HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-08-08 PC AGENDA SPECIAL MEETINGPlanning Commission
City of Hermosa Beach
Special Meeting Agenda - Final
City Hall
1315 Valley Drive
Hermosa Beach, CA
90254
Chair
David Pedersen
Vice Chair
Stephen Izant
Commissioners
Peter Hoffman
Rob Saemann
Marie Rice
6:00 PMMonday, August 8, 2022
1
August 8, 2022Planning Commission Special Meeting Agenda - Final
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August 8, 2022Planning Commission Special Meeting Agenda - Final
Hybrid in-person/virtual meetings are held pursuant to AB361. State and local officials recommend
measures to promote social distancing. Members of the public may email comments to
communitydevelopment@hermosabeach.gov or submit eComments until 12:00 p.m. on the meeting
date.
ATTEND IN-PERSON:
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ORAL AND WRITTEN COMMUNICATION
Persons who wish to have written materials included in the agenda packet at the time the agenda is
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Written materials pertaining to matters listed on the posted agenda received after the agenda has been
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August 8, 2022Planning Commission Special Meeting Agenda - Final
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you do not want to be published.
1. Go to the Agendas/Minutes/Video webpage and find the meeting you’d like to submit comments on.
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I. CALL TO ORDER
II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
III. ROLL CALL
IV. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION -- ORAL AND WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS
This is the time for members of the public to address the Planning Commission on any items within the
Commission's jurisdiction not on this agenda, on items on this agenda as to which public comment will
not be taken (Verbal Reports, Staff Items, Commissioner items, Consent Calendar items that are not
pulled for separate consideration and Future Agenda Items), on written communications, and to
request the removal of an item from the consent calendar. Public comments on the agenda items
called Verbal Reports, Staff Items, Commissioner items, Consent Calendar items that are not pulled
for separate consideration and Future Agenda Items will only be heard at this time. Further, comments
on public hearing items are heard only during the public hearing. Members of the audience may also
speak during discussion of items removed from the Consent Calendar for separate consideration;
during Public Hearings; and, during discussion of items appearing under Municipal Matters. All
comments from the public under this agenda item are limited to three minutes per speaker, but this
time allotment may be reduced due to time constraints. The Planning Commission acknowledges
receipt of the written communications listed below. No action will be taken on matters raised in oral and
written communications, except that the Commission may take action to schedule issues raised in oral
and written communications for a future agenda. Speakers with comments regarding City
management or departmental operations are encouraged to submit those comments directly to the
Community Development Director or to the City Manager.
a.REPORT
22-0503
WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS
(Administrative Assistant Melanie Bristow)
Recommendation:Staff recommends Planning Commission receive and file written communications.
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August 8, 2022Planning Commission Special Meeting Agenda - Final
V. REVIEW AND DISCUSSION
a.REPORT
22-0504
INFORMATION ONLY: PUBLIC MEETING NOTICE
(Administrative Assistant Melanie Bristow)
b.REPORT
22-0499 COMPREHENSIVE ZONING CODE UPDATE:
DISTRICT AND DESIGN STANDARDS
(Assistant Planner Melanie Hall)
Recommendation:Staff recommends Planning Commission:
1. Receive the staff presentation;
2. Solicit public comments; and
3. Provide feedback on the Comprehensive Zoning Code Update: District and Design
Standards.
VI. ADJOURNMENT TO THE AUGUST 16, 2022 PLANNING COMMISSION REGULAR
MEETING
_________________________________________________________________________
FUTURE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETINGS AND CITY HOLIDAYS
PLANNING COMMISSION MEETINGS:
August 16, 2022 - Tuesday - 6:00 PM - Planning Commission Hybrid Meeting
September 20, 2022 - Tuesday - 6:00 PM - Planning Commission Hybrid Meeting
September 22, 2022 - Thursday - 6:00 PM - Planning Commission Hybrid Special Meeting
October 3, 2022 - Monday - 6:00 PM - Planning Commission Hybrid Special Meeting
October 18, 2022 - Tuesday - 6:00 PM - Planning Commission Hybrid Meeting
November 2, 2022 - Wednesday - 6:00 PM - Planning Commission Hybrid Special Meeting
November 15, 2022 - Tuesday - 6:00 PM - Planning Commission Hybrid Meeting
December 5, 2022 - Monday - 6:00 PM - Planning Commission Hybrid Special Meeting
December 12, 2022 - Monday - 6:00 PM - Planning Commission Hybrid Meeting
CITY OFFICES CLOSED FRIDAY-SUNDAY AND ON THE FOLLOWING DAYS:
September 5, 2022 - Monday - Labor Day
November 24, 2022 - Thursday - Thanksgiving Day
December 26, 2022 - Monday - Christmas Day (observed)
January 2, 2023 - Monday - New Year's Day (observed)
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City of Hermosa Beach
Staff Report
City Hall
1315 Valley Drive
Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
Staff Report
REPORT 22-0503
Honorable Chair and Members of the Hermosa Beach Planning Commission Special Meeting
of August 8, 2022
WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS
(Administrative Assistant Melanie Bristow)
Recommended Action:
Staff recommends Planning Commission receive and file written communications.
Attachments:
1. Email from John & Kay Holliday 8/2/22
Respectfully Submitted by: Melanie Bristow, Administrative Assistant
Approved: Jeannie Naughton, Community Development Director
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From: John - Kay Holliday <kjholliday@msn.com>
Sent: Tuesday, August 2, 2022 11:04 AM
To: DG_PlanningCommission <DG_PlanningCommission@hermosabeach.gov>
Subject: Planning Commission
It is my understanding the Planning Commission is in the process of updating the
zoning code. I would like to participate in the code update and support the
changes to the C1 land use table.
We’ve owned and operated a restaurant (Le Petite Café) since 1976 at the corner
of 2nd Street and Hermosa Avenue. We also own and maintain The Spot and
several apartments adjacent to the restaurant. We believe in being good
community members and respect our neighbors.
Since retiring we have leased it out to several restaurants. Even though they
invested a lot of money into the property, they were unable to succeed. Over the
last 5 years we have seen our tenants struggle to stay in business due to COVID
and the rising costs of food, staff and other operating expenses.
We need your help to stay operational. As a property owner, if we had a Type 47
Liquor License it would substantially help to increase our property and lease
values. We will never lease to a bar and will abide by any stipulations that go
along with a Type 47 Liquor License.
The area would benefit from having a nice restaurant within walking distance for
local residents to enjoy. Currently, the only option for residents in our immediate
area is to walk down to the Pier and most of the businesses there are bars with
food. There are no nice restaurants.
I look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
John and Kay Holliday
190 Hermosa Avenue
Hermosa Beach
Sent from Mail for Windows
7
City of Hermosa Beach
Staff Report
City Hall
1315 Valley Drive
Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
Staff Report
REPORT 22-0504
Honorable Chair and Members of the Hermosa Beach Planning Commission Special Meeting
of August 8, 2022
INFORMATION ONLY: PUBLIC MEETING NOTICE
(Administrative Assistant Melanie Bristow)
Attachments:
1.Public Meeting Notice
Respectfully Submitted by: Melanie Bristow, Administrative Assistant
Approved: Jeannie Naughton, Community Development Director
City of Hermosa Beach Printed on 8/4/2022Page 1 of 1
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City of Hermosa Beach
PUBLIC NOTICE
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Planning Commission of the City of Hermosa Beach shall hold a
special hybrid meeting on Monday, August 8, 2022 to consider the following:
1.Special Meeting to Review and Discuss the Comprehensive Zoning Code Update: Design & District
Standards (2nd Meeting)
SAID MEETING shall be held in-person and virtually at 6:00 PM, or as soon thereafter as the matter may be
heard. THIS MEETING IS HELD PURSUANT TO AB 361 (CHAPTER 165, STATUTES OF 2021) ISSUED BY
GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM ON SEPTEMBER 16, 2021. PLANNING COMMISSION MEMBERS MAY
PARTICIPATE BY TELECONFERENCE/VIRTUAL MEETING DUE TO STATE AND LOCAL OFFICIALS
RECOMMENDING MEASURES TO PROMOTE SOCIAL DISTANCING. MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC MAY
PARTICIPATE BY TELECONFERENCE/VIRTUAL MEETING IN ORDER TO RESTRICT THE IMMINENT
RISKS TO THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF ATTENDEES.
ANY AND ALL PERSONS interested are invited to participate and speak at these hearings at the above time. See
the meeting agenda or contact CommunityDevelopment@hermosabeach.gov for in-person or teleconference
participation details. For inclusion in the agenda packet to be distributed, written comments of interested parties
should be mailed to the Community Development Department, Planning Division, in care of City Hall at 1315 Valley
Drive, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 or emailed to CommunityDevelopment@hermosabeach.gov by noon of the
Tuesday, one week before the meeting. All written testimony by any interested party will be accepted prior to or at
the scheduled time on the agenda for the matter.
IF YOU CHALLENGE the above matter(s) in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone
else raised at the public hearing described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the Community
Development Department, Planning Division, at, or prior to, the public hearing.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, please contact the Community Development Department, Planning Division, at
(310)318-0242 or CommunityDevelopment@hermosabeach.gov. The Department operates from 7:00 AM to 6:00
PM, Monday through Thursday. A copy of the agenda and staff reports will be available for public review 72 hours
in advance of the meeting on the City’s website at www.hermosabeach.gov. Relevant Municipal Code sections are
also available on the website.
Jeannie Naughton, AICP
Community Development Director
9
City of Hermosa Beach
Staff Report
City Hall
1315 Valley Drive
Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
Staff Report
REPORT 22-0499
Honorable Chair and Members of the Hermosa Beach Planning Commission
Special Meeting of August 8, 2022
COMPREHENSIVE ZONING CODE UPDATE:
DISTRICT AND DESIGN STANDARDS
(Assistant Planner Melanie Hall)
Recommended Action:
Staff recommends Planning Commission:
1.Receive the staff presentation;
2.Solicit public comments; and
3.Provide feedback on the Comprehensive Zoning Code Update: District and Design Standards.
Summary:
On August 22,2017,the Hermosa Beach City Council unanimously adopted the first general plan
update since 1979,PLAN Hermosa.PLAN Hermosa is the culmination of a multi-year community-
wide effort to reflect on the community and its future and articulates a shared vision.
Zoning and subdivision regulations are one of the primary tools a city has for implementation of its
general plan.Zoning and subdivision regulations translate the policies of a general plan into parcel
specific regulations,including land use regulations and development standards.The type and
intensity of land uses that are permitted and how they perform is critical to achieving PLAN
Hermosa’s vision for neighborhood preservation and enhancement,economic development,coastal
resource protection,environmental sustainability,and community health.The comprehensive zoning
code update (ZCU) would result in updated zoning and subdivision ordinances that:
·Are consistent with and implements the General Plan/Coastal Land Use Plan;
·Are modern and reflects the City’s current uses, practices, and development patterns;
·Provide clear decision-making protocols and streamlined review processes, where
appropriate;
·Retain the character and scale of the community’s neighborhoods, districts, and
corridors;
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Staff Report
REPORT 22-0499
·Add to the economic vitality and promotes adaptive reuse and reinvestment of
properties;
·Address previously created nonconforming situations and balances whether to allow
their continuance or bring them into compliance; and
·Are clear, concise, understandable, and easy to use.
Background:
The draft District and Design Standards are one part of the comprehensive zoning code update.The
District and Design Standards includes zoning district development standards,building design
standards, general site regulations, and rules of measurement.
Past Meetings
Meeting Date Description
March 4, 2020 Joint City Council/Planning Commission Study Session - Introduction
to the Zoning and Subdivision Ordinance Assessment for Feedback
May 19, 2020 Planning Commission - The Final Zoning and Subdivision Ordinance
Assessment Presentation
February 17, 2021 Economic Development Stakeholders Advisory Working Group -
Introduction to the Targeted Parking Amendments to Receive
Feedback
March 1, 2021 Economic Development Committee - Introduction to the Targeted
Parking Amendments to Receive Feedback
March 3, 2021 Joint City Council/Planning Commission Study Session - Introduction
to the Comprehensive Zoning and Subdivision Ordinance for
Feedback
April 20, 2021 Planning Commission - Commissioner Item to Provide Input as a
Follow-up to the March 3rd Study Session
July 20,2021 Planning Commission - Unanimous Recommendation to the City to
Approve the Text Amendments to Hermosa Beach Municipal Code
Section 17.26.050, Chapter 17.44, and Section 17.52.035
August 10, 2021 City Council - Approval of Parking Text Amendments
February 2, 2022 Special Planning Commission Meeting to discuss Draft Land Use
Regulations
April 6, 2022 Special Planning Commission Meeting to discuss Draft Land Use
Regulations
June 7, 2022 Special Planning Commission Meeting to discuss Draft District and
Design Standards
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Staff Report
REPORT 22-0499
Meeting Date DescriptionMarch 4, 2020 Joint City Council/Planning Commission Study Session - Introductionto the Zoning and Subdivision Ordinance Assessment for FeedbackMay 19, 2020 Planning Commission - The Final Zoning and Subdivision OrdinanceAssessment PresentationFebruary 17, 2021 Economic Development Stakeholders Advisory Working Group -Introduction to the Targeted Parking Amendments to ReceiveFeedbackMarch 1, 2021 Economic Development Committee - Introduction to the TargetedParking Amendments to Receive FeedbackMarch 3, 2021 Joint City Council/Planning Commission Study Session - Introductionto the Comprehensive Zoning and Subdivision Ordinance forFeedbackApril 20, 2021 Planning Commission - Commissioner Item to Provide Input as aFollow-up to the March 3rd Study SessionJuly 20,2021 Planning Commission - Unanimous Recommendation to the City toApprove the Text Amendments to Hermosa Beach Municipal CodeSection 17.26.050, Chapter 17.44, and Section 17.52.035
August 10, 2021 City Council - Approval of Parking Text Amendments
February 2, 2022 Special Planning Commission Meeting to discuss Draft Land Use
Regulations
April 6, 2022 Special Planning Commission Meeting to discuss Draft Land Use
Regulations
June 7, 2022 Special Planning Commission Meeting to discuss Draft District and
Design Standards
Analysis:
The Preliminary Draft District and Design Standards presents draft provisions for the regulation of
land uses in the Zoning Ordinance. The Preliminary Draft District and Design Standards document
includes the following sections:
1.Introduction.The introduction provides an overview of the contents of the Preliminary Draft
District and Design Standards,explains the major changes in the development standards for
each base zoning district,adds new design standards specific to entrances,windows,
articulation,and summarizes the revisions to the general site regulations and rules of
measurement.
2.Zoning District Development Standards.The first section presents draft development
standards for each base zoning district.Each base zoning district has a purpose statement,
development standards and dimensional requirements applicable to development in each
zone.Use regulations,detailing the types of uses allowed in each zone and respective level of
required permit, were included in a previous set of draft regulations.
3.Building Design Standards.This section includes objective design standards for various
types of development,including detached single
‐
unit,attached single
‐
unit,multi
‐
unit,and
nonresidential development.To provide flexibility and reflect the variety of design styles,
locations,and lot configurations in Hermosa Beach,menus of acceptable methods of meeting
the standards are provided where appropriate.Additionally,alternative designs that meet the
intent of the requirements may be approved through a discretionary process,allowing the City
to consider appropriate design alternatives on a case by case basis.
4.General Site Regulations.This section summarizes the regulations applicable to all
development within some or all zoning districts,regardless of use.The existing standards
have been updated,revised,and reorganized;however,the intent and effect of the standards
reflect current practice.
5.Rules of Measurement.This section of the paper includes rules for performing calculations
and measurements required to implement the zoning regulations included in the Zoning
Ordinance.These provisions are located in a single section to make them easier to find and
help ensure consistency of interpretation and measurement.Existing provisions and
procedures for calculations and measurements are carried forward.Refinements are made to
provide more detail on measurement rules or to codify current practices
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On June 7,2022,the Planning Commission hosted a special Planning Commission meeting to
discuss the draft District and Design Standards.Staff requested that the Planning Commission
provide feedback on the draft district and design standards, considering the following questions:
1.Are the Residential Zone development standards appropriate,including the proposed
refinements:
a.Removal of allowance for increased height in RH Zone with PC approval.
b.Consistent application of reduced open space and lot coverage requirements for small
lots.
c.Standardized and simplified open space requirements.
The Planning Commission discussed retaining the discretionary allowance for additional
height in the RH Zone.Although the height exception is not used often,it was intended to
address limited unique situations that may still exist.The Planning Commission agreed with
Staff’s recommendation to make the open space and lot coverage requirements consistent
throughout the zones.
2.Are the Commercial Zone development standards appropriate,including the proposed
refinements:
a.Removal of story limitation in the DT Zone.
b.Incorporation of design related findings related to a maximum 35-foot height allowance
into universally applicable design standards for consistent application in the CC,GC,
and SC Zones.
The Planning Commission discussed the standards for the commercial development and
found requiring a 14-foot minimum ground floor height in Commercial Zones too restrictive.
Staff has revised the minimum ground floor requirement based on that feedback.The Planning
Commission asked staff to consider increasing FAR allowance in the Downtown Zone.The
FAR allowance comes from PLAN Hermosa and is considered under the Environmental
Impact Report (EIR)for that project.Increasing the FAR allowance would require additional
environmental review and public outreach that is not part of the ZONE-IN Hermosa
comprehensive code update project.
3.Are the Light Industrial and Public and Semi-Public Zone development standards
appropriate?
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Staff Report
REPORT 22-0499
The Planning Commission discussed proposed standards for the Light Industrial and Public
and Semi-Public Zone and found they were appropriate for the City.
4.Are the building design standards appropriate for:
a.Single Unit Development
b.Multi-Unit Development
c.Nonresidential Development
The Planning Commission thought that the design standards seem to be overly prescriptive,
particularly for single unit residential development.The Planning Commission wanted input
from local designers and architects.
Staff met with the Business and Process Improvement Stakeholder group consisting of 13
members of the design and construction community.The goal of the workshop was to solicit
feedback however only two members of the group participated.At the workshop,a
construction professional noted that while the proposed design standards come with a
construction cost,his Hermosa Beach clients want a high-quality design for their homes so
meeting these standards would be easier.
Staff has continuously been reaching out to local designers and architects since June and
have not received any additional feedback.
5.Do the building design standards address the appropriate elements of design?
In discussing elements of design,the Planning Commission stressed that they liked that the
City of Hermosa Beach has organically developed and because of that,unique and eclectic
design styles exist.While the Planning Commission recognizes that objective standards must
be in place to satisfy state housing laws,they wanted to ensure that the new standards were
not limiting.
6.Are the General Site Regulations appropriate, including notable changes:
a.Allowable encroachments into side and rear setbacks for stormwater management
equipment such as rain barrels and other mechanical equipment.
b.Standardized open space requirements for all zones,allowing more flexibility in the
location of open space and increasing the amount of open space required in certain
situations.
c.New screening requirements along common property lines between industrial or utility
uses and a Residential Zone.
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Staff Report
REPORT 22-0499
d.Reduced threshold for applicability of trip reduction and transportation demand
management measures from 25,000 square feet of nonresidential development to
15,000 square feet.
Since existing standards have been updated,revised,and reorganized,the Planning
Commission agreed with staff’s recommendations.
Conclusion
After receiving direction from the Planning Commission,staff will incorporate comments into a
revised draft and prior to final adoption of the Comprehensive Zoning Code Update,a subsequent
public hearing will be held by the Planning Commission.
Attachments:
1.Presentation Slides
2.Draft District and Design Standards
3.Draft Development Standards Illustrations - Single Unit Design Standards
4.Draft Development Standards Illustrations - Multi-Unit Design Standards
5.Draft Development Standards Illustrations - Commercial Standards
6.Draft Zoning Code Map
7.Zoning Code Assessment
8.Link to June 7, 2022 Planning Commission Staff Report
9.SUPPLEMENTAL - Email from Jon David 8/8/2022
Respectfully Submitted by: Melanie Hall, Assistant Planner
Approved: Jeannie Naughton, Community Development Director
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Preliminary Draft
District and Design
Standards –Follow Up
City of Hermosa Beach
August 8, 2022
16
Project Overview
Update the Zoning and
Subdivision Ordinances to
effectively implement the
PLAN Hermosa’s vision for
neighborhood preservation
and enhancement, economic
development, environmental
sustainability, and community
health.
17
The Process
Phase 1:
Assessment
Phase 2:
Update
February 2020
May 2020
May 2020
❑Targeted Parking Amendments
❑Draft Regulations for Public Review
o Use Regulations
o District and Design Standards –PC study session follow-up
o Citywide Standards
o Administration Provisions
❑Public Review of Draft Ordinances
❑Revisions to the Draft Ordinances
❑Hearings and Adoption!
❑Research, Analysis, and Assessment
❑Assessment Report
❑Work Plan
August 2021
18
Draft District and Design
Standards
▪Zone District Development
Standards
▪Building Design Standards
▪General Site Regulations
▪Rules of Measurement
19
PLAN Hermosa
Land Use Element Policies
Goal 5. Quality and authenticity in architecture and site
design in all construction and renovation of buildings.
5.1 Scale and massing. Consider the scale of new
development within its urban context to avoid abrupt
changes in scale and massing.
5.2 High quality materials.
5.3 Locally appropriate materials.
5.4 Unique brand and identity.
5.5 Preservation and adaptive reuse.
5.6 Eclectic and diverse architecture. Seek to maintain
and enhance neighborhood character through eclectic
and diverse architectural styles.
20
What We Heard
1.Retain the discretionary allowance for additional height in the
RH Zone
▪Although it’s not used often, it was intended to address limited
unique situations that may still exist
2.Requiring a 14 foot minimum ground floor height in
Commercial Zones is too restrictive
3.Consider an increased FAR allowance in the Downtown Zone
4.Would like input from local designers and architects
5.Design standards seem to be overly prescriptive, particularly
for Single Unit Residential
6.Modification process needs more discussion, concerns
include:
▪Processing time
▪Subjectivity
21
1: Height Allowance, RH
Zone
22
What We Heard
Retain the discretionary allowance for additional
height in the RH Zone
▪Although it’s not used often, it was intended to
address limited unique situations that may still exist
23
2: Commercial Zone
Ground Floor Height
24
What We Heard
Requiring a 14 foot minimum ground floor height in
Commercial Zones is too restrictive
25
3: Allowable FAR Downtown
26
Increasing Allowable FAR
The maximum allowable FAR in the Downtown Zone is 1.25
▪Established in the General Plan (PLAN Hermosa)
▪Increasing allowable FAR requires a General Plan Amendment and is subject
to environmental review
▪Allowable FAR is a primarily factor in calculating buildout and evaluating potential
environmental impacts
▪Increasing allowable FAR would enable development that was not accounted for in
the preparation of the General Plan or evaluated in the EIR and may result in new or
substantially more severe environmental impacts
▪Therefore, increased FAR must be analyzed
▪City could consider increased FAR through a separate effort
27
4: Local Designer Input
28
Local Designer Input
Efforts to get the word out and solicit input:
▪Invitations with Draft District and Design Standards and illustrations
sent out to Ad Hoc Committee, consisting of 13 members
▪Meeting held July 12, 2022
▪Two participants –one contractor and one project coordinator
▪Recording of meeting sent to Ad Hoc Committee requesting feedback
▪Emails with Draft District and Design Standards and illustrations sent
to additional architects and designers requesting feedback
▪Phone calls to architects and designers requesting feedback
▪Surveys at the counter for impromptu information
29
5/6: Design Standards &
Modification Process
30
Building Design Standards
Objective design standards
▪Consistent with PLAN Hermosa Governance Policies and State law
▪Applicable to:
▪Single Unit Development
▪Multi-Unit Development
▪Non-Residential Development
▪Intended to accommodate variety while addressing universal
elements of design
▪Provide flexibility to accommodate a variety of styles
▪Offer of menu of options, where appropriate
▪Provide a process for consideration of alternative approaches
▪Establish a reasonable and effective base requirement, allow a
process to consider alternatives that meet the same design intent
31
Modification Process
Concept:
▪Director approval, unless the project is otherwise going to the Planning
Commission
▪Discretionary action
o Findings must be made
o Conditions of approval may be applied
▪The Director’s decision is appealable to the Planning Commission
▪The Director may refer any application to the Planning Commission for
decision
▪Parameters for consideration of Modification incorporated into specific
standard that can be modified:
▪Example: A Modification to the Building Entrance standards may be approved
for alternative designs that ‘create a welcoming entry feature facing the street.’
32
Single Unit Development
33
Single Unit Development
Draft standards:
1.Building Entrances. A principal entry shall be visible to the street and
emphasized with:
▪A projection, or
▪A recess, or
▪A landing, or
▪Other approved through Modification process
2.Window Trim or Recess. Windows must have:
▪Two inch trim, or
▪Be recessed two inches, or
▪Other approved through Modification process
3.Articulation.Every 10 feet, there shall be one of the following
▪Wall shift, or
▪Change in material, or
▪Window or entrance, or
▪Projection, or
▪Other approved through Modification process
34
Multi Unit Development
35
Multi Unit Development
Draft standards:
1.Building Entrances.
▪All units along the street must have an entrance facing the street or accessed via a
walkway or stairway from the street.
▪Entrances may be individual or shared.
▪The principal entry shall be emphasized with:
▪A projection, or
▪A recess, or
▪A landing, or
▪Other approved through Modification process
2.Building Length. Building length shall not exceed 200 feet.
3.Window Trim or Recess. Windows must have:
▪Two inch trim, or
▪Be recessed two inches, or
▪Other approved through Modification process
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Multi Unit Development, cont
Draft standards:
4.Articulation.Every 10 feet, there shall be one of the following
▪Wall shift, or
▪Change in material, or
▪Window or entrance, or
▪Projection, or
▪Other approved through Modification process
5.Curb Cuts. New curb cuts are prohibited except if an equivalent curb cut is
replaced or there is no existing curb cut.
37
Commercial Development
38
Nonresidential Development
Downtown Zone –Draft standards update, clarify, and simplify
existing SPA 11 standards
39
Other Commercial Corridors –Draft standards reflect PLAN Hermosa direction for pedestrian
orientation, maximum transparency, parking location, building placement, storefront rhythm
Nonresidential Development
40
Anything else?
41
Next Steps
▪Preliminary Draft District and Design Standards will remain
available on the website for review and comment,
www.hermosabeach.gov/zoning
▪Preliminary Draft Citywide Standards are in process and will be
the subject of an upcoming Planning Commission Study
Session, anticipated to be held Summer 2022
42
Thank You
Please visit the project website for more information
www.hermosabeach.gov/zoning
43
Z NE IN Hermosa
PRELIMINARY DRAFT
DISTRICT AND
DESIGN STANDARDS
HERMOSA BEACH ZONING ORDINANCE UPDATE
City of Hermosa Beach
May 2022
44
45
Contents
Introduction .............................................................................................. 1
Zone District Development Standards ....................................................... 8
Building Design Standards ....................................................................... 18
General Site Regulations ......................................................................... 23
Rules of Measurement ............................................................................ 36
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47
Introduction
Zoning updates are significant undertakings for any community. Proceeding with discrete,
digestible groups of specific sections make the project more approachable. To this end, this paper
presents draft provisions for an important section of the Zoning Code: District and Design
Standards, including zoning district development standards, building design standards, general
site regulations, and rules of measurement.
Zoning District Development Standards
The first section of this paper presents draft development standards for each base zoning district.
Each base zoning district has a purpose statement and development standards and dimensional
requirements applicable to development in each zone. Use regulations detailing the types of uses
allowed in each zone and respective level of required permit, were included in a previous set of
draft regulations.
The development standards for each zone are generally carried forward, with refinements for
consistency and to reflect existing development patterns, including the following:
Removal of allowance for increased height in the RH Zoning District pursuant to
Planning Commission approval. This allowance has consistently not been approved.
Application of reduced open space and lot coverage requirements to small lots in all
Residential Zones, not just the RL Zone.
Standardized and simplified open space requirements, retaining the effect of current
requirements. The overall effect of current the provisions are generally the same
requirements across zoning districts, but specific requirements and qualifications vary
by zone, and it’s difficult to calculate what counts toward open space. Generally, the
updated standards increase the amount that is required, but make it easier to meet
the standard. For example, in the RM Zone, the current requirement of 300 feet has
been increased to 400 feet, however setback areas may count toward the required
open space provided the open space area meets the minimum dimension of 10 feet
by 10 feet.
Removal of story limitation in DT Zone, which was redundant with the height limit.
Incorporation of design related findings related to a maximum 35 foot height
allowance in SPA 7 and SPA 8 into universally applicable design standards. As a result,
design requirements and a 35 foot height limit applies consistently to all CC, GC, and
SC Zoning Districts along PCH and Aviation, rather than design requirements only
applying to buildings that exceed 30 feet.
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2
Building Design Standards
This section of the paper includes objective design standards for various types of development,
including detached single‐unit, attached single‐unit, multi‐unit, and nonresidential development.
To provide flexibility and reflect the variety of design styles, locations, and lot configurations in
Hermosa Beach, menus of acceptable methods of meeting the standards are provided where
appropriate. Additionally, alternative designs that meet the intent of the requirements may be
approved through a discretionary process, allowing the City to consider appropriate design
alternatives on a case by case basis.
Single‐Unit Design Standards
Hermosa Beach has an eclectic mix of single unit dwellings with a variety of lot sizes and
configurations. Design standards address entry design and location, window trim, and façade
articulation to engage the street and avoid a monolithic appearance.
Entrances: Standards require emphasized entryways visible to the street. A menu of
acceptable methods, including projections and recesses, is provided to allow flexibility
in meeting the standard.
Windows: Minimum depth of window trim and recesses are required. Exceptions may
be granted to accommodate alternative window designs to complement the
architectural style.
Articulation: Street facing building frontages must be articulated with at least one wall
shift, projection, opening, or change in material for every 10 feet of façade length.
The following images identify examples of these features.
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Draft District and Design Standards
3
Multi‐Unit and Attached Single Unit Design Standards
The architectural design, lot size, and lot configuration of multi‐unit development in Hermosa
Beach varies widely. As such, the design standards are intended to accommodate variety while
addressing universal elements of design so multi‐unit development engages the street and avoids
a monolithic appearance.
Entrances: All dwelling units located along a street must have an emphasized entrance
facing the street or accessed via a walkway or stairway. A menu of acceptable
methods of emphasizing entrances, including projections and recesses, is provided to
allow flexibility in meeting the standard.
Building Length: Buildings are limited to a maximum length of 200 feet.
Windows: Minimum depth of window trim and recesses are required. Exceptions may
be granted to accommodate alternative window designs to complement the
architectural style.
Articulation: Street facing building frontages must be articulated with at least one wall
shift, projection, opening, or change in material for every 10 feet of façade length.
Curb Cuts: New curb cuts are limited to preserve available on‐street parking.
Images on the following page identify examples of these features.
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Hermosa Beach
4
Nonresidential Buildings
Along Pier Avenue and Hermosa Avenue in the Downtown, buildings are required to be oriented
toward and located near the street, with regular entrances and transparent facades. Large
buildings are required to be broken down to read as a series of smaller buildings.
In other areas, buildings are required to be located near the street for a portion of the linear
street frontage. Buildings are required to have entrances and transparent facades oriented
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Draft District and Design Standards
5
toward the street. Design standards also limit blank walls and require articulation on long building
facades.
Key features the standards address are noted in the following illustrations of conceptual
development along Pier Avenue and Pacific Coast Highway.
Pier Avenue Examples
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Hermosa Beach
6
Pacific Coast Highway Examples
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Draft District and Design Standards
7
General Site Regulations
General site regulations are regulations that are applicable to all development within some or all
zoning districts, regardless of use, including:
Accessory Structures
Encroachments into Yards
Fences, Walls, and Dense Hedges
Heights and Height Exceptions
Landscaping
Lighting and Illumination
Open Space
Outdoor Storage
Screening
Trip Reduction and Travel Management
Underground Utilities
Vision Clearance, Corner Lots
Existing standards have been updated, revised, and reorganized; however the intent and effect
of the standards reflect current practice.
Rules of Measurement
This section of the paper includes rules for performing calculations and measurements required
to implement the zoning regulations included in the Zoning Ordinance. These provisions are
located in a single section to make them easier to find and help ensure consistency of
interpretation and measurement. Existing provisions and procedures for calculations and
measurements are carried forward. Refinements are made to provide more detail on
measurement rules or to codify current practices
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Hermosa Beach
8
Zone District Development Standards
Chapter 17.04 Residential Zones
17.04.010 Purpose and Applicability
The purposes of the Residential Zones are to:
A. Provide for a full range of housing types to meet the diverse economic and social needs
of residents;
B. Preserve, support, and enhance the character of the City’s neighborhoods;
C. Enhance the quality of life of residents;
D. Ensure that the scale and design of new development and alterations to existing
development are appropriate to the physical and aesthetic characteristics of the
proposed location; and
E. Provide sites for public and semi‐public uses such as parks, schools, day care, and other
community uses that serve residents and complement surrounding residential
development.
Additional purposes of each Residential Zone:
Residential Low Density (RL). This Zone is intended to provide for residential development and
other compatible uses in a low density residential neighborhood setting with a variety of lot sizes.
The permitted density range is 2.0 to 13.0 units per acre. This Zone implements the Residential
Low Density General Plan Land Use Designation.
Residential Medium Density (RM). This Zone is intended to provide for residential development
and other compatible uses in a medium density residential neighborhood setting with a variety
of housing types including single unit dwellings, duplexes, triplexes, apartments, and
condominiums. The permitted density range is 13.1 to 25.0 units per acre. This Zone implements
the Residential Medium Density General Plan Land Use Designation.
Residential High Density (RH). This Zone is intended to provide for a variety of medium‐ and
large‐scale multi‐unit development projects, including townhouses, condominiums, and
apartments, and other compatible uses and amenities. At a permitted density range is 25.1 to
33.0 units per acre, this Zone implements the Residential High Density General Plan Land Use
Designation.
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Draft District and Design Standards
9
Mobile Home Park (MHP). The Mobile Home Park Zone is intended to retain land area for the
sole use of mobile homes and recreational vehicles. The permitted density range is 2.0 to 13 units
per acre. This Zone implements the Mobile Home General Plan Land Use Designation.
17.04.020 Land Use Regulations
Placeholder. Draft land use regulations were included in Module 1, Use Regulations.
17.04.030 Development Standards
Table 17.04.030: Development Standards – Residential Zones, prescribes the development
standards for Residential Zones. Letters in parentheses refer to additional development
standards that directly follow the table. Section numbers in the Additional Regulations column
refer to other sections of this Title.
Development standards for the MHP Zone are set through the park‐specific approval.
TABLE TBD: DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS – RESIDENTIAL ZONES
Standard RL RM RH Additional Regulations
Density (units/acre)
Minimum 2.0 13.1 25.1
Maximum 13.0 25.0 33.0
Maximum Height (ft) 25 30 30
Minimum Setbacks (ft)
Front 10% of lot depth;
min 5, max 10
5 The mode (i.e.
most common)
setback, rounded
to the nearest
foot, on the
blockface (see
Figure TBD)
Side 10% of lot width;
min 3, max 5
10% of lot width;
min 3, max 5
10% of lot width;
min 3, max 5
Alley Ground floor: 3
Upper floors: 1
Ground floor: 3
Upper floors: 1
Ground floor: 3
Upper floors: 1
Rear Ground floor: 5
Upper floors: 3
Ground floor: 5
Upper floors: 3
5
Minimum Lot Area (sq ft) 4,000 4,000 4,000
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10
TABLE TBD: DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS – RESIDENTIAL ZONES
Standard RL RM RH Additional Regulations
Minimum Open Space (sf
ft/dwelling unit)
Lots > 2,310 sq ft: 400
Lots < or = 2,310 sq ft: 300
See TBD, Open Space
A minimum of 100 sq ft per unit must be provided as private open
space pursuant to Section TBD, Open Space
Maximum Lot Coverage (%
of lot)
Lots > 2,310 sq ft: 65%
Lots < or = 2,310 sq ft: 70%
-
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Draft District and Design Standards
11
Chapter 17.05 Commercial Zones
17.05.010 Purpose and Applicability
The purposes of the Commercial Zones are to:
A. Provide for the orderly, well‐planned, and balanced development of commercial areas;
B. Designate adequate land for a full range of office, retail commercial, and service
commercial uses needed by residents of, and visitors to, the City and region, consistent
with the General Plan;
C. Maintain and strengthen the City’s economic resources, and also support small
businesses that serve City residents;
D. Provide appropriately located commercial areas that provide a variety of goods and
services for residents, employees, and visitors;
E. Provide opportunities for a mix of complementary uses that may be combined on the
same site; and
F. Promote pedestrian‐oriented centers at appropriate locations.
Additional purposes of each Commercial Zone:
Neighborhood Commercial (NC). The Neighborhood Commercial Zone is intended to provide for
neighborhood activity centers which provide goods and services to meet the day‐to‐day needs
of residents and visitors. This Zone is intended to promote pedestrian‐oriented, mixed‐use
centers at appropriate locations. This Zone implements the Neighborhood Commercial General
Plan Land Use Designation.
Downtown (DT). The Downtown Zone is intended to create, maintain, and enhance a vibrant,
pedestrian‐oriented City center with active ground floor uses that attract and serve local
residents, in addition to visitors. This Zone implements the Community Commercial General Plan
Land Use Designation.
Community Commercial (CC). The Community Commercial Zone is intended to provide areas
that serve the shopping, dining, and employment desires of the entire community with focus on
active ground floor uses. This Zone implements the Community Commercial General Plan Land
Use Designation.
Recreational Commercial (RC). The Recreational Commercial Zone is intended to establish a
primary cultural and entertainment center with a wide variety of recreational and coastal‐related
services to serve both visitors and residents near the beach and capturing a large portion of the
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Hermosa Beach
12
City’s economic activity generated by visitors. This Zone implements the Recreational
Commercial General Plan Land Use Designation.
Gateway Commercial (GC). The General Commercial Zone is intended to offer a variety of
employment, retail, and economic activity at key entryways and intersections. In addition to
providing commercial services and facilities for the community, the Gateway Commercial Zone
provides areas for services and amenities that serve visitors and the region such as hotels and
larger employment centers. This Zone implements the Gateway Commercial General Plan Land
Use Designation.
Service Commercial (SC). The Service Commercial Zone is intended to provide opportunities for
the full range of office, retail, and service businesses that serve residents and the region,
including business not appropriate for other zones because they attract heavy vehicular traffic or
require indoor or outdoor warehousing or storage space to display or sell their inventory. This
Zone implements the Service Commercial General Plan Land Use Designation.
17.05.020 Land Use Regulations
Placeholder. Draft land use regulations were included in Module 1, Use Regulations.
17.05.030 Development Regulations
Table 17.05.030: Development Standards – Commercial Zones, prescribes the development
standards for Commercial Zones. Letters in parentheses refer to additional development
standards that directly follow the table. Section numbers in the Additional Regulations column
refer to other sections of this Title.
TABLE TBD: DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS – COMMERCIAL ZONES
Standard NC DT CC RC GC SC Additional Regulations
Maximum Floor Area (FAR) 1.0 1.25 1.25 1.75 2.0 2.0
Maximum Height (ft) 30 30 Along
Artesia: 30
Otherwise:
35
30 35 35
Minimum Ground Floor Height,
measured floor to floor (ft)
14 14 n/a 14 n/a n/a
Minimum Setbacks (ft)
Front 0 0 0 0 0 0
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Draft District and Design Standards
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TABLE TBD: DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS – COMMERCIAL ZONES
Standard NC DT CC RC GC SC Additional Regulations
Side 0, 5
adjacent to
Residential
Zone
0, 5
adjacent to
Residential
Zone
0, 5
adjacent to
Residential
Zone
0, 5
adjacent
to
Residential
Zone
0, 10
adjacent
to
Residential
Zone
0, 10
adjacent
to
Residential
Zone
Rear 0, 5
adjacent to
Residential
Zone
0, 5
adjacent to
Residential
Zone
0, 5
adjacent to
Residential
Zone
0, 5
adjacent
to
Residential
Zone
0, 10
adjacent
to
Residential
Zone
0, 10
adjacent
to
Residential
Zone
17.05.040 Supplemental Standards.
A. Pedestrian Amenities, Pier Avenue. One bench visible from and accessible to the
sidewalk shall be provided in conjunction with new construction or addition of 500 square
feet or more or the redevelopment of 500 square feet or more of the surface area on lots
with frontage along Pier Avenue in the DT Zone.
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14
Chapter 17.06 Light Industrial Zone
17.06.010 Purpose and Applicability
The Light Industrial (M‐1) Zone is intended to create a suitable environment for small businesses
that rely on manufacturing, warehousing, or production to operate successfully while minimizing
impacts to adjacent residential uses. This designation is reserved for the provision of production
uses for light manufacturing, creative art, or design services. Professional office or specialty retail
are allowed only as an accessory use to the primary production uses. This Zone implements the
Creative Light Industrial General Plan Land Use Designation.
17.06.020 Land Use Regulations
Placeholder. Draft land use regulations were included in Module 1, Use Regulations.
17.06.030 Development Standards
Table 17.06.030: Development Standards – Light Industrial Zone, prescribes the development
standards for the Light Industrial Zone. Letters in parentheses refer to additional development
standards that directly follow the table. Section numbers in the Additional Regulations column
refer to other sections of this Title.
TABLE TBD: DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS – LIGHT INDUSTRIAL ZONE
Standard M-1 Additional Regulations
Maximum Floor Area (FAR) 1.0
Maximum Height (ft) 35
Minimum Setbacks (ft)
Front 0
Side 0, 8 adjacent to Residential Zone
Alley 3
Rear 0, 8 adjacent to Residential Zone
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Draft District and Design Standards
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Chapter 17.07 Public and Semi‐Public Zones
17.07.010 Purpose and Applicability
The purposes of the Public and Semi‐Public Zones are to:
A. Provide land for the development of public, semi‐public, and recreational uses that
provide services to the community and support existing and new residential, commercial,
and manufacturing land uses;
B. Provide areas for public facilities which serve the community, such as the civic center,
educational facilities, cultural and institutional uses, health services, parks and recreation,
general government operations, utility and public service needs, and other similar and
related supporting uses; and
C. Reserve areas for active and passive recreation and open space.
Additional purposes of each Public and Semi‐Public Zone:
Public Facilities (PF). The PF Zone is intended to provide for a broad range of government,
institutional, educational, assembly, and community‐serving uses. This Zone provides for
government‐owned facilities, civic‐related administrative offices, community space, operational
yards, educational or institutional facilities, and other public and quasi‐public uses. The PF Zone
implements the Public Facility General Plan Land Use Designation.
Open Space (OS). The OS Zone is intended to prohibit intensive urban development to those
open space areas of the City which are necessary to assure permanent open space in and for
public parks and recreation areas; and where urban development would be put at risk from
natural hazards. This designation provides for public and community‐serving facilities ranging in
scale from a few thousand square feet to several acres of land. This Zone implements the Open
Space General Plan Land Use Designation.
Beach (B). The B Zone is intended to protect the recreational, aesthetic, and natural values of the
beach and provide for coastal‐related activities and essential public facilities such as lifeguard
towers and restrooms along the sandy shoreline. This Zone provides for existing and major
planned public parks. The B Zone implements the Beach General Plan Land Use Designation.
17.07.020 Land Use Regulations
Placeholder. Draft land use regulations were included in Module 1, Use Regulations.
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16
17.07.030 Development Standards
Table 17.07.030: Development Standards – Public and Semi Public Zones, prescribes the
development standards for Public and Semi Public Zones. Letters in parentheses refer to
additional development standards that directly follow the table. Section numbers in the
Additional Regulations column refer to other sections of this Title.
TABLE TBD: DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS – PUBLIC AND SEMI PUBLIC
ZONES
Standard PF OS B Additional Regulations
Floor Area Ratio (FAR) 1.0 0.5 0.05
Maximum Height (ft) 35 25 25
Minimum Setbacks (ft)
Front 0 20 0
Side 0 20 0
Rear 0 20 0
17.07.040 Supplemental Regulations
A. OS Zone, Noble Park. Pursuant to Ordinance No. 92‐1082 passed by a vote of the people,
Noble Park, designated as OS‐2 on the Zoning Map is designated OS‐2, Restricted Open
Space, as follows:
1. Intent and Purpose. The OS‐2 Zone is intended to restrict further the use of certain
designated open space to assure permanent open space for public park purposes.
2. Permitted Uses. A public park with landscaping, beautification, grass, trees,
flowers, plants and other uses if specifically authorized as a permitted
improvement herein.
3. Improvements. Improvements in the OS‐2 Zone shall be as follows:
a. Only non‐building public improvements relating to landscaping,
beautification: grass, trees, flowers, plants, soil, unobtrusive park lighting,
some benches to view the ocean, existing public utilities, one flag pole for
the American Flag, and erosion and irrigation improvements to assure
permanent open space for park purposes shall be permitted.
b. No buildings, malls, plazas or structures, temporary or permanent in
nature, shall be built, developed, constructed or erected on the Biltmore
Site.
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Draft District and Design Standards
17
c. Softscape shall include grass, trees, plants, soil, flowers and shall be
artistically designed to cover all of the Biltmore Site.
d. The use and improvements to the park are to ensure a natural, peaceful,
serene and safe environment to improve and enhance the quality of life of
Hermosa Beach.
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18
Building Design Standards
A. Detached Single Unit Dwellings. All dwelling units that are detached from and located on
a separate lot from any other unit except an Accessory Dwelling Unit, shall meet the
following design standards.
1. Building Entrances.
a. The principal entry shall be located in a visible location facing a street.
b. The principal entry shall be emphasized utilizing at least one of the
following methods:
i. A projection (e.g., overhang) with a minimum depth of three feet
and a minimum horizontal area of 30 square feet.
ii. A recess a with a minimum depth of three feet and a minimum
horizontal area of 30 square feet.
iii. An uncovered landing, deck, or stoop with a minimum six foot by
eight foot useable area.
c. Alternative designs that create a welcoming entry feature facing the street,
such as a trellis, landscaped courtyard entry, enhanced walkway, columns
or other architectural features, approved through the Modification
process.
2. Window Trim or Recess. Trim at least two inches in depth must be provided
around all windows, or window must be recessed at least two inches from the
plane of the surrounding exterior wall. Exceptions may be granted through the
Modification process to accommodate alternative window design complementary
to the architectural style of the structure.
3. Articulation. No façade facing a public right‐of‐way shall run in a continuous plane
of more than 10 feet without incorporating one or more of the following:
a. A vertical wall shift at least one foot in depth.
b. A change in material.
c. A window or building entrance.
d. A projection such as a stoop, bay, or overhang.
e. Alternative designs to accommodate a complete architectural style may be
approved through the Modification process provided adequate design
features have been incorporated to create visual variety and avoid a bulky
or monolithic appearance.
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Draft District and Design Standards
19
B. Multi‐Unit and Attached Single‐Unit Dwellings. Development with two or more dwelling
units on a single lot or dwelling units attached through common walls to one or more
dwelling units on abutting lots shall meet the following design standards.
1. Building Entrances.
a. Principal Entrance Required. All units located along a street must have a
principal ground level entrance facing the street or a principal entrance
accessed via a walkway or stairway from the street.
i. The principal entrance may be an individual entrance to a single
unit or a shared entrance that provides access to more than one
unit.
b. Principal Entrance Design. The principal entry shall be emphasized utilizing
at least one of the following methods:
i. A projection (e.g., overhang) with a minimum depth of three feet
and a minimum horizontal area of 30 square feet.
ii. A recess a with a minimum depth of three feet and a minimum
horizontal area of 30 square feet.
iii. An uncovered landing, deck, or stoop with a minimum six foot by
eight foot useable area.
c. Alternative designs that create a welcoming entry feature facing the street,
such as a trellis, landscaped courtyard entry, enhanced walkway, columns
or other architectural features, approved through the Modification
process.
2. Building Length. The maximum dimension of any single building shall not exceed
200 feet.
3. Window Trim or Recess. Trim at least two inches in depth must be provided
around all windows, or window must be recessed at least two inches from the
plane of the surrounding exterior wall. Exceptions may be granted through the
Modification process to accommodate alternative window design complementary
to the architectural style of the structure.
4. Articulation. No façade facing a public right‐of‐way shall run in a continuous plane
of more than 10 feet without incorporating one or more of the following:
a. A vertical wall shift at least two feet in depth.
b. A change in material.
c. A window or building entrance.
d. A projection such as a stoop, bay, or overhang.
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20
e. Alternative designs to accommodate a complete architectural style may be
approved through the Modification process provided adequate design
features have been incorporated to create visual variety and avoid a bulky
or monolithic appearance.
5. New Curb Cuts Prohibited. New curb cuts on streets are prohibited except as
follows.
a. An existing curb cut on the same street is abandoned and returned to a full
curb.
b. There is no existing curb cut to access the lot directly from the street and
the lot does not have frontage on another street or alley.
C. Nonresidential Buildings.
1. Required Building Location. The following building location requirements apply in
Commercial Zones.
a. Build‐to Line.
i. DT Zone. Buildings containing conditioned, usable space shall be
located within 10 feet of street‐facing property line for at least 80
percent of the linear street frontage along Pier Avenue and
Hermosa Avenue and at least 60 percent of the linear street
frontage along other streets.
ii. NC Zone. Buildings containing conditioned, usable space shall be
located within 10 feet of street‐facing property line for at least 60
percent of the linear street frontage.
iii. CC, GC, and SC Zones. Buildings containing conditioned, usable
space shall be located within 10 feet of street‐facing property line
for at least 40 percent of the linear street frontage along Artesia,
Pacific Coast Highway, and Aviation.
b. Corner Build Area. In the DT and NC Zones, buildings containing
conditioned, usable space shall be located within 10 feet of the property
line within 30 feet of the street corner.
c. Frontage Improvements. The area between buildings and the property line
shall be improved as part of a wider sidewalk, outdoor dining/seating area,
or with landscaping.
d. Exceptions. These requirements may be modified or waived through
approval of a Modification upon finding that:
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Draft District and Design Standards
21
i. Entry courtyards, plazas, entries, or outdoor eating areas are
located adjacent to the property line and buildings are built to the
edge of the courtyard, plaza, or dining area; or
ii. The building incorporates an alternative entrance design that
creates a welcoming entry feature facing the street.
2. Building Orientation and Entrances.
a. Orientation. Buildings located within 20 feet of a front or street side lot line
shall be oriented toward the adjacent front or street side lot line with the
building frontage generally parallel to the fronting pedestrian walkway.
b. Entrances.
i. The primary building entrance shall face the public sidewalk.
(1) In the CC, GC, and SC Zones, the primary building entrance
may be located on the side of the building, provided it is
within 10 feet of the front property line.
ii. Buildings located on corners shall provide an entrance toward each
street or have a corner entrance that provides a common entrance
to the building from both streets.
iii. In the DT Zone along Pier Avenue and along Hermosa Avenue, there
shall be a minimum of one entrance for every 40 feet of building
frontage with a maximum separation of 50 feet between
entrances.
c. Alternative designs that create a welcoming entry feature facing the street,
such as a trellis, landscaped courtyard entry, enhanced walkway, columns
or other architectural features, approved through the Modification
process.
3. Building Width.
a. In the DT Zone along Pier Avenue and Hermosa Avenue, any building over
50 feet wide shall be broken down to read as a series of buildings no wider
than 50 feet each through architectural treatments such as changes in
colors, materials, and wall plane.
b. In all other areas, any building 75 feet wide shall provide a massing break
with a minimum width of 10 feet and minimum depth of five feet for every
75 feet of façade length.
c. Alternative designs to accommodate a complete architectural style may be
approved through the Modification process provided adequate design
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22
features have been incorporated to create visual variety and avoid a bulky
or monolithic appearance.
4. Building Transparency. Exterior walls facing and within 20 feet of a front or street
side property line shall include windows, doors, or other openings for at least 70
percent of the building wall area located between three and eight feet above the
level of the sidewalk. No wall may run in a continuous horizontal plane for more
than 25 feet without an opening.
a. Design of Required Openings. Openings fulfilling this requirement shall
have transparent glazing and provide views into work areas, display areas,
sales areas, lobbies, or similar active spaces, or into window displays that
are at least three feet deep.
b. Reductions. Alternatives to the building transparency requirement may be
approved through the Modification process upon finding that:
i. The proposed use has certain operational characteristics with
which providing the required windows and openings is
incompatible; and
ii. Street‐facing building walls will exhibit architectural relief and
detail, and will be enhanced with landscaping in such a way as to
create visual interest at the pedestrian level.
5. Parking Access. Access to parking areas from Pier Avenue or Hermosa Avenue in
the DT Zone is prohibited. A Modification to this standard may be approved on
lots where no alternative access exists.
6. Maximum Parking Podium Height. The maximum height of a parking podium
within 20 feet of Pier Avenue or Hermosa Avenue shall be four feet from finished
grade.
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General Site Regulations
17.07.050 Purpose and Applicability
The purpose of this Chapter is to prescribe site regulations that apply, except where specifically
stated, to development in all zoning districts. These standards shall be used in conjunction with
the standards for each zone established in Part II, Zone Regulations. In any case of conflict, the
standards specific to the zone shall control.
17.07.060 Accessory Structures
A. Applicability.
1. Detached Structures. The provisions of this Section apply to roofed structures,
including but not limited to garages, carports, sheds, workshops, gazebos, and
covered patios which are detached from and accessory to a main building on the
site. These provisions also apply to open, unroofed structures such as play
equipment, decks and trellises, that are over 24 inches in height and are detached
from and accessory to a main building on the site.
2. Attached Structures. The provisions of this Section do not apply to accessory
structures attached to a main building, which shall comply in all respects with the
requirements of this Title applicable to the main building. Structures with a
common wall or roof with the main building four feet in length or more shall be
considered part of the main building.
3. Accessory Dwelling Units. Accessory Dwelling Units, attached or detached, are
subject to the standards of Section TBD, Accessory Dwelling Units.
B. Relation to Existing Structures. A detached accessory structure may only be constructed
on a lot on which there is a permitted main building to which the accessory structure is
related.
C. Development Standards. Accessory structures shall meet the development standards of
the zone in which it is located except as follows:
1. Side and Rear Setbacks. Accessory structures shall be set back a minimum of three
feet from any side or rear lot line.
17.07.070 Encroachments into Yards
Where setbacks and open yard areas are required in this Title, they shall be not less in depth or
width than the minimum dimension specified, shall be at every point open, and shall not be
obstructed with non‐movable features from the ground upward, except as provided below, or as
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specifically identified in another section of this Title. Encroachments are also subject to Section
17.09.140, Vision Clearance, Corner Lots.
TABLE 17.09.040: ALLOWED ENCROACHMENTS INTO REQUIRED YARDS
Encroachment Front Yard Corner Side
Yard
Interior Side
Yard Rear Yard Additional Limitations
Cornices, eaves, belt courses,
sills and buttresses 30 inches 30 inches 30 inches 30 inches Shall not encroach closer
than 30 inches to any lot line
Bay windows, greenhouse
windows and similar windows
No closer
than 30 inches
from the lot line
No closer than 3 feet from the lot line
Shall not create additional
floor area
Limited to 30 inches in
depth and 8 feet in width
Shall be a minimum of 10
feet from any other such
window
Pilasters, columns and chases
for mechanical equipment No closer than 30 inches from the lot line Limited to six inches in
depth and one foot in width
Fireplace structures 30 inches 30 inches 30 inches 30 inches
Limited to 8 feet in width
Shall be a minimum of 10
feet from any other such
structure
Shall not encroach closer
than 30 inches to any lot line
Balconies 3 feet Shall not encroach
Must be uncovered and open
on at least one side
Shall be a minimum of 7 feet
above grade
Shall not encroach closer
than 3 feet to any lot line
Uncovered stairs, ramps,
stoops, landings, decks,
porches, and platforms
No closer than
3 feet from the
lot line
May extend to lot line Shall not
encroach
Shall not extend above the
first floor
Shall not exceed four feet
from the highest point to
finished grade
Rain barrels and cisterns with
a maximum capacity of 1,000
gallons, or other similar storm
water management equipment
Shall not
encroach 3 feet May extend to lot line Must be screened pursuant
to §TBD, Screening
Mechanical and other
equipment, detached or
attached, such as water
heaters, air conditioners,
Shall not
encroach No closer than 3 feet from the lot line
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TABLE 17.09.040: ALLOWED ENCROACHMENTS INTO REQUIRED YARDS
Encroachment Front Yard Corner Side
Yard
Interior Side
Yard Rear Yard Additional Limitations
electric meters, electric
transformers, cable television
or phone utility boxes
Ramps and similar structures
that provide access for
persons with disabilities
Reasonable accommodation will be made, consistent with the Americans with Disabilities
Act; see §TBD, Reasonable Accommodation
17.07.080 Fences, Walls, and Dense Hedges
Fences, walls, dense hedges, and similar structures shall comply with the standards of this
Section.
A. Permit Required. A Building Permit is required for any fence or wall 42 inches or greater
in height.
B. Maximum Height. The maximum allowed height of fences, walls, dense hedges, and
related structures is as follows. Fences, walls, dense hedges, and related structures are
also subject to Section 17.09.140, Vision Clearance, Corner Lots.
1. Front and Street Side Setbacks. Fences, walls, dense hedges, and similar structures
shall not exceed 42 inches in height within the required front and street side
setback.
2. With 10 Feet of a Corner. Fences, walls, dense hedges, and similar structures
located within 10 feet of an intersection of two street frontage lot lines shall not
exceed 36 inches in height.
3. Other Areas. Fences, walls, dense hedges, and similar structures located in all
other areas are limited to a maximum of six feet in height.
4. Exceptions to Height Limits.
a. Decorative Features. One entry gateway, trellis, or other entry structure is
permitted in the required front or street‐facing side yard of each lot,
provided that the maximum height of the structure does not exceed eight
feet. Such decorative feature shall not have any solid obstruction that
exceeds two feet in diameter between the height of three and eight feet.
b. Adjacent to Residential Uses. Exceptions to the height limits of this Section
may be granted through Conditional Use Permit approval where a
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nonresidential use abuts a residential use, and the Review Authority makes
all of the following findings.
i. The use of the higher wall or fence is necessary to mitigate
potential noise, visual or other impact of a nonresidential use on a
residential use.
ii. The greater height will not be detrimental to neighboring property
or to the public welfare, and will not interfere with the light, air and
scenic views of any property.
iii. Vehicle vision clearance will not be hindered resulting in a safety
hazard.
C. Materials.
1. Prohibition on Hazardous Fencing Materials. The use of barbed wire, razor wire,
ultra‐barrier, electrified, and other hazardous fencing is not permitted unless such
fencing is required by any law or regulation of the City, the State of California,
Federal Government, or other public agency. An exception to this standard may
be approved for oil development facilities, according to the procedures of Chapter
TBD, Modifications.
2. Limitation on Chain‐Link Fencing. Chain‐link fencing is not permitted except as
follows.
a. Chain link fences with vinyl or wood slats may be approved by the Planning
Director for use in the commercial or M‐1 zones.
b. Chain link fencing may be installed for temporary periods around
Christmas tree lots, pumpkin lots or similar temporary uses, and any
construction project to meet the safety requirements of the Uniform
Building Code for the period of construction, or, may be installed around
temporarily dangerous areas as determined by City officials from Fire,
Police, Building and Safety or Planning departments.
c. Permanent chain link fencing may be installed around schools, tennis
courts, baseball fields, parks or other recreational facilities.
3. Limitation on Concrete Block. Plain, concrete block is not permitted as a fencing
material within front or corner side setbacks. Concrete block must be finished with
stucco and capped with a decorative cap.
D. Maintenance. All fences, walls, and dense hedges shall be maintained in a safe, neat and
orderly condition at all times.
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17.07.090 Heights and Height Exceptions
Elements identified in this Section may exceed the maximum permitted height for the zone in
which they are located, subject to the limitations stated and further provided that no portion of
a structure in excess of the maximum height may contain habitable area or advertising.
A.Residential Zones. Residential uses may have chimneys, vents and flues exceed the height
limit only to the extent required to meet the Uniform Building Code requirements.
B.Nonresidential Zones. The following elements may be constructed above the height limit,
provided they do not exceed the height limit by more than eight feet and cover no more
than five percent of the total roof area. All elements listed below are governed by the
California Building Code and may exceed the height limit only by the minimum amount
necessary to comply with the California Building Code standards.
1.Elevator housing;
2.Stairways;
3.Tanks;
4.Ventilating fans;
5.Parapet fire walls;
6.Towers;
7.Chimneys;
8.Flues;
9.Vents;
10.Smokestacks;
11.Wireless masts; and
12.Similar structures as determined by the Planning Commission.
C.Solar Energy Systems. Solar collectors and solar energy systems may exceed the height
limits mandated by this Code to the minimum extent necessary for their safe and efficient
operation in accordance with the California Building Code and other applicable provisions
of State law.
D.Single‐pole Umbrellas. Single‐pole umbrellas may exceed the height limit as follows.
1.For the purposes of this Section, "single‐pole umbrella" means a pre‐
manufactured single‐pole lightweight collapsible canopy without sides, walls or
vertical coverings of any type, material or dimension, such as a parasol, umbrella
or shade sail of cloth, canvas, plastic or similar nonreflective material intended for
temporary use. Multi‐pole or pop‐up canopies of any type, latticework or netting,
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structural components, screens including vegetative screens, or other objects
designed or arranged to create a privacy screen or outdoor room, shall not exceed
the height limit.
2.Single‐pole umbrellas shall be maintained in a collapsed/closed position between
the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. and when otherwise not in use.
3.A maximum of two single‐pole umbrellas per building, or per unit in the case of
multi‐owner/tenant buildings, not exceeding nine feet in height measured from
the finished floor elevation of the roof deck to the highest point of the canopy are
permitted.
4.No part of any single‐pole umbrella in any position shall extend beyond the
exterior railings/barriers or if none the floor perimeter of the roof deck.
5.No single‐pole umbrella shall exhibit appendages, guy wires, lighting, advertising,
moving parts or other devices or alterations that increase visual impacts.
6.Every single‐pole umbrella shall be erected in a secure, wind resistant manner and
maintained in good condition.
E.Antennas, Satellite Dishes, and Other Telecommunication Facilities. See Section TBD,
Telecommunication Facilities.
17.07.100 Landscaping
Landscaping shall be provided consistent with Chapter 8.60, Water Efficient Landscaping, of the
Hermosa Beach Municipal Code, and the requirements of this Section.
A.Applicability. The provisions of this Section shall apply to the following:
1.All new development.
2.Redevelopment of 500 square feet or more of the surface area of the lot.
B.Areas to be Landscaped. In addition to areas required to be landscaped pursuant to other
sections of this Title, the following areas shall be landscaped.
1.Interior Property Lines Abutting Residential Zoning Districts. Whenever a non‐
residential use is located adjacent to a Residential Zone, a five foot wide landscape
buffer planted with a minimum of one tree of at least 24 inch or 15‐gallon size
shall be planted per 10 linear feet shall be provided.
2.Parking Areas. Parking areas as required by Chapter TBD, Parking and Loading.
3.Unused Areas. All areas of a lot not encumbered by buildings, parking, amenities,
or used for exist and entry shall be landscaped.
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C. Required Planting Materials.
1. General.
a. Required landscaped areas shall be planted with a combination of ground
covers, shrubs, vines, and trees.
b. Landscaping may include paved and graveled walkways and the use of
decorative materials such as brick, bark, timber, decorative rock, structural
features, or other decorative features, provided impervious surfaces do
not cover more than 25 percent of the area required to be landscaped.
c. Garden areas and other areas dedicated to edible plants are considered
landscaped areas and count toward required landscaping.
2. Size and Spacing. Plant materials shall be grouped in hydrozones in accordance
with their respective water, cultural (soil, climate, sun and light), and maintenance
needs. Plants shall be of the following size and spacing at the time of installation:
a. Ground Covers. Ground cover plants other than grasses shall be at least the
four‐inch pot size. Areas planted in ground cover plants other than grass
seed or sod must be planted at a rate of 50 percent of the plant’s maximum
width at maturity.
b. Shrubs. A minimum of one five gallon‐size shrub shall be planted for every
20 square feet of the area to be landscaped. When planted to serve as a
hedge or screen, shrubs shall be planted with two to four feet of spacing,
depending on the plant species.
c. Trees.
i. A minimum of one tree of at least 24 inch or 15‐gallon size shall be
planted per 50 feet of lot frontage along Pier Avenue feet shall be
provided.
ii. Tree species installed in planters adjacent to the public sidewalk
shall be subject to the approval of the Public Works Director.
D. General Provisions.
1. Curbing. A six‐inch raised concrete curbing shall be provided along the perimeter
of all landscaped areas except on the side abutting buildings walls or fences.
2. Dimension of Landscaped Areas. No landscaped area smaller than four feet in any
horizontal dimension shall count toward required landscaping.
3. Prescribed Heights. The prescribed heights of landscaping shall indicate the height
to be attained within three years after planting.
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4. Irrigation. All landscaped areas shall be provided with an irrigation system in
compliance with Chapter 8.60, Water Efficient Landscaping, of the Hermosa Beach
Municipal Code.
5. Intersection Visibility. All landscaping shall comply with Section TBD, Vision
Clearance, Corner Lot.
6. Maintenance. All planting and other landscape elements shall be maintained in
good growing condition. Such maintenance shall include, where appropriate,
pruning, mowing, weeding, cleaning, fertilizing, and regular watering. Inert
matter, such as gravel, decorative stone, or other acceptable materials not
consisting of live vegetation shall be kept neat, well‐ordered, and clear of the
public right‐of‐way. Wherever necessary, plantings shall be replaced with other
plant materials to ensure continued compliance with applicable landscaping
requirements.
17.07.110 Lighting and Illumination
A. Applicability. The standards of this Section apply to all new development and to exterior
alterations and additions that involve replacement light fixtures or systems, except as
provided below.
1. Exemptions. The following lighting is exempt from the provisions of this Section.
a. Public and Private Street Lighting.
b. Athletic Field Lights. Athletic field lights used within a school campus or
park.
c. Safety and Security Lighting. Safety and security lighting for public
facilities.
d. Construction and Emergency Lighting. All construction or emergency
lighting fixtures, provided they are temporary and are discontinued
immediately upon completion of the construction work or abatement of
the emergency.
e. Seasonal Lighting. Seasonal lighting displays related to cultural or religious
celebrations.
B. Prohibitions. The following types of exterior lighting are prohibited.
1. Searchlights. The operation of searchlights for advertising purposes.
2. Mercury Vapor. Mercury vapor lights.
3. Other Light Types. Laser lights or any other lighting that flashes, blinks, alternates,
or moves.
C. Required Illumination.
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1. Parking and Access Areas. Parking and access areas shall be maintained in
compliance with Section TBD, Lighting .
2. Multi‐Unit Residential Buildings. Aisles, passageways, and recesses related to and
within the building complex shall be illuminated with an intensity of at least one‐
quarter foot‐candles at the ground level during the hours of darkness.
3. Non‐Residential Buildings. All exterior doors shall be illuminated with an intensity
of at least one‐half foot‐candle during the hours of darkness.
D. General Requirements.
1. Maximum Height. Light standards shall not exceed 12 feet in height except where
the Planning Commission allows additional height for activities, uses, or
development with unique lighting needs; for accentuating historic architectural
features of a building, signage, and/or landscaping features; or for security
purposes.
2. Fixture Types. All luminaries shall meet the most recently adopted criteria of the
Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) for "Cut Off" or "Full
Cut Off" luminaries.
3. Design of Fixtures. Fixtures shall be appropriate to the style and scale of the
architecture. Fixtures on buildings shall be attached only to walls or eaves, and the
top of the fixture shall not exceed the height of the parapet or roof or eave of roof.
4. Timing Controls. All outdoor lighting in nonresidential development shall be on a
time clock or photo‐sensor system and turned off during daylight hours and during
hours when the building are not in use and the lighting is not required for security.
5. Trespass. All lights shall be directed, oriented, and shielded to prevent light
trespass or glare onto adjacent properties. The light level at property lines shall
not exceed one foot‐candle.
17.07.120 Open Space
Open space required by this Title shall be provided in accordance with the following.
A. Configuration.
1. Private open space typically consists of balconies, decks, patios, fenced yards, and
other similar areas outside the residential unit.
2. Common open space typically consists of landscaped areas, patios, swimming
pools, barbeque areas, playgrounds, turf, or other such improvements as are
appropriate to enhance the outdoor environment of the development.
B. Minimum Dimensions.
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1. Private Open Space. Private open space located on the ground level (e.g., yards,
decks, patios) shall have minimum dimensions of 10 feet by 10 feet. Private open
space located above ground level (e.g., balconies) shall have minimum dimensions
of seven feet by seven feet.
2. Common Open Space. Common open space shall have a minimum length and
width dimension of 10 feet.
C. Surfacing. A surface shall be provided that allows convenient use for outdoor living
and/or recreation. Such surface may be any practicable combination of lawn, garden,
flagstone, wood planking, concrete, or other serviceable, dust‐free surfacing.
D. Maximum Slope. Slope shall not exceed 10 percent.
E. Location.
1. No portion of required open space shall be used for driveways, parking areas, or
turning areas.
2. Open space may be located at the ground level, cantilevered, on parking podiums,
or on rooftops.
F. Maximum Coverage. No more than 50 percent of private open space area and no more
than 25 percent of common open space area may be covered, except as provided below.
1. Coverings that are at least 50 percent open to the sky through uniformly
distributed openings may cover up to 100 percent of the open space.
G. Accessibility.
1. Private Open Space. Private open space shall be accessible to only one residential
unit by a doorway to a habitable room or hallway.
2. Common Open Space. Common open space shall be accessible to all residential
units on the lot.
17.07.130 Outdoor Storage
Storage of goods, materials, machines, equipment, and inoperable vehicles or parts outside of a
building for more than 72 hours is prohibited except as provided below. The regulations of this
Section do not apply to temporary storage of construction materials reasonably required for
construction work on the premises pursuant to a valid building permit or to the parking and
storage of operable vehicles.
A. Trailers. The storage of one trailer on any lot of record is allowed provided the trailer is
not used for living or sleeping purposes while on the premises, is not connected to any
sewer or water facility, and is not located in any required front or side yard.
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B. Nonresidential Zones. In nonresidential zones, outdoor storage is allowed in accordance
with the following standards.
1. Location. Outdoor storage shall be located outside of required setbacks, parking
and circulation areas, and required landscaped areas
2. Screening. Outdoor storage shall be screened subject to the standards of Section
TBD, Screening.
17.07.140 Screening
A. Applicability. The standards of this Section apply to all new development and additions
that expand existing floor area by 10 percent or more.
1. Exceptions. Modifications to the standards of this Section may be granted
pursuant to Chapter TBD, Modifications, where the review authority finds that the
characteristics particular to the property or vicinity would render the required
fencing or screening unnecessary or ineffective.
B. Required Screening.
1. Mechanical and Electrical Equipment. All exterior mechanical and electrical
equipment shall be screened or incorporated into the design of buildings so as not
to be visible from public rights‐of‐way or adjacent properties.
a. Equipment to be screened includes, but is not limited to, all roof‐mounted
equipment, air conditioners, heaters, utility meters, cable equipment,
terminal boxes, telephone entry boxes, backflow preventions, irrigation
control valves, electrical transformers, pull boxes, and all ducting for air
conditioning, heating, and blower systems.
b. Screening materials shall be consistent with the exterior colors and
materials of the building.
c. Exceptions may be granted by the Director where screening is infeasible
due to health and safety or utility requirements.
2. Common Property Lines . A screening wall shall be provided on the interior lot
lines of any lot that contains any use in the Industrial Use Classification or the
Transportation, Communication, and Utilities Use Classification except
Telecommunications Facilities, and abuts a Residential Zone.
a. Timing. The screening wall shall be provided at the time of new
construction or expansion of buildings, or changes from one use
classification to another use classification.
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b. Location. Screening walls shall follow the lot line of the lot to be screened
unless the Director finds that screening in another location on the lot will
substantially screen the subject building, facility, or activity.
c. Height. The screening wall shall be 42 inches in height within the required
front setback of the subject lot and adjacent to the required front setback
of the adjacent residential lot and six feet in height in other locations.
d. Materials. The screening wall shall be solid masonry.
3. Outdoor Storage Areas. Outdoor storage areas shall be screened from public
rights‐of‐way, adjacent Residential Zones, and publicly accessible open space area
with a solid masonry wall a minimum of six feet in height.
C. Maintenance. Screening walls shall be maintained in good repair, including painting, if
required, and shall be kept free of litter or advertising. Where hedges are used as
screening, trimming or pruning shall be employed as necessary to maintain the required
and the maximum allowed height.
17.07.150 Trip Reduction and Travel Management
The following transportation demand management and trip reduction measures shall be
incorporated into all nonresidential development of 15,000 square feet or more.
A. Transportation Information. A bulletin board, display case or kiosk displaying
transportation information shall be provided and located where the greatest number of
employees are likely to see it. Information in the area shall include, but is not limited to,
the following:
1. Current maps, routes and schedules for public transit routes serving the site.
2. Telephone numbers for referrals on transportation information including numbers
for the regional ridesharing agency and local transit operators.
3. Ridesharing promotional material supplied by commuter‐oriented organizations.
4. Bicycle route and facility information, including regional/local bicycle maps and
bicycle safety information.
5. A listing of facilities available for carpoolers, vanpoolers, bicyclists, transit riders
and pedestrians at the site.
6. If carpool or vanpool spaces are provided, a statement that preferential
carpool/vanpool spaces for employees are available and a description of the
method for obtaining such spaces.
7. Carpool and Vanpool Ridematching Services. The designated employer contact
shall be responsible for matching potential carpoolers and vanpoolers by
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administering a carpool/vanpool matching application. The application shall
match employees who may be able to carpool or vanpool.
8. Designated Employer Contact. Each applicant shall designate or require tenants to
designate an employee as the official contact for the trip reduction program. The
City shall be provided with a current name and phone number of the designated
employer contact. The designated employer contact shall administer carpool and
vanpool ridematching services, the promotional programs, and update
information on the information boards/kiosks.
9. Guaranteed Ride Home. Carpool, vanpool and transit riders shall be provided with
guaranteed rides home in emergency situations. Rides shall be provided either by
a transportation service provider (rideshare, taxi or rental car) or an informal
policy using company vehicles/and or designated employees.
10. Information Boards/Kiosks. The designated employer contact shall display in a
permanent location the following information: transit routes and schedules;
carpooling and vanpooling information; bicycle lanes, routes and paths and facility
information; and alternative commute subsidy information.
11. Passenger Loading Zones. Passenger loading zones for carpool and vanpool drop‐
off shall be located near an employee entrance.
12. Showers/Clothes Lockers. Shower and clothes locker facilities shall be provided
free of charge.
17.07.160 Underground Utilities
All electrical, telephone, cable television, and similar distribution lines providing direct service to
a project shall be installed underground within the site. This requirement may be waived by the
Director upon determining that underground installation is infeasible.
17.07.170 Vision Clearance, Corner Lots
On any corner lot, there shall be a triangular area at the corner of the property at the intersection
of the street frontage lot lines which extends a minimum of 10 feet along each street frontage
lot line, which shall be kept clear of visual obstructions from the height of 36 inches to eight feet
above the curb grade.
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Rules of Measurement
17.07.180 Rules of Measurement
For all calculations, the applicant shall be responsible for supplying drawings illustrating the
measurements that apply to a project. These drawings shall be drawn to scale and of sufficient
detail to allow easy verification upon inspection by the Director.
A. Fractions. Whenever this Code requires consideration of distances, parking spaces,
dwelling units, or other aspects of development or the physical environment expressed
in numerical quantities, and the result of a calculation contains a fraction of a whole
number, the results will be rounded as follows:
1. General Rounding. Fractions exceeding one‐half (0.5) or greater shall be rounded
up to the nearest whole number and fractions equal to or less than one‐half (0.5)
shall be rounded down to the nearest whole number, except as otherwise
provided.
2. Exception for State Affordable Housing Density Bonus. The calculation of
fractions related to permitted bonus density units for projects eligible for bonus
density pursuant to Government Code Section 65915 or any successor statute,
and Chapter TBD, Affordable Housing Density Bonus and Incentive Program, any
fractional number of units shall be rounded up to the next whole number.
B. Measuring Distances.
1. Measurements are Shortest Distance. When measuring a required distance, such
as the minimum distance between a structure and a lot line, the measurement is
made at the closest or shortest distance between the two objects.
2. Distances are Measured Horizontally. When determining distances for setbacks
and structure dimensions, all distances are measured along a horizontal plane
from the appropriate line, edge of building, structure, storage area, parking area,
or other object. These distances are not measured by following the topography or
slope of the land.
3. Measurements Involving a Structure. Measurements involving a structure are
made to the closest support element of the structure. Structures or portions of
structures that are entirely underground are not included in measuring required
distances.
4. Measurement of Vehicle Stacking or Travel Areas. Measurement of a minimum
travel distance for vehicles, such as garage entrance setbacks and stacking lane
distances, are measured down the center of the vehicle travel area. For example,
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curving driveways and travel lanes are measured along the center arc of the
driveway or traffic lane.
5. Measuring Radius. When a specified land use is required to be located a minimum
distance from another land use, the minimum distance is measured in a straight
line from all points along the lot line of the subject project, in all directions.
C. Measuring Height. Height is measured as the vertical distance from a point on the ground
below a structure to a point directly above.
1. Measuring Building Height. Building height is measured from calculated grade,
determined pursuant to Subsection TBD.D. Establishing Calculated Grade, to the
highest point on the roof. The procedure for calculating, measuring, and enforcing
building height requirements is as follows:
a. A detailed topographic survey, prepared and certified by a licensed
surveyor or civil engineer, indicating all corner point elevations of a
property shall be the basis for calculating building height.
b. Maximum building height at critical points of the building shall be
calculated by interpolating from the elevation points indicated on the
survey.
c. The maximum allowable building height shall be indicated at each critical
point on the roof plan and building elevation plans.
d. The building, while under construction and at the roof framing inspection
stage, shall be surveyed to determine building heights at critical points on
the roof (or uppermost portion of the building roof sheathing)
corresponding to approved plans. The survey shall be conducted and
certified by a licensed surveyor or civil engineer.
e. A building height verification letter shall be submitted indicating that the
building is at or below the calculated maximum building height at the
critical points before the roof framing final inspection is approved by the
City.
f. Alterations and expansions to existing one story buildings not resulting in
additional stories, and minor alterations to any building which are clearly
below maximum height limits, may be excepted from these procedures at
the discretion of the Director.
2. Measuring the Number of Stories. In measuring the number of stories in a
building, the following rules shall apply:
a. An interior balcony or mezzanine shall be counted as a full story if its floor
area exceeds one‐third of the total area of the nearest full floor directly
below it or if it is enclosed on more than two sides.
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b. A basement shall be counted as a full story if the vertical distance between
finished grade and the finished surface of the floor above the basement is
more than six feet at any point.
c. A story shall not exceed 25 feet in height from the upper surface of the
floor to the ceiling above.
3. Measuring Height of Fences or Walls. The height of a fence or wall is measured
as the vertical distance from calculated grade, determined pursuant to Subsection
TBD.D. Establishing Calculated Grade, to the highest point of such fence or wall.
4. Measuring the Height of Decks. Deck height is determined by measuring from the
ground to the top of the floor of the deck directly above the ground below.
D. Establishing Calculated Grade. Calculated grade at any point on a lot is determined by
the plane created by connecting existing corner point elevations, except as provided
below.
1. Variation between Adjacent Properties. In cases where there is significant
variation in elevations between adjacent properties at corner points, the point of
measurement shall be established based on the elevation at the nearest public
improvement or an alternative point within three horizontal feet which, based on
supporting evidence, represents existing unaltered grade. In the absence of
supporting documentation, the corner point elevation shall be established at one‐
half the difference between the adjacent elevation and the elevation on the
property in question.
2. Convex Slope. For lots with convex contours (where the ground level arches
upward along a property line) the calculated grade of a lot may be based on a
detailed topographical survey along the property line with spot elevations called
out at a minimum of two foot intervals, pursuant to Planning Commission
approval.
E. Measuring Lot Width and Depth.
1. Lot Width. Lot width is the horizontal distance between the side lot lines,
measured at right angles to the lot depth line at a point midway between the front
and rear lot lines.
2. Lot Depth. Lot depth is measured along a straight line down from the midpoint of
the front lot line of the lot to the midpoint of the rear lot line or to the most distant
point on any other lot line where there is no rear lot line.
F. Determining Floor Area. The floor area of a building or structure is the sum of the gross
horizontal areas of all floors of a building or other enclosed structure, measured from the
outside perimeter of the exterior walls and/or the centerline of interior walls.
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Draft District and Design Standards
39
1. Included in Floor Area. Floor area includes, but is not limited to, all habitable space
(as defined in the California Building Code) that is below the roof and within the
outer surface of the main walls of principal or accessory buildings or the
centerlines of party walls separating such buildings or portions thereof or within
lines drawn parallel to and two feet within the roof line of any building without
walls. In the case of a multi‐story building that has covered or enclosed stairways,
stairwells, or elevator shafts, the horizontal area of such features shall be counted
only once at the floor level of their greatest area of horizontal extent.
2. Excluded from Floor Area. Floor area does not include mechanical, electrical, and
communication equipment rooms that do not exceed two percent of the
building’s gross floor area; bay windows or other architectural projections where
the vertical distance between the lowest surface of the projection and the finished
floor is 24 inches or greater; areas that qualify as usable open space such as
balconies and outdoor terraces; rooms submerged more than 50 percent below
the finished grade of the property; and areas used for off‐street parking spaces or
loading spaces, driveways, ramps between floors of a multi‐level parking garage,
and maneuvering aisles.
3. Non‐Residential Uses. For non‐residential uses, gross floor area includes
pedestrian access interior walkways or corridors, interior courtyards, walkways,
paseos, or corridors covered by a roof or skylight. Non‐residential gross floor area
does not include arcades, porticoes, and similar open areas that are located at or
near street level and are accessible to the public but are not designed or used as
sales, display, storage, service, or production areas.
G. Determining Floor Area Ratio. The floor area ratio (FAR) is the ratio of the floor area of
all primary and accessory buildings on a site to the site area. To calculate the FAR, floor is
divided by site area, and typically expressed as a decimal. For example, if the floor area
of all buildings on a site totals 20,000 square feet, and the site area is 10,000 square feet,
the FAR is expressed as 2.0.
H. Determining Lot Coverage. Lot coverage is the ratio of the total footprint area of all
structures on a lot to the net lot area, typically expressed as a percentage. The footprints
of all principal and accessory structures, including garages, carports, covered patios, and
roofed porches, shall be summed to calculate lot coverage. The following structures shall
be excluded from the calculation:
1. Unenclosed and unroofed decks, uncovered patio slab, porches, landings,
balconies and stairways less than 30 inches in height;
2. Eaves and roof overhangs projecting up to five feet from a wall;
3. Trellises and similar structures that have roofs that are at least 50 percent open
to the sky through uniformly distributed openings; and
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Hermosa Beach
40
4. Swimming pools and hot tubs that are not enclosed in roofed structures or decks.
I. Determining Lot Frontage.
1. Corner Lot. The front of a lot is the narrowest dimension of the lot with street
frontage.
2. Through Lot. The front of a through lot abuts the street frontage where the
majority of the existing development on the block are fronting, except where a
specific street frontage is designated as the front of a lot as follows.
TABLE TBD: FRONT OF LOT FOR SPECIFIC THROUGH LOTS
Through Lots Located Between: Front Yard Shall be Provided On:
Ava Avenue and Ardmore Avenue Ava Avenue
Ava Avenue and Springfield Avenue Springfield Avenue
Barney Court and Meyer Court Barney Court
Bonnie Brae Street and Campana Street Bonnie Brae Street
Monterey Boulevard and Culper Court Monterey Boulevard
Monterey Boulevard and Loma Drive Monterey Boulevard
Monterey Boulevard and Morningside Drive Monterey Boulevard
15th Place and 16th Street (East of Mira Street) 15th Place
The Strand and Hermosa Avenue The Strand
J. Determining Setbacks (Yards). A setback line defining a required yard is parallel to and at
the specified distance from the corresponding front, side, or rear property line. Required
setbacks shall be unobstructed from the ground to the sky except where allowed pursuant
to Section TBD, Encroachments into Required Setbacks, subject to compliance with the
Building Code. The following special regulations for determining yards apply when a
precise plan for a street or a setback ordinance exists.
1. Precise Plans for Streets and Setback Ordinances. Yard requirements shall be
measured from the corresponding property line or the indicated edge of a street
for which a precise plan exists or from the edge of any setback established by a
setback ordinance, whichever is the greatest distance from the center line of the
street.
K. Measuring Signs. The calculations of measurements related to signs are described in
Chapter TBD, Signs.
87
Entrance emphasis with a
projection
Entrance emphasis with a
projection
Entrance emphasis with an
overhang
Window trim
Window trim
Facade articulation provided
through a projection, window,
or facade shift
Facade articulation provided
through windows and a
facade shift
Facade articulation provided
through balconies, projections,
windows and a facade shift
Entrance visible to the street
Entrance visible to the street
Enhanced walkway creates a
welcoming entrance feature
Window trim
Single Dwelling Unit
Design Standards
Z NE IN HermosaHERMOSA BEACH ZONING ORDINANCE UPDATE
Hermosa Beach has an eclectic mix of single unit dwellings with a variety of lot sizes and configurations.
Design standards address entry design and location, window trim, and façade articulation to engage the street
and avoid a monolithic appearance.
• Entrances: Standards require emphasized entryways visible to the street. A menu of acceptable methods,
including projections and recesses, is provided to allow flexibility in meeting the standard.
• Windows: Minimum depth of window trim and recesses are required. Exceptions may be granted to
accommodate alternative window designs to complement the architectural style.
• Articulation: Street facing building frontages must be articulated with at least one wall shift, projection,
opening, or change in material for every 10 feet of façade length.
Alternative designs that meet the intent of the requirements may be approved through a discretionary process.
10’10’10’10’10’10’
88
Multi-Unit
Design Standards
Z NE IN HermosaHERMOSA BEACH ZONING ORDINANCE UPDATE
The architectural design, lot size, and lot configuration of multi-unit development in Hermosa Beach varies
widely. As such, the design standards are intended to accommodate variety while addressing universal
elements of design so multi-unit development engages the street and avoids a monolithic appearance.
• Entrances: All dwelling units located along a street must have an emphasized entrance facing the street or
accessed via a walkway or stairway. A menu of acceptable methods of emphasizing entrances, including
projections and recesses, is provided to allow flexibility in meeting the standard.
• Building Length: Buildings are limited to a maximum length of 200 feet.
• Windows: Minimum depth of window trim and recesses are required. Exceptions may be granted to
accommodate alternative window designs to complement the architectural style.
• Articulation: Street facing building frontages must be articulated with at least one wall shift, projection,
opening, or change in material for every 10 feet of façade length.
• Curb Cuts: New curb cuts are limited to preserve on-street parking availability.
Alternative designs that meet the intent of the requirements may be approved through a discretionary process.
Design standards are intended to avoid blank facades that
do not engage the street
89
The following images are examples of preferred architectural design elements identifying entrances, building
length, window treatment, articulation, and curb cuts.
Multi-Unit
Design Standards
Z NE IN HermosaHERMOSA BEACH ZONING ORDINANCE UPDATE
Window trim
Facade articulation provided through projections,
windows, and facade shifts
Enhanced walkway creates a welcoming entrance
feature
Window trim
Facade articulation provided through projections,
windows, material changes, and facade shifts
Units accessed via a walkway from the street
Curb cuts are minimized with shared driveway
Shared entrance is
emphasized with a trellis,
stairway, and window
transparency
Window trim
Facade articulation provided
through projections,
windows, material changes,
and facade shifts
Entrance visible to the street
200’ Max.
10’10’10’10’
90
Design standards are intended to ensure new development engages the street, creates visual interest, and
reflects the desired character of the Downtown and the City’s commercial corridors. Key features the standards
address are noted in the following illustrations of conceptual development along Pier Avenue (below) and
Pacific Coast Highway (on the next page). The standards provide flexibility to accommodate a variety of styles.
Example 1 - Pier Avenue
Example 2 - Pier Avenue
Example 3 - Pier Avenue
Commercial
Design Standards
Z NE IN HermosaHERMOSA BEACH ZONING ORDINANCE UPDATE
30’ Max. Height
Buildings located near the street and
corners
Corner entrances allow entry from both
streets
Frontage improvements: sidewalk,
landscaping, or outdoor seating
Development reads as a series of
smaller buildings, max. 50’ wide
Maximum 50’ between entrances
Transparency creates visual interest
A
A
A
A
D
D
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D
B
B
B
B
E
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E
C
C
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C
C
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F
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G
G
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G
DESIGN STANDARDS KEY
91
Example 1 - Pacific Coast Highway
Example 2 - Pacific Coast Highway
Example 3 - Pacific Coast Highway
35’ Max. Height
Buildings located near the street-facing
property line for at least 40% of the linear
frontage
Entrances are located near the front
property line
Frontage improvements: sidewalk,
landscaping, or outdoor seating
Massing break required to break up
buildings more than 75-feet wide
Maximum 25’ between windows, doors,
or other openings
Transparency creates visual interest
A
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EE
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C
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F
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F
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G
G
G
G
DESIGN STANDARDS KEY
Commercial
Design Standards
Z NE IN HermosaHERMOSA BEACH ZONING ORDINANCE UPDATE
92
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Open Space Overlay
City Boundary
Coastal Zone Boundary
City of Hermosa Beach
Comprehensive Zoning Code Update
Created: 02.24.2022
93
HERMOSA BEACH
HB
ZONING AND SUBDIVISION ORDINANCE ASSESSMENT REPORT
CITY OF HERMOSA BEACH
May 2020
94
95
i
Table of Contents
1 Introduction ......................................................................................................1
The Project ................................................................................................................................ 1
This Paper ................................................................................................................................. 2
Next Steps ................................................................................................................................. 3
2 What is Zoning? ................................................................................................4
What Zoning Can Do .............................................................................................................. 4
What Zoning Cannot Do ........................................................................................................ 5
The Basic Dilemma: Flexibility vs. Certainty .......................................................................... 5
Users’ Perspectives ............................................................................................................ 5
Tradeoffs ......................................................................................................................... 8
3 Usability .............................................................................................................9
Organization and Style ........................................................................................................... 9
Code Complexity .................................................................................................................. 11
Lack of Clear Definitions and Rules of Measurement ....................................................... 11
Underutilized Tables .............................................................................................................. 12
Absence of Illustrations ......................................................................................................... 13
4 Zones ...............................................................................................................14
Zones to Implement PLAN Hermosa ................................................................................... 14
Streamline Existing Zones ...................................................................................................... 15
Zone Presentation and Organization .................................................................................. 15
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City of Hermosa Beach
ii
5 Development Standards ...............................................................................16
Physical Form and Design Related Standards ................................................................... 17
Tailor Standards to Reflect Character Areas ..................................................................... 18
Objective Design Standards ................................................................................................ 18
Residential Development .............................................................................................. 19
Mixed-Use Development ............................................................................................... 20
Provide Flexibility .................................................................................................................... 21
6 Use Regulations ..............................................................................................22
Adopt a Use Classification System ...................................................................................... 23
Reflect Contemporary Land Uses ....................................................................................... 23
Ensure All Zones Allow Appropriate Land Uses .................................................................. 23
Standards for Specific Uses .................................................................................................. 24
7 Parking Requirements ....................................................................................25
Reduce or Eliminate Minimum Parking Requirements ...................................................... 26
Exempt Small Commercial Establishments .................................................................. 27
Exempt or Reduce Parking Requirements for Changes of Use ................................. 27
8 Development Review and Approval ...........................................................28
Reliance on Discretionary Review ....................................................................................... 28
Adjust Review Thresholds ............................................................................................... 29
Consider a Minor Use Permit Process ........................................................................... 29
Unclear Review and Approval Procedures ....................................................................... 30
Clarify Administrative Procedures for All Decisions ..................................................... 31
97
Zoning and Subdivision Ordinance
Assessment Report
iii
9 Compliance with State and Federal Law ....................................................32
Housing ................................................................................................................................... 32
Housing Developments .................................................................................................. 32
Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) ................................................................................... 33
Affordable Housing ......................................................................................................... 33
Housing for Persons with Disabilities .............................................................................. 33
Manufactured Housing .................................................................................................. 34
Adult Oriented Businesses .................................................................................................... 34
Coastal Act ............................................................................................................................ 34
Cottage Food Operations ................................................................................................... 35
Emergency Shelters; Transitional and Supportive Uses ..................................................... 35
Family Day Care Homes ....................................................................................................... 36
Processing and Review Procedures .................................................................................... 36
Religious Uses ......................................................................................................................... 36
Signs ........................................................................................................................................ 36
Solar Energy Systems ............................................................................................................. 36
Telecommunications............................................................................................................. 37
Water Conservation and Landscaping .............................................................................. 37
Appendix A Ordinance User Interview Summary ..........................................38
Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 38
Themes .................................................................................................................................... 38
Comments .............................................................................................................................. 39
General Comments ........................................................................................................ 39
Design and Development Standards ........................................................................... 40
Land Use Regulations ..................................................................................................... 41
Parking Regulations ........................................................................................................ 43
Zoning Administration and Process .............................................................................. 44
Example References ...................................................................................................... 46
List of Interviewees ................................................................................................................ 47
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1
1 INTRODUCTION
On August 22, 2017, the Hermosa Beach City Council unanimously adopted its first general plan
update since 1979, PLAN Hermosa. PLAN Hermosa is the culmination of a multi-year community-
wide effort to reflect on the community and its future. It incorporates many ideas from residents,
City officials and staff, and others involved in the planning process and articulates a shared vision.
“Hermosa Beach is the small town others aspire to be; a
place where our beach culture, strong sense of community,
and commitment to sustainability intersect.”
Organized around a framework for sustainability, each
section of the Plan addresses different aspects of the
community and identifies goals and policies to guide
residents, decision-makers, businesses, and City staff toward
achieving the vision. The challenge now is to translate the
policies related to zoning and subdivision controls into a
user-friendly, legally adequate, and effective set of
regulations and procedures that steer development to the
most suitable places and helps the community achieve
their long-term vision as a community that values small
beach town character, vibrant economy and healthy
environment and lifestyles.
Zoning and subdivision regulations are one of the primary tools a city has for implementation of its
general plan. Zoning and subdivision regulations translate the policies of a general plan into
parcel-specific regulations, including land use regulations and development standards. The type
and intensity of land uses that are permitted and how they perform will be critical to achieving
PLAN Hermosa’s vision for neighborhood preservation and enhancement, economic
development, coastal resource protection, environmental sustainability, and community health.
The Project
The Zoning and Subdivision Ordinance Assessment is the first phase of a two-phase effort to
comprehensively update the City’s zoning and subdivision regulations and repurpose them as a
more effective tool to provide the kind of development that Hermosa Beach wants, consistent
with the PLAN Hermosa. The objective is to produce a user-friendly set of regulations that provide
clear direction about the City’s expectations and to facilitate development of quality projects by
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making standards clear and effective, streamlining review processes, and incorporating flexibility
to adapt to specific circumstances.
The ultimate objective for the Assessment is to set clear direction for a comprehensive Zoning and
Subdivision Ordinance update. A thorough and accurate assessment will set the foundation for
an updated Zoning and Subdivision Ordinance that not only complies with state law, but also:
• Is consistent with and implements PLAN Hermosa;
• Respects the City fabric and groundwork that has occurred overtime and reflects
current uses, practices, and development patterns;
• Provides clear decision-making protocols and streamlined review processes, where
appropriate;
• Retains the character and scale of the community’s neighborhoods, districts, and
corridors;
• Adds to the economic vitality and promotes adaptive reuse and reinvestment of
properties;
• Addresses previously created nonconforming conditions and brings them into
compliance to the extent appropriate and feasible;
• Complies with State and federal requirements and current case law; and
• Is clear, concise, understandable, and easy to use.
This Paper
As the first step, City staff and the consultant team have been evaluating the current Zoning and
Subdivision Ordinances to identify issues that need to be addressed and changes that should be
considered as part of the update.
This paper summarizes the principal findings and conclusions of the consultant team’s work and
recommends a number of ways that the current ordinances could be improved. It is intended to
distill key choices and present “big ideas” for the update, which will be further developed and
refined as that effort progresses.
The assessment undertaken by the consultant team addressed both the zoning and the
subdivision ordinances. However, the dividing and merging of land within the City is largely
controlled by the State Subdivision Map Act and the principal assessment finding regarding the
City’s subdivision regulations is to update the ordinance for clarity and consistency with State law.
As such, much of the discussion in this paper relates to recommendations for Zoning Ordinance
provisions, for which the City has broader discretion.
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The paper is organized by seven topical areas:
• Usability;
• Zones;
• Development Standards;
• Use Regulation;
• Parking Requirements;
• Development Review and Approval; and
• Compliance with State and Federal Law
Included as an appendix is a summary of comments received during interviews with ordinance
users.
Next Steps
This paper will be the basis for a study session with the Planning Commission. Comments from the
study session and further work with City staff will guide preparation of an Annotated Outline
representing a recommended approach to the overall organizational structure of the updated
Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances and a work plan for conducting the update.
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2 WHAT IS ZONING?
While the General Plan and, in the Coastal Zone, the Local Coastal Plan, sets forth a wide-ranging
and long-term vision for the City, zoning and subdivision regulations specify how each individual
property can be used to achieve those objectives. Zoning is the body of rules and regulations that
control what is built on the ground, as well as what uses occupy buildings and sites. Zoning
determines the form and character of development, such as the size and height of buildings, and
also includes provisions to ensure that new development and uses will fit into existing
neighborhoods by establishing the rules for being a “good neighbor.”
Zoning regulations deal with two basic concerns:
• How to minimize the adverse effects that buildings or using one property can have on its
neighbors; and
• How to encourage optimal development patterns and activities within a community, as
expressed in planning policies.
What Zoning Can Do
Zoning is used to implement the community goals expressed in a general plan and other land use
plan documents. Zoning can do the following:
• Use Regulations. Zoning specifies what uses are permitted or conditionally permitted, what
uses are required to meet specified standards or limitations, and what uses are prohibited.
In this way, the zoning determines the appropriate mix of compatible uses, as well as how
intense these uses can be.
• Development and Design Standards. Zoning reflects the desired physical character of the
community in a set of development and design standards that control the height and bulk
of buildings, streetfront and architectural character, location of parking and driveways,
“buffering” of uses, and open space needs.
• Performance Standards. Zoning often includes standards that control the “performance”
of uses to ensure land use compatibility between new and existing neighborhoods or uses.
Performance standards address items such as noise, dust, vibration, and stormwater runoff.
• Predictability. The use regulations and development standards established in zoning
provide neighbors with assurance of what land uses are permitted and to what scale they
may be developed. Property owners benefit from knowing exactly what can be done.
City staff benefits too, since the need for case-by-case discretionary review of
development applications is reduced.
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What Zoning Cannot Do
There are things that zoning cannot do, since zoning is limited in some respects by State law and
legal precedent. However, issues not addressed in zoning are usually addressed by other planning
tools, such as specific plans and design guidelines. Zoning will not do the following:
• Dictate Architectural Design. Although zoning can improve the overall physical
character of the community, it can only do so with respect to the building envelope—
the height, bulk, and basic elements of structures and their orientation and location on
the site. The architectural style or detailed design elements of a building, such as colors
and finish materials, are addressed in design guidelines.
• Regulate Free Market. Zoning cannot create a market for new development. For
example, it cannot determine the exact mix of tenants in a private development. It
can, however, create opportunities in the real estate market by removing barriers and
offering incentives for desirable uses.
• Establish Land Use Policy. Zoning is a tool for implementing land use policy, not setting
it. As such, zoning is not the appropriate means for planning analysis or detailed study.
Zoning takes direction from the General Plan/Local Coastal Plan and other established
land use plans.
The Basic Dilemma: Flexibility vs. Certainty
As Hermosa Beach considers how best to improve its zoning and subdivision regulations, one issue
will be how to find the right balance between flexibility and certainty that will best implement
PLAN Hermosa. The dichotomy between these concepts creates tension, not only for City officials
and staff who use the regulations on a day-to-day basis, but also for homeowners, business owners,
and others who may only come into contact with zoning a few times over the years they may live
or operate a business in the City. Everyone wants to know what are the rules and standards by
which new development will be judged – how are decisions made to approve, conditionally
approve, or reject applications? And, for many, knowing the timeframe as well as the criteria for
approval also is important – who has appeal rights, and when is a decision final so a project can
proceed.
For others, flexibility is important: the site or existing building may be unique, the design innovative
and responsive, or the public benefits so compelling that some relief from underlying requirements
and generic architectural details may be appropriate. Perspectives of code users help inform the
discussion about this issue.
Users’ Perspectives
Expectations about what zoning should or should not do, and how far it should go, are different,
depending on individual perspectives. Applicants view zoning differently than design professionals,
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and City staff perspectives are not always the same as those of residents or City officials. At the
risk of over-simplification, we offer the following set of expectations for different ordinance users
as a starting point for thinking about regulatory options for an update of the zoning and subdivision
regulations.
Applicants
Individuals applying to the City for a zoning approval through a permit or land use review generally
want to know:
• What are the rules that the City follows for development review? These include use
regulations, design guidelines and standards, development standards, review
procedures, and criteria for decision-making.
• What is the timeframe for decision-making, and when is a decision final? Is it the day
the approval is granted, or is there some stated time they have to wait before they
know they can proceed with the next steps, refine an architectural design, solicit bids,
and initiate construction? Users also need to know how much time they have to obtain
a building permit or business license.
• What relief can they request if a regulation or standard constrains a design solution or
otherwise limits what they would like to do with their property or their building? In
thinking about relief, it often is useful to distinguish concerns about what the allowable
uses are (recognizing that use variances are illegal and the only way to accommodate
different uses would be through a zoning code or map amendment) from concerns
about how to accommodate a design or improvement on a lot. Relief may be needed
from physical development standards (e.g. setbacks or fence height limitations) or
from performance requirements that relate primarily to the impact of a use or building
design on an adjacent lot.
• How important are neighbor concerns in the decision-making process? If an applicant
follows the rules, does the City have the right to require changes to a design solely
because of a neighbor’s objections? Are there limitations on conditions of approval or
are all elements of a project “negotiable”? Does the City distinguish “as-of-right”
development applications from those requesting exceptions to the standards in
weighing how far to go to respond to community concerns?
Design Professionals
Architects and other design professionals typically want to know the answer to the same questions
applicants pose, but because of their specific role in a project, they often want to know more
specifically how much flexibility the ordinance allows for site planning and architectural design. If
the City wants to mandate certain design solutions, as opposed to “encouraging” a type of
design, the ordinance should say so to avoid misunderstandings during the development review
process.
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An example of a mandated design solution is a requirement for windows or display spaces and a
prohibition of blank walls on retail frontages. In this context, design professionals also want to know
whether the mandate is a guideline or a development regulation. If it’s a regulation and the
proposed building design doesn’t benefit from adding windows, it will be necessary to request a
specific form of administrative relief, which could be a variance or a design modification, in order
to deviate from the dimensional requirements. By contrast, if the mandate is a design guideline, it
may be possible to propose an alternative design solution that meets the guideline’s objective
without applying for a variance or use permit to waive design standards if the ordinance provides
for alternative ways to comply with a guideline.
The flexibility that a design professional typically seeks includes:
• Relief from overly prescriptive standards, including setbacks, building height, bulk and
articulation, landscaping, location of parking, and architectural design standards (e.g.
colors, finishes, porch dimensions, roof pitches, etc.);
• Relief from provisions that constrain energy efficiency and water conservation;
• Relief for buildings with historic or architectural character; and
• Relief for uses or activities with unique needs (e.g. artist studios, churches, personal
improvement uses).
City Staff and Officials
City staff and officials also want flexibility for a number of reasons:
• To respond to community concerns;
• To implement the General Plan, Local Coastal Plan, and other City plans and initiatives,
and to further public policies;
• To reconcile competing priorities;
• To protect unique and special resources, which may range from coastal resources to
historic buildings, affordable housing, and special retail uses; and
• To respond to new or emerging technologies, services, or activities.
Residents and Business Owners
While planners and City officials strive to respond to community concerns, residents and business
owners don’t always have the same perspective on zoning, particularly if they feel their interests
are not served. Many critical issues are decided when a General Plan/Local Coastal Plan is
prepared; however, as implementation details are worked out, community thinking about
General Plan/Local Coastal Plan direction may evolve, and there may not be consensus on all of
the regulatory solutions proposed to implement the plan.
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Neighbors want to know with some certainty what can be built, so there are no surprises once
construction begins. However, if they have concerns, they would like to know what the process is
for community input – how much flexibility the City has to condition approval and what they can
do to affect the final result.
Business owners likewise want to know whether they can expand or adapt space to new uses or
activities. Being able to respond quickly to changing markets is important, and lengthy review
times are counterproductive to that objective.
Tradeoffs
As the City considers the next steps for regulatory reform, discussion of choices could address these
basic philosophical issues:
• Flexibility vs. predictability: Are the zoning and subdivision regulations intended as a
rule of law or a rule of individuals? Should the area for negotiation be wide or narrow?
To what extent should this be determined by the code or by practice?
• Flexibility vs. administrative cost: What are the costs to the applicant, to opponents,
and to the City’s tolerance for hearings?
• Development cost vs. quality: Standards should be written with an understanding of
their effect on developers' and consumers' costs and on the quality of the environment
for both user and community at large.
• Preservation vs. development: Will a particular regulation stimulate or dampen change
in uses, users, or appearance? A related issue is whether adopting a new standard will
result in a proliferation of nonconforming conditions, which could also discourage
investment.
• Under regulation vs. over-regulation: How does the community strike the right balance
and find the least number of rules that will do the job?
Striking the right balance will not be easy, and lessons from similar communities that have recently
amended their zoning and subdivision regulations can enable the City to avoid mistakes others
have made and achieve its goals for economic development and sustainable land use.
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3 USABILITY
The need to make Hermosa Beach’s Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances more user-friendly and
concise was an important issue expressed by staff and observed by the consultant team.
Ordinance users find that the text of the Ordinance is complex and that interpretations may differ
among staff. The document is difficult to navigate and should rely more extensively on pointers
and references to direct users to appropriate regulations. A well-organized code is easy to use,
navigate, and understand. This section contains general observations about the existing
organization, format, and usability, as well as strategies for improving these aspects of the existing
Ordinance.
Organization and Style
The City’s current Zoning Ordinance, Title 17 of the Hermosa Beach Municipal Code, is organized
in a manner that exhibits an underlying structure that generally follows a flow from introductory
provisions, to zone standards, citywide standards, and finally administrative procedures.
While the underlying structure can be recognized by those with ample ordinance-using
experience, this structure is not intuitive or obvious to the average user.
The Ordinance lacks a user-friendly structure with clear hierarchy and chapter numbering is not
consecutive. Some chapters appear to follow a pattern of every second number (ex. 17.02, 17.04,
17.06) while others don’t (ex. 17.50, 17.53, 17.54, 17.55). The chapters that follow a pattern of every
second number appear to be original, while chapters that don’t follow this pattern appear to be
later amendments. Over the years, as sections and chapters have been updated or added, there
hasn’t been a comprehensive reformat of the Ordinance, resulting in a disorganized format as
well as inconsistent organization of each individual section.
The organization of Hermosa Beach’s Zoning Ordinance can be improved in several ways, with
the overall organization and formatting reflecting a systematic, consistent, and sound
arrangement to facilitate understanding. First, the City should consider a new level in the
organizational hierarchy—Part—to organize the 39 chapters into logical groups intended to make
the zoning ordinance easier to navigate. For example, the chapters contained in Title 17 could be
grouped into five parts to provide an additional level of organization.
• Part I: Introductory Provisions
• Part II: Zone Regulations
• Part III: Citywide Standards
• Part IV: Administration
• Part V: Terms and Definitions
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With this organization, the ordinance progresses from the most often referenced to the least—with
basic provisions in the beginning, followed by regulations of specific zones, citywide standards,
and then administrative chapters. As a general rule, the most frequently consulted provisions
should come before provisions less frequently consulted. A final part or division can group all
definitions and standards of measurement together, so that users have access to a
comprehensive reference section in an easily located place.
Next, the Ordinance could be enhanced with a comprehensive index and table of contents so
that users do not have to scour the text for a section when needed. Finally, the City should
supplement these organizational revisions with improvements to the appearance of the text itself,
including wider spacing, different fonts for chapters, sections, and the main text, and consistent
indentation.
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Code Complexity
The organization of the current Ordinance leaves standards of development spread out among
various sections. Because standards are dispersed, users are left with a nagging fear that a
“hidden” regulation might affect the viability of a project. Uncertainty regarding development
possibilities can be a significant barrier when attempting to attract investment. Also some
development standards result from or have been derived from ballot measures, which is not
always clearly articulated.
Overall, the chapter ordering of the Ordinance is not always intuitive, and sections that should be
grouped together are often found far apart or separated by other chapters. Accessory Dwelling
Unit standards, which are applicable in multiple zones are located in their own chapter in the
midst of chapters of zone standards. Mixed-use development standards and educational
institution standards, which are only applicable in the C-1 and C-3 zone, respectively, are located
in a chapter with development standards applicable to uses in multiple zones, Chapter 17.40,
Conditional Use Permit and Other Permit Standards. Additional standards for specific uses, are
located in a third chapter, Chapter 17.42, General Provisions, Conditions, and Exceptional Uses.
Hermosa Beach should ensure that the Zoning Ordinance functions efficiently and with the fewest
number of provisions necessary to achieve its goals. To this end, related content should be
organized together and unnecessary sections of the Ordinance should be removed in order to
avoid ambiguity and reduce the sheer bulk of the Ordinance.
Lack of Clear Definitions and Rules of Measurement
Though the current Zoning Ordinance includes three sections of definitions, some terms that should
be defined, are not, some definitions are overly specific, and others include development
standards. The definition of ‘grade’ includes a statement that the determination of grade is to be
made by the Community Development Director. The definition of ‘open space’ identifies
acceptable encroachments. Definitions should convey the meaning of a term; standards should
be located in the body of the regulations. The definitions should be updated to include modern
terminology and be made more general so that they will apply to terms as they are used
throughout the Zoning Ordinance and other City codes. Where possible, definitions should also
align with those of other applicable rules and regulations such as the Building Code, State
Alcoholic Beverage Control regulations, and State housing laws.
The Zoning Ordinance does not include a separate chapter on rules of measurement; rules for the
calculation of standards are located throughout the ordinance. In some cases, such as lot
coverage, and determining the baseline points for measuring building height, they are
incorporated into general definitions. Others are located among regulations for specific
development aspects. The calculation of floor area is located within the definition of ‘gross floor
area’ in the definitions section of the off-street parking regulations. Clear rules of measurement
ensure that all users are able to determine the way that standards should be applied in the same
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Tables with cross references enhance usability.
manner in order to arrive at the same conclusion. Locating a complete set of rules of
measurement in one location, either at the beginning or the end of the Ordinance, provide an
easy-to-locate reference tool to ensure consistent interpretation and application of standards.
Underutilized Tables
The existing Ordinance does utilize tables to
present certain regulatory requirements,
although inconsistently and sparingly. The C-1,
C-2, C-3, and M-1 zones and Specific Plan Area
No. 11 use tables to present use regulations
while all other zones and plan areas list use
allowance or cross-reference other zones for
use allowances.
Tables can greatly improve the readability of
complex regulations and could be used more
extensively to organize and more clearly
present information throughout the Ordinance.
Use regulation tables can specify the level of
review required, list any limitations on permitted
uses, and provide cross-references to other
sections of the Ordinance where additional
regulations apply. Development standard
tables can list dimensional requirements for lots,
setbacks, heights, and other standards with
cross-references to other applicable sections of
the Ordinance. This approach helps avoid
unnecessary redundancy, repetition of
provisions, and confusion from conflicts.
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Illustrations of standards, such as these in the City’s Height
Requirements & Calculating Height handout, aid in interpretation.
Absence of Illustrations
In addition, the current Zoning Ordinance provides few graphic examples or illustrations. Graphics
can clearly depict standards for measuring building height or yard setbacks, while verbal
equivalents are prone to misinterpretation and uncertainty. Clarifying visual examples of
measurement standards, development standards, and other complex provisions, similar to those
included on the City’s Height Requirements & Calculating Height handout, help with
understanding and enforcement. Incorporating illustrations such as these into the Zoning
Ordinance can communicate development regulations more clearly and in less space than
written standards.
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4 ZONES
Zoning districts, or zones, create the framework for implementation of General Plan policies and
land use designations. The General Plan establishes land use designations and the overall policy
basis for land use and development. Zoning then establishes zones which are intended to define
distinct locations for different uses, consistent with general plan land use designations. The Zoning
Ordinance includes standards for each of these zones with detailed regulations as to what uses
are permitted, what uses are allowed, and what physical development standards apply.
Zones to Implement PLAN Hermosa
PLAN Hermosa builds upon the city’s historic
development pattern to accommodate
anticipated population and employment
growth. The Land Use Designations Map in PLAN
Hermosa indicates the intended use of each
parcel of land in the City. The land use
designations were developed to provide both a
vision of the organization of uses in the City and
a flexible structure to allow for changes in
economic conditions and community vision.
There are four categories of land use
designations: Residential, Commercial, Creative
Industrial, and Institutional. The majority of
individual designations within these four
categories are consistent with or similar to
previous designations or existing development
types. Others are new, including Public Facilities
and Beach land use designations. In these
situations, new zones on the Zoning Map and in
the Zoning Ordinance are warranted.
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Streamline Existing Zones
There may also be opportunity for streamlining existing zones and eliminating those that are no
longer necessary. For example, the only differences between the R-3, Multiple-family Residential,
Zone and the R-P, Residential Professional, Zone are variations in lot coverage allowances, height
considerations, and that the R-P Zone allows office as a conditionally permitted use. The R-P Zone
is within the High Density Residential Land Use Designation in PLAN Hermosa and its existing
development consists solely of residential uses. In the interest of creating a concise and user-
friendly zoning ordinance, the total number of zones should be minimized and zones that are not
necessary, such as the R-P Zone, should be removed or consolidated.
Additionally, the Zoning Ordinance also includes 10 Specific Plan Areas. The regulations for these
Specific Plan Areas vary in content and detail, ranging from refinements to the residential housing
types allowed and minimum lot area per dwelling for an individual residential development to
detailed use regulations and development standards for a large portion of Pier Avenue. Each of
the Specific Plan Areas should be reviewed for relevance and their potential to integrate
necessary standards into zone regulations. In some cases, relevant Specific Plan Areas standards
may be integrated entirely into other base zones. In other cases, a unique zone may be warranted.
Zone Presentation and Organization
The Zoning Ordinance will benefit from combining similar zones, where appropriate, and by
renaming zones to reflect the General Plan land use designation and provide information
regarding the purpose and nature of the zone. Zones can then be consolidated into related
groups, such as Residential, Commercial and Mixed-Use, Industrial, and Public and Semi-Public
districts, similar to how the C-1, C-2, and C-3 zones are consolidated into one chapter in the
existing Zoning Ordinance. When zones are consolidated, the differences among individual zones
are identified through purpose statements and reflected in the use regulations and development
standards, which will vary based on the unique characteristics and purposes of the zone.
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5 DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
The importance of quality design in community spaces and residential neighborhoods cannot be
overemphasized. A well-designed city directly elevates the quality of life, which in turn, attracts
investment and increases communal pride.
As Hermosa Beach redevelops over time, the City will continue to face design challenges. The
current Zoning Ordinance does not have sufficient standards to appropriately guide and regulate
development especially in building appearance and design compatibility. Development
regulations that address the building form and site design of new development can respond to
differences in character, promote a desirable physical form, and ensure that more intense uses of
land do not become public nuisances.
The Zoning Ordinance does not address the physical form of development in an organized or
complete fashion. The current Zoning Ordinance was first written at a time when Ordinances
focused on regulating use rather than design. More recently, design-oriented approaches are
replacing traditional, use-based zoning as a means of addressing the physical character of
development. Hermosa Beach has followed this trend over the years, as development standards
and requirements have been added. In some instances, they have been added with little analysis
of how all the standards work together and collectively influence resulting development. In other
instances, such as Specific Plan Area No. 11, detailed development standards that address many
aspects of site development and building design have been adopted.
PLAN Hermosa provides a foundation for implementing zoning techniques designed to improve
the physical form of new development. It recognizes that distinct neighborhoods, districts, and
corridors contribute positively to the overall structure and character of the City. Fourteen
character areas are identified, defined by their future vision, intended distribution of land use, and
desired form and character. PLAN Hermosa also includes a number of policies related to design,
including, but not limited to:
1.6: Scale and context. Consider the compatibility of new development within its urban
context to avoid abrupt changes in scale and massing.
2.7: Context sensitive design. Wherever feasible, orient residential buildings to address
streets, public spaces or shared private spaces, and consider the physical characteristics
of its site, surrounding land uses, and available public infrastructure.
2.8: Neighborhood transitions. Encourage that new development provide appropriate
transitions in scale, building type and density between different land use designations.
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3.5: Compact office formats. New employment uses should be designed in a compact
format with minimal front setbacks from the street, typical lease spans of 40 feet or less,
and where feasible, combined with other commercial uses.
6.6: Human-scale buildings. Encourage buildings and design to include human-scale
details such as windows on the street, awnings and architectural features that create a
visually interesting pedestrian environment.
Physical Form and Design Related Standards
In order to implement PLAN Hermosa policies, the City will need to adopt new development
regulations to address the form and design of new development, such as standards for the
following:
• Location of a building on a lot – where a building may or must be built to the street
and where setbacks are required;
• Building form and massing;
• Façade design and articulation;
• Orientation of building entries;
• Transparency – pedestrian level windows offering views into buildings and displays;
• Limitations on blank walls;
• Relation to adjoining sites;
• Location and screening of parking; and
• Landscaping.
Establishing minimum design standards will set the tone for the type of development the City
hopes to attract. These standards will allow developers and designers to know exactly what is
Form-related standards can help achieve high quality design.
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expected of them. At the same time, flexibility can still be achieved by allowing a modification of
standards so long as certain findings and criteria are met. Flexibility is particularly important given
the varied lot sizes and topography that characterize City.
Tailor Standards to Reflect Character Areas
It would be difficult for the City to prepare a single,
comprehensive set of design requirements as neighborhoods,
districts, and corridors within Hermosa Beach have distinct
characters that required tailored regulations so that new
development is appropriate to the context of the area.
Standards should be refined to foster the type of character
desired within various areas of the City. In pedestrian-oriented
areas, the objective should be to have buildings enclose a
street and provide an interesting, engaging front, making
walking and shopping pleasurable. In more auto-oriented
areas there is more potential for incompatibility between uses,
so landscaping and screening may be important.
Development standards should also address compatibility and ensuring that new buildings fit
amongst existing buildings. The ordinance should detail how to address contextual issues of
building placement, scale, massing, and height and include standards to ensure sensitive
transition from more intense development to surrounding neighborhoods.
While each zone or area should have individually tailored requirements, the organization of the
requirements should be uniform, so that users can easily ascertain the requirements for a particular
zone.
Objective Design Standards
The State of California has adopted recent
legislation to address the State-wide housing
shortage and now requires a streamlined and
ministerial process for specific residential
developments, including multi-unit residential
development and mixed-use development with 2/3
of the square footage for residential use. These types
of projects must be reviewed against existing
objective standards rather than through a
discretionary entitlement process.
Objective Standard (per State law):
One that involves no personal or
subjective judgment by a public
official and uniformly verifiable by
reference to an external and uniform
benchmark or criterion available and
knowable by both the development
applicant and the public official prior
to submittal.
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An update to the Zoning Ordinance provides an opportunity to establish objective standards to
achieve quality designed housing projects without subjective interpretation or a complex review
and approval process, consistent with State law requirements.
Residential Development
The Zoning Ordinance currently establishes standards for multi-family development primarily in
Chapter 17.16 – R-3 Multiple-Family Residential Zone and Chapter 17.24 - RPD Residential Planned
Development. Basic standards include height, front yard, side yards, placement of buildings, area,
lot coverage, usable open space, and lot area per dwelling. Projects typically require
discretionary review by the Planning Commission where more qualitative conditions are applied
to ensure compatibility with neighborhood context and to elevate design quality. The Zoning
Ordinance update provides the opportunity to refine existing quantitative standards and develop
new objective standards that capture the qualitative conditions typically applied to multi-family
residential projects through the discretionary process. Objective standards should be developed
to ensure that development is compatible with the surrounding neighborhoods, that quality
materials are used, and that building form and scale is appropriate to the site. Such standards
may address the following:
• Setbacks;
• Building heights;
• Floor area ratio (FAR) or lot coverage;
• Usable open space
• Relation to neighboring buildings (stepbacks and articulation versus “compatibility in
scale”);
• Explaining in details the characteristics of a particular architectural style and list the
required components;
• Limits on blank wall (breaks in blank walls every X feet);
• Building frontage requirements (number of doors, space between doors and garage,
etc.);
• Material requirements;
• Color requirements; and
• Consistency with neighborhood character (if defined in an objective manner).
To support consistent application of objective standards, it is recommended that images and
exhibits representing a suggested design topic or standard with text callouts be developed in the
new Ordinance, where applicable, to illustrate the design intent.
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Mixed-Use Development
Chapter 17.40.180 – Mixed-use Development (C-1 Zone) of the current Ordinance provides the
opportunity to establish mixed-use development subject to approval of a conditional use permit,
a discretionary permit process, within the C-1 Limited Business and Residential zone. The residential
portion of a mixed-use development is subject to the development standards of the R-3 Multiple
Family Residential Zone with a few tailored exceptions relating to condominiums, percentage
limitation of first floor residential use, front setbacks, lot coverage and trees. General development
guidance is provided for noise, security, and lighting. In addition, parking requirements are
provided in Section 17.44.010 Off Street Parking – Mixed Use where required parking is determined
using on the sum requirements of all individual uses.
While State law requirements for objective standards and a streamlined review process apply to
mixed-use development with 2/3 of the square footage for residential use, mixed-use
development may be comprised of a number of different use combinations. By providing a variety
of uses within close proximity, mixed-use development can reduce automobile dependence,
preserve green space and natural resources, promote revitalization, enhance economic
development. Mixed-use developments can also provide for a wide range of housing types and
choices for different income levels and may increase affordable housing opportunities.
Development standards tailored to the unique attributes of mixed-use development can provide
greater assurance of compatibility with neighborhoods and better alignment with market
considerations.
While the objective standards and a streamlined review process is required for certain mixed-use
developments, the City should consider establishing objective standards and streamlined review
for other types of mixed-use developments in order to promote their establishment while ensuring
appropriate design and siting. Mixed-use development standards should address compatibility
issues while providing flexibility for combining residential and commercial components with active,
pedestrian-oriented ground floor uses, where consistent with PLAN Hermosa. In addition to the
physical form and design related standards discussed previously in this paper, customized mixed-
use regulations should consider the following:
• Location of desired land uses;
• Public and private access;
• Building placement and orientation;
• Residential private open space;
• Common open space;
• Noise, light, and odor control; and
• Location and screening of parking, loading, and service areas.
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Provide Flexibility
In many instances, particularly in areas like Hermosa Beach with small lots with existing
development, the need for flexibility in the application of development standards is not a
reflection of the quality of the project or design, rather a reflection of site constraints that limit the
effectiveness of a ‘one size fits all’ approach. The existing Zoning Ordinance provides for little
flexibility in the application of development standards. The two primary avenues available for
modification of development standards in the current Zoning Ordinance are variances and
administrative variances. Specific findings related to unique characteristics of a property are
required to approve variances and administrative variances are limited in scope and the legality
of administrative variances is unclear.
As the City incorporates additional development regulations into the Zoning Ordinance, the City
should create additional opportunities for gaining relief from codified locational, developmental,
and operational standards in cases where modifications are warranted by special circumstances
that may not meet the requirements for approval of a variance based on physical hardship. This
could be done in the form of additional provisions for approval of waivers and exceptions,
including Staff level approval of a so-called de minimus waiver from dimensional standards.
Options include a minor modification that allows for specified dimensional modifications (e.g. less
than a 10 percent reduction in setbacks and fence heights) that would have a negligible impact
and are non-controversial in nature. Some jurisdictions provide one level of adjustment without
notice and a slightly higher level of adjustment with notice and the opportunity for neighbors to
request a public hearing.
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6 USE REGULATIONS
Use regulations detail the type of uses that are allowed, the review process, and specific limitations
that apply to a particular activity or use. Use regulations have traditionally been used to separate
incompatible land uses, minimize nuisances, and limit adverse effects on neighboring properties.
Each zone currently contains a list of permitted uses and some list conditionally permitted uses.
Residential zones allow any use permitted in less intense residential zones (ex. The R-3 Zone allows
any use permitted in the R-2 Zone). Some zones, including the C-1, C-2, C-3, and M-1 zones and
SPA-11, present use regulations in tables with cross references to use specific standards.
There are outdated and overly specific uses, such as ‘detective agency’, ‘messenger service’ and
‘computer and Internet access center’. Other times, uses with little distinction between them are
regulated separately. ‘Toy store’, ‘clothing and wearing apparel sales and service’, ‘department
store’, drugstore’, ‘florist or plant shop’, and ‘hobby and craft sales and services’ are all examples
of similar retail services, and that may even occur within a single retail establishment, that are
separately regulated.
The Ordinance lacks a comprehensive list of defined uses that are regulated by the Ordinance.
Commercial land uses are grouped into a single section of the Zoning Ordinance while residential
uses are mixed in with definitions of general terms in a separate section. Some uses are not defined.
During the course of stakeholder interviews,
attracting and retaining retail and restaurant uses in
the Downtown was identified as one of the greatest
challenges facing the City today. Over the years,
the City has added strict and inflexible standards to
the Ordinance and conditions of approval to
individual projects that limit operations of
commercial uses, particularly establishments that
serve alcohol and provide live or late night
entertainment. While these standards and
limitations were intended to maintain and improve
community livability, and reduce nuisance activity,
particularly in areas with commercial and residential
adjacencies, they have also stifled potential
economic investment in the Downtown and along
the corridors. The Zoning Ordinance update effort
provides the opportunity to update the City’s
approach to use regulation to reflect modern uses,
current development practices, and State and
Attracting and retaining retail and
restaurant uses in the Downtown is a
challenge.
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federal law and support community objectives such as economic development, increased
walkability, diversity of housing types, and vibrant urban centers. Through well-crafted regulations,
the Zoning Ordinance can maximize the City’s economic development “pluses” and support
economic investment, while ensuring it does not create undue impacts on its neighbors.
Adopt a Use Classification System
The Zoning Ordinance should ensure that every use regulated by the ordinance is defined through
a clearly defined modern classification system, which places land uses and activities into groups
based on common functional, product, or physical characteristics. There are many advantages
to this type of use classification system. Listing use groups instead of specific uses help streamline
the use regulation parts of the Ordinance. Categories are also broad enough to allow
classification of new, unanticipated uses, so that the City does not need to amend these sections
or make interpretations as frequently.
Under this system, all use categories would be defined in a single chapter of the Code. This
chapter would organize use categories into groups such as residential; public and semi-public;
commercial; industrial; and transportation, communication, and utility uses. This way, similar uses
are found near one another for comparison when a classification question arises. The official
names of each use group would be utilized throughout the Code in a consistent manner, with the
definitions chapter serving as a reference.
Reflect Contemporary Land Uses
To help modernize the Zoning Ordinance, the use classification system described above should
eliminate obsolete uses (i.e., those no longer allowed, or outdated terms) such as game arcade
and miniature golf course, and also include new contemporary uses such as industrial flex space
and shared office spaces.
Ensure All Zones Allow Appropriate Land Uses
The allowable uses within each zone should be evaluated for compatibility with the purpose of
the zone, the corresponding land use designation in PLAN Hermosa, and reflective of
contemporary use and development trends. In particular, use regulations in nonresidential districts
should be evaluated to allow a broader range of uses, reflecting the changing nature of land use
and allowing a creative combination of uses, consistent with PLAN Hermosa. In particular, M-1
Zone use allowances should be evaluated, balancing the need to protect the accessibility of the
area for production, design, and manufacturing uses and allowing non-manufacturing uses that
are conducive to and supportive of the viability of creative and innovative endeavors.
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Standards for Specific Uses
Regulations applicable to specific land uses are currently found throughout the Ordinance. An
entire chapter, Chapter 17.21, is dedicated to standards for Accessory Dwelling Units. Chapter
17.40, Conditional Use Permit and Other Permit Standards, and 17.42, General Provisions,
Conditions and Exceptional Uses, both contain specific standards for multiple uses. The fact that
these regulations pertaining to particular uses are scattered throughout the Ordinance makes it
hard for users to find them and determine which special regulations apply to a particular project.
Some use definitions in the existing Ordinance include limitations, requirements, and allowances
related to the use. For example, the definition of “Hotel” includes a statement that the decision-
making body has the authority to set any limitation on the number and/or type of kitchenette
facilities provided in the guest rooms for projects located on parcels of greater than 20,000 square
feet. Although these provisions may be appropriate, embedding them within the use definitions
complicates administration and makes it difficult for applicants to determine which development
standards apply to a particular proposal. These regulations should be addressed in separate
sections of the Ordinance where the limitations are visible and adequately discussed. For example,
they may be located in a chapter dedicated to standards for specific uses and referenced in the
use regulations for each zoning district.
The City should consolidate requirements that are applicable to specific uses and activities into a
single chapter. Within this chapter, the uses can be alphabetized, making them easy to locate.
The standards for specific uses can be referenced in the land use tables in the zone regulations,
which will reduce overall wordiness in the Ordinance.
When revising use regulations, the City should be sure to reevaluate and expand its regulation of
uses that create potential incompatibilities with surrounding properties. The City should
incorporate explicit performance standards to ensure that the operation of one use does not
cause an undue burden upon the use and enjoyment of adjacent property and everyone is clear
on what the requirements are.
Finally, the City should evaluate the limitations in the Ordinance and project approvals on
establishments that serve alcohol and provide entertainment in in seeking a better balance of
achieving community goals for a vibrant local economy and the revitalization of the downtown
core while minimizing adverse impacts. The Ordinance should be evaluated in terms of creating
opportunities for new investment to achieve these goals, in consideration of other mechanisms
the City may employ to address public nuisances and poor behavior of individual establishments.
All of these modifications to the existing use classification system and development standards will
work to reduce the need for discretionary review of new development. With clarified requirements
and a more comprehensive scheme of use classification, approvals will encounter fewer delays,
with heightened assurances of appropriate development and compatibility with adjacent
properties.
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7 PARKING REQUIREMENTS
Parking was by far the most frequent issue raised by stakeholders. The topic has been the focus of
many community conversations and planning efforts, including, but not limited to PLAN Hermosa
and the Downtown Core Revitalization Strategy. The City recently completed a Parking
Management Study and Recommended Parking Standards for the Coastal Zone which included
a parking inventory, occupancy analysis, demand analysis, and recommendations for parking
strategies.
Parking requirements have a large influence on the ability to utilize property. Because of the high
costs of building and maintaining off-street parking, minimum parking requirements can raise
barriers to reuse underutilized parcels. This is particularly true in already built-out areas, such as
Hermosa Beach, where there may not be enough space to provide required parking. Where
additional parking spaces cannot be provided due to site constraints, businesses are deterred
from expanding or investing within the City.
The quantity, location, and appearance of parking areas also have a substantial impact on the
character and functionality of streets, commercial corridors, and residential neighborhoods. Too
much parking can limit the utilization of a property and be an impediment to achieving a wide
range of community goals. Too little parking can impede accessibility and impact neighborhoods.
The amount of parking is optimized when it strikes a right balance between supply and demand.
For roughly 50 years, cities across the country, including Hermosa Beach, have included minimum
requirements as a means of mitigating the impact of parking demand on public streets. These
minimum parking requirements are based on inaccurate assumptions and do not reflect actual
parking demand. For example, in Hermosa Beach, many of the minimum parking requirements
were derived from the Institute of Traffic Engineers Trip Generation Manual and do not reflect local
conditions.
This approach to parking demand mitigation has created a number of unwanted side effects,
including:
• Reducing the viability of reuse of existing buildings;
• Limiting options for development on smaller lots or awkwardly-shaped sites;
• Discouraging alternatives to automobiles (by promoting an overabundance of
parking, alternatives like walking, cycling, transit and car-sharing are at a distinct
disadvantage);
• Eroding pedestrian environments by increasing the proliferation of land devoted to the
automobile, creating large swathes of inhospitable surface parking lots; and
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• Adding to the cost of living, since the cost of providing minimum required parking is
passed down to the consumer in the price for goods, services, and housing, creating
an unfair burden for those who do not drive.
As such, cities are increasingly turning to other mechanisms as ways of addressing parking
concerns including increasing alternative transportation options and employing parking
management techniques.
Additionally, our transportation systems are on the cusp of one of the fastest and most
transformative shifts in history. The demand for shared mobility services is an early sign of behavior
change. Autonomous vehicles are being used on streets today. These changes will have great
consequences for parking demand. Although it is unknown exactly what these consequences will
be, it is certain that there are more transportation options available than before and people are
no longer dependent on individual vehicles for access and mobility. The future transportation
system and our mobility choices will continue to have a lot more flexibility. Mobility choices will not
be primarily limited to a personal vehicle or existence of a transit line.
Reduce or Eliminate Minimum Parking Requirements
All of the parking requirements should be evaluated and
reduced where appropriate based on actual and
anticipated parking demand and in consideration of the
collective of City goals, including economic
development, pedestrian orientation, housing
affordability, and sustainability; of the recommendations
from the Coastal Zone parking study and Downtown Core
Revitalization Strategy, of the changing nature of our
transportation systems; and of a parking management
program. For example, the Downtown Core Revitalization
Strategy included a number of recommendations to
encourage a more pedestrian-oriented district, including:
• Locating parking off-site
• Reduced parking for commercial, restaurant,
office, and retail uses
• Reduced parking for mixed-use development
• Vehicle parking reductions for the provision of bicycle parking
• Utilizing net usable square footage as the basis for parking calculations, rather than
gross square footage
In revising parking requirements, the City should consider providing uniform parking requirements
for grouped land uses with similar space and operational requirements. The City could still provide
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separate requirements for land uses with particular space and operational requirements that
generate unique parking demands. Standardizing parking requirements so multiple uses have the
same requirements can ease administration and provide flexibility with regard to re-use and re-
investment. Flexibility could also be offered in the way that parking is designed and located, such
as allowances for tandem, valet, and stacked parking (parking lifts), thus providing more
opportunity for parking in less space.
The City should consider varying or adjusting parking requirements by district as well, considering
the availability of street or public parking supplies in a particular district.
Exempt Small Commercial Establishments
The City should consider providing an
exemption from the off-street parking
requirements for small commercial
establishments, such as those under 1,500
square feet of gross floor area. This exemption
could be across the board or limited based
on certain characteristics, such as new uses in
existing buildings, uses located in pedestrian
oriented commercial districts, or uses within a
commercial center with shared parking
facilities. For many small retail and business
uses, available on-street parking in the City’s
commercial districts and corridors or shared
in a shopping center is adequate for their
parking demand. Alleviating small commercial establishments from providing parking may help
fill vacant storefronts and incentivize redevelopment.
Exempt or Reduce Parking Requirements for Changes of Use
It is often infeasible to provide additional on-site parking on an already developed site, thus limiting
the types of new uses that may locate in an existing building. To support the continued occupancy
of existing buildings, the City could consider not requiring additional parking where a new
commercial use is established in an existing building even if the new use is subject to a higher
parking requirement than the previous use, provided existing parking is retained and there is no
change to the building that results in additional gross floor area. Alternatively, when a new
business moves into a building where the existing use had a legal nonconforming parking
deficiency, the new use could be credited the number of required parking spaces unmet by the
previous use. While this parking credit is available in the Downtown District, the City should consider
applying this approach on a broader scale.
Parking exemptions can incentivize small
commercial establishments.
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8 DEVELOPMENT REVIEW AND
APPROVAL
Zoning provisions governing development review and other administrative matters create the
procedural environment through which the City can achieve the goals and policies laid out in its
General Plan and other adopted policies. At their best, development review provisions can
promote the type of development a community wants by providing a clear, predictable path to
project approval; conversely, vague review processes with unclear requirements can cause
developers a high level of anxiety, frustrate community residents, and severely dampen a City’s
ability to attract desirable growth.
Generally, prospective investors value three central qualities in any administrative code: 1)
certainty in the requirements and structure of the review process, 2) built-in flexibility to adjust
development standards to the needs of individual projects, and 3) opportunities to request relief
from requirements that constitute a substantial burden. Certainty about the types of development
they can expect to see in their community is also important to residents. The degree to which
Hermosa Beach can incorporate these qualities into its Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances will
help improve its ability to compete for desirable development. This section contains general
observations about the existing development review procedures and strategies to streamline
development review and approval process.
Reliance on Discretionary Review
The flexibility of a zoning ordinance is largely defined by its hierarchy of uses and their required
permits. This hierarchy establishes the different levels of review the ordinance requires to make
various types of decisions. These decisions typically range from a relatively informal counter staff
review of proposed uses and structures for compliance prior to the issuance of a building permit
or business license to more formal and complex procedures requiring public notice and a hearing
before the Planning Commission prior to issuance of a use permit or other discretionary approval.
The primary factor influencing a project’s place in the hierarchy of uses is whether the proposed
use is permitted "by right" or allowed subject to certain conditions, or whether a Conditional Use
Permit or other permit type with review by the Planning Commission, is required. This determination
is a reflection of community issues and concerns that should be embodied in the General Plan.
Decisions about where an application fits in the hierarchy may also, however, be influenced by
how a jurisdiction selects and designs administrative techniques. It is often possible, for example,
to reduce the review threshold for a particular type of application (i.e. place it lower in the
hierarchy), by increasing the specificity of development standards and performance-based
criteria.
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Adjust Review Thresholds
The Zoning and Subdivision Ordinance Update provides an opportunity to adjust review thresholds
based on analysis of the types of issues and projects in the City that have typically generated the
most interest and concern. For example, projects that currently require Planning Commission
approval but are consistently approved without public comment, such as small condominium
projects, might be shifted to the jurisdiction of the Community Development Department Director.
Generally speaking, responsibilities should be assigned with a view toward minimizing the number
of players involved in making any given decision, while increasing opportunities for meaningful
public input.
The number of uses that require discretionary review can be reduced by including carefully
crafted standards and restrictions that are specific to specific uses throughout the City or in
particular zones into the Zoning Ordinance. As a result, the community and decision-makers may
be confident their vision is being implemented and may reduce the need to weigh in on individual
projects, allowing more projects to be approved administratively.
There are a variety of approaches the City could use to reduce the number of uses requiring
review, including permitting more uses by right subject to:
• Compliance with development and design standards that could be added to the
Zoning Ordinance based on the General Plan’s goals for design quality;
• Compliance with new standards and requirements that reflect “standard conditions”
that are typically imposed when such uses have been conditionally approved; and
• Compliance with specific limitations on location, floor area, hours of operation, and
similar features that are the source of potential adverse impact.
Consider a Minor Use Permit Process
The City may also consider a new type of use permit – a Minor Use Permit – approved by the
Community Development Director. The Minor Use Permit would be required for uses that are
“limited in scope and impacts” but which currently require a hearing by the Planning Commission,
or could be used for minor amendments to Use Permits. Applications for Minor Use Permits would
be subject to public notice and a hearing before the Director would only be held if someone
requested one. All decisions would be subject to appeal. The Director would also have the
authority to defer action and refer the application to the Planning Commission for final action.
Notice of decision or notice of pending decision could be given to Planning Commissioners with
an option for the Planning Commission to call for review of a project. Such a procedure creates
more certainty in the process for both the community and developers while still providing
opportunities for meaningful public input. Conditional Use Permits would be reserved for uses that
pose potential or significant land use compatibility issues and warrant Planning Commission review
and approval.
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Ordinance-users expressed that it wasn’t always clear what the review
process or who the review authority was for a given decision.
Unclear Review and Approval Procedures
Ordinance-users expressed that it wasn’t always clear what the review process or who the review
authority was for a given decision. Chapter 17.68, Procedure, Hearings, Notices and Fees, of the
current Zoning Ordinance contains some common permit procedures. Other chapters contain
permit-specific provisions for reports of decision and findings, effective dates, appeals,
reapplication, revocation, and expiration. In many cases it is unclear how these procedures differ
from permit to permit, especially when many other aspects of the permit procedures, including
review body, are the same. For example, both parking plans and conditional use permits are
subject to Planning Commission approval. The Zoning Ordinance is clear in stating that a decision
by the Planning Commission of a conditional use permit may be appealed to the City Council.
However, for parking plans, the Zoning Ordinance states that processing procedures are to be set
by resolution of the City Council and is silent on appeal procedures, leaving many questions. Is a
parking plan appealable? If a parking plan is submitted along with a Conditional Use Permit and
the Conditional Use Permit is appealed, is the parking plan up for consideration as part of the
appeal?
Clearly distinguishing the issuing authority and applicable review process helps clarify the level of
review required for a project. Additionally, procedural nuances between different types of
approvals, often with the same review authority, is confusing. The creation of a simplified permit
structure that establishes a limited number of procedural tracks for approvals would provide
greater clarity for all users and simplify administration.
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Clarify Administrative Procedures for All Decisions
The updated Zoning Ordinance should set forth clear administrative procedures to be followed
for all types of decisions. The level and extent of administrative process required for different types
of decisions will vary. However, for even the simplest administrative procedures, the Ordinance
should, at a minimum, establish unambiguous authority for approval and the process for appeal.
The approval process can be streamlined simply by consolidating and clarifying procedures and
permit approval criteria. Decision-making protocols should be clearly defined so that it is clear
how approvals are processed, and the intent of these regulations should be included to help
determine if a proposal meets the purpose of the regulation. Findings that the decision-making
body is required to make in order to approve a project should be clear so that all interested parties
know the criteria against which a project is evaluated.
Expanding the set of common permit procedures would improve usability by helping applicants
to understand the general review process more easily. Where necessary, unique procedures
could be developed for specific permit types, but generally, permits with the same review body
should follow the same procedures. Elements of a standard set of common administrative
procedures include the following:
• A clear and consistent authority for determining whether an application is complete;
• Clear and consistent procedures for appeals;
• Requirements for public notification; and
• Permit effective dates and time extension procedures.
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9 COMPLIANCE WITH STATE AND
FEDERAL LAW
California law grants cities and counties relatively broad discretion in the regulation of land uses
and development, and the Federal courts and United States Congress have, for the most part,
left land use and environmental regulation up to state and local government. There are, however,
some important exceptions to this approach. If local regulations conflict with federal law, pursuant
to the supremacy clause of the United State Constitution, then local laws are preempted. In some
cases, both Congress and the State have identified matters of critical concern that limit the
authority of California cities.
This section discusses some State and Federal laws to consider through the update of the Zoning
and Subdivision Ordinances.
Housing
As California's housing supply and homelessness crisis continues, the State Legislature has passed
numerous pieces of housing legislation in each legislative session of the past several years. Most
recent legislation is aimed at streamlining approval of housing projects and reducing barriers to
the creation of housing. The City has been actively working to comply with the legislation through
a number of mechanisms. Highlights of housing related legislation most relevant to the Zoning
Ordinance are briefly summarized below.
Housing Developments
SB330, the Housing Crisis Act, limits cities’ and counties’ ability to regulate housing developments,
including residential development, mixed use development with 2/3 of the square footage for
residential, and transitional and supportive housing. It creates a preliminary application process
where existing objective development standards are those in effect when a preliminary
application is submitted, establishes timeframes for when a historic determination and project
approval must be made, and limits the number of hearings.
A number of provisions address housing density. General Plan and zoning densities may not be
reduced below 2018 numbers. This includes changes to development standards that lessen
intensity of housing. Zoning may not be changed to remove housing, and there may be no onsite
reduction in the number of units.
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The Housing Crisis Act also prohibits local jurisdictions from imposing or enforcing new subjective
design standards. Establishing objective development standards for housing developments are
discussed in more detail in section 5 of this paper.
Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)
New laws further restrict what local agencies may regulate regarding ADUs. Local agencies may
not adopt ADU ordinances that: impose minimum lot size requirements for ADUs; set certain
maximum ADU dimensions; require replacement off-street parking when a "garage, carport or
covered parking structure" is demolished or converted to construct the ADU. New laws allow for
an ADU as well as a "junior" ADU where certain access, setback and other criteria are met and
explicitly identifies opportunities for ADUs in multifamily buildings. Additionally, until Jan. 1, 2025,
cities may not condition approval of ADU building permit applications on the applicant being the
"owner-applicant" of either the primary dwelling or the ADU. Hermosa Beach adopted its
Accessory Dwelling Unit Ordinance consistent with the new legislation in December 2019.
Affordable Housing
The State Density Bonus Law (Cal. Gov’t Code §65915) allows for density bonuses and additional
incentives for affordable housing. Cal. Gov’t Code §65913 expedites state and local residential
development, assuring local agencies can sufficiently zone for affordable housing, and
encourage and incentivize affordable housing. Recent changes to the State Density Bonus Law
increase the density bonus and other concessions for 100 percent affordable housing projects.
Housing projects with a minimum of 80 percent low income units and up to 20 percent moderate
income units are eligible for a density bonus of up to 80 percent the maximum allowed density or
a density bonus with no limit if located within ½ mile of a major transit stop and qualify for at least
four concessions, reduced parking requirements, and a height increase of up to three stories or 33
feet when located within ½ mile of a major transit stop.
Housing for Persons with Disabilities
Various provisions in both federal and State law limit the authority of local agencies to regulate
facilities for mentally and physically handicapped persons. In 1988, Congress extended the 1968
Fair Housing Act’s prohibitions against housing discrimination to include discrimination on the basis
of handicap or familial status (families with children). The Federal Fair Housing Act Amendments
(FHAA) defined "handicapped" to include persons with physical or mental disabilities and
recovering alcoholics and drug addicts. The FHAA not only prevents communities from
discriminating against handicapped individuals but also requires "reasonable accommodations
in rules policies, practices, or services, when such accommodations are necessary to afford
[handicapped persons an] equal opportunity to use and enjoy a dwelling." The California Fair
Employment and Housing Act, codified as Government Code Sections 12900 to 12996, reinforces
provisions of federal statute to prohibit any unlawful discrimination against persons with disabilities.
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The State Supreme Court has prohibited local agencies from limiting the number of persons
unrelated by blood, marriage, or adoption who can reside in a single-family home.
Pursuant to Cal. Health & Safety Code §1566.3, a residential care facility that serves six or fewer
people is considered a residential use and its occupants, regardless of legal relation, are
considered a family for purposes of residential use laws and zoning codes. Further, such a use shall
not be included within the definition of a boarding house, rooming house, institution or home for
the care of minors, the aged, or persons with mental health disorders, foster care home, guest
home, rest home, community residence, or other similar term that implies that the residential
facility is a business run for profit or differs in any other way from a family dwelling.
Manufactured Housing
The Land Use and Development Code is compliant with Cal. Gov’t Code §§65852.3-.5 which
requires local agencies to allow the installation of manufactured homes certified under the
National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. §§5401
et seq.) on a foundation system, pursuant to Cal. Health & Safety Code §1855, on lots zoned for
single-family dwellings.
Adult Oriented Businesses
Local agencies may regulate, pursuant to a content-neutral ordinance, the time, place, and
manner of operation of sexually-oriented business when the ordinance serves a substantial
government interest, does not unreasonably limit alternative avenues of communication, and is
based on narrow, objective, and definite standards (Cal. Gov’t Code §65850.4). Through the
Zoning Ordinance update, regulations must ensure there are a reasonable range of alternative
sites where adult-oriented businesses may be located.
Coastal Act
In 1976, the California Coastal Act was passed to protect coastal resources and maximize public
access to the shoreline in the coastal zone, which is designated by the State Legislature. As part
of the Coastal Act, local governments can prepare and implement Local Coastal Programs (LCPs)
that are consistent with and achieve the objectives of the Coastal Act.
The Coastal Act gives priority to:
• Coastal-dependent and coastal-related uses and activities, such as commercial
fishing, recreational boating and water-oriented recreational activities;
• Coastal access and recreational needs, such as public coastal access and recreation,
along with consideration of traffic, parking, circulation and infrastructure needs; and
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• Environmentally sensitive areas, including the protection and restoration of water
quality and sensitive habitat areas, along with consideration of shoreline erosion and
sea level rise.
Once an LCP is approved by the Coastal Commission, local governments have the responsibility
of issuing coastal permits for most new development, subject to the standards set in the certified
LCP.
Each LCP consists of a local coastal land use plan, which the City drafted with the PLAN Hermosa
effort and is preparing to submit to the Coastal Commission for certification, and an
implementation plan consisting of measures to implement the plan (primarily the Zoning
Ordinance). Thus, the Zoning Ordinance must conform with and carry out the local coastal land
use plan.
Cottage Food Operations
Pursuant to Cal. Gov't Code §51035, a city or
county may not prohibit cottage food operations
(homemade and packaged food defined in Cal.
Health & Safety Code §113758) in any residential
dwelling, but shall do one of the following: Classify
the use as a permitted use in any residential zone,
grant a nondiscretionary permit for the use, or
require a permit for the use.
Emergency Shelters; Transitional and Supportive Uses
Cal. Gov’t Code §§65582, 65583, and 65589.5 require each local government to: 1) amend its
Code to identify district(s) where emergency shelters are allowed as a permitted use without a
conditional use or other discretionary permit to include sufficient capacity to accommodate the
need for emergency shelter identified in the housing element, and 2) treat transitional and
supportive housing as a residential use of the property subject only to those restrictions that apply
to other residential dwellings of the same type in the same district. Cal. Gov’t Code §65582
contains definitions for "supportive housing," "target population," and "transitional housing" to be
more specific to housing element law.
AB2162 requires that supportive housing be a use by right in districts where multifamily and mixed
uses are permitted, including nonresidential districts permitting multifamily uses, if the proposed
housing development meets specified criteria, and requires a local government to approve,
within specified periods, a supportive housing development that complies with these requirements.
Local governments are prohibited from imposing any minimum parking requirement for units
occupied by supportive housing residents if the development is located within ½ mile of a public
transit stop.
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Family Day Care Homes
Pursuant to Cal. Health & Safety Code §§1597.30 et seq., small family day care homes in a
residential unit is a residential use and is not subject to a fee or business license. Large family day
care homes may not be prohibited in any district where residential is allowed, but a city or county
shall do one of the following: classify the use as a permitted residential use, grant a non-
discretionary permit for the use, or require a permit for the use. However, zoning requirements for
large family day care home must be reasonable and are limited to spacing and concentration,
traffic control, parking, and noise control. Noise control standards must be consistent with the
general noise ordinance and must take noise levels generated by children into consideration.
Processing and Review Procedures
State law specifies a number of processing requirements and review procedures related to land
use regulation. These include procedures and requirements for development agreements (Cal.
Gov't Code §§65864 et seq.), general plan consistency (Cal. Gov't Code §65860), permit review
timelines (Cal. Gov't Code §§65920 et seq.), prezoning land upon annexation (Cal. Gov't Code
§65859), notice of public hearings (Cal. Gov't Code §§65090 et seq.), variances (Cal. Gov't Code
§§65900 et seq.), and zoning amendment procedures Cal. Gov't Code §§65853 et seq.).
Religious Uses
The Federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000 (RLUIPA) requires public
agencies to demonstrate a compelling government interest and to use the least restrictive means
when making a land use decision that imposes a substantial burden on religious exercise. Religious
uses must be treated the same as similar non-religious uses. Additionally, regulations cannot
impose a substantial burden to religious exercise.
Signs
In June 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Reed v. Town of Gilbert (No. 135 S.CT. 2218, 2015)
affirmed that sign regulations must be “content-neutral” to survive a legal challenge. In order to
be content-neutral and satisfy First Amendment limitations, sign regulations must be based on
“time, place, and manner” restrictions, rather than by content- or message-based restrictions.
Content-based regulations are subject to what is called a “strict scrutiny” standard – that is, a
compelling governmental interest must be demonstrated and regulations must be narrowly
tailored to serve that interest.
Solar Energy Systems
Cal. Gov't Code §65850.5 requires that solar energy systems be approved administratively with
requirements limited to health and safety requirements per local, State, and federal law and those
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necessary to ensure systems will not have a specific, adverse impact on public health or safety. A
use permit may be required if the building official makes a finding based on substantial evidence
that a specific, adverse impact on public health or safety would result. Every city and county is
required to have an ordinance expediting permitting for small residential rooftop solar energy
systems.
Telecommunications
The Federal Telecommunications Act of 1996 Limits state or local governments' authority to
regulate placement, construction, and modification of personal wireless service facilities. State or
local governments must not unreasonably discriminate against providers of functionally
equivalent services and not prohibit or effectually prohibit use of personal wireless devices. Further,
state or local governments shall not regulate placement, construction, and modification of
personal wireless service facilities based on the environmental effect of radio frequency emissions,
to the extent that such facilities comply with FCC regulations. Cal. Gov't Code § 65850.6 requires
a city or county to ministerially approve an application for a co-location facility on or immediately
adjacent to an existing wireless telecommunications co-location facility. It also prohibits a city or
county from imposing certain conditions of approval on permits for construction or reconstruction
of wireless telecommunications facility.
Water Conservation and Landscaping
Cal. Gov't Code §53087.7 prohibits cities or
counties from enacting any regulation that
substantially increases the cost of installing,
effectively prohibits, or significantly impedes
the installation drought tolerant landscaping,
synthetic grass, or artificial turf on residential
property. The Water Conservation in
Landscaping Act of 2006 (Cal. Gov't Code
§65597) requires local agencies to adopt the
updated Department of Water Resources
(DWR) Model Water Efficient Landscape
Ordinance (WELO) or a local landscape
ordinance that is at least as effective in
conserving water.
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APPENDIX A
ORDINANCE USER INTERVIEW SUMMARY
Introduction
As part of the initial evaluation of the current Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances, the consultant
team conducted a series of interviews with a range of “ordinance users”– people who have
utilized the Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances in Hermosa Beach and/or have a specific interest
in regulations that will implement the updated General Plan/Local Coastal Plan–to understand
the concerns and issues associated with updating the ordinances. The ordinance users
interviewed encompassed a variety of people, which included: landowners, developers,
architects, real estate professionals, and designers.
The City’s consultants conducted eight hour-long interview sessions on March 4, 2020, in addition
to two phone interviews on March 12, 2020. A total of 31 code users in groups of one to five people
were interviewed. The confidential interviews were conducted by staff from the consulting team–
Martha Miller of Miller Planning Associates and Diane Bathgate of RRM Design Group. No staff
members were present during the interviews to encourage candid responses. Participants were
asked a series of questions regarding overarching concerns as well as specific topics related to
the City’s Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances. People attending were also given the opportunity
to discuss issues of significance to them that were not otherwise discussed or addressed from the
facilitated questions.
Themes
A strong consensus among code users emerged about what major issues are. While ordinance
users may ultimately differ on precise changes to take, there was clear agreement that the Zoning
and Subdivision Ordinances require modifications to be more understandable, to reflect existing
conditions, and to achieve major City policy goals. Generally, ordinance users thought the City’s
regulations were outdated and in need of improvement in order to achieve the community’s
vision for the future. Following is a list of major themes heard during the interviews. A
comprehensive list of comments received, organized by topic, is attached.
1. Do not regulate based on the worst-case scenario.
• This approach causes unintended consequences that often obstruct the ability to
achieve other city goals.
2. Make the regulations easier to use, understand, and interpret.
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• Include practices and interpretations currently used, but not officially documented
and apply regulations with a “common sense” mindset.
3. Parking requirements are a major obstacle to investment and reinvestment.
• Reduce parking requirements and incorporate flexibility, particularly for nonresidential
uses.
4. Allow a wider variety of uses to occupy vacant spaces and generate activity, particularly
in the Downtown and along corridors.
5. Align Downtown regulations and processes with market-driven strategies for reinvestment.
6. Clarify the review process and make it less onerous.
• Adjust review bodies and processes to more appropriately reflect the significance of
a project.
Comments
General Comments
• The Zoning Ordinance is very cumbersome to work with. It’s hard to find things if you are not
familiar with it. It’s hard for the first 10 years, the next 20 years of working with it are not so bad.
• There are so many little idiosyncrasies in the Ordinance that you would not know if you didn’t
work with it on other projects.
• PLAN Hermosa policies and implementing actions should be evaluated to determine what
should be addressed in the Zoning Ordinance and what should be addressed in other parts of
the Municipal Code or through other means.
• The City’s approach seems to be that everyone gets punished when they have issues with a
few. The City tends to overreact.
• In general, there is a fear of change.
• City receives generational mixed messages. Now is completely opposite from previous vision.
What is the desired image for the City? Boutique? Party? Quiet?
• The Zoning Code lacks incentives to revitalize.
• Redevelopment efforts in downtown are a “nightmare.”
• Focus on the vision in PLAN Hermosa, not incremental change.
• Clearer rules and regulations, all written down to minimize multiple interpretations.
• Keep density to what residents want, do not facilitate overdevelopment.
• Improving review processes to be more predictable and streamlined would entice more
investment and improvement, especially important for downtown Hermosa Beach.
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• There is a need to build more housing.
• Provide for more gathering and placemaking opportunities.
• Align regulations to support market-driven reinvestment.
• Hermosa Beach deserves a better downtown.
• Address catalyst properties and need City leadership.
Design and Development Standards
• A lot of policy is interpreted through the code; that makes it hard. For example, the way to
determine height was first changed based on a policy for interpretation. Another example is
determining whether a portion of a garage is below grade. The language in the Ordinance
says to take natural grade but when the City analyzed the project, they used a straight-line
method to determine grade. That was different from how Staff applied the exact same
standard previously. The Ordinance language didn’t change, the interpretation of how to
apply it did.
• Trash issue – City wanted to take away shared facilities, ordinance passed, knee jerk response
to restaurants not keeping clean. Need to look at larger context and implications, not just
specific case.
• Small lots – make one threshold.
• Open space and parking requirements can conflict.
• Lot coverage and open space requirements can be redundant and need to be loosened up
(“it’s now like a Rubik’s Cube).
• Allow more flexibility with renovations, allow full renovations without bringing all up to code.
• Important to allow for condominiums and consider reduction in size.
• Modify exceptions for building height (increase from 5 percent).
• R-1 zone problems with alley garage, parking in the rear, and open space compliance (for
example, on Myrtle Street can push whole building back and never reach compliance).
• Open space regulations currently require 10 feet by 10 feet space - provides a disincentive for
varied walls and good design.
• R-1 and R-2 have different interpretations of open space requirements – make consistent.
• Recommend being able to allow side yard to be used toward open space requirement.
• Consider allowing half of front yard toward open space for an alley condition.
• For public right-of-way between parkway and lot, need consistency in regulations and a
mechanism for future removal of improvements (bond, grant deed, etc.)
• Reconcile General Plan and Code conflicts regarding sidewalk encroachments.
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• Alley access is encouraged in PLAN Hermosa, but it is not in the Zoning Code.
• The sign ordinance is confusing, such as fascia board requirements allow for a too big of a
range and only one wall sign is allowed per business.
• Design standards are lacking except for SPA-11 area. Need guidance for: – Window glazing - do not want highly reflective glazing, needs to be added to
Code. – Murals – need clarifying direction as now can apply to front wall or glazing but
consider allowing stepping back graphic a foot or two. – Drive-through uses – now need a use permit, in conflict with carbon neutrality goals,
consider standard for new drive-throughs. – Lot mergers/subdivisions – now new lots must be 4,000 square feet in size, consider
consistencies with adjacent lots, ownership ties, require lot mergers for R-1 lots only.
• Reconsider building heights and floor area ratio (FAR) regulations, are currently disincentives
to redevelop.
• Clarify how side yards are measured (for example, existing requirement is 10 percent with 3
feet clear).
• Clarify regulations regarding convex slopes, need to apply more common sense.
• Have many legal nonconforming lots, consider mergers and other strategies.
• Allow buildings of three stories, consistent with character.
• Require more trees (consider shorter species in consideration of view protection).
• Consider changing building height methodology.
• Need standards tailored for each neighborhood/area.
• Enhance requirements for more permeable surfaces where possible.
Land Use Regulations
• The community is concerned with construction impacts. The City is small, and the lots are small.
Nothing can be built without impacting neighbors. Maybe there is a need for a construction
ordinance.
• The way traffic impacts are considered will change as the traffic impact analysis shifts to
consideration of vehicle miles travelled (VMT). How the City decides to manage VMT should
get wrapped into the Zoning Ordinance.
• Sometimes new uses that on their own create additional vehicle trips, actually reduce the
overall number and length of vehicle trips when located in already developed areas. A
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commercial use that adds diversity in a built area can reduce trips because people are
already in an area and can meet that need without going to another location.
• The jobs/housing imbalance in the City is exasperated by the Zoning Ordinance. The basic
environmental issues in Hermosa Beach is affordable housing.
• Mixed-use zoning would be appropriate for the PCH corridor
• Reconsider conditional use permits to be more context appropriate (for example, allow full
liquor CUP use to stay open past 10 pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights). Make an
allowable use or less stringent when not adjacent to residential.
• The current open space rules sometimes push bad design.
• Restaurants and party businesses should be treated differently. Restaurants should not require
a CUP.
• Reconsider ground floor uses to allow for creative office or office, especially in areas not as
desirable for restaurant or retail (such as outskirts of downtown). This could help address
Hermosa Beach’s lack of weekday, daytime population to support businesses.
• Revisit assembly CUP thresholds (anything over 15 people needs CUP process which may be
appropriate for a church, but not for new fitness use).
• Add regulations for accessory dwelling units (ADUs) into Code and consider providing shelf
ready, pre-drawn plans and allowing pre-fabricated options.
• Add in requirements of SB 1818 and SB 330 into Code.
• Reduce loopholes in Local Coastal Program (LCP).
• For historic resources, need to be clear on regulations.
• Frontage requirements along the Strand (3 feet, 9 feet or 17 feet setbacks) are impediments
to design (not effective at original intent of discouraging parking behind units).
• Condominium developments do not need to go to Planning Commission.
• Reconcile mixed use direction between General Plan (discouraged) and Zoning Code
(allowed).
• In the Cypress Avenue area, loosen up light industrial/manufacturing regulations to allow for
other uses (such as brewery, coffee house, galleries, architecture offices, incidental retail,
other arts-related uses) and consider performance standards to ensure compatibility with
neighboring residences.
• Clarify and make consistent parking/driveway allowances (now inconsistent between single
family and multi-family).
• Clarify downhill slope transition requirements to ensure public water is not going onto private,
downward driveways (sometimes request concrete swale or trench drain).
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• For the Building Code, City uses California Code with a few modifications, and it works pretty
well with the Zoning Code. Sometimes a conflict arises, such as with low impact development
(LID) using rain barrels in the side yard for onsite water retention.
• Regarding the M-1 zone, there are many different opinions and perspectives on current and
future use and it is not designed well for public access. Current Planning Commission direction
allows retail only with a temporary event permit.
• Allow for mixed use (with residential or office above commercial) and address parking
concerns.
• Reconcile differences between California Coastal Commission, State, and City regarding
housing requirements such as with ADUs, JADUs, FAR, etc.
• Office uses should be allowed in commercial zones, even if need to limit amount of square
footage or require to be above ground floor.
• Establish adaptive reuse requirements.
• Hermosa Beach generally has a “one size fits all” approach to multi-family zoning regulations
but have some very different neighborhoods so requirements need to be more tailored. For
example, 400 square feet of open space is required regardless of lot size – consider
percentage requirement.
• Remove building separation standard on same site (only really applies to past design patterns).
• Ensure compatibility between uses such as between commercial and residential uses,
especially important for small, compact patterns in Hermosa Beach.
Parking Regulations
• Parking is the issue that holds up projects. The City could address this by being more flexible on
parking.
• City needs to catch up with the State and revisit parking along the transit corridor (PCH).
• Parking is the number one issue when requesting approvals.
• City needs to build in-lieu space parking structure and has the funds.
• In-lieu parking program previously approved is now not available and is unfair.
• Commercial uses get push back from neighborhoods and City does not enforce residents to
use garages.
• Encourage Uber, Lyft, shuttle, buses and messaging that may need to walk a bit.
• Consider 20 percent parking requirement if provide bicycle racks.
• City may have overissued resident parking passes.
• The parking variance process is too onerous, expensive, lengthy and risky.
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• Need to be forward thinking with parking strategies.
• Consider public private partnership (PPP) approach to building a parking structure south of
Sharkeez.
• Recommend not requiring parking for small businesses.
• Consider no parking for historic resources.
• Revisit parking recommendations in the Downtown Strategic Plan.
• City’s current parking regulations are outdated.
• Have observed inconsistent treatment for waiving parking, need more consistency.
• Move downtown parking inland so folks will need to walk by retail/stores.
• Employees have no dedicated parking area.
• Two-hour parking limit is too restrictive for dining/restaurants.
• Parking is only an issue primarily on weekends.
• Concerned with ADU garage conversions as there is no requirement for additional parking.
• Reduce and eliminate off-street parking requirements.
• Allow use of shared parking between private and public uses.
Zoning Administration and Process
• The City’s planning review process is ridiculous. Over the last four years or so, it has become
extremely difficult. Staff will not talk to you about a project unless you make an appointment.
Even if you simply want to drop off plans, you must have an appointment. This is cumbersome.
Also, if you are missing anything, Staff will not accept the project. The problem is, they are just
doing a partial plan check at the counter. So even if you correct that, they haven’t looked at
everything and they will give you corrections again. It goes on and on.
• The level of detail in plans required for planning review is excessive. The City basically requires
you to prepare engineering drawings before you even know if a project is viable. Engineered
plans are required too early in the entitlement process.
• Of all jurisdictions I’ve worked in, Hermosa Beach used to be the most straightforward and
common sense in their review. Now they are the worst.
• Hermosa Beach doesn’t have design review, which is a good thing.
• Lengthy process to entitle hotel at 14th Street and Hermosa Avenue.
• Due to the length of the development process and EIR, project is now on hold and requires
new financing.
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• Time to get things approved is abnormally long due to stringent policies and general
complacency at all levels (for example, patio approval along the Strand took a year and half).
• City is good at processing routine items, much longer times if there are different interests
involved.
• Regulations are not always easily apparent, and everything goes to Planning Commission (for
example, reduction of seats at a brewery went to Planning Commission and cost $6500).
• Changes in staff result in different direction and can cause confusion.
• Staff is helpful, accessible, and open to discussion, and provides complete information on
what needs to be submitted.
• Planning Commission discusses and adds restrictions if no issues or neighbor testimony.
• Consider administrative approval unless comments are received and then take to a public
meeting (Director, Zoning Administrator, or Planning Commission).
• Applicants do not receive comments ahead of meetings and can be blindsided (for example,
applicant not allowed to review screencheck EIR).
• Would like more certainty in the process.
• Consider better forums and opportunities to work out issues.
• Code interpretations sometimes are unwritten rules that applicant finds out after the fact.
• Make sure there are clear inspection standards.
• Planning and Public Works sometimes do not communicate well which can result in conflicting
requirements. Provide clearer areas of responsibility for site planning and for right of way, such
as with grading and drainage.
• Remove requirement to submit materials on CD (too antiquated).
• For convex slope determinations, change from Planning Commission level to administrative
(Director), but appealable.
• Allow more decisions to be made at the administrative level (such as minor modifications, use
permits, others).
• Establish one point in time to bring lots into conformance (remove structure, merge, or fire wall).
• Change of use request process is too long and too expensive (since go to Planning
Commission) and is a disincentive for new small businesses. Consider more
ministerial/administrative processes to be business friendly.
• Provide a process for including critical points so can be reviewed in the field with plan set.
• Recommend interdepartmental routing of conceptual plans, include summary “up front” of
requirements for all departments, and enhance interdepartmental communication.
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• Regarding survey standards, require corner monuments and verifications that ties were
established/set, filed and inspected in the field.
• Provide a written, digital checklist on website of requirements.
• Single-family related applications do not need to be reviewed by Planning Commission if
comply with rules.
Example References
• Redondo Beach’s Code is pretty good.
• Manhattan Beach’s Code is cumbersome but tailored. The Planning Department put together
tools to help streamline the process. For residential projects, they have a check sheet with
every code that is related to project. It’s a helpful tool to use when designing a project.
• For parking, City of Los Angeles allows fractions of parking spaces or replacement with bicycle
racks.
• For parking, West Hollywood does not require parking for uses less than 10,000 square feet.
• Look into Urban Land Institute (ULI) strategies for shared parking.
• Review City of Long Beach example regarding limitations on drive-through uses.
• Manhattan Beach has good regulations for ADUs and Junior ADUs including a streamlined
process.
• Torrance has a “one stop” desk that covers requirements of all departments.
• El Segundo “Sleepy Hollow” is a good example of a creative office district.
• Look at potential parking approaches in Manhattan Beach and El Segundo to help “right size”
parking requirements and provide flexibility.
• Coastal Commission has become more accepting of parking changes, see examples in Santa
Monica and San Diego.
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List of Interviewees
Adam Eisenberg
Bob Healey
Bob Rollins
Brandon Straus
Chrissie Grasso
Christie Teague
Dean Nota
Ed Almanza
Fran Uralman
George Schmeltzer
George Shweiri
Jason Muller
John Starr
Jon Davide
Jonathan Wicks
Karynne Thim
Larry Peha
Laura Pena
Lisa Ryder
Lori Ford
Maria Islas
Maryl Binney
Michelle Licata
Mike Grannis
Mike Levine
Mike Wally
Nicole Ellis
Peter Nolan
Stacey Straus
Stefan Schmandt
William “Bill” Errett
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From: Jon David <jon415pier@gmail.com>
Sent: Monday, August 8, 2022 3:13 PM
To: DG_PlanningCommission <DG_PlanningCommission@hermosabeach.gov>
Subject: District and Design Standards Meeting
Dear Commissioners:
I will do my best to make it in for tonight's meeting but in the event I do not make it I am sharing my thoughts on the
topic of district and design standards.
Flexibility in design is the very thing that has given Hermosa its eclectic character. I would hate to see that disappear.
For this reason it is important to avoid being overly prescriptive when it comes to design in our downtown
district. Too much design prescription allows logic to lead emotion when it comes to design. Emotions are the thing
that drives behavior and is why a person often chooses to be at one place over another. They "like the vibe". I do not
want to see our eclectic character sanitized away.
The determination of a space's ceiling height should be left to the designers. Forcing a minimum height limit for
ground level limits flexibility and the ability to create more useful spaces. For example, the newly developed
retail/office building next to The Stanton is a great project with ground floor retail, and two levels of office above. If the
owner can fill up the space, it will drive more feet onto that part of Hermosa Ave, increasing the economic vibrancy in
that area. It could not have been developed in its current form with ground level minimums exceeding 10 feet.
Perhaps it never would have been developed at all.
As far as Floor to area ratios, providing a 1.75 FAR in the recreational commercial area, while the rest of the
downtown has 1.25 FAR pushes investment and active use away from the very parts of our city that need it the
most. The very concept of FAR's when you have a 30ft height limit is overkill since the building scale is already
constrained by the height. At the very minimum please increase the C2 zone FAR to that similar to the recreational
commercial zone. The staff report suggests treating increasing FARs separately because of the need for a new
environmental impact report. Zoning is being done now. It has our focus and energy. Please refer this matter to the
City Council now so they decide on the necessity of obtaining an environmental impact report to expand the C-2 zone
FAR's.
In the previous meeting, planning commission members wanted clarity on what various Floor to area ratios actually
look like. When I look at the illustrations I do not see the FAR have much effect on the downtown character or
experience. Please find FAR illustrations below:
Supplemental
Information
V.b
Attachment #9
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Thank you for taking the time to read this and for your ongoing commitment to our city.
Warmly
Jon David
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