A.

The Commission shall be required to make findings in acting to approve, conditionally approve, or deny a site plan review application.

B.

No project which requires site plan review approval shall be approved by the Commission, or by the City Council on appeal, unless the following findings can be made:

1.

The project complies with and is consistent with the goals and policies of the general plan and all requirements of the zoning ordinance;

2.

The project substantially preserves the natural and undeveloped state of the lot by minimizing building coverage. Lot coverage requirements are regarded as maximums, and the actual amount of lot coverage permitted depends upon the existing buildable area of the lot;

3.

The project is harmonious in scale and mass with the site, the natural terrain and surrounding residences;

4.

The project preserves and integrates into the site design, to the greatest extent possible, existing topographic features of the site, including surrounding native vegetation, mature trees, drainage courses and land forms (such as hillsides and knolls);

5.

Grading has been designed to follow natural contours of the site and to minimize the amount of grading required to create the building area;

6.

Grading will not modify existing drainage channels nor redirect drainage flow, unless such flow is redirected into an existing drainage course;

7.

The project preserves surrounding native vegetation and mature trees and supplements these elements with drought-tolerant landscaping which is compatible with and enhances the rural character of the community, and landscaping provides a buffer or transition area between private and public areas;

8.

The project is sensitive and not detrimental to the convenient and safe movement of pedestrians and vehicles; and

9.

The project conforms to the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act.

C.

If all of the above findings cannot be made with regard to the proposed project, or cannot be made even with changes to the project through project conditions imposed by City staff and/or the Planning Commission, the site plan review application shall be denied.

(Ord. 239 §11(part), 1993).