Hawthorne City Zoning Code
CHAPTER 17
100 MULTIFAMILY AND MIXED USE OBJECTIVE DESIGN STANDARDS
§ 17.100.010 Introduction.
A.
Purpose and Intent. The purpose of the design standards of this chapter is to provide the public, building and design professionals, and decision-makers with objective criteria for eligible residential and mixed-use development in the city. The intent is to provide clear design direction that enhances an area's unique character and sense of place, respects existing neighborhood compatibility and privacy, and ensures a high-quality living environment.
B.
Applicability. The provisions of this chapter apply to:
1.
Senate Bill 35 projects (California Government Code Section 65913.4). In addition to criteria established by the California Government Code, the project must be a multi-unit housing development containing at least two or more new residential units, or a mixed-use project where at least two-thirds of the square footage is dedicated to residential use. SB 35 projects are subject to a ministerial, streamlined approval process.
2.
Senate Bill 330 projects (California Government Code Sections 65589.5 and 65920). In addition to criteria established by the California Government Code, the project may be residential only, mixed-use where at least two-thirds of the square footage is dedicated to residential use, or transitional, supportive, emergency, or farmworker housing. SB 330 projects are entitled to a preliminary application process prior to filing a complete application.
3.
Assembly Bill 2011 projects (California Government Code Sections 65400 and 65585). In addition to criteria established by the California Government Code, the project must be located within a zone where office, retail, or parking its a principally permitted use. AB 2011 projects are subject to a ministerial, streamlined approval process.
4.
Assembly Bill 2162 projects (California Government Code Sections 65583 and 65650). In addition to criteria established by the California Government Code, the project must be a supportive housing development located in a zone where multi-unit or mixed-use is permitted.
5.
Senate Bill 6 projects (California Government Code Sections 65913.4 and 65852.24). In addition to criteria established by the California Government Code, the project must be located within a zone where office, retail, or parking is a principally permitted use; and no part of the project is designated for hotel, motel, or other transient lodging use.
C.
Consistency with Objective Standards. Projects shall comply with all objective City policies, development standards, and design standards as established in the General Plan and the Hawthorne Municipal Code.
1.
Exception. Any concessions, incentives, or waivers of development standards pursuant to Chapter 17.17, Residential Density Bonus and other incentives of this title.
2.
Conflicting Standards. Projects subject to this chapter must meet objective standards in this chapter in addition to all pertinent requirements elsewhere in this title. Where there is a conflict between these objective standards and existing city or state standards, the more restrictive and objective standard shall apply.
D.
Permit Required. Any eligible project processed pursuant to this chapter shall require a land use permit. Administrative plan review of projects processed pursuant to this chapter shall be conducted by city staff and shall only include consistency with adopted objective design standards.
(Ord. 2242, 11/14/2023)
§ 17.100.020 Site planning.
A.
Building Orientation.
1.
Primary Entries. All buildings located along a primary street shall have primary ground-floor common entries or individual dwelling unit entries facing the street. Entrances at building corners may be used to satisfy this requirement.
2.
Vehicle Light Intrusion. Vehicle headlights shall be screened with walls, solid fencing, or landscaping if parking spaces are located within 10 feet of habitable space.
B.
Pedestrian Circulation.
1.
Pedestrian Connection. The following pedestrian walkways shall be provided and interconnected within the site:
a.
Pedestrian walkways shall connect residential dwelling units to areas throughout the site, such as vehicle parking areas, bicycle parking areas, common open space, waste and recycling enclosures, and other amenities.
b.
Pedestrian walkways shall connect public sidewalks, building entrances, and vehicle parking areas.
c.
Pedestrian walkways shall connect building entrances and vehicle parking areas through the site interior to all transit stops directly adjacent to the site.
2.
Pedestrian Walkways. Pedestrian walkways on private property shall be designed as follows:
a.
Dimensions. Walkways shall be designed with a minimum width of four feet.
b.
Materials. Walkways shall be constructed of firm and slip-resistant materials, such as poured-in-place concrete (including stamped concrete), permeable paving, decomposed granite, or concrete pavers.
c.
Paving for Pedestrian Crossings. Where an intersection of pedestrian and vehicle access exists, enhanced paving treatment using patterned or colored pavers, brick, painted or decorative colored and scored concrete shall be used. Pedestrian crossings shall feature enhanced paving a minimum width of six feet and span the length of the intersecting drive area.
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3.
Enhanced Paving for Building Entrances. Primary building entrances shall provide decorative paving that contrast in color and texture from the adjacent walkway paving. Grasscrete is prohibited.
C.
Access Points.
1.
Primary Access. Side street or alley access shall serve as the primary vehicular access to parking areas, if available. If not available, the primary street shall serve vehicular access.
2.
Driveway Access on Corner Lots. Driveway access on corner lots shall be located a minimum of 50 feet from the intersection.
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3.
Entry and Access. A maximum of one curb cut, including driveways and private or service streets, per 200 feet of public street frontage shall be permitted.
a.
Normal Lots. A maximum of one vehicle access point from the street is permitted per 200 feet of street frontage.
c.
Enhanced Paving for Entrance Driveways. Paving treatment using one or more of the following: patterned or colored pavers, brick, or decorative colored or scored concrete shall be used for entrance driveways, a minimum of 12 feet in length, and spanning the width of the entrance driveway.
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4.
Number of Parking Spaces. Except for projects that are exempt from required parking, projects shall provide parking spaces according to the following:
5.
Surface Parking Areas. Parking areas shall not be located within any front or side setback or between any primary structure and the primary street.
6.
Loading and Service Areas.
a.
All required loading and service areas shall be located adjacent to a facade other than the primary street frontage.
b.
Loading and service areas shall be located so as to not disrupt or block the flow of on-site and off-site vehicular traffic.
c.
Loading and service areas shall not be located adjacent to residential dwelling units or common open space areas.
D.
Open Space. Projects shall provide open space at the rate of 150 square feet per residential unit. Open space may be provided through common open space, private open space, or some combination of both.
1.
Common Open Space. Projects shall provide common space according to the standards below.
a.
Amenity Types. Where required by the base zoning district, projects shall provide at least one common open space through the following amenities: play areas, common courtyards, patios, gathering spaces, multi-use paths and trails, athletic or recreational facilities, dog runs and enclosures; pools and spas; and community gardens. An applicant may provide common open space through an amenity not on this list if it is readily accessible by all residents for recreation and social purposes.
b.
Dimensions. Common open space shall provide a minimum of 20 feet for one dimension, and a minimum of 10 feet in all other dimensions.
2.
Private Open Space. Projects shall provide private space according to the standards below.
a.
Dimensions. Private open space shall have a minimum dimension of six feet for every dimension.
b.
Screening with Landscaping and Structural Elements. Where a private open space is located within five feet of a public right-of-way, common open space, or pedestrian walkway, the private open space shall be screened by a landscape buffer or dense evergreen plants of a minimum five feet height, and a fence or wall a minimum of five feet in height.
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(Ord. 2242, 11/14/2023)
§ 17.100.030 Building design.
A.
Building Form, Massing, and Articulation.
1.
Building Form and Vertical Hierarchy. Buildings shall be designed to differentiate between a defined base; a middle or body; and a top, cornice, or parapet cap. All buildings shall achieve this effect through at least two of the following:
2.
Wall Plane Variation. Building facades facing a primary street shall not extend more than 60 feet in length without a five-foot variation in depth in the wall plane. Building entrances, front porches, upper-story setbacks, projections, recesses, stoops, bay windows, and overhangs count towards this requirement.
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3.
Corner Lots. Buildings located on corner lots shall include one or more of the following features on both street-facing facades, located within 30 feet of the corner of the building closest to the intersection:
4.
Roof Line Variation. Roof lines shall not extend more than a length of 60 feet without at least one of the following:
5.
Flat Roofs and Parapets.
a.
Where rooftop equipment is located within 10 feet of a roof edge, a parapet shall be provided that is a minimum of six inches taller than all roof-top equipment.
b.
Interior side of parapet walls shall not be visible from a common open space or public right-of-way.
c.
Parapets shall be capped with precast treatment, continuous banding, projecting cornices, dentils, or similar edge treatment.
B.
Primary Building Entrance.
1.
Location. Buildings located within 20 feet of the primary street right-of-way shall have a ground-level primary building entrance facing the primary street.
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C.
Individual Dwelling Unit Entrance.
1.
Weather Protection. All exterior unit entrances shall either be recessed from the main facade or have a sheltering element; the projection or recess shall have a minimum depth of three feet.
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2.
Street-Facing Unit Entrance. Each dwelling unit located within 20 feet of a primary street right-of-way shall include at least one street-facing porch, balcony, or patio.
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3.
Upper-Floor Unit Entrance. Exterior entrances to individual dwelling units on upper floors are permitted. No exterior access corridor located above the ground floor may provide access to five or more upper-floor dwelling units.
D.
Window Treatment.
1.
Windows shall either be recessed at least three inches from the plane of the surrounding exterior wall or shall have a trim or windowsill projecting at least one-half inch.
2.
Windows Facing a Public Street. Windows facing a public street shall feature enhanced window treatments, such as decorative architectural brackets, trim, shutters, awnings, or trellises.
3.
Shutters. Functional and decorative shutters shall be proportionate to the size of the associated glazing. Shutters shall be half the width of the associated glazing for paired shutters, or identical width for a single shutter.
E.
Materials and Colors.
1.
Wall Material. The primary exterior siding material for buildings shall be wood, composite wood, stone, stone veneer, granite, slate, brick, brick veneer, stucco, plaster, fiber cement, vinyl, aluminum, or steel. The use of exposed plywood or glass curtain walls is prohibited.
2.
Wall Color. The color of exterior walls shall have a light reflectance value of 50% or greater.
3.
Material and Color Transition. Changes in material or color shall occur at inside corners of intersecting walls or at architectural features that break up the wall plane, such as columns.
4.
Accent Material. Use of two or more accent materials, such as wood siding, brick, metal, glass, stone, concrete, or plaster, shall be incorporated to highlight building features.
5.
Material Application. Materials and textures shall vary between the base and body of a building. Heavier materials such as brick, stone, tile, and pre-cast concrete shall primarily be used at ground level to form a base. Lighter materials such as siding and smooth stucco shall be used on the body of the building.
6.
Color Application. Colors shall vary between the body and base of a building. A color with higher light reflectance value shall be used on the body of the building and a color with lower light reflectance value (LRV) shall be used at ground level.
F.
Parking Structures.
1.
Wall Plane Variation. Building facades visible from the primary street shall not extend more than 60 feet in length without a five-foot variation in depth in the wall plane.
2.
Materials and Colors. The parking structure shall utilize the same colors and materials as the residential buildings.
3.
Articulation. The exterior of the parking structure shall apply at least one of the following as articulation:
a.
Applied materials, such as brick, stone, or siding, which extend at least two inches from the face of the structure to the face of the applied materials. Painted concrete, smooth concrete, or stucco walls shall not be considered sufficient articulation.
b.
Decorative architectural features, such as cut metal screens, awnings, trellises, louvers, or decorative security grills.
4.
Vertical Plantings. Vertical plantings shall be located between openings, entrances, and architectural accent features. For any portion of a wall that does not include entrances or architectural accent features, at least one screening tree shall be placed in front of the building facade for every 50 feet. The trees shall be selected to grow to at least 40 feet in height at maturity and at least 15 feet within two years from time of installation.
H.
Carports. Carports shall utilize wood or stucco. The use of exposed aluminum or steel is prohibited.
(Ord. 2242, 11/14/2023)
§ 17.100.040 Mixed use standards.
A.
Ground Floor Height. The ground floor of a mixed-use building shall have a minimum ceiling height of 14 feet, measured from finished floor to the bottom of the finished second floor.
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B.
Ground Floor Transparency. Exterior walls facing a public street shall include transparent windows and doors for at least 50% of the building wall area located between three and seven feet above the elevation of the sidewalk. Parking garages are not required to meet the ground floor transparency requirement.
C.
Street-Facing Setbacks. Street-facing setbacks shall be landscaped or prepared for use by pedestrians. The setback area on each lot shall contain at least two amenities per 50 linear feet, such as benches, drinking fountains, shade structure, or other design element (e.g., public art, planters, kiosks, etc.).
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D.
Street-Facing Entrance. Mixed-use buildings located within 20 feet of a primary street right-of-way shall incorporate at least one primary building entrance directly from the public sidewalk or right-of-way. The primary building entrance shall include weather protection that is a minimum six feet wide and four feet deep by recessing the entrance or providing an awning or similar weather protection element.
(Ord. 2242, 11/14/2023)
§ 17.100.050 Utilitarian elements.
A.
Bicycle Parking. Bicycle parking and storage areas are required for all multifamily and mixed use developments.
1.
Short-Term Bicycle Parking.
a.
Location. Short-term bicycle parking shall be located outside of the public right-of-way and outside of pedestrian walkways. Short-term bicycle parking shall be located within 50 feet of a primary building entrance.
b.
Size and Accessibility. Each short-term bicycle parking space must be accessible without moving another bicycle. Two feet of clearance shall be provided between bicycle parking spaces and adjacent walls, poles, landscaping, street furniture, drive aisles, and pedestrian ways. Five feet of clearance shall be provided from any vehicle parking space.
c.
Number of Spaces Required.
i.
Residential Uses. One space per every 10 residential units is required to be provided separately from long-term bicycle parking requirement.
ii.
Nonresidential Uses. Short-term bicycle parking for nonresidential uses shall be provided at a minimum ratio of one space per 10 vehicle spaces required for the nonresidential use. Where no vehicle parking is required, long-term bicycle parking for nonresidential uses shall be provided at a minimum ratio of one space per 5,000 square feet of nonresidential uses.
2.
Long-Term Bicycle Parking.
a.
Number of Spaces Required. A minimum of one long-term bicycle parking space shall be provided for every dwelling unit.
b.
Location and Shelter. Long-term bicycle parking shall be located within 100 feet of a primary building entrance. At least 50% of required long-term bicycle parking shall be covered inside buildings, under roof overhangs or awnings, in bicycle lockers, or within or under other structures.
c.
Size and Accessibility. Each long-term bicycle parking space must be accessible without moving another bicycle. Two feet of clearance shall be provided between bicycle parking spaces and adjacent walls, poles, landscaping, street furniture, drive aisles, and pedestrian ways. Five feet of clearance shall be provided from any vehicle parking space.
d.
Bicycle Charging. For required long-term bicycle parking, one charging electrical outlet is required for every 10 required bicycle parking spaces.
B.
Trash, Recycling, and Green Waste Container Enclosures. Enclosures for recycling, green waste, and any other waste containers required by law are required for multiple-unit and mixed-use developments, and shall comply with the provisions of Section 17.54.010, Required trash, recycling, and organics storage area, of this title. Enclosures shall be located within a building, incorporated into the exterior building design, or located within a detached enclosure designed and placed as follows:
C.
Fences and Walls. Fences and walls shall comply with the provisions of Section 17.48.020, Fences, freestanding walls, and hedges, of this title.
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 public view. 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. 2242, 11/14/2023)