La Verne City Zoning Code
CHAPTER 18
64 SP SPECIFIC PLAN ZONE
§ 18.64.010 Purpose.
A.
The SP specific plan zone is intended to provide for the classification and development of parcels of land as a coordinated, comprehensive project in order to create a superior environment resulting from site specific community planning.
B.
The regulations established therein are intended to allow residential, commercial or industrial land uses and development standards created specifically for the project area while ensuring compliance with the spirit, intent and provisions of this code, the general plan of the city and state laws. Guidelines, regulations and development standards incorporated in any specific plan zone are intended to achieve the following:
1.
To respond sensitively to the natural and built environment and increase amenities to serve the inhabitants and surrounding community areas;
2.
To minimize the alteration of existing land-forms and preserve significant natural features and vegetation unique to the city;
3.
To conserve the historic and scenic qualities of the city;
4.
To provide an enriched environment with aesthetic cohesiveness and harmonious massing of structures within a framework of natural and landscaped open space through the utilization of superior land planning and architectural design;
5.
To minimize the intrusion of new development into environmentally sensitive areas;
6.
To protect new development from adverse visual impacts and excessive noise from nearby off-site structures and transportation corridors.
(Ord. 852 § 2, 1993)
§ 18.64.020 Permitted uses.
A.
The uses, types of development and development standards in an area zoned specific plan are those permitted by the specific plan for that area. Specific plans adopted pursuant to this chapter shall be the official zoning of the city and shall become part of the municipal code.
B.
If land is placed in the specific plan zone before a specific plan is adopted for that land, the standards of the immediately preceding zoning shall continue to apply until a specific plan is adopted.
C.
Notwithstanding any provision of any specific plan to the contrary, the following uses are allowed in all specific plan zones/areas where mixed uses are allowed as well as nonresidential areas which permit multifamily uses, subject to the same requirements as the multifamily uses:
(Ord. 752 § 3, 1988; Ord. 25-1129, 2/18/2025)
§ 18.64.030 Authority.
Specific plans are authorized by California Government Code Section 65450 et seq. which enables cities to adopt specific plans, specifies minimum contents, provides for fees, and allows environmental exemptions for certain projects implementing the specific plan.
(Ord. 852 § 2, 1993)
§ 18.64.040 When and where required.
A.
The SP specific plan zone shall be delineated on the La Verne Zoning Map and each specific plan shall be identified on the map with an assigned number.
B.
Specific plan approval shall be required for hillside projects greater than ten acres. In other areas, specific plans shall be required only where they conclusively promote better planning than can be obtained through conventional zoning.
(Ord. 852 § 2, 1993)
§ 18.64.050 Adopted by ordinance.
Because specific plans are required to be detailed, regulatory documents, specific plans shall be adopted by ordinance in accordance with Chapter 18.112 of this code.
(Ord. 852 § 2, 1993)
§ 18.64.060 Application procedures and processing.
B.
Amendments to Specific Plans.
1.
Specific plans shall be amended in same manner as the general plan except that they may be amended as often as deemed necessary. An application for an amendment to a specific plan shall be filed with the community development department together with a filing fee as established by resolution of the city council.
(Ord. 852 § 2, 1993)
§ 18.64.070 Specific plan contents.
A.
In addition to state requirements as specified in the California Government Code Section 65450 et seq., the contents listed below shall be included in all specific plans. Items which the applicant demonstrates to be clearly not applicable or relevant to the specific plan application under consideration need not be included unless required by the community development director or designee.
B.
Specific Plan Contents.
1.
Title, table of contents, acknowledgements;
2.
Summary;
5.
Specific plan concepts:
a.
Project goals and objectives,
b.
Opportunities and constraints,
c.
Conceptual site plan/land use plan,
e.
Grading plan,
g.
Recreation and open space plan,
h.
Fire protection/fuel modification plan,
i.
Natural and man-made resources protection,
j.
Phasing program,
k.
Home owners association,
l.
Landscape plan,
m.
Appropriate maps and diagrams,
n.
Other appropriate conceptual plans;
6.
Development regulations and requirements:
(Ord. 852 § 2, 1993)
§ 18.64.080 Hillside area specific plans.
§ 18.64.090 Consideration process.
A.
The development review committee shall recommend to the planning commission, the planning commission shall recommend to the city council and the city council shall approve, approve with conditions or deny adoption of the specific plan.
B.
Before recommending approval to the city council, the planning commission shall find the following:
1.
The specific plan meets state requirements as specified in Section 65450 et seq. of the California Government Code;
2.
The specific plan contains all necessary information as specified in Section 18.64.070 of this chapter;
3.
The specific plan establishes that it meets the requirements of and implements all applicable policies and implementation measures in the city General Plan;
4.
That use of a specific plan for the project provides a superior quality of development not otherwise available through conventional zoning tools.
(Ord. 852 § 2, 1993)