Oakland City Zoning Code
ARTICLE X
Site Design Review
Section 405.710 Site Design Review - Generally.
[CC 1997 §26-19; Ord. No. 697 §1, 2-13-2006]
All new construction, additions to existing structures and construction, expansion or improvements to parking areas in the "GC" General Commercial, "PCD" Planned Commercial, "HU" Health Uses and "SP" Semi-Public Districts shall be required to follow the requirements of this Article.
Section 405.715 Application and Submission Requirements.
[CC 1997 §§26-19.1 — 26-19.14]
A.
An application for site development plan approval may be filed by any person with a financial, contractual or proprietary interest in the property to be developed according to the submitted plan.
B.
All applications with site development plan approval shall be filed in the office of the Ordinance Enforcement Official. The application for site design plan approval shall contain the following information as well as such additional information as the Commission may prescribe by additional administrative regulations filed with the City Clerk.
All applications shall be signed by the applicant and shall state the applicant's name and address.
C.
The site development plan shall include all necessary data and drawings in order that the Ordinance Enforcement Official can determine whether the proposed use and development complies with the district requirements and that City departments affected by the project may assess the impact of the proposed development on public facilities and services and on the surrounding area.
The data and drawings required shall include, but not be limited to:
1.
The location of the site in its relationship to surrounding uses, buildings and zoning;
2.
Location and size of each building on the site;
3.
The height, number of stories and form of the proposed building or buildings;
4.
The dimensions and area of the lot or site;
5.
The ratio of floor area to the site area and the residential density;
6.
The location of all existing trees over six (6) inches caliper if deciduous or over six (6) feet in height if evergreens and an indication of all such trees to be removed and all to remain;
7.
Landscape plan including a detailed drawing to scale and schedule of all plant material to be provided or preserved by the plan including the size, location, type and method of planting for trees, shrubs and ground covers as well as related site improvements such as walls, beams, fences, walkways, street furniture and lighting elements.
8.
The location, general design and width of driveways, curb, cuts and sidewalks.
9.
Existing and proposed site grades at a minimum two (2) feet contour intervals.
10.
The location, area and number of proposed parking spaces in relation to applicable parking regulations set forth as to each district.
11.
The general use and development of the site, including all recreation and open space areas, plazas, all major landscaping and all buffering from adjacent activities or uses.
12.
Existing and proposed on-site utilities including stormwater collection and retention, gas, electricity and telephone lines and substations.
13.
The location and identification of any other proposed facilities or site improvements.
D.
Review Procedure.
1.
A site development plan shall be submitted with the application for site development plan approval which shall contain, at a minimum, that information required by the district regulations in addition to the application and submission requirements of this Section 405.715.
2.
The Ordinance Enforcement Official shall coordinate the review and analysis of the site development plan application by the City staff including other affected City departments before any final action may be taken by the Commission on the application. This coordinated administrative review of the application shall be completed within sixty (60) days of filing. The results of this review shall be compiled with the Ordinance Enforcement Official and reported by him/her to the Commission for its consideration.
3.
After the Commission receives the site development plan application and associated documents, it shall review the application and report it has received from the Ordinance Enforcement Official. The Commission may then either approve, disapprove or conditionally approve the site development plan application.
4.
At the applicant's discretion, he/she may choose, following the submission of the report of the Ordinance Enforcement Official to the Commission, to regard his/her initial application as a preliminary site development plan. He/she may then respond to the review of the Ordinance Enforcement Official and Commission and submit a revised final site development plan to the Commission for its consideration and final action within an additional forty-five (45) days thereafter.
5.
The action of the Planning and Zoning Commission approving, disapproving or conditionally approving the site development plan shall accompany its recommendation to the Board of Aldermen.
6.
When an application for site development plan approval is filed in conjunction with an application for rezoning, the Commission shall submit the conclusions of its review of the site development plan in accordance with this Section (approval, disapproval or conditional approval), together with its recommendation for approval or disapproval of the application for rezoning, to the Board of Aldermen for its action on the rezoning.
Section 405.720 Site Design Requirements.
[CC 1997 §§26-19.2 — 26-19.27; Ord. No. 697 §§2 — 3, 2-13-2006]
A.
Any part of a lot area not used for buildings or other structures or for parking, loading or accessways shall be landscaped with grass, ground cover, trees, shrubs and pedestrian walks. A planting strip of ten (10) feet shall be provided and maintained within the front yard. All areas of the site not paved shall be landscaped with a mixture of trees and grass or any combination of trees, shrubs, flowers, grass or other living ground cover to retard water runoff, restrict blowing trash and deter improper and unsafe access and site use by the public. Trees shall be of three (3) inch caliper measured six (6) inches from the ground level. Street areas not approved for driveways shall be planted in grass. For all buildings there shall be one (1) three (3) inch caliper tree planted for every ten (10) parking spaces to be located within the paved area. Trees shall be spaced approximately twenty-five (25) feet on center across all front yards and thirty-five (35) feet on center in side and rear yards. Foundation plantings shall be planted and maintained along all exterior walls of all buildings at the ratio of one (1) plant material for every ten (10) lineal feet of exterior wall.
B.
All paved and landscaped areas shall, at all times, be kept in good repair and in excellent condition in accordance with this and other ordinances of the City of Oakland and the continuous maintenance of said areas is to be the responsibility of the owners and lessees of the property.
C.
All landscaping plant materials shall be kept alive and in excellent condition.
D.
Where any parcel abuts any residential district or development, a fifty (50) foot landscaped buffer and a solid fence six (6) feet in height shall be provided and maintained along all rear and side property lines where it abuts such residential district or development. Where any parcel abuts any public use area (as defined herein), a twenty-five (25) foot landscaped buffer and a solid fence six (6) feet in height shall be provided and maintained along all rear and side property lines where it abuts such public use area. The buffer area shall contain evergreen plant material with a minimum height of eight (8) feet planted on six (6) foot minimum centers.
E.
Sidewalks shall be provided along all street frontages, the location to be approved by the City Engineer.
F.
All lighting shall be served with underground cable. All parking areas and walkways shall be illuminated so as to produce a uniform illumination of two (2) foot-candles within said areas. All exterior lighting shall be shielded and/or otherwise designed to direct light downward and within the confines of the site area so as to prevent or minimize glare or spillover to other areas.
G.
Access Requirements. All developed parcels shall be provided interior drives with a minimum width of pavement of twenty-four (24) feet. Driveway openings shall be limited to not more than thirty-six (36) feet in width and shall be limited to one (1) drive per one hundred (100) feet of lot width. All roads and drives shall be paved with concrete or asphaltic concrete material meeting specifications of the City of Oakland. Concrete curbs shall be provided along all drives that do not abut parking spaces. All parking areas shall be edged with concrete curbs. Surface or underground storm drainage facilities shall be provided for all roads, drives and parking areas as approved by the City Engineer. All storm drainage will be directed into established surface or underground storm drainage facilities.
H.
The area of non-residential sites which may be covered by buildings, driveways, parking lots, loading areas or other impervious surfaces but excluding landscaped areas, green spaces, pedestrian circulation and unpaved buffer areas shall not exceed sixty percent (60%).
Section 405.725 Site Design Standards.
[CC 1997 §26-19.3]
A.
In considering any application for approval of the site development plan, the Commission shall consider the following factors:
1.
The relationship of proposed uses, functions, sites and buildings within the development tract to each other;
2.
The relationship of proposed uses, functions, sites and buildings within the tract to existing land uses and the permitted uses of adjoining tracts in accordance with the correct zoning;
3.
The provision and distribution of adequate parking facilities;
4.
The provision of proper means of access to and from public roads;
5.
The provision of site amenities including landscaping and fences;
6.
Any other factors relevant to the public health, safety, convenience and general welfare of the residents of the City.
Section 405.730 Modifications of Above Referenced Site Design Requirements.
[CC 1997 §§26-19.4 — 26-19.42]
A.
The Planning and Zoning Commission may recommend and the Board of Aldermen may grant modifications of the requirements of the above referenced site design requirements of this Subsection, the strict enforcement of which would entail substantial difficulties in carrying out the intent of this Section.
B.
Before any modification of this Section can be granted, it shall be determined whether such modification will:
1.
Increase traffic hazards or congestion;
2.
Affect the character of surrounding commercial uses or adjacent residential uses or of the neighborhood;
3.
Increase fire hazards or make difficult access by fire and emergency vehicles; overtax public utilities; and
4.
Affect the general welfare of the community.
5.
If the findings as to all factors referred to in the paragraphs above are negative, then the modification may be granted. If affirmative as to any subject, then such modification shall be denied.
Section 405.735 Period of Validity for Site Development Plan Approval.
[CC 1997 §26-19.5]
No site development plan approval by the Commission shall be valid for a period longer than twelve (12) months from the date it is approved, unless within such period a building permit is obtained and substantial construction is commenced. The Commission may grant extensions not exceeding twelve (12) months upon written request of the original applicant and resubmission of the application if the application as resubmitted is substantially the same as the initially approved application. However, the Commission has the power in such cases to attach new conditions to its reapproval or to disapprove the reapplication. Where the application for reapproval contains changes which the Commission concludes materially alter the initial application, it shall refer the application to the Ordinance Enforcement Official who shall initiate a new site development plan review procedure as set out in Section 405.715 above.
Section 405.740 Signs.
[CC 1997 §26-19.6]
Permitted in accordance with the sign regulations contained in Chapter 525 of the Municipal Code.