This chapter applies to all residential buildings with two or more dwelling units, including buildings that have a mixture of residential and non-residential uses and to all residential structures intended to be occupied by more than one household (including multiple single person households). Single family dwellings are exempt from this chapter.

(Ord. No. 528, 2-15-2022)

The multifamily standards have been developed to establish, objective standards are those that involve no personal or subjective judgment by a public official and are uniformly verifiable by reference to an external and uniform benchmark.

(Ord. No. 528, 2-15-2022)

Multifamily residential developments must be consistent with each of the standards below:

1.

Neighborhood compatibility.

a.

Residential projects located across the street from single-family neighborhoods shall orient the buildings to the street with individual entries, patio areas and landscaping facing the single-family homes. Parking lot areas and carports shall not be located along single-family neighborhood street frontages. This requirement does not apply to residential projects located across a state route, parkway, arterial, or collector road as identified in the Ione General Plan.

b.

Duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes abutting single-family neighborhoods shall include either 1) individual ground-level front doors and, if two or more stories, interior stairs or 2) a single exterior entrance with an interior common hallway(s).

c.

A noise assessment shall be conducted by a qualified acoustical engineer. If the project will be exposed to noise levels that exceed the General Plan noise standards identified in Tables 6-1 and 6-2, excluding the subjective language in the footnotes for each table, which require multifamily residential uses to be exposed to no more than: 1) 60 dBA from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and 45 dBA from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. from non-transportation noise sources, and 2) 60 dBA, the project shall include measures to reduce noise levels at outdoor activity areas to 60 dBA or less and interior spaces to 45 dBA or less to meet the city's noise standards. If sound walls are necessary to meet the noise standards, the sound walls shall include an earth berm and landscaping. Walls between buildings shall be extended to create pockets of landscaping or open space in order to avoid long continuous walls for the entire length of a project site.

2.

Building design.

a.

Structures shall have a color palette that consists of at least two body colors and two accent colors (not including roof color). Projects with two or more residential structures shall include a minimum of two color palettes and shall not use a single palette on more than 70 percent of the residential structures. Stone materials shall not be painted.

b.

Affordable units and market rate units in the same development shall be constructed of the same or similar exterior materials and details such that the units are not distinguishable.

c.

Blank walls (facades without doors, windows, articulation of at least one foot, landscaping treatments) shall be less than 20 feet in length along sidewalks, pedestrian walks, or publicly accessible outdoor space areas.

d.

Buildings over three stories must provide a ground floor elevation that is distinctive from the upper stories by providing a material change between the first floor and upper floors along at least 75 percent of the building façade with frontage upon a street, adjacent to a public park, or adjacent to public open space.

e.

Trim surrounds shall be provided at all exterior window and door openings. In lieu of exterior window trim, windows can be recessed from wall plane by a minimum of three inches.

f.

At least two materials shall be used on any building frontage, in addition to glazing and railings. Any one material must comprise at least 20 percent of the building frontage.

g.

A minimum of ⅝ inch thickness is required for panel siding. Battens are required to be incorporated into the design for a board and batt appearance.

3.

Massing/articulation.

a.

Primary building entries shall incorporate a projection (e.g., porch) or recess, or combination of projection and recess at least 48 square feet in area.

b.

A minimum of two of the following design features: balconies, cantilevers, dormers, bay windows, patios, or accent materials that are part of the structure shall be incorporated into each façade of each project building.

c.

A minimum one-foot offset is required for any wall plane that exceeds 30 feet in length.

d.

Buildings over three stories tall shall have major massing breaks at least every 100 feet along any street frontage, adjacent public park, publicly accessible outdoor space, or designated open space, through the use of varying setbacks and/or building entries. Major breaks shall be a minimum of 30 inches deep and four feet wide and extend the full height of the building.

e.

Buildings shall have minor massing breaks at least every 50 feet along the street frontage, through the use of varying setbacks, building entries and recesses, or structural bays. Minor breaks shall be a minimum of 12 inches deep and four feet wide and extend the full height of the building.

f.

Rooflines shall be vertically articulated at least every 50 feet along the street frontage, through the use of architectural elements such as parapets, varying cornices, reveals, clerestory windows, and varying roof height and/or form.

4.

Outdoor/common space.

a.

Each multifamily unit shall have a minimum of 100 square feet of private outdoor space directly adjacent to the unit. For the purposes of this standard, private outdoor space is defined as outdoor space that is usable and accessible only to the building residents and their visitors, but not to the general public.

b.

Common useable open space at a minimum of 180 square feet of common usable open space per unit is required for all multifamily projects with more than four units.

c.

A minimum of 30 percent of the common usable open space shall be provided as a landscaped green area or garden, a minimum of 50 percent shall be provided as recreation area, and the remaining 20 percent may be landscaped open space, recreation area, or hardscape.

d.

Outdoor seating shall be provided within common usable open space areas and near the entry to laundry facilities.

e.

Multifamily developments (except senior restricted multifamily developments) exceeding 22 bedroom units and with less than 100 units shall have two outdoor areas, one for adults and one for a child play area that includes recreation equipment for children five years and under. For the purpose of this standard, adult open space is not required to include recreational equipment, but does include tables with seating.

f.

Multifamily developments (except senior restricted multifamily developments) exceeding 100 units shall have three open space areas, one for adults, one for children that includes a sports play area and recreational equipment for children six to 13, and one for younger children that includes recreation equipment for children five years and under. For the purpose of this standard, adult open space is not required to include recreational equipment, but does include tables with seating.

g.

Each play area for children must be visible from as many units as possible and at least eight units and shall be separated from traffic. Benches or picnic tables for adults that are accompanying younger children shall be provided.

h.

Recreation areas shall be at least 50 percent shaded. Shading can include shade fixtures or shade trees that will grow to a height of at least 20 feet within five years of planting.

i.

Developments with more than 20 units shall provide at last one public art amenity, such as a sculpture, fountain, or kiosk, that is visible from the adjacent public right-of-way and is adjacent a sidewalk or pedestrian pathway.

5.

Site design.

a.

When dwelling units are abutting open space areas, a minimum of one window from each dwelling shall be located to overlook common area.

b.

Garages and carports shall utilize the same color palette and shall be designed to include a minimum of two of the following from the main building(s): materials, detailing, and roof materials.

c.

Controlled entrances to parking facilities (gates, doors, etc.) shall be located a minimum of 18 feet from the back of sidewalk, in order to accommodate one vehicle entering the facility.

e.

Where bicycle parking is not visible from the street, directional signage shall be included at the main building entrance.

f.

Parking areas, covered and uncovered, shall be screened from public street frontages. Screening may be accomplished through building placement, landscaping, a planted earth berm, planted fencing, topography, or some combination of the above. Landscaping used for screening purposes shall be no less than 15 feet wide (from the back of sidewalk or street curb to the parking lot paving, whichever is greater) and no less than four feet tall.

6.

Accessory elements.

a.

Perimeter fencing utilized along public street shall be constructed of decorative iron, pre-painted welded steel, Trex (or similar product), or wood picket material.

b.

The height of solid fencing between private yards and common open spaces, when such private yards and common open spaces are located in the interior of a single parcel, shall be limited to either 1) 4.5 feet in height, or 2) up to six feet in height provided that the top 18 inches provide at least 50 percent open area.

c.

Roof top equipment shall be screened from visibility. The point of view for determining visibility shall be five feet above grade at a distance of 200 feet. If the roof structure does not provide this screening, an equipment screen shall be included in the design.

d.

Exterior trash, recycling, and storage utility boxes, wood service poles, electric and gas meters, fire sprinkler valves and backflow preventers and transformers shall be screened.

7.

Refuse containers.

a.

Four units or less may be served by individual garbage containers. When individual garbage cans are used, they must either fit in the garage (without encroaching into required parking area) or into a screening enclosure.

b.

When there are five units or more, dumpsters for garbage collection shall be provided within a screening enclosure.

c.

When dumpsters are to be used, designers shall coordinate with the refuse pickup provider to determine the size and number of dumpsters required. A rule of thumb is to allow for between 30 and 90 gallons per unit per week, depending on size of the unit.

d.

All dumpsters shall be shielded within an enclosure a minimum of six feet tall. Allow adequate size to accommodate the needed dumpsters and recycling containers. All enclosures and gates should be designed to withstand heavy use. Provide wheel stops or curbs to prevent dumpsters from banging into walls of enclosure.

e.

Allowances shall be provided within the enclosure for stacking recycling crates (in small projects) and recycling dumpsters (in large projects)

f.

An entry shall be provided so that pedestrians can access the dumpsters without opening the large gates.

g.

Lighting shall be provided at trash enclosures for night time security and ease of use.

h.

Dumpster enclosures shall be located so that no dwelling is closer than 20 feet (including those on abutting properties) or more than 100 feet from an enclosure. No minimum distance from dwellings is required if dumpsters are located within a fully enclosed room.

8.

Natural resources.

a.

A biological resources assessment, including special-status species survey, shall be conducted by a qualified biologist and shall identify special-status species with potential to occur in the vicinity (within ¼-mile of the project site) and on the project site, sensitive habitats located on or adjacent to the project site, including wetlands, riparian areas, oak woodlands, wildlife habitat, and habitat of significant value present on the project site.

b.

The project shall avoid habitat for special-status species, wetlands, riparian areas, oak woodlands, and habitat of significant value (collectively referred to as "sensitive habitats") present on the project site and shall provide a minimum of a 100-foot buffer from sensitive habitats, unless a reduced buffer that is not less than 25 feet is determined to be adequate to protect such resources by the qualified biologist. No ground disturbance shall occur within the buffer area and the area within the buffer shall be permanent open space. If avoidance of sensitive habitats would result in a density that is less than the allowed maximum density identified for the zone in Table 17.22.040-1 or Table 17.24.040-1, then the project may protect comparable sensitive habitats at a two-to-one ratio within one-and-a-half (1.5 miles) of the site or purchase credits for comparable sensitive habitats at a mitigation bank at a two-to-one ratio within ½ miles of the site.

c.

If special-habitat species occur on the site or have the potential to occur on the site, as determined by a qualified biologist, the qualified biologist shall identify adequate measures consistent with mitigation recommended by resource agencies (i.e., U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, California Department of Fish and Wildlife) to avoid impacts to special-status species during any ground-disturbing and construction activities and the project shall implement such measures.

9.

Cultural resources.

a.

A cultural sources assessment, including site survey, shall be conducted by a qualified archaeologist and shall identify the potential for cultural resources on the project site.

b.

If significant cultural resources, or the potential for significant cultural resources, are identified, the project shall avoid such cultural resources and shall provide a minimum of a 100-foot buffer from significant cultural resources, unless a reduced buffer that is not less than 25 feet is determined to be adequate to protect such resources by the qualified archaeologist or measures, such as capping the resource or relocation of the resources to permanent open space, are identified as adequate to preserve the significance of significant cultural resources. No ground disturbance shall occur within the buffer area and the area within the buffer shall be permanent open space.

11.

Water infrastructure and capacity. Projects shall provide a letter from the water provider that demonstrates there will be adequate infrastructure and capacity to serve the project prior to issuance of building permits.

12.

Sewer infrastructure and capacity. Projects shall provide a letter from the sewer provider that demonstrates there will be adequate infrastructure and capacity to serve the project prior to issuance of building permits.

13.

Street standards. The project shall improve public streets consistent with the requirements of Chapter 12.08, Street Construction Standards.

14.

Additional objective standards. Projects subject to this chapter must comply with all other applicable objective standards within the general plan, any applicable specific plans, the Municipal Code, including but not limited to, Title 12 (Streets, Sidewalks and Public Places), Title 13 (Public Services), Title 15 (Buildings and Construction), and this Title 17 (Zoning Code), and all other regulations, as may be amended from time to time, unless otherwise superseded by state law.

15.

Downtown master plan.

a.

Projects subject to the downtown master plan shall comply with the requirements of the downtown master plan where the downtown master plan establishes objective standards that conflict with the requirements of this chapter.

b.

If the downtown master plan establishes subjective standards for a specific topic, then the standards provided in this chapter for such topic shall apply.

c.

If the downtown master plan does not establish standards for topics addressed in this chapter, then the standards provided in this chapter related to such topics shall apply.

D.

Exceptions to the standards identified in paragraph C shall require a discretionary site plan review.

(Ord. No. 528, 2-15-2022)