The purpose of this chapter is to provide objective design standards for certain mixed-use and multi-family residential developments in the City of Carpinteria in order to provide ministerial and/or streamlined review of such projects. The intent of this chapter is to maintain the city's unique small-town character and vibrant neighborhoods while encouraging and incentivizing residential and mixed-use developments that:

A.

Provide housing opportunities for residents of all income levels, including family and workforce housing;

B.

Revitalize neighborhoods and provide opportunities for infill development;

C.

Cultivate pedestrian and alternative transportation-friendly spaces; and

D.

Are sensitive to and compatible with existing development with respect to massing, setbacks, and rooflines.

(Ord. No. 789, § 3, 4-14-2025)

A.

The provisions of this chapter shall apply to:

1.

Any residential or mixed-use development in the Residential/Mixed Use (RMU) 20/25 Zone District;

2.

Any residential development subject to a streamlined, ministerial approval process pursuant to California Government Code Sections 65913.4, 65852.24, and 65912.100—140; and

3.

Any development that constitutes a "housing development project" under California Government Code Section 65589.5 (Housing Accountability Act) that is inconsistent with the city's general plan land use designation and zoning ordinance, or meets the criteria in Government Code Section 65589.5, Subdivision (h)(11).

B.

In the case of conflict between this chapter and other regulations of Title 14 (Zoning), the objective standards established by this chapter shall prevail, except as outlined in Section 14.51.020(C).

C.

All residential and mixed-use development subject to this chapter shall comply with the objective design standards of this chapter as well as all other applicable objective standards and policies, and all applicable policies and provisions of the local coastal program.

1.

Exception. Applicants may request concessions, incentives, or waivers of development standards pursuant to Chapter 14.77 (Density bonus program).

2.

Conflicting Standards. If there is any conflict between the objective standards set forth in this chapter and any existing city or state objective standards, the more restrictive objective standards shall apply.

3.

Coastal Resource Protection. Where compliance with only the objective standards of this local coastal program is required under state housing law for a proposed residential or mixed-use development and where an applicable coastal resource protection policy or provision of this local coastal program contains objective and subjective components, the objective portion(s) shall apply such that adverse impacts to coastal resources shall be avoided.

(Ord. No. 789, § 3, 4-14-2025)

A.

Permit processing shall be as provided for in the underlying base zone district.

B.

Any project that seeks an exception, waiver, or modification to the provisions of this chapter, excluding waivers or modifications granted pursuant to State Density Bonus Law (Gov. Code, Section 65915 et seq.) as implemented by Chapter 14.77, shall require the filing and approval of a development plan modification as provided for in Section 14.50.120 of this title.

(Ord. No. 789, § 3, 4-14-2025)

A.

Building Form and Vertical Hierarchy. Buildings that are higher than two stories shall be designed to differentiate between a defined base (first floor); a middle or body (e.g., second or third floor); and a top, cornice, or parapet cap (architectural features). Two-story buildings shall include a defined base and a top, cornice, or parapet cap. All buildings shall achieve this effect through at least two of the following:

1.

Color, texture, or material changes;

2.

Variations, projections, or reveals in the wall plane;

3.

Variations in fenestration design or pattern; or

4.

Decorative architectural features, such as cornices and columns.

B.

Story Height. The ground story shall have a maximum story height of ten feet for residential use and twelve feet for commercial use. The height of upper stories shall not exceed nine feet.

C.

Wall Plane Variation. Building facades visible from the primary right-of-way shall not extend more than thirty feet in length without either a two-foot variation in depth in the wall plane or one of the following projected or recessed architectural elements: Porches, stoops, porticos, balconies, bay windows, overhangs, terraces, and/or trellises.

D.

Street Facade. If buildings on adjacent properties establish a contiguous street facade along the primary right-of-way frontage, such as the 900 block of Linden Avenue, new buildings shall be located to maintain the contiguous street-facing wall, with allowances for variation in facade and entrances which are projected or recessed.

E.

Corner Lots. Buildings located on corner lots shall include one or more of the following features on both street-facing facades, located within twenty-five feet of the corner of the building closest to the intersection:

1.

An entrance to a ground-floor use or a primary building entrance;

2.

A different material application, color, or fenestration pattern of windows and doors from the rest of the facade; or

3.

A change in height of at least eighteen inches from the height of the abutting facade.

F.

Roofline Variation. Rooflines shall provide one of the following prominent changes a minimum length of every thirty feet:

1.

Variation in roof form, such as hip, mansard, gable, shed, or flat with parapet;

2.

Variation in architectural elements, such as parapets and cornices; or

3.

Variation of roof height of eighteen inches minimum (as measured from the highest point of each roof line).

G.

Upper Floor Massing. Upper floors shall be reduced in bulk and massing: Upper floors shall each have up to a total maximum floor area of eighty percent of the total net floor area of the ground floor. For lots with five-thousand square feet or less, upper floors shall have a total maximum floor area of up to seventy percent of the total net floor area of the ground floor.

H.

Contextual Upper Story Stepback.

1.

Where a building's facade is within twenty feet of a street side property line, at least thirty percent of the facade of the upper floor(s) shall be stepped back from the ground floor facade at least two feet.

2.

Where a building on an abutting lot across a side lot line is single-story, any proposed building located within fifteen feet of the side lot line shall step back at least thirty percent of the upper floor(s)' facade from the ground floor facade at least two feet.

I.

Common Open Space. Common open spaces for multi-family residential developments shall comply with the minimums required by the base zone district in which they are located.

1.

Rooftop Open Space. Open spaces located on a building rooftop shall be a minimum of fifteen feet away from any property line abutting a residential use.

J.

All-sided Architecture. Fenestration, materials, and common details shall be carried over on all sides of the building visible from public rights-of-way.

K.

Limits on Garages. To minimize the dominance of garage doors along street frontages, a garage facing and visible from a public street shall not occupy more than fifty percent of the width of a building facade facing that street, except that it may be twelve feet wide in any circumstance. Mixed-use developments shall not have any street-facing garage doors along the primary right-of-way. Garage doors shall be recessed a minimum of four inches from the surrounding wall plane.

1.

Where the width of a garage exceeds thirty percent of the linear front or side elevations, the garage shall be recessed a minimum of thirty feet from the front wall of the building, or provide a trellis extending in front of the face of the garage.

2.

Garage doors shall feature at least one of the following treatments:

a.

Garage door windows;

b.

Paneled garage door surface;

c.

Two different colors; or

d.

Accent material.

(Ord. No. 789, § 3, 4-14-2025)

A.

Siting of Commercial Uses. Commercial components of a mixed-use development shall always be located closest to the primary right-of-way. Where a combination of commercial and residential uses is provided within the same building, commercial uses shall be located on the ground floor and closest to the primary right-of-way.

B.

Front-Facing Open Space. For developments fronting Linden Avenue or Carpinteria Avenue, any ground-floor courtyard, open space, or building setback from the street-facing property line shall be used for landscaping, outdoor dining/seating, public plazas, and/or building entries.

C.

Vehicular Circulation and Access.

1.

Vehicular site access to parking areas shall be provided via side streets or alleys, when present.

2.

A maximum of one vehicle access point from the street is permitted per one hundred feet of street frontage. For corner lots, one vehicular access point is permitted per lot where all street frontages are less than one hundred linear feet, and two vehicular access points are permitted on lots where at least one street has a frontage of one hundred linear feet or more.

3.

For developments fronting Linden Avenue or Carpinteria Avenue, parking areas shall not be located within any front or street side setback, or between any building and the primary right-of-way.

D.

Loading and Service Areas. New commercial uses requiring the receipt or distribution of material or merchandise by vehicles or trucks shall provide one off-street loading space for five thousand to twenty thousand square feet of commercial area, and two off-street loading spaces for commercial area greater than twenty thousand square feet. Additional loading spaces shall be provided pursuant to Section 14.54.090.

1.

Required loading and service areas shall not be located between a building and the primary right-of-way.

2.

Loading and service areas shall not be located in drive aisles so as to not disrupt or block the flow of on-site and off-site vehicular traffic. Striping and signage shall be as provided in Chapter 10.04.

3.

Loading and service areas shall be located in parking areas and alleys, when present.

4.

Loading and service areas shall be screened from view from public rights-of-way with walls, solid fencing, and/or landscape privacy screening pursuant to Section 14.51.110.

E.

Pedestrian Circulation and Access. Pedestrian walkways shall be a minimum width of four feet and shall be designed as follows:

1.

Pedestrian walkways shall connect public sidewalk right-of-way to areas throughout the site, such as building entrances, unit entrances, vehicle parking areas, bicycle parking areas, common open space areas, waste and recycling enclosures, and any transit stops directly adjacent to the site. Such walkways shall also connect buildings and amenities within the development to one another.

2.

Where through lots are located more than three hundred feet from a street intersection, as measured from the closest point of the lot, pedestrian walkways shall be designed to provide public access connecting the two streets.

3.

Pedestrian walkways shall be constructed of firm, stable and slip-resistant materials, such as concrete, permeable paving, decomposed granite, stone, or brick.

F.

Private Open Space Screening. When a private open space (e.g. patio or balcony) is located within twenty feet of another residence or another private open space, the private open space shall be enclosed with a wall or fence that is a minimum of four feet in height.

G.

Usable Open Spaces. Required common or public open spaces shall be a minimum of ten feet by ten feet. At least one of the common or public open spaces shall incorporate at least one of the following elements:

1.

Picnic tables;

2.

Permanently installed benches or seating;

3.

Sport court or field, playground, or other children's play area;

4.

Community garden;

5.

Swimming pool; or

6.

Pet park with a minimum of one trash receptacle.

H.

Paving. For lots not fronting Linden Avenue or Carpinteria Avenue, the maximum amount of impervious surface area in the front setback is thirty percent.

(Ord. No. 789, § 3, 4-14-2025)

A.

Bicycle Parking. All developments shall provide bicycle parking spaces. Short-term bicycle parking is intended to serve shoppers, customers, couriers, guests, and other visitors to a site who generally stay for less than two hours. Long-term bicycle parking is intended to serve residents and commuters who generally stay at a site for long periods of time (e.g., overnight or for a work shift).

1.

Required Number of Spaces.

a.

Short-Term Bicycle Parking. One space per five residential units, plus one space per two hundred and fifty square feet of commercial space; or four spaces, whichever is greater.

b.

Long-Term Bicycle Parking. One space per two residential units, plus one space per one thousand square feet of commercial space.

2.

Location and Required Elements.

a.

Multi-family Residential Uses—Long-term bicycle parking. Long-term bicycle parking shall be located in an enclosed bicycle locker, a covered storage area or room, or a rack or stand in a room with key access limited to residents.

b.

Commercial Uses—Long-Term Bicycle Parking. Long-term bicycle parking shall be provided by a rack or stand within one hundred feet of an entrance to the building it serves, or in an enclosed bicycle locker, covered storage area, or room.

c.

Short-Term Bicycle Parking. Short-term bicycle parking shall be located outside of pedestrian walkways, and within one hundred feet of an entrance to the building it serves.

3.

Size and Accessibility. Each bicycle parking space shall be a minimum of two feet in width and six feet in length and shall be accessible without moving other bicycles. Two feet of clearance shall be provided between a bicycle parking space and walls, poles, landscaping, street furniture, pedestrian walkways, and parking areas.

B.

Pedestrian-Oriented Commercial Setback Areas. Front setback areas between a commercial use and the primary right-of-way shall be landscaped and shall contain at least one amenity per fifty linear feet, such as benches or other seating, drinking fountains, shade structures, or other design element (e.g., public art, planters, kiosks, etc.).

C.

Lighting. Outdoor light fixtures, including pole lights, wall-mounted lights, and bollards, shall be fully shielded and downward-facing in order to minimize glare and light trespass within and beyond the project site.

1.

Light Intensity. The maximum light intensity shall not exceed a maintained value of ten foot-candles, when measured at finished grade.

2.

Light Temperature. Lights shall be light-emitting diode (LED) lights with a color temperature no higher than three thousand Kelvins.

D.

Vents and Exhaust. All wall-mounted vent and exhaust elements shall be located at interior corners of building walls or behind building elements that conceal them from view from any public right-of-way.

E.

Screening of Mechanical Equipment. The following screening standards apply to specified types of mechanical equipment:

1.

Ground-Mounted Equipment. Ground-mounted equipment that faces a public viewing area must be screened to a height of six inches above the equipment, unless such screening conflicts with utility access. Acceptable screening devices consist of walls, fences, or berms. Screening materials for walls or fences shall be selected from an exterior finish, siding, fencing, or wall material utilized elsewhere on the primary building of the development it serves.

2.

Wall-Mounted Equipment. Wall-mounted equipment (e.g., electrical meters, cable connection boxes, electrical distribution cabinets, etc.) shall provide screening that incorporates the exterior wall or accent colors of the building, unless such screening conflicts with accessibility and visibility requirements for health and safety. For screen walls that are three feet in height or lower, vegetative materials may be substituted for the screening device.

3.

Rooftop Equipment. Where rooftop equipment is located within ten feet of a roof edge, a parapet shall be provided that is a minimum of six inches taller than all rooftop equipment. Rooftop equipment located within or adjacent to rooftop open space shall be screened to a height of six inches above the equipment in the manner provided by subsection (1) above.

F.

Trash, Recycling, And Other Waste Containers. Enclosures for recycling, green waste, and any other waste containers required by law shall be located within a building, incorporated into the exterior building design, or located within a detached enclosure designed and placed as follows:

1.

The enclosure shall be located to the rear or side of the building(s) and located outside of view from a public right-of-way, and

2.

The enclosure shall incorporate the materials and colors of the primary building design.

(Ord. No. 789, § 3, 4-14-2025)

A.

Separate Entrances. Building entrances and lobbies for residential units shall be separate from non-residential entrances.

B.

Street-Facing Commercial Entrances. Commercial components of mixed-use development along the primary right-of-way shall have main entrances facing the primary right-of-way and directly accessible from the sidewalk by a pedestrian walkway. Such entrances shall provide weather protection that is a minimum of six feet wide and four feet deep by recessing the entrance or providing an awning or similar weather protection element.

C.

Downtown Street-Facing Entrance. Buildings fronting Linden Avenue or Carpinteria Avenue shall provide an entrance directly from the public sidewalk or right-of-way a minimum of every forty feet. Each shall have one or more of the following:

1.

Entrance flanked by columns, decorative fixtures, or other similar elements;

2.

Entrance recessed within a large arch or cased decorative opening;

3.

Entrance covered by a large portico projecting at least six feet from the surrounding wall plane; or

4.

Entrance covered by an awning.

D.

Downtown Enhanced Paving. Building entrances fronting Linden Avenue or Carpinteria Avenue shall provide paving treatment using patterned and/or colored pavers, brick, or decorative colored and/or scored concrete that contrasts in color and texture from the adjacent walkway or right-of-way paving.

E.

Exterior Entrances to Residential Units.

1.

All individual exterior unit entrances shall have either a projected sheltering element or be recessed from the main facade; the projection or recess shall have a minimum depth of 24 inches.

2.

Entrance types such as a stoop, porch, patio, or courtyard may serve more than one residential unit.

3.

Individual exterior unit entrances shall be illuminated, or face toward a common area or public street.

4.

Each residential unit located within twenty feet of a primary right-of-way with an exterior entrance shall include at least one street-facing porch, balcony, or patio unless a setback of five feet or less is provided.

5.

The entrance to residential units located on the ground floor may be raised up to a maximum finished floor height of forty-two inches above the abutting sidewalk height, unless otherwise required for safety or sea level rise reasons.

(Ord. No. 789, § 3, 4-14-2025)

A.

General Treatment. Windows shall provide one of the following:

1.

Window trim or windowsill a minimum of one-half inch in depth; or

2.

Window recess a minimum of three inches in depth from the surrounding wall plane.

B.

Windows Facing A Public Street. Windows facing a public street shall feature one or more enhanced window treatments, such as decorative architectural brackets, trim, shutters, awnings, and/or trellises.

C.

Privacy. Where buildings are located within fifteen feet of one another, residential window design on the building facades adjacent to one another shall avoid unfiltered/direct views into building interiors and shall be designed with one or more of the following:

1.

Offset windows horizontally at least twelve inches from any windows in adjacent buildings (edge to edge), so as not to have a direct line-of-sight into adjacent units;

2. Non-transparent or obscured glazing, such as frosted/patterned glass, glass block, or non-operable opaque windows. One-way mirror glass or film is not permitted;

3. Permanent architectural screens or affixed louvers at windows; or

4. Clerestory windows a minimum height of five feet from the ground.

(Ord. No. 789, § 3, 4-14-2025)

A.

Wall Material. The primary exterior wall siding material shall be selected from stucco, plaster, wood, composite wood, stone, stone veneer, brick, brick veneer, or vinyl. The use of exposed plywood or glass curtain walls is prohibited.

B.

Material Transition. Changes in materials or colors shall occur at inside corners of intersecting walls or at architectural features that break up the wall plane, such as a column or pier.

C.

Window Consistency. Window frame materials and color shall be used on all elevations.

D.

Fences, Walls, and Hedges. Fences and walls shall be constructed from materials such as wood, vinyl, wrought iron, brick, and stone. Chain link and barbed wire fencing is prohibited. Both sides of all fences and walls shall feature the same color and treatment.

E.

Vents and Exhaust. All flashing, sheet metal vents, exhaust fans or ventilators, and pipe stacks shall be painted a color to match the adjacent roof or wall material.

(Ord. No. 789, § 3, 4-14-2025)

A.

Architectural Consistency. Affordable units and market rate units in the same development shall be constructed of the same exterior materials and details such that the units are not distinguishable from one another in quality and detail.

B.

Roofs.

1.

Parapets shall be capped with precast treatment, continuous banding, projecting cornices, dentils, or similar edge treatment. The interior side of parapet walls shall not be visible from a common open space or public right-of-way.

2.

Roofs with overhanging eaves shall have an underside of stained wood, painted wood, or stucco. Exposed plastic is prohibited.

3.

Corbels and brackets shall be constructed of stone, wood, or stucco. Exposed plastic is prohibited.

C.

Downtown Ground Floor Transparency. New mixed-use commercial building facades facing Linden Avenue or Carpinteria Avenue shall include windows and doors for at least fifty percent of the building wall area located between three and seven feet above the elevation of the sidewalk. Windows and doors associated with a commercial use shall not use an opaque, frosted, or glazed material.

1.

The bottom of any product display window shall not be more than three and a half feet from the elevation of the sidewalk.

2.

Transparent or translucent glazing is required on the ground floor facade. Opaque, dark tinted glass, and mirror treatments that obstruct interior views at the street level are not permitted.

D.

Decorative Window Treatments. Windows facing Linden Avenue or Carpinteria Avenue shall feature one or more of the following enhanced or decorative window treatments:

1.

Decorative architectural brackets, trim, exterior shutters, or awnings;

2.

Planter boxes or hanging planters;

3.

Balconies;

4.

Decorative accent material (such as wood or tile) as wainscot; or

5.

Bay windows.

E.

Decks and Balconies. Decks and balconies shall be constructed such that at least seventy-five percent of the area between the finished floor and the railing is an opaque material. All decks and balconies on a building shall use consistent colors, materials, and form.

F.

Vehicle Light Intrusion. Vehicle headlights shall be obstructed from direct alignment with habitable interior first-story spaces with a minimum three-foot-high fence, wall, or other solid architectural feature.

G.

Carports. Carports shall incorporate the same colors and materials as the primary residential or mixed-use building design. Solar panels shall be permitted on carports in accordance with building code.

H.

Tandem Parking. Garages may be designed to accommodate tandem parking.

(Ord. No. 789, § 3, 4-14-2025)

Landscaping shall be designed for all outdoor areas that are not specifically designated for buildings, walkways, driveways and parking, or open space. For further requirements, see the provisions of the base zoning district.

A.

Groundcover. Groundcover shall be sized and located to cover at least seventy-five percent of all landscape areas that are not planted with shrubs or trees at the time building occupancy is granted.

1.

While groundcovers and shrubs are establishing, a minimum layer of three-inch bark mulch or decorative gravel shall be placed within all landscape areas to provide one hundred percent coverage of such landscape areas.

B.

Plant Selection. Landscaping shall utilize non-invasive Mediterranean, local California native, and other WELO-compliant drought-tolerant species. Landscaping shall comply with the provisions of Chapter 15.90 (Water efficient landscaping), as applicable. Artificial or synthetic plants are prohibited.

C.

Number of Plants. A minimum of one fifteen-gallon tree or equivalent box size and twenty-five-gallon shrubs shall be planted for every one thousand square feet of required landscape area.

D.

Landscape Privacy Buffer. A landscape buffer of a minimum width of five feet shall be located between all ground-level private open spaces, and pedestrian walkways or common/public open spaces. Plants shall be selected to enhance security (e.g. thorny plants) and shall be demonstrated to grow to a minimum height of four feet.

1.

Exception. Plantings providing a solid screen that are located in a front yard setback or facing the primary right-of-way shall not exceed a height of four feet.

E.

Pedestrian Walkways. Pedestrian walkways shall be flanked on at least one side with landscaping, and include a mix of groundcover, shrubs, and trees. Trees shall be selected and spaced to shade at least twenty percent of the overall walkway length at full maturity.

F.

Solar Access. Landscaping shall not obstruct solar access to adjacent solar collectors for water heating, space heating or cooling, or electricity generation.

(Ord. No. 789, § 3, 4-14-2025)

The community development director may make a determination that a substitution for, or minor deviation from, an objective standard specified in this section substantially supports the intent of the standard. Only the standards in the following sections are subject to a substantial conformance deviation:

A.

Section 14.51.040—Subsections A, C, E, F, and K;

B.

Section 14.51.050—Subsections B and G;

C.

Section 14.51.060—Subsection E;

D.

Section 14.51.070—Subsection C;

E.

Section 14.51.080—Subsections B and C; and

F.

Section 14.51.100—Subsection D.

(Ord. No. 789, § 3, 4-14-2025)