No building or use permit shall be issued for the construction, alteration or addition to any building or structure, including signs or outdoor advertising structures in any zone within the City until site plan and architectural approval have been obtained from the Planning Commission. Where a site plan and architectural review are required in an application for a variance or conditional use permit, said site plan and architectural review may be considered a part of said application.

The Director of Community Development may approve site plan and architectural review applications for residential additions which meet the following criteria:

Name and address of the applicant and of all persons owning any or all of the property proposed to be used.

Evidence that the applicant:

Location of subject property (address or vicinity).

Legal description of property.

Proposed facility or use.

The use, location and size of all buildings and structures, yards, driveways, access and parking areas, landscaping, walls or fences, and other similar features.

Architectural rendering of all structures proposed within the project area.

Such other data as may be required to determine compliance with the provisions of this chapter.

The application should implement the goals and objectives of the General Plan to provide an attractive, high quality, residential environment with a rural character. Industrial, agricultural and commercial land uses should meet high quality development standards. To the extent possible, development should minimize alteration of the natural terrain.

Applications should be reasonably compatible with surrounding buildings and uses in terms of use, function, size, shape, mass, scale, building materials, colors, façade articulation, and roof style and pitch.

Vertical and horizontal articulation of building façades should be used to avoid long, uninterrupted exterior walls on all structures. All structure walls should have relief (variance in vertical and horizontal planes) to create an interesting blend with landscaping, building and the casting of shadows. The integration of varied texture, relief, and soften accents on building walls should be used to soften undesirable planar effects, and enhance the architecture.

Roof lines should be reasonably compatible with the design and scale of surrounding structures. Vertical and horizontal roof articulation is encouraged to avoid monotonous, long, flat sections of roof.

Building designs should be varied in tract developments to create variety and interest. A significant difference in the massing, composition, architectural style, building orientation, façade articulation and architectural style of each adjacent house should be achieved.

Structural form, scale and mass should relate to the use of surrounding structures. The scale and mass should be within a human scale so as not to overwhelm or dominate the lot or buildable pad area on which the structure is placed, the natural topography, or surrounding uses or structures.

Colors should be reasonably compatible among various architectural design elements within the same structure and among adjacent structures. Color coordination is not required, but stark divergence of colors which is displeasing to the senses should be avoided.

High quality materials, textures and construction should be used. Materials should be consistently applied and should be chosen to work harmoniously with materials and textures on surrounding structures. Piecemeal embellishment and frequent changes in materials and textures should be avoided.

Any equipment, whether on the side of the building, on the ground, or on the roof, must be screened. The method of screening must be architecturally compatible in terms of materials, color, shape and size. The screening design should blend with the building design.

To the extent reasonably possible, viewshed should be protected from both public and private property. Viewshed includes the blockage of existing views and the creation of undesirable views such as unscreened roof equipment, unbroken roof lines, towers, poles, or flat wall surfaces.

Landscaping should be used to assist the screening of service, loading and parking areas from public right-of-way and adjacent properties.

Landscaping should promote proper vehicular and pedestrian circulation, creating a safe and pleasant environment.

Landscaping should take into consideration local topographic and climate restrictions and proper irrigation, drainage and maintenance.

Landscaping should be reasonably compatible with the character of adjacent landscaping, provided that the existing adjacent landscaping meets the above standards.

The application shall not adversely affect the health, peace, comfort or welfare of persons residing or working in the surrounding area.

The application shall not be materially detrimental to the use, enjoyment or valuation of property or other persons located in the vicinity of the application.

The application shall not jeopardize, endanger or otherwise constitute a menace to the public health, safety or general welfare.

The site of the proposed application shall be adequate in size to accommodate the yards, walls, fences, parking and loading facilities, landscaping and other development standards prescribed in this chapter, or otherwise required in order to integrate said use with the uses in the surrounding area.

The site of the proposed application shall be adequately served by highways or streets of sufficient width and improved as necessary to carry the kind of traffic such use would generate.

Approve; or

Approve with conditions; or

Deny the application and state the reason or reasons for such action.

The Planning Director shall notify the applicant of a request for a site plan and architectural review of the action taken on the application within 10 days of the decision by the Commission.

Said notification of action shall be made by first class mail, postage prepaid, or by other means deemed appropriate by the Commission.