. The result of these laws is to encourage cities to create quicker, more accessible pathways for housing to be built.
  • Clear Expectations: For residents, property owners, and developers, objective standards provide clear expectations of the types of design, articulation, and massing to be expected in Piedmont neighborhoods. The Objective Design Standards will build off of existing guidelines and community input, and will also provide clear language and graphic illustrations for developments to follow.
  • Quicker Processing Times: The standards would communicate expectations to applicants, and if an eligible project applicant complies with the standards (as well as all other related requirements), approval could be through a staff-level administrative process with no public review or hearing. This eliminates barriers to residential permitting by reducing application timelines and clarifies what will be required from the beginning of the design phase.

Planning Commission Objective Design Standards Subcommittee

The Planning Commission has formed a subcommittee that will work as a team with staff and the project consultants. The team will report its progress to the Planning Commission at its regular meetings, presenting its drafts for review and comment by the Planning Commission and members of the public. Commissioners Jajodia and Ortiz will serve as members of the subcommittee.

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