A.

The city council of the city does find and declare:

1.

That the appearance of open spaces, buildings and structures visible from public streets has a material and substantial relationship to property values and the taxable value of property in the city;

2.

That many neighborhoods in other urban communities have deteriorated in the past by reason of poor planning, neglect of proper design standards and the erection of buildings and structures unsuitable to and incompatible with the character of the neighborhood, resulting in poor design, possible reduction of property values and the impairment of the public health, safety and welfare therein;

3.

That it is the policy of the city to avoid and prevent possible deterioration as described, and by the various means provided in this chapter to preserve and enhance the property values, visual character of the community and the public health, safety and welfare of the city;

4.

This chapter is adopted pursuant to the appropriate provisions of the Planning and Zoning Law of the state, Government Code Section 65000, et seq.

B.

It is therefore the declared intent of the city that this chapter shall serve the following purposes:

1.

To improve and augment the controls now included in the ordinances related to planning and building and to promote development which is in the best interests of the public health, safety and welfare of the city; and

2.

To establish standards and policies that will promote and enhance good design, site relationships and other aesthetic considerations in the city.

(Ord. 1170 § 1 (part), 1993)

A.

A design review committee is hereby established for the purpose of investigating the design, layout and other features of proposed development in keeping with the intent and purposes set forth in Section 17.45.010. The design review committee shall review only those projects which do not require approval of their concurrent applications. The decision of the design review committee shall be final unless appealed to the city council pursuant to the provisions of Section 17.45.130.

B.

The design review committee shall be a committee appointed by the mayor. The appointment shall be for a specific project or for several projects, at the discretion of the mayor.

C.

When design review is required in conjunction with another application, the city council shall make the findings as required by this chapter. The city council shall have the authority to require additional review of the proposal by the design review committee, subject to the provisions of Section 17.45.130.

(Ord. 1170 § 1 (part), 1993)

(Ord. No. 1342, §§ 1, 2, 12-8-2008)

Prior to the issuance of any permit for the erection, construction or exterior alteration of any building, structure or sign for projects described in Section 17.45.120, the applicant shall conform to and comply with any and all applicable requirements, rules and regulations of this chapter and shall request approval of a design review plan and/or site plan.

(Ord. 1170 § 1 (part), 1993)

The design review committee shall adopt rules and regulations for the transaction of business, scheduling of meetings, conduct of meetings and related matters.

(Ord. 1170 § 1 (part), 1993)

All applications for design review as required by this chapter shall be in writing filed in the office of economic and community development and upon a form prescribed by and furnished by the department of economic and community development. Upon receipt of an application, the department of economic and community development shall review it and if found to be complete, shall so certify. The application shall contain the name and address of the applicant, the owner of the land, a description of the property involved, street address, the reasons for the filing of the application and a description of the project to be undertaken and other information as required by the city planner to which the application pertains.

(Ord. 1170 § 1 (part), 1993)

Any application required by this chapter shall be accompanied by copies, in a quantity as required by the city planner or a designee, of site plans, diagrams, photographs, materials or other presentation material as may be necessary for complete review and consideration of the proposed development. Plans shall be drawn to scale of a size as required by the city planner or a designee and shall indicate the following data where applicable:

A.

Site Plan.

1.

Property lines;

2.

Existing features of the site and off-site features within fifty feet of the site boundaries, including structures, roads, trees, plant life, streambeds, rock outcroppings or other significant natural features;

3.

Proposed buildings and dimensions;

4.

Proposed roads, walks and paths;

5.

A grading plan showing finished grade on the site and adjoining sites at the property lines in comparison with the existing grade;

6.

Location, number of spaces, and dimensions of off-street parking;

7.

Pedestrian, vehicular and service ingress and egress, and driveway widths;

8.

Setbacks;

9.

Street dedications and improvements;

10.

Location, height and design of all fences or walls;

11.

Open space use and landscaped areas.

B.

Building Design.

1.

All elevations of each building and composite elevations from street if multiple buildings are proposed;

2.

Color renderings, if necessary;

3.

Perspective drawings to show relationships after development of the building(s) to off-site features;

4.

The kinds and finishes of all the materials to be applied to the exterior surfaces of the proposed structure, walls or additions;

5.

The natural colors of the material to be applied and the colors of any paint or manufactured product on the exterior of the structure, walls or additions;

6.

The lighting to be applied to the exterior wall surfaces or to be used for walkways, drives and parking lots, and the light cast by the building's interior, its signs, etc., which is visible from adjacent or neighboring properties;

7.

All identifications and direction signs and graphics visible from the exterior of a proposed structure;

8.

All art work, sculpture, fountains and other ornamental or decorative features visible from surrounding properties;

9.

All provisions for and design of the following appurtenances if visible from the exterior:

a.

Utility lines, meters, boxes,

b.

Refuse, storage, and pick-up areas,

c.

Stairs, ramps,

d.

Flues, chimneys, exhaust fans,

e.

Sun shades, awnings, louvers, balconies,

f.

Mechanical equipment visible from the exterior,

g.

Penthouses,

h.

Loading docks,

i.

Downspouts,

j.

Antennas.

C.

Landscaping. Landscape plans must be submitted and must comply with the provisions of Chapter 17.41, Landscaping.

D.

Other such data as may be required to permit the design review committee or planning commission to make the required findings.

(Ord. 1170 § 1 (part), 1993)

When design review or site plan review is required by the provisions of this chapter or by the provisions of the Daly City zoning ordinance, no authorization or permit shall be given to commence any construction, reconstruction, alteration, remodeling or any other change to any building or site layout until the design plan and site plan have been approved pursuant to the provisions of this chapter and to all applicable provisions of the zoning and subdivision ordinances.

(Ord. 1170 § 1 (part), 1993)

In approving a design review plan or site plan, the director of economic and community development, the design review committee or city council must make the following findings:

A.

The provisions of this chapter and any applicable guidelines are complied with;

B.

The approval of the plan is in the best interest of the public health, safety and general welfare of the community;

C.

General site considerations, including site layout, open space and topography, orientation and location of buildings, vehicular access, circulation and parking, setbacks, heights, walls, fences, public safety and similar elements have been designed to provide a desirable environment;

D.

General architectural considerations, including the character, scale and quality of the design, the architectural relationship with the site and other buildings, building materials, colors, screening of exterior appurtenances, exterior lighting and signing and similar elements have been incorporated in order to insure the compatibility of this development with its design concept and the character of other adjacent buildings;

E.

General landscape considerations of Chapter 17.41, Landscaping, have been provided to insure visual relief, to complement buildings and structures and to provide an attractive environment for the enjoyment of the public.

(Ord. 1170 § 1 (part), 1993)

(Ord. No. 1342, §§ 1, 2, 12-8-2008)

In approving a design review plan, the director of economic and community development director, the design review committee or city council shall have the authority to impose such conditions as it deems necessary to protect the interests of the surrounding neighborhood, and to promote the overall public health, safety and welfare of the city in accordance with the standards set forth in this chapter, as well as with the zoning ordinance, the subdivision ordinance and the general plan.

(Ord. 1170 § 1 (part), 1993)

(Ord. No. 1342, §§ 1, 2, 12-8-2008)

The director of economic and community development, the design review committee or city council shall deny any design review plan if it cannot make the findings contained in Section 17.45.080.

(Ord. 1170 § 1 (part), 1993)

Editor's note— Ord. No. 1342, § 1, adopted Dec. 8, 2008, repealed former § 17.45.110 in its entirety which pertained to filing of plans and documents and derived from Ord. No. 1170, § 1, adopted in 1993.

A.

Major design review applications shall be reviewed by the design review committee, subject to the provisions in Section 17.45.020(A). Major design review approval shall be required for the following projects:

1.

Residential projects consisting of four or more dwelling units;

2.

New commercial buildings which exceed two thousand square feet in area or which are located on sites that are two thousand five hundred feet in area or greater;

3.

All new industrial projects where the improvements are visible from off-site.

B.

Minor design review applications consist of projects associated with concurrent entitlements that involve physical modification of structures or site improvements. Minor design review applications shall be reviewed in conjunction with the additional entitlements by the city council, subject to the provisions of Section 17.45.020(C).

C.

Administrative design review applications shall be reviewed and approved by the director of economic and community development. Administrative design review approval shall be required for the following classes of projects:

1.

Multifamily residential, commercial, office or industrial buildings incorporating exterior modifications that include any of the following: mechanical equipment visible from the exterior; repainting of the exterior of all or of the majority of building in a different pattern, color scheme or design; balconies, awnings or sunshades.

D.

Emergency homeless shelters in the C-R/O zone shall be exempt from design review.

E.

New homes not subject to major design review and additions to existing homes shall be exempt from design review if the proposed home or addition complies with the following requirements, as determined by the planning division:

1.

Three-story homes shall provide structural articulation at the front elevation. This may be accomplished by a minimum ten-foot recess to the third floor or by recessing one-third of front elevation vertically.

2.

Structural additions onto any existing home, other than pre-fabricated sunrooms, shall match the design style of the home, including siding material, roof pitch and material, paint color, trim, and window design.

3.

The side yard setback for any proposed addition shall match the existing setback of the wall adjacent to the addition.

4.

Each floor of any new home shall, on all four elevations, receive horizontal trim as a visual separation between floors, a variety of exterior materials, and color variation, so as to reduce the bulk and mass appearance of the home. New homes providing a parapet wall at the front elevation shall provide the wall in a design quality complementary to those of existing homes, if such walls exist.

5.

All new pedestrian entrances and garage doors shall be inset at least twenty-four inches unless matching an existing garage door at the front of the home.

6.

Any proposed exterior elevation shall incorporate two-inch nominal dimension trim at all window, door, and other openings. All homes with siding shall incorporate corner trim.

7.

All new windows at the front elevation shall provide window grilles, unless determined by the planning division to be in contradiction to the proposed architectural style of the home.

8.

Garage doors shall be controlled by automatic garage door opener. The garage door shall complement the door style found in the adjacent neighborhood, including the provision of window grilles, unless determined by the planning division to be in contradiction to the proposed architectural style of the home.

9.

The entire driveway of any new home shall receive pavers with a decorative band.

10.

Plywood and vinyl siding shall not be permitted unless proposed on a dwelling which incorporates these materials.

(Ord. 1216 § 2, 1995: Ord. 1202 § 7, 1994; Ord. 1170 § 1 (part), 1993)

(Ord. No. 1378, § 3, 5-27-2014; Ord. No. 1412, § 15, 2-13-2017)

Residential projects consisting of two or more dwelling units shall be subject to objective design standards (ODS) established by city council resolution. Projects determined by the planning division to comply with ODS shall be deemed in compliance with the zoning ordinance, with no further regulation as to this chapter, and shall be considered non-discretionary in nature for the purpose for the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

(Ord. 1170 § 1 (part), 1993)

(Ord. No. 1342, §§ 1, 2, 12-8-2008; Ord. No. 1476, § 8, 11-12-2024)

Failure to comply with a design review condition of approval is a violation of this title and subject to enforcement, penalties, and legal procedures as prescribed by Chapter 17.50 of this code.

(Ord. 1170 § 1 (part), 1993)

A design review permit granted in accordance with the terms of this title shall be automatically terminated if not used within one year from the date of approval. A design review permit shall not be deemed used or exercised until the permittee has actually obtained a building permit and commenced construction thereunder. Where a design review permit is granted in conjunction with a tentative map for a condominium development pursuant to Section 17.37.030, the design review permit shall terminate one year after the approval of the final subdivision map by the city council, if not used. Upon written request from the permittee, such design review permit may be extended by the reviewing body for a maximum period of six months.

(Ord. 1170 § 1 (part), 1993)

Any design review permit granted in accordance with the terms of this title may be revoked if the terms and conditions imposed by the city are violated.

(Ord. 1170 § 1 (part), 1993)