2020/05/12 City Council Resolution 2020-039 RESOLUTION NO. 2020-039
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ROHNERT PARK
APPROVING AN AMENDED SPECIFIC PLAN FOR THE UNIVERSITY DISTRICT
SPECIFIC PLAN PROJECT LOCATED SOUTH OF KEISER AVENUE, WEST OF
PETALUMA HILL ROAD,AND NORTH OF ROHNERT PARK EXPRESSWAY
WHEREAS; the applicant, Brookfield Homes filed Planning Applications proposing
amendments to the General Plan(PLGP 19-0001), and amendments to the Specific Plan(PLSP 19-
0001), for the University District Specific Plan ("Project") located south of Keiser Avenue, west
of Petaluma Hill Road,and north of Rohnert Park Expressway(various APNs), in accordance with
the City of Rohnert Park Municipal Code ("RPMC"); and
WHEREAS, in conjunction with Planning Application No. PLSP19-0001, the Project
proposes approval of an amended University District Specific Plan, attached to and incorporated
in this Resolution as Exhibit A (the "Amended Specific Plan"); and
WHEREAS,the purpose of the proposed amended plan is to allow a reduction in lot size
and increased density for Estate Residential lots and to provide for more detail regarding design
standards for individual residential lots; and
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Rohnert Park has certified the Final EIR
prepared for the University District Plan Project and the proposed amendments are consistent with
the Final EIR; and
WHEREAS, on August 8, 2019, the Planning Commission held a duly noticed public
hearing at which time interested persons had an opportunity to testify either in support or
opposition to the proposal and the Planning Commission recommended that the City Council
approve the proposed University District Specific Plan amendments; and
WHEREAS,pursuant to California State Law and the RPMC,public hearing notices were
mailed to all property owners within an area exceeding a 300-foot radius of the subject property
and a public hearing was published for a minimum of 10 days prior to the public hearing in the
Community Voice; and
WHEREAS, on May 12, 2020, the City Council held a public hearing at which time
interested persons had an opportunity testify either in support or opposition to the proposed
University District Specific Plan Amendments; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has reviewed and considered the information contained in
the proposed University District Specific Plan Amendments.
NOW,THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Rohnert
Park makes the following findings, determinations and recommendations with respect to the
proposed amended specific plan:
Section 1. The above recitations are true and correct.
Section 2. Environmental Review:
A. On May 23, 2006, the City Council of the City of Rohnert Park certified the Final
EIR for this Project, including adoption of associated CEQA Findings, Statement of Overriding
Considerations, and the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program, as described in City
Council Resolution No. 2006-141. The City Council approved the Addendum to the Final EIR, as
described in City Council Resolution No. 2014-032 approved on April 8, 2014. The proposed
University District Specific Plan Amendments, including a decreased lot size and increase in
maximum allowed density for the Rural Estate Residential Land Use Designation with no increase
in total dwelling units, are consistent with the analyses in the 2006 EIR and 2014 Addendum and
will not result in additional environmental effects not previously evaluated in the EIR and
Addendum.No additional environmental review is necessary.
B. Further, CEQA Guidelines section 15162 provides that "no subsequent EIR shall
be prepared" for a project unless the lead agency determines that (1) "substantial changes are
proposed in the project which will require major revisions of the previous EIR";or(2)"substantial
changes occur with respect to the circumstances under which the project is undertaken"; or (3)
``new information of substantial importance ... shows" one or more significant effects not
discussed in the original EIR,greater severity to previously-identified substantial effects,or newly-
found feasible mitigation measures that would substantially reduce significant effects. The
proposed University District Specific Plan Amendments, including a decreased lot size and
increase in maximum allowed density for the Rural Estate Residential Land Use Designation with
no increase in total dwelling units, are minor and will not result in any changes to the proposed
Project not previously analyzed in the 2006 EIR and 2014 Addendum and no new information of
substantial importance shows any significant effects or newly found feasible mitigation measures
that would substantially reduce significant effects.
Section 3. Findings.The City Council hereby makes the following findings concerning
the General Plan amendments proposed by Planning Application PLSP19-0001:
1. The specific plan or specific plan amendment is consistent with the city's General Plan.
Criteria Satisfied. The Amended Specific Plan would continue to implement the
General Plan's goals for the University District Specific Plan Area as described in the
Land Use and Community Design Element.The Amended Specific Plan complies with
the goals and policies of the City's Housing Element and inclusionary housing
ordinance by helping create a diverse housing stock and maximizing housing
production opportunities as contemplated in the Specific Plan.
2. The specific plan or specific plan amendment will not adversely affect the public health
and safety or result in incompatible land uses.
Criteria Satisfied. The Amended Specific Plan is not expected to have negative
impacts on the health or well-being of Project residents or occupants of the surrounding
land uses. The proposed revisions to the size of the estate lots are consistent with the
current Specific Plan and are in character with surrounding neighborhoods. The
proposed revisions to the design standards provide additional clarity to the approved
single family lot design.
3. The specific plan or specific plan amendment provides the framework to phase and
pace growth within the specific plan area so as to ensure completion of all necessary
public facilities concurrently with completion of the specific plan; or, alternately, a
statement of public policy consideration can be adopted and/or an exception granted
in accordance with general plan policies GM-10, GM-11, and GM-12.
Resolution 2020-039
2
Criteria Satisfied: The Project will be phased as shown in the approved specific plan
and will not change the phasing plan for the Specific Plan. Each phase of the Project is
designed to provide for adequate infrastructure and to be integrated with existing City
public improvements, as described in the Specific Plan. The timing of the construction
of public facilities will be paced to meet the needs of the development. The
infrastructure necessary to serve much of the development is already in place.
4. The specific plan or specific plan amendment identifies adequate financing
mechanisms for the infrastructure and public facilities required to support the
development.
Criteria Satisfied: The Project will be subject to the payment of fees to provide for
and maintain public infrastructure such as Public Facilities Financing Plan fees and
Water Capacity Charges to help fund off-site improvements; City-wide and Regional
Traffic fees; and Maintenance Annuity deposits. In addition, the Homeowner's
Association (HOA) maintains a number of the community specific improvements and
the Master Maintenance Agreement provides assurances of the HOA's performance
and remedies for non-performance.
5. The proposed specific plan amendment will not create internal inconsistencies within
the specific plan and is consistent with the purpose and intent of the specific plan it is
amending.
Criteria Satisfied: The Project provides for minor reconfiguration of the lots in Vast
Oak North but does not change the number of residential units in the development.The
reconfiguration is consistent with the objectives of the Specific Plan and goal to provide
housing in a timely manner and provide a diversity of housing options and necessary
to ensure adequate flood protection for the development.
6. The proposed specific plan is consistent with the planning and prezoning designation
provided for the specific plan area,pursuant to Government Code Sections 65300 and
65859, or alternatively functions as prezoning for the unincorporated territory.
Criteria Satisfied: The site is zoned "Specific Plan District (SP)," which is
implemented through the land use designations on the City's General Plan Land Use
Diagram. The proposed Specific Plan, as amended, is consistent with these
designations.
Section 4. The City Council does approve Application No. PLSP19-0001 and approve
and adopt the amended University District Specific Plan in the form provided at Exhibit A,
which replaces and amends the prior University District Specific Plan in its entirety.
DULY AND REGULARLY ADOPTED this 12th day of May 2020.
CITY OF ROHNE PARK
Josep T. Callinan, Mayor
Resolution 2020-039
3
ATTEST:
Sylvia Lopez Cuevas, Assistant City Clerk
Attachment: Exhibit A
ADAMS: BELFORTE: STAFFORD: MACKENZIE: CALLINAN:
AYES: ( NOES: (�) BSENT: (0 ) ABS AIN:
Resolution 2020-039
4
ADOPTED MAY 23, 2006, RESOLUTION NO. 2006–143
AMENDED APRIL 8, 2014, RESOLUTION NO. 2014–034
AMENDED FEBRUARY 14, 2017, RESOLUTION NO. 2017-023
AMENDED RESOLUTION NO. 2019 -
City of Rohnert Park November 19, 2019 Proposed Revisions
Exhibit A to Resolution
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 1
Table of Contents
1. Overview of the Specific Plan ........................................................................................................... 3
2. Executive Summary ......................................................................................................................... 4
General Description of UDSP............................................................................................................... 4
Specific Plan Objectives ...................................................................................................................... 4
Community Planning Goals .................................................................................................................. 5
Development Planning ....................................................................................................................... 14
3. Policy Framework .......................................................................................................................... 16
General Plan Compatibility ................................................................................................................. 16
4. Land Use Plan ............................................................................................................................... 18
Specific Plan Land Use Designations ................................................................................................. 21
5. Transportation, Utilities and Phasing .............................................................................................. 23
Development Programs ..................................................................................................................... 23
Grading Plans .................................................................................................................................... 23
Utility Infrastructure Systems, Generation and Demand...................................................................... 23
Wastewater Generation, Hydrology / Water Quality and Water Demand ............................................. 30
Transportation and Circulation Infrastructure ...................................................................................... 31
Solid Waste Programs ....................................................................................................................... 39
Community Lighting ........................................................................................................................... 39
Development Infrastructure Phasing and Residential Phasing Plan .................................................... 39
6. Parks, Open Space and Public Facilities ........................................................................................ 41
Introduction........................................................................................................................................ 41
Parkland ............................................................................................................................................ 41
Open Space ...................................................................................................................................... 42
Public Facilities .................................................................................................................................. 46
7. Facilities Financing Plan ................................................................................................................ 47
General Plan Financial Criteria .......................................................................................................... 47
Development Financial Requirements ................................................................................................ 47
Financing Mechanisms ...................................................................................................................... 47
Developm ent Agreement ................................................................................................................... 48
Maintenance and Service Financing Mechanisms .............................................................................. 48
8. Housing Program ........................................................................................................................... 49
Affordable Housing Programs ............................................................................................................ 49
9. Implementation Program ................................................................................................................ 50
Introduction........................................................................................................................................ 50
Implementing Elements ..................................................................................................................... 50
10. Environmental Conservation Program ........................................................................................ 52
Introduction........................................................................................................................................ 52
Summary of Biological Assessments.................................................................................................. 52
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 2
Tables
Table 1 Properties within the University District Specific Plan Page 4
Table 2 Relationship of the Specific Plan to the General Plan Page 11
Table 3 University District Specific Plan Land Use Page 12
Table 4 A Land Use Summary Page 14
Table 4 B Lot/Unit Count Page 14
Table 5 UDSP Wastewater Generation and Water Demand Page 24
Table 6 A UDSP Development Phasing Plan Page 33
Table 6 B UD LLC and VO Infrastructure Phasing Program Page 34
Table 7 UDSP Estimated Population Page 35
Table 8 UDSP Park Land Demand Page 35
Table 9 UDSP Public School Demand Page 40
Table 10 UDSP Affordable Housing Plan Page 43
Table 11 Jurisdictional Feature and Acreage for UD LLC and VO Page 47
Table 12 Special Status Plant Species to Occur on UD & VO Page 53
Table 13 Special Status Wildlife Species to Occur on UD & VO Page 55
Figures
Figure 1 UDSP Vicinity Map Page 5
Figure 2 UDSP Aerial Map Page 7
Figure 3 Specific Plan Areas Page 8
Figure 4 UDSP Land Use Plan Page 13
Figure 5 Vast Oak, UD LLC and Bristol Site Plan Page 16
Figure 6 VO and UD LLC Development Phasing Plan Page 18
Figure 7 VO and UD LLC Conceptual Grading Plan Page 19
Figure 8 VO and UD LLC Waste Water System Plan Page 20
Figure 9 VO and UD LLC Storm System Plan Page 21
Figure 10 VO and UD LLC Potable Water System Plan Page 22
Figure 11 VO and UD LLC Recycled Water System Plan Page 23
Figure 12A VO and UD LLC Street Sections Page 27
Figure 12B VO and UD LLC Street Sections Page 28
Figure 12C VO and UD LLC Street Sections Page 29
Figure 12D VO and UD LLC Street Sections Page 30
Figure 13 VO and UD LLC Public Transit Plan Page 32
Figure 14 VO and UD LLC Public Parks Plan Page 37
Figure 15 Bicycle and Pedestrian Circulation Plan Page 38
Figure 16 Vehicular and Pedestrian Bridges at Hinebaugh Creek Page 39
Figure 17 Front Yard and Front Door Orientation in Vast Oak North Page 63
Appendices
Appendix A Development Standards Page 58
Appendix B Design Guidelines Page 72
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 3
1. OVERVIEW OF THE SPECIFIC PLAN
The University District Specific Plan (“Specific Plan” or “UDSP”), annexed to the City in 2007,
includes five properties on 300 acres. The University District LLC (“UD LLC”) and Vast Oak
Properties (“Vast Oak”), also known as “University Park”, consist of 87% of the UDSP while Cotati
– Rohnert Park Unified School District (“CRPUSD”), Bristol, and Creath comprise the balance.
The UDSP is a master planned pedestrian oriented community with that provides diverse housing
and a commercial center near education and cultural facilities pursuant to General Plan policies.
A specific plan is a mechanism to provide greater level of detail than provided in a General Plan
for sites of interest to a city. The specific plan process provides a comprehensive development
program based upon site conditions, environmental considerations and public policy. A specific
plan establishes the character and location of development within an orderly program.
This Specific Plan provides greater detail, establishing development based upon character,
location, phasing, site and environmental conditions. The Specific Plan is organized as follows:
Chapter Summary
Executive
Summary
Describes planning goals, implementation, schedules, and key
components integrated into the community design and phasing.
Policy Framework Discusses the relationship between the Specific Plan and General
Plan for land use, resources, infrastructure and financing.
Land Use Plan Describes land use goals and designations, including density
ranges, types of units, public / institutional and open space / park.
Transportation,
Utilities, Phasing
Identifies development, planning, infrastructure, as well as
identifies infrastructure needs for properties.
Parks, Open
Space, Facilities
Addresses impacts and mitigation of population on schools, parks.
Facilities Financing
Plan
Discusses financing criteria for properties to fund development
costs and infrastructure, and long term funding for maintenance.
Housing Program Addresses housing diversity goals and affordable obligations,
including strategies to provide diverse housing opportunities.
Implementation
Program
Environment
Conservation
Appendices
Describes CEQA, Specific Plan and Subdivision Map Act
processes, as well as agreements that ensure development rights
and mitigation. Clarifies design, infrastructure, and phasing.
Discusses the assessment of biological resources and impacts of
development upon resources.
Appendices include the following:
Appendix A - Development Standards
Appendix B - Design Guidelines
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 4
2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
General Description of UDSP
The Specific Plan location is shown in Figure 1, the UDSP properties are shown in Figure 2, and
the six specific plans shown in the General Plan are shown in Figure 3. The UDSP is located
south of Keiser Avenue, west of Petaluma Hill Road, and north of Sonoma State University
(“SSU”), Green Music Center (“GMC”) and Copeland Creek. Assessor’s Parcel Numbers (APN)
for UDSP properties are shown in Table 1. The UD LLC and Vast Oak properties have been
continuously farmed for fifty years, though mass grading and wetlands construction has been
implemented since 2007. No structures exist on the Creath and Bristol properties. The CRPUSD
property currently is the location of a community garden.
UD LLC and Vast Oak are planned for residential, mixed-use, open space, basins and parks,
while the land uses for the other properties are based on the General Plan land use designations.
Table 1
Properties within the University District Specific Plan
Properties APN Acres
UD LLC 047-131 -026
047-131 -027
34.34
Vast Oak 045-262 -001
045 -262 -002
045 -262 -003
045 -262 -004
047 -131 -019
047 -131 -024
047-131 -025
226.58
CRPUSD 045-253 -018 29.69
Bristol 045-253 -009
045 -253 -010
045 -253 -011
045-253 -012
6.94
Creath 045-253 -007 3.06
Total 300.61
Specific Plan Objectives
The plan fosters diverse residential and mixed-use development, including a Commercial Center
that links to SSU and the GMC. Other objectives include provision of on – site open space and
detention basins, public parks, and on – site trails for pedestrian and bicycle connections that link
to existing off – site trails and sidewalks that provide access to educational and cultural facilities
and City neighborhoods.
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 5
Community Planning Goals
The Specific Plan focuses on the following General Plan goals:
o Locate the Commercial Center across from the GMC along Rohnert Park Expressway where
it is most visible to traffic and easily accessible to GMC, SSU and UDSP neighborhoods via
pedestrian, bicycle and vehicular transportation.
o Link the Commercial Center with pedestrian sidewalks, bicycle trails and lanes, and roadways,
reinforcing the Commercial Center and private plaza as a focal point for the Specific Plan.
o Provide north – south and east – west “Linear Parkway” roadway, bicycle and pedestrian trail
connections from Rohnert Park Expressway to Keiser Avenue, and from Kerry Road to the
Commercial Center. Provide Class 1 Bicycle trails along open space.
o Provide open space with creeks, creek buffers, and wetlands at the Scenic Corridor as well
as a single vehicular creek crossing at Hinebaugh Creek to reduce impacts.
o Address water quality and detention impacts through on – site basins and on – lot water quality
treatment measures.
o Dedicate an on – site “sheet graded” Vast Oak North site to satisfy the affordable requirement
of the UD LLC and Vast Oak properties.
o Satisfy UD LLC and Vast Oak parkland requirements through a combination of the Vast Oak
land dedication and the improvement of Vast Oak public parks and Class 1 Bicycle trails.
o Satisfy CRPUSD parkland requirements with the provision of dedicated parkland within their
property, while in – lieu fee payment might be an alternative for the Bristol and Creath
properties.
o Reduce Specific Plan potable water impacts by using recycled water at front yards, landscape
parkway strips, public parks, and other on-site water conservation measures.
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 6
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 7
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 8
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 9
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 10
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 11
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 12
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 13
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 14
Development Planning
The following criteria were incorporated into the Development Planning of the UDSP:
• Site Constraints and Planning Criteria
Planning is inf luenced by site constraints, maintenance standards, open space, water quality
and drainage, resource agencies’ criteria, and management criteria.
• Infrastructure and Phasing Criteria
Each property is required to have the financial capability to fund necessary infrastructure to
support itself . Phasing Plans and Development Schedules will define timing and infrastructure
that support each phase or property. Infrastructure for Vast Oak will facilitate its phased
development and connections for UD LLC and school district property. Infrastructure for other
Specific Plan properties will be defined with their development plans.
• Residential Development
Up to 1,645 UDSP residential units, including Estate, Low, Medium -, Public / Institutional /
Medium, High - and Mixed -use Density units. Up to 1,454 UD LLC and VO units are included,
while other properties units have 0 to 191 units. The minimum UDSP units would be 1,400
and the maximum is 1,645. Second units are not included in this unit count.
• Mixed-use
Includes a Commercial Center and private plaza that may include retail / office and other
commercial uses and act as a focal point of the Specific Plan. Also includes residential as
defined in the Development Standards and Land Use sections.
• Parkland and Open Space
Includes public parks on the Vast Oak and CRPUSD properties, as we ll as Class 1 Bicycle
Trails. The UD LLC and Vast Oak Parkland Dedication Ordinance requirements will be
satisfied on the Vast Oak properties. Open space is provided on Vast Oak and UD LLC,
including Scenic Corridor wetlands along Petaluma Hill Road, Hinebaugh and Copeland
Creeks and buffers, as well as open space along UD LLC. The open space will be owned,
funded and maintained by the Vast Oak and UD LLC associations.
• Pedestrian Oriented Planning
The Specific Plan features two streets on Vast Oak that include bike trails, sidewalks,
vehicular lanes and parking, to allow and promote pedestrian, bicycle as well as vehicular
traffic to connect to UDSP residences, Vast Oak parks, the UDSP Commercial Center, to
Rohnert Park Expressway and Keiser Avenue.
•
Implementation Methods
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 15
Standards and policies are required to be established, including entitlement, infrastructure,
phasing and development schedules that adhere to the Growth Management Ordinance.
Development agreements will solidify approvals as the basis for f inancing and management.
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 16
3. POLICY FRAMEWORK
The City’s 2020 General Plan provides policy framework that identifies Objectives, Themes, Land
Use Goals and Policies which guide site and community planning of the Specific Plan. This
relationship is depicted in Table 2.
General Plan Compatibility
The UDSP adheres to numerous General Plan goals and policies, including those found in
Section 1.4 Objectives and Themes, Section 2.2 for Land Use Framework, Section 2.4 Goals and
Policies: Land Use, Section 3.1 Goals: Urban Forms, Views and Edges, Section 4 Transportation,
Section 4.4 Pedestrian and Bicycle Circulation, Section 5 Open Space, Parks and Public
Facilities, and Sections 5.4 and 5.5, among others, for housing diversity, infrastructure, phasing,
parks, maintenance, funding of infrastructure and services, drainage, open space, planning with
SSU, walkable site planning with bicycle and pedestrian trails, and accessibility to parks. General
Plan compatibility is achieved through the following:
• Commercial Center is located across from GMC and SSU to promote greater interaction with
cultural and education facilities, while accessible by vehicle, bicycle and walking for University
District Specific Plan residents. The Commercial Center is adjacent to Scenic Corridor with a
Class 1 bicycle trail so that views to the east are still maintained and available to the public.
• Twin Creeks Public Park is located in a centralized area of Vast Oa k, its size and shape
provides greater active recreational opportunities and parkland use.
• Keiser Avenue to Copeland Creek vehicle, bicycle and pedestrian connection is achieved with
the “Linear Parkway” concept that includes bike lanes, pedestrian sidewalks, vehicle lanes
and on – street parking on a north – south connection Kerry Road from Keiser Avenue to
Rohnert Park Expressway, as well as an east – west connection from Kerry Road to the
Commercial Center and then south to the GMC. The Linear Parkway connects with the east
– west Class 1 Bicycle Trails along Hinebaugh Creek and bicycle lanes along Rohnert Park
Expressway and Keiser Avenue. Bike trails will be included in UD LLC as part of the Tentative
Map process.
• Adhere to 200’ - 0” minimum structural buffer between Redwood Park Estates and the Vast
Oak West phase with no buildings in this area. The General Plan requirement of 100’ – 0” has
been surpassed so that no single story requirement is necessary. Adhere to the J Section
buffer requirement of a 100’ – 0” minimum. Two story structures are allowed behind the first
residential lot adjacent to the buffer at the J Section. The Medical Center / Oakview Terrace
buffer along Vast Oak West phase require a minimum 60’ – 0” without buildings pursuant to
General Policy CD – 7, without a single – story requirement adjacent to this building buffer.
• Achieve hydrology and drainage mitigation goals through on – site construction detention
basins, on – site detention and / or water quality basins, on – site temporary and permanent
detention basins, as well as possible off – site detention basins.
• Address greater housing diversity through provision of multiple residential densities, including
varied lot and home sizes that address wider market areas, and affordable housing.
• Continues to provide substantial open space with creeks, creek buffers and wetlands.
Key elements of the General Plan found in the Specific Plan are noted in Table 2 as follows:
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 17
Table 2
Relationship of the Specific Plan to the General Plan
Objective Specific Plan Addresses Objective in the Following Ways
Keep the City's
Small – Town
Feel
• Commercial Center with private plaza as focal point for residents, faculty,
students, and visitors. Maximize accessibility along RPX for pedestrian,
bicycle and vehicle traffic, and promote interaction with GMC and SSU.
Establish Better
Connections with
Sonoma State
University
• Provide trails, sidewalks and bicycle lanes that link the Specific Plan at Keiser
Avenue to existing trails and sidewalks that connect to SSU and Rancho
Cotate High School. The Commercial Center will provide gathering spaces
for SSU and GMC.
Increase
Housing
Affordability and
Diversity
• Satisfy housing diversity by providing opportunities for singles, couples and
families of differing of socioeconomic backgrounds. Meet affordable housing
goals by dedicating a “sheet graded” high density residential property for
development of an affordable community.
Increase Open
Space Ratios
within the City
• Create open space with scenic corridors and creek buffers, as well as parks
which will be improved. The Specific Plan will include the scenic corridor
setback along the west side of Petaluma Hill Road.
Increase
Pedestrian and
Bicycle Access
• Provide pedestrian and bicycle facilities that provide access to existing trails
and sidewalks to SSU, Rancho Cotate High School, Lawrence Jones Middle
School, the City Community Center, and the existing neighborhoods.
Build
Infrastructure in
Anticipation of
Future Growth
• Construct on-site and off -site infrastructure necessary to support each
phase, with reciprocal easements for Vast Oak phases, and stubbed utilities
to facilitate the development of contiguous Vast Oak Phases or other
properties. Oversize utilities as needed to serve adjoining plan areas and
other properties within the Specific Plan.
Establish Better
Cross-Town
Connections
• Provide improvements to RPX and Keiser Avenue to serve cross – town
connections. Provide trails, sidewalks and bicycle lanes in the Specific Plan
to facilitate non-motorized transportation and access to adjacent areas.
Provide public transit opportunities when determined feasible by Sonoma
County Transportation Authority (SCTA ).
Provide for Slow,
Managed,
Predictable
Growth
• Adhere to the Growth Management Ordinance as a basis for the
development agreements between the City and Specific Plan properties.
Allow for infrastructure necessary for each phase through reciprocal and
easements, and facilitate development of future phases and contiguous
Specific Plan properties, if feasible and reimbursement is provided.
Create Options
for City's Edges
with Soft
Boundaries and
Scenic Corridors
• Provide Estate, Low and Mixed-use residential densities along the City’s
designated Scenic Corridor along Petaluma Hill Road, including a trail at the
Commercial Center. Require view fencing at the Estate lots along the
northerly Scenic Corridor.
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 18
4. LAND USE PLAN
The Land Use Plan illustrates a development pattern that meets General Plan goals for location,
type and density, as well as policies to promote open space, such as creeks, buffers, and scenic
corridors. The Land Use Plan addresses all properties in the Specific Plan, using land use
designations determined by the General Plan for properties not controlled by the applicants. Table
3 shows the breakdown of acreages, densities and units by land use designation. The Specific
Plan Land Use Plan, shown in Figure 4, includes the mix and location of development types, with
a further breakdown of information on Table 4.
Table 3
University District Specific Plan Land Use
Designation Acreage Density
(units/acre)
Housing Units
Minimum-
Maximum
Net Estimated Units
in Designation
Estate Residential 11.78 0.1 – 2.21 0 – 26 26
Low Density
Residential
66.88 4.1 – 6.0 200 - 400 382
Medium Density
Residential
75.93 6.1 – 12.0 600 – 900 666
Public / Institutional /
Medium Density
Residential
23.24 6.1 – 24.0 200 - 300 203
High Density
Residential
9.33 12.1 – 24.0 200 – 500 218
Mixed-use 24.34 8.1 – 24.0 0 - 250 150
100,000 sq ft
Open Space 53.87 N/A N/A N/A
Parkland 19.57 N/A N/A N/A
Public / Institutional 15.67 N/A N/A N/A
Total 300.61 --- 1,400 – 1,645 1,645 units
100,000 sq ft
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 19
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 20
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 21
Specific Plan Land Use Designations
Estate Residential (0.1 – 2.21 du / gr. ac.)
Includes Single Family Detached (“SFD”) homes on 14,000 square foot minimum lots.
Low Density Residential (4.1 – 6.0 du / gr. ac.)
Includes SFD homes on 4,000 square foot minimum lots, including motor – court lots.
Medium Density Residential (6.1 – 12.0 du / gr. ac.)
Includes SFD and Single Family Attached (“SFA”) homes on lots up to a maximum of 5,500
square feet, including alley and motor – court lots.
Public / Institutional / Medium Density Residential (6.1 – 12.0 du / gr. ac.)
Includes SFD, SFA and MF homes on lots up to a maximum of 5,500 square feet, including alley
and motor – court lots, as well as open space, trails, permanent or temporary private and public
storm water detention / water quality basins and facilities, including fencing, and maintenance
roads.
High Density Residential (12.1 – 24.0 du gr. / ac.)
Includes Alley and Motor – Court SFD, SFA and Multi -Family stacked – flat , carriage, townhome,
zero – lot line and condominium ownership and rental homes.
Mixed-use (8.1 – 24.0 du / gr. ac.)
Includes Commercial Center with commercial, office, retail, a plaza area, and Residential that
includes Motor – Court SFD and SFA as well as Multi-Family stacked – flat, carriage, townhome,
live / work condominium ownership and rental homes.
Public / Institutional
Includes public uses such as educational facilities, institutional, public infrastructure , and
transportation facilities, as well as creeks, creek buffers, private and public detention and water
quality basins / facilities, public streets, paved and unpaved maintenance roads, fencing, Class
1 bicycle trails, pedestrian trails, lighting, parking, signage, utilities, and roads.
Open Space
Includes creeks, buffers, scenic corridors, wetlands, public and private streets, paved and
unpaved maintenance roads, fencing, Class 1 bicycle trails, pedestrian trails, bridges, lighting,
parking, signage, benches, trash receptacles, emergency vehicle access, utilities, drainage
facilities, and road s.
Park
Includes public parks and private recreation areas, including Class 1 bicycle trails.
The standards and guidelines for implementation of land uses within these designations will be in
accordance with the Development Standards found in Appendix A and Design Guidelines
contained in Appendix B. An illustrative site plan for the development of University Park is shown
in Figure 5.
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 22
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 23
5. TRANSPORTATION, UTILITIES AND PHASING
Development Programs
Development programs for UDSP properties are necessary to ensure that infrastructure
necessary to serve each phase and property is provided, including the “concurrency” between
the demand for facilities, improvements and infrastructure, and the provision of these facilities
and improvements to not impact existing infrastructure and residences in the City. Each property’s
Preliminary Infrastructure Plans are required to be reviewed by the City. The installation of these
improvements will be on a phase – by – phase or property – by – property basis. Vast Oak and
UD LLC Development Phases are shown in Figure 6.
Grading Plans
A preliminary Grading Plan for each Specific Plan property is required for City review. The UD
LLC and Vast Oak Preliminary Grading Plan is shown in Figure 7 and is independent of the other
UDSP properties. Sheet grading of a large portion of the Vast Oak properties has already
occurred. Grading plans will be subject to refinement as part of the Tentative Map process.
Utility Infrastructure Systems, Generation and Demand
On-site infrastructure plans are required for each property and phase. UD LLC and Vast Oak
Infrastructure plans are shown in Figure 8 through Figure 11, incorporating sanitary sewer, storm
drainage / water quality improvements, potable water systems and recycled water systems. The
final designs of infrastructure will be provided in the Tentative Map(s). Specific Plan properties
will coordinate with utility providers on the installation of “dry” utilities, adhering to the standards
of those utilities. When the standards of the utility companies conflict with the standards in the
Specific Plan and City, the utilities’ standards will be used, such as above ground transformers to
avoid impact of groundwater and drainage.
Off -site Infrastructure is coordinated through the Public Facilities Financing Plan (PFFP), including
fee allocations for all properties. PFFP infrastructure will be funded and installed by property
owners to satisfy PFFP Fee Burdens, while on-site infrastructure improvements will be installed
by property owners at their cost. Specific Plan properties are responsible for their PFFP Fund
Burdens without reliance on any other Specific Plan properties to provide, fund or over – size any
improvements that support development of that property.
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 24
Figure 6
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 25
Figure 7
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 26
Figure 8
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 27
Figure 9
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 28
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 29
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 30
Wastewater Generation, Hydrology / Water Quality and Water Demand
Wastewater Generation
Wastewater infrastructure will address demand identified by 2006 UDSP EIR for each dwelling
unit and the commercial areas. UDSP properties will generate an estimated wastewater
demand shown in Table 5. Figure 8 indicates the wastewater infrastructure for Vast Oak.
Hydrology and Water Quality
Drainage mitigation measures are required so that UDSP post - development downstream
impacts match UDSP pre – development impacts, as well as follow City and SCWA Design
criteria. UD LLC and Vast Oak propose detention and water quality improvements as shown
on Figure 9, pursuant to the existing conditions defined in the August 2013 ENGEO
Hydrologic Evaluation and approved by the City Engineer. Water Quality mitigation, including
construction and post – development treatment, will adhere to the requirements of the
Regional Water Quality Control Board (“RWQCB”). These on – Site UD LLC and Vast Oak
detention basins mitigate the post – development impervious surface impacts of UD LLC and
Vast Oak. Additionally, a portion of the UD LLC property will be used as either a temporary or
permanent detention basin that mitigates the PFFP requirements for UDSP.
Water Demand
UDSP properties will adhere to potable water demand projections of the 2005 Water Supply
Assessment and 2006 UDSP EIR, which allowed up to 458,810 gpd of potable water demand.
UDSP properties will implement water conservation methods to reduce water demand,
including high efficiency appliances, low – flow toilets, and recycled water irrigation at parks,
parkways, and front – yards. UDSP properties may generate water demand per the January
2011 City Engineer projections shown in Table 5. The December 2012 John Nelson study
indicates that water conservation measures could reduce UDSP water demand to under
310,000 gpd. Figures 10 and 11 in dicate the potable water and recycled water infrastructure
for Vast Oak.
Table 5
UDSP Wastewater Generation and Water Demand
SP
Development
Properties
Unit
Type(s) Total du’s
Waste-
water
Rates
(gpd)
Total
Estimated
Wastewater
Generation
Water
Rates
(gpd)
Total
Estimated
Water
Demand
UD LLC SFD 203 203 41,209 287 58,261
VAST OAK
SFD 1,033 203 209,699 287 296,471
MF 218 143 31,191 143 31,191
Comm. 100,000 sf 0.05 5,000 0.05 5,000
245,890 332,662
CRPUSD SFD 133 203 26,999 287 38,171
BRISTOL SFD 42 203 8,526 287 12,054
CREATH SFD 16 203 3,248 287 4,592
TOTAL SP --- 1,645
units
--- 325,872
gpd
--- 445,740
gpd
gpd = gallons per day sf = square feet Table 5 does not include Nelson’s conservation measures
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 31
Transportation and Circulation Infrastructure
Street sections in Figures 12A through 12D indicate designs for UD LLC and Vast Oak that
replace the City’s Manual of Standards and Municipal Code for these properties. The remaining
UDSP properties may use the following or adhere to the City’s Manual of Standards.
Summary of Street Section Types
• Private Lane at Residential Lots at Alleys: The private drive aisle shall be 20-24’ wide with
rolled curb and gutter and a minimum 3’ driveway apron or landscape pocket. Maintenance
of the drive aisle shall be by the Homeowner’s Association (HOA), with either HOA ownership
of the drive aisle or HOA granted easement maintenance rights over the drive aisle.
Landscape pockets outside of fenced areas within private lots along drive aisle will be
maintained by the HOA. Drive aisle paving is allowed to be a minimum of 20’ wide between
residential lots, within a minimum of 26’ separation between garage doors of residential
structures, per the Residential and Mixed-use Development Standards. Drive aisle will have
a minimum paved width of 24’ at the intersection with a public street, allowing for necessary
turning radius for emergency vehicles and trash vehicles. No parking is allowed on the drive
aisle, though access to garage parking and open parking within the private lots is accessed
through the drive aisle. See Figure 12A-1A.
• Private Lane at Residential Lots at Motor-courts: The private drive aisle shall be 20-24’
wide with rolled curb and gutter and a minimum 18’ full driveway, a 3’ driveway apron or
landscape pocket. Maintenance of the drive aisle shall be by the HOA, with either HOA
ownership of the drive aisle or HOA granted easement rights for maintenance over the drive
aisle. Front yard or side yard landscape areas outside of fenced areas within private lots
along drive aisle will be maintained by the HOA, using the HOA recycled water if feasible.
Drive aisle paving is allowed to be a minimum of 20’ wide between residential lots, within a
minimum of 26’ separation between garage doors of residential structures, per the Residential
and Mixed-use Development Standards. Drive aisle will have a minimum paved width of 24’
at the intersection with a public street, allowing for necessary turning radius for emergency
vehicles and trash vehicles. No parking is allowed on the drive aisle though access to garage
parking and open parking within the private lots is accessed through the drive aisle. See
Figure 12A-1B and 12A-1C.
• Local Neighborhood Street: The curb-to-curb– shall be 32’, with 10’ drive lanes and 6’
parking lanes on both sides of street. Right-of- way width shall be 42’ to 68’, with 4.5’ to 10’
parkway strip / top of curb and 4’ to 8’ sidewalks on each side of street. See Figure 12B-2.
• Local Neighborhood Street with Open Space or Buffer: The curb-to-curb shall be 32’, with
10’ drive lanes at both sides of street. The Open space or Buffer side of the street may include
4.5’ parkway strip and an 8’ Class 1 Bicycle trail and 2’ shoulders, but no on – street parking.
The Residential side of street will include a 4.5’ to 10’ parkway strip, a 4’ to 8’ sidewalk, on-
street parking, with a 37.5’ and 42.5’ right – of – way width. See Figure 12B-3.
• Local Minor Street: Curb-to-curb width shall be 36’, with 10’ drive lanes and 8’ parking lanes
at both sides of street. Residential side of street shall have a 4.5’ to 10’ parkway strip and a
4’ to 6’ sidewalk. The Residential / Commercial side of the street shall have a 4.5’ to 6’ parkway
strip and a 4’ to 10’ sidewalk, with a 52.5’ and 68’ right – of - way. See Figure 12C-4.
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 32
• Local Minor Street with Bicycle Lanes: The curb-to-curb width shall be 46’ with 10’ drive
lanes, 5’ bicycle lanes, and 8’ parking lanes on both sides of street. The Residential side of
street shall have 4.5’ to 10’ parkway strip and 4’ to 8’ sidewalk. The Residential / commercial
side of street shall have a 4.5’ to 10’ parkway strip and a 4’ to 8’ sidewalk, with a 56.5’ and 80’
right – of - way. See Figure 12C-5.
• Rohnert Park Expressway: The curb-to-curb width shall be 72’ minimum, with a 16’ or wider
median with a 11’ turn pocket, two 11’ drive lanes and a 6’ bicycle lane on both sides of street,
a 10’ parkway strip and a 6’ sidewalk on both sides of street, with a 104’ right-of-way. See
Figure 12D-6.
• Keiser Avenue: The curb-to-curb width shall be 34’, with 12’ drive lanes and a 5’ bicycle lane
on each direction of traffic. 5’ parkway strip and 6’ sidewalk on both sides of street, within a
56’ right-of-way. The northerly curb and gutter, parkway strip and sidewalk will be installed by
the Northeast Specific Plan as part of that development. See Figure 12D-7 which indicates
the full street section to be installed by UDSP properties under their PFFP obligations.
• Minor variations from these street sections can be allowed with individual Tentative Maps
subject to City approval.
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 33
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 34
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 35
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 36
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 37
Street Names and Signage
Consistent with City policy, UD LLC street names start with the letter “I”, while Vast Oak street
names start with letters “K” below Hinebaugh Creek and “O” above Hinebaugh Creek. Street
addresses are required at the front of units and at the rear of alley loaded homes. Alleys, lanes,
motor – court drive aisles, and other private streets will have street names and second units will
have addresses visible from the alley and public streets. Street, traffic control and other signage
will match existing City standards.
Traffic Studies
Each property will address traffic mitigation measures applicable to that property as identified in
the UDSP EIR for development and improvement installation, including PFFP infrastructure.
Sidewalks and ADA
Specific Plan properties will meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”).
Public Transit
Potential Public Transit locations are shown in Figure 13, with bus stops and transit routes in
Vast Oak and along Rohnert Park Expressway near the Commercial Center and GMC. The UDSP
public transit system, including bus stops, must be as approved by SCTA through the Tentative
Map processes and will be subject to the SCTA requirements. Providing transit connections to
the High Density Residential site in Vast Oak North will be emphasized.
Alternate Methods of Transportation
Sidewalks and trails are shown in Figure 15 and tie to City trails, connect to Petaluma Hill Road
and Keiser Avenue. Trails are discussed in Parks, Open Space and Public Facilities Section.
Air Quality and Congestion Management
The Specific Plan and General Plan encourage the reduction of vehicular traffic impacts on air
quality and congestion management, as well as promoting pedestrian and bicycle transportation.
Public transit near the Commercial Center may reduce reliance upon vehicular transportation and
placement of transit stops near the Commercial Center and GMC will facilitate pedestrian access
to educational and cultural facilities, reducing impacts generated vehicular traffic.
Postal Service
Coordination of mail delivery, mailbox locations, mailbox types, and postal service issues are
subject to the approval of the U. S. Postal Service prior to the delivery of postal service to the
Specific Plan properties. The requirements of the Postal Service will supersede standards,
excepting public safety, for delivery of postal services in the Specific Plan. Each property will
provide a mailbox location layout as part of their Tentative Map submittal.
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 38
Figure 13
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 39
Solid Waste Programs
Solid waste pickup has been coordinated with the disposal company regarding construction debris
and long term service. Solid waste disposal and recycling pickup will be from public streets in
front of residences fronting public streets and motor – courts f ronting public streets. Solid waste
pickup will be within alleys for multi – family and alley loaded homes, as well as from private drives
for commercial and multi - family, subject to the refuse company’s confirmation that such pick –
up is available during the Improvement Plan process.
Community Lighting
Minimize lighting impacts while achieving lighting standards for streets and trails, including using
shields to reduce impacts at open space. Use City standards for fixtures and poles maintained by
the City, and wall mounted lighting at homes along alleys maintained by an association.
Development Infrastructure Phasing and Residential Phasing Plan
Infrastructure must be feasible and not rely on other properties. Development Phasing Plans for
the UDSP properties are shown in Table 6 A while the UD LLC and Vast Oak Phasing are shown
in Figure 6 and the UD LLC and Vast Oak Off – Site / PFFP and On – Site Infrastructure Phasing
Program shown on Table 6 B. The Infrastructure Phasing Program is required with the Tentative
Map and identifies the schedule for infrastructure and provides the basis for the financial feasibility
of each phase, while subject to the Development Agreement. Construction and sales phasing
plans are at the sole discretion of the property owner as to number and size of phasing and
sequence, and are not subject to review or approval by the City.
Table 6A
UDSP Development Phasing Plan
SP
Development
Properties
Estate Low Medium High P / I / Medium Mixed-use Total
UD LLC 0 0 0 0 203 0 203
VAST OAK 26 304 553 218 0 150 1,251
CRPUSD 0 20 113 0 0 0 133
BRISTOL 0 42 0 0 0 0 42
CREATH 0 16 0 0 16
TOTAL SP 26 382 666 218 203 150 1,645
100,000 square foot Commercial Center located in Vast Oak East.
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 40
Table 6B
University District Specific Plan – UD LLC and Vast Oak Properties
Off–Site / PFFP and On–Site Infrastructure Phasing Program
Infrastructure 1st Phase Later Phases Vast Oak
West
Vast Oak
East
Vast Oak
North
UDLLC
Roadways
& Traffic
Control
Devices (TCD)*
• Use existing
Rohnert Park
Expressway
(RPX) for 1st
400 Certificate
of Occupancy
• Commence
construction of
north – side
RPX from
Snyder to
Petaluma Hill
Road (PHR) by
25th MR bldg.
permit.
• Install RPX
north – side
and temp.
south–side
TCD with north
– side roadway.
• Commence
south side RPX
from Snyder to
PHR by 800th
Market Rate
(MR) bldg.
permit.
• Install RPX / VO
perm. south
side TCD with
south side
roadway.
• Modify
RPX/Snyder &
RPX/PHR
intersections
with south –
side RPX
roadways.
• Connect to
north – side
and south –
side RPX
intersection
s at Phase.
• Install In
Tract
Phase,
connect to
earlier
Phase and
stub for
future
Phase.
• Connect
to north
side and
south –
side RPX
intersectio
ns at
Phase.
• Install In-
Tract
Phase,
connect to
earlier
Phase
and stub
for future
Phase.
• Commence
Keiser
Phase1 from
Snyder to
Park, TCD at
Keiser /
Snyder, and
bridge / road
to Keiser
prior to 850th
MR bldg.
permit.
• Commence
Keiser Phase
2 to PHR and
TCD at
Keiser/PHR .
• Install In
Tract Phase
and connect
to earlier
Phase.
• Connect to
south side
of RPX.
• Modify
TCD at
RPX and
UD.
• Install In-
Tract
Phase
roadways.
Potable /
Recycled Water*
• Install Water
Transmission /
Distribution
lines in RPX to
1st Phase.
• Install Water
Trans. / Distr.
lines in RPX to
PHR as part of
RPX north –
side roadway.
• Install Water
Transmission /
Distribution lines
to Potable
Water Tank and
construct
Potable Water
Tank prior to
400th bldg..
permit.
• Install In-
Tract
Phase
utilities,
connect to
RPX lines,
connect to
earlier
Phase and
stub for
future
Phase.
• Install In-
Tract
Phase
utilities,
connect to
RPX lines,
connect to
earlier
Phase
and stub
for future
Phase.
• Install In-
Tract Phase
utilities,
connect to
earlier
Phase.
• Install In-
Tract
Phase
utilities,
connect to
RPX lines.
Sewer* • Fund East Side
Trunk Sewer
(ESTS) North
Reach and use
after 400th MR
bldg. permit.
• Alternate
connect to
Kisco or new
RPX sewer to
Vast Oak (VO)
West
• Fund ESTS
North Reach
and use after
400th MR bldg.
permit.
• Install In-
Tract
Phase
utilities,
connect to
RPX,
connect to
earlier
Phase and
stub for
future
Phase.
• Install In-
Tract
Phase
utilities,
connect to
RPX,
connect to
earlier
Phase
and stub
for future
Phase.
• Install In-
Tract Phase
utilities,
connect to
earlier
Phase.
• Install In-
Tract
Phase
utilities,
connect to
RPX.
Storm* • Install VO West
Water Quality
(WQ) /
Det ention Basin
in VO 1st
Phase.
• Construct temp.
basin on UD
LLC.
• Coordinate with
Sonoma County
Water Agency
(SCWA) on
upstream
Copeland
Detention Basin.
• Install In-
Tract
Phase
utilities,
connect to
VO West
Basin, stub
for future
Phase.
• Install In-
Tract
Phase
utilities,
connect to
VO West
Basin,
stub for
future
Phase.
• Install In-
Tract Phase
utilities,
connect to
VO West
Basin, stub
for future
Phase.
• Construct
UD WQ /
Detention
Basin.
• Construct
10 acre UD
temp.
Basin or
SCWA
upstream
Basin.
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 41
6. PARKS, OPEN SPACE AND PUBLIC FACILITIES
Introduction
Development impacts based upon estimated population assumptions shown in Table 7.
Table 7
UDSP Estimated Population
SP
Development
Properties
Unit
Type(s) Total du’s Pop.
Rate/Unit
Total
Estimated
Pop.
UD LLC SFD 203 3.20 649.60
VAST OAK SFD 1,033 3.20 3,305.60
MF 218 2.00 436.24
1,251 --- 3,741.84
CRPUSD SFD 133 3.20 425.60
BRISTOL SFD 42 3.20 134.40
CREATH SFD 16 3.20 51.20
TOTAL SP --- 1,645 --- 5,002.64
Park land
Parkland requirements can be met by dedicating parkland acreage, Class 1 Bicycle Trails, and
private recreation areas, as well as improving these areas. Table 8 indicates the required
parkland acreage for UDSP properties. Figure 14 indicates the Vast Oak areas that satisfy UD
LLC and VO requirements. Public parks will be dedicated to and maintained by the City. Class 1
Bicycle Trails throughout VO and UD LLC will be owned by the City but maintained by the VO
and UD LLC Association. VO Class 1 Bicycle Trails are located along both sides of Hinebaugh
Creek, shown in Figure 15, and will connect to existing City trails at the south side of Hinebaugh
Creek west of Vast Oak. A vehicular / pedestrian / Class 1 Bicycle Trail bridge across Hinebaugh
Creek, shown in Figure 16, will be located at the westerly portion of Vast Oak North and built as
part of Vast Oak North Phase 1. UD LLC Class 1 Bicycle Trails will be proposed with its Small Lot
Tentative Map.
Table 8
UDSP Park Land Demand
SP
Development
Properties
Unit
Type(s) Total du’s Commercial
Sq. Ft.
Park
Rates/Ac.
Required
Park Ac.
UD LLC SFD 203 0 0.016 3.25
VAST OAK SFD 1,033 0 0.016 16.53
MF 218 0 0.010 2.18
Comm. ---- 100,000 1.00 0.40
1,251 100,000 --- 19.11
CRPUSD SFD 133 0 0.016 2.13
BRISTOL SFD 42 0 0.016 0.67
CREATH SFD 16 0 0.016 0.26
TOTAL SP --- 1,645 100,000 --- 25.41
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 42
Open Space
Open space may include among others, creeks, buffers, scenic corridors, wetlands, drainage
facilities, public streets, maintenance roads, fencing, Class 1 bicycle and pedestrian trails,
bridges, lighting, parking, benches, trash receptacles, vehicle access, utilities, and roads. UDSP
open space areas are shown on Figure 4.
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 43
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 44
Figure 15
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 45
Figure 16
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 46
Public Facilities
Cultural Facilities
The GMC and Spreckels Center are enhanced with the hotel and retail development opportunities
at UDSP, as well as pedestrian, bicycle and vehicle connections to existing City trail
improvements.
Public Facilities
The increased residential population within UDSP would increase the use of the City’s public
facilities. UDSP will participate in the PFFP for fair share funding of necessary City infrastructure
and facilities that mitigate impacts of these developments.
School District Boundaries / Student Generation Capacity
Table 9 indicates the students that the Specific Plan might generate, based upon student
generation projections provided by CRPUSD for the EIR. As the project would build - out over an
extended period of time, student generation would occur gradually over the build - out period.
CRPUSD currently has excess student capacity.
Table 9
UDSP Public School Demand
SP
Development
Properties
Total
du’s
Comm.
Sq. Ft.
Student Generation
Rates
K-5
0.27
6-8
0.137
9-12
0.16 Total
UD LLC 203 0 55 28 32 115
VAST OAK 1,251 100,000 338 171 200 709
CRPUSD 133 0 36 18 21 75
BRISTOL 42 0 11 6 7 24
CREATH 16 0 4 2 3 9
TOTAL SP 1,645 100,000 444 225 263 932
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 47
7. FACILITIES FINANCING PLAN
General Plan Financial Criteria
The General Plan Land Use and Growth Management Element includes the following:
• GM-9 requires that a Public Facilities Financing Plan (“PFFP”) be a part of each Specific Plan.
The public facilities plan “explains how streets, water, wastewater, solid waste (disposal) and
parks, all meeting City standards, will be provided to the project.” GM-9 also requires the
financing plan to demonstrate that “completion of all necessary public facilities concurrently
with completion of the Specific Plan is economically, physically, and legally feasible.”
• GM-10 requires definition of the “method(s) of financing or otherwise paying for the facilities
and the plan for receiving approval of all regulatory agencies.” GM-10 also declares that “a
public facilities plan that provides for the project’s fair share of the financing for the necessary
public facilities, but does not provide for the completion of the public facilities prior to
completion of the development due to lack of contribution by other responsible parties, will be
deemed complete but will not be approved as part of development project approval unless the
exceptions included in GM-11 or GM-12 apply.” This policy refers to a project’s share of “off-
site” demands on public facilities, particularly roads and related financial obligations.
• GM-13 requires that “new development maintain parkways, creek buffers and open spaces
that are part of the development or are required to support it, and consider establishing multi-
purpose assessment districts or other financing mechanism in order to assign the costs of
infrastructure improvements equitably to benefiting sites.”
• General Plan policies require that development fund and improve necessary infrastructure for
the development of their property. The General Plan also requires that new development fund
the ongoing maintenance of these facilities, as well as open space and creek buffers. The
funding mechanisms for the long term maintenance of facilities in the Specific Plan need to
insure that the funding is appropriate throughout the life of the community, avoiding shortfalls.
Development Financial Requirements
Each Specific Plan property must provide all of its off-site and on-site infrastructure and
development mitigation measures without reliance on any other Specific Plan property. If a
property is developed earlier than the adjacent properties and this property provides oversized
infrastructure, entitlement analyses or development mitigation that benefits the adjacent
properties, each of these Specific Plan properties will fund their “fair share” reimbursement for all
costs that the other property funded on their behalf. The City may coordinate a fee credit system
in the Development Agreement process to insure that each Specific Plan property pays its fair
share or that a Specific Plan property may receive fee credits against its other City fee obligations.
Financing Mechanisms
Off -site infrastructure are allocated by the PFFP on a fair sha re basis per AB 1600 on the Specific
Plan properties for City improvements and facilities. On-site infrastructure and mitigation,
including land costs, are the responsibility of each property, subject to PFFP credits if applicable.
A number of financing mechanisms may b e used for development, including public and private
financing for the infrastructure, including a Community Facilities District (“CFD”) which may
provide for improvements and fees, and consultant costs involved in the CFD formation.
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 48
Development Agreement
The Development Agreement (“DA”) details commitments regarding entitlement approvals,
phasing and building permit. It addresses the timing and scope of Off-site, PFFP and On-site
Infrastructure for each property, as well as the method of how the property satisfies its affordable
obligation. Significant funds will be spent on infrastructure as well as entitlement and mitigation
measures prior to any development activity occurring, which is why the DA is critical.
Maintenance and Service Financing Mechanisms
Development requires funding for long term maintenance and services, including maintenance of
open space creeks, buffers, and water quality and detention basins and facilities. It requires
maintenance of parkway strips within public right – of – way and Class 1 Bicycle Trail areas, both
of which are owned by the City. Financing mechanisms will be established for maintenance of
maintenance services through community associations and / or other mechanisms, such as
CSAs, LLDs, CFDs, or GHADs. Maintenance Annuity Fees are coordinated through the
Development Agreement process to address the impacts of development upon City services.
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 49
8. HOUSING PROGRAM
Affordable Housing Programs
Affordable Housing Programs for each UDSP property will achieve General Plan goals by
accommodating on – site housing at a range of socioeconomic levels, or through in – lieu fee
payments for those properties that qualify for this mitigation procedure.
The estimated Specific Plan Affordable Housing Plan is shown in Table 10.
Table 10
UDSP Affordable Housing Plan
SP
Development
Properties
Total
du’s
Required
Affordable
Housing
On – Site
Affordable
Housing
In - Lieu
Affordable
Housing
UD LLC 203 30.45 30.45 0.00
VAST OAK 1,251 187.65 187.65 0.00
CRPUSD 133 19.95 19.95b 0.00b
BRISTOL 42 6.30 0.00 6.30
CREATH 16 2.40 0.00 2.40
TOTAL SP 1,645 246.75 238.05 238.05
a 218 units of Rental Housing
b 20 units of Below Market Rate Housing satisfied per CRPUSD determination
Affordable obligations will be satisfied through the use of the City’s Housing Trust Fund and
Inclusionary / In – Lieu Fee Requirements, specifically relying on Rohnert Park Municipal Code
Sections 17.70.040 C (1) and (2) a - c. UD LLC and Vast Oak will meet their affordable
requirements through the dedication of sheet graded land with stubbed utilities for on -site
affordable rental housing, as defined in the Development Agreement, which will address
dedication of land, and construction of the affordable units.
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 50
9. IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAM
Introduction
Specific Plan properties will be developed per the EIR and development agreements, pursuant to
timeframes determined by the property owner yet regulated within the Specific Plan or
Development Agreement.
Implementing Elements
The key implementing elements of the development of the Specific Plan include:
• CEQA Documents
• General Plan Amendments
• Specific Plan , Development Standards and Design Guidelines
• Development Agreements
• Subdivision Maps
• Development Area Plans
CEQA Documents
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires environmental review of projects that may
have an adverse impact upon the environment. An Environmental Impact Report (“EIR”) was
prepared for the Specific Plan and addressed the environmental assessments and planning
studies by evaluating the project specific impacts and by providing further guidance regarding
potential environmental impacts and mitigation measures. The mitigation and monitoring
measures of the project EIR will be developed to address ongoing monitoring and enforcement
of mitigation measures that may be required by the City and / or the Resource Agencies.
General Plan Amendments
The General Plan provides criteria that defines the overall goals and policies of the City to ensure
that integrated development is implemented and remains consistent to past and ongoing City
requirements. While the UDSP is consistent with the General Plan’s vision for this area,
amendments to the General Plan will be necessary to fully implement UDSP features.
Specific Plan, Development Standards and Design Guidelines
These documents prov ide the criteria as defined in the Specific Plan Ordinance, including
Development Standards and Design Guidelines, to assure that an integrated development plan
is implemented and establishes criteria for uses, structures, setbacks, parking, and provides
requirements for Mixed -use and Residential development.
Development Agreements
Development agreements establish entitlements, obligations, permit allocations, as well as
address the timing of phasing, dedications, payments, credits, and affordable requirements.
Subdivision Maps
Subdivisions occur pursuant to terms specified in the Specific Plan, Development Agreements,
the Subdivision Map Act and the City’s requirements for Vesting Tentative Maps and Tentative
Maps. Multiple final maps may be recorded based upon the underlying Tentative Map. Subject to
City Staff being familiar with the process, approving final maps in a timely manner allows the
property to receive financing for the installation of development mitigation improvements and
PFFP fee payments.
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 51
Development Area Plans
Development Area Plans (“DAP”) for each residential and mixed-use neighborhood will be
prepared pursuant to the requirements of the City Municipal Code. These DAPs provide, among
other items, detailed information regarding floor plans and exterior elevations, lot configurations,
driveways and flatwork locations, and parking.
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 52
10. ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION PROGRAM
Introduction
Includes a Natural Resources Conservation and Management Program for UD LLC and Vast Oak
regarding conservation of natural resources coordinated with Resource Agencies as well as
create standards for conservation and use of natural resources for the Specific Plan, where
applicable.
Summary of Biological Assessments
The General Plan identified biological resources potentially occurring in the Planning Area,
including wetlands, vernal pools (a type of wetland), rare plants, wildlife and special-status plants
and wildlife. Special status plants and wildlife generally refer to those plants and wildlife that are
afforded heightened protection under State or Federal conservation laws. UD LLC and Vast Oak
surveys described herein augment General Plan resource assessments, which relied on existing
information including some site-specific information and more general regional information (e.g.,
soil survey for Sonoma County, USDA 1972). The biological resource surveys conducted are
extensive, and in many cases provide a continuous narrative of plants and wildlife on the site
since 1994. Those assessments include a delineation of waters of the United States, including
wetlands, and special-status plant and wildlife surveys conducted within UD LLC and Vast Oak.
The following briefly describes different habitat types and special-status plants and wildlife
occurring in a sub-part of UD LLC and Vast Oak. This abstract summarizes mitigation measures
to offset impacts to biological resources within the UDSP.
Biological Resources
Habitats
UD LLC and Vast Oak consist primarily of agricultural lands that support non-native annual
grasses and forbs when not being cultivated for annual crops, such as oat grain and hay, Sudan
grass hay, safflower, Crane melons and pumpkins. UD LLC is adjacent to Copeland Creek, which
supports a narrow riparian corridor. Vast Oak is bisected by Hinebaugh Creek, which supports a
sparse to dense riparian corridor. The jurisdictional wetlands are found primarily between
Hinebaugh Creek and Rohnert Park Expressway. A short description of each habitat type follows
and is taken from Stromberg (1999).
Agricultural Fields/Non-Native Annual Grasslands
Agricultural fields/non-native annual grasslands occur throughout most of UD LLC and Vast Oak.
When the agricultural fields are left fallow, non-native species of annual grasses and forbs
become established and dominate the vegetation cover in these fields.
Riparian
Riparian habitat occurs in UD LLC along Copeland Creek and in Vast Oak along Hin ebaugh
Creek. The riparian habitats are dominated by willow (Salix laevigata, S. lasiandra) with Himalaya
blackberry (Rubus discolor) and poison oak (Toxicodendron diversiloba) in the understory.
California buckeye (Aesculus californicus) is an occasional co-dominant tree species.
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 53
Wetlands and Other Waters of the United States
Two types of jurisdictional waters of the U.S. occur in the Specific Plan (see Table 11): (1)
wetlands; and (2) other waters of the U.S. Wetlands occur throughout the agricultural fields and
consist of four different types: (1) farmed wetlands; (2) farmed wetland pastures; (3) artificial
wetlands; and (4) seasonal wetlands.
Table 11
Jurisdictional Feature and Acreage as Determined by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
in its Approval of the Jurisdictional Delineation, November 2000 for UD LLC and Vast Oak
Jurisdictional
Feature
Acreage
Wetlands
Farmed Wetlands 0.54
Farmed Wetland Pasture 15.10
Artificial Wetlands 1.64
Seasonal Wetlands 0.72
Other Waters of the United States
Hinebaugh Creek 0.72
Ditches and other Defined Drainages 0.33
Total Jurisdictional Waters of the U.S.
19.05
Other waters of the United States include the channel areas of Hinebaugh Creek and other
small distributary channels used to move water across the Specific Plan.
Farmed wetlands are seasonally ponded or saturated wetlands that occur in agricultural fields.
The most common wetland plant species in the farmed wetlands include ryegrass, and
common weedy species such as toad rush (Juncus bufonius), curly dock (Rumex crispus) and
purple loosestrife (Lythrum hyssopifolium). Other native wetland species include Straight-
beaked buttercup (Ranunculus orthorhynchus), Douglas meadowfoam (Limnanthes
douglasii), flowering quillwort (Lilaea scilloides), downingia (Downingia sp.) and water starwort
(Callitriche sp.).
Farmed wetland pastures are seasonal wetlands dominated by facultative (FAC) species
(plant species with equal probably of occurring in uplands and wetlands), including perennial
ryegrass, bird’s foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus), velvet grass (Holcus lanatus), bristly ox-
tongue (Picris echioides), prickly lettuce (Lactuca serriola), prickly sow thistle (Sonchus asper)
and western blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium bellum).
Artificial wetlands are wetlands created as part of or as a result of agricultural activities and
are similar to farmed wetlands relative to the kinds of plant species found in these wetlands.
Seasonal wetlands are depressional areas that are either ponded or contain saturated soils
for at least two weeks during the growing season and occur outside the direct influence of
agricultural activities primarily along Hinebaugh Creek and the low-lying bottomland area
receiving overbank flow from Copeland Creek. The seasonal wetlands along the bottomland
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 54
area are dominated by grasses, such as ryegrass, perennial rushes, such as slender rush
(Juncus tenuis) and brown-headed rush (Juncus phaeocephalus) and sedges, such as dense
sedge (Carex densa) and slough sedge (Carex obnupta). Red willow (Salix laevigata) line
the drainage through this bottomland area. Seasonal wetlands along Hinebaugh Creek
support many of the same species described above, including ryegrass, curly dock, spikerush
(Eleocharis macrostachya), and the aforementioned species of perennial rushes and sedges.
Hinebaugh Creek is a low flow channel, defined by the ordinary high water mark along the
bank, that is included in the “Other Waters of the United States”.
Ditches and Other Defined Drainages include the distributary of Copeland Creek and the
ditches that carry water from this distributary to Hinebaugh Creek. South of Rohnert Park
Expressway, the bottom of the distributary channel is unvegetated and a few pockets of arroyo
willow (Salix lasiolepis) occur along the top of the banks. The banks of the ditch are, for the
most part, covered with a mixture of ruderal upland species dominated by poison hemlock,
thistles, ripgut brome, ryegrass and other annual grass species. The channel north of Rohnert
Park Expressway is dominated by wetland vegetation.
Vegetation and Wildlife
UDSP consists primarily of agricultural lands that are subject to regular cropping activity. One
degraded creek, Hinebaugh Creek, crosses Vast Oak from east to west. Copeland Creek flows
along the southern boundary of the UD LLC. The riparian habitats along Hinebaugh Creek and
Copeland Creek support numerous species of migratory and resident songbirds, small and
medium-sized mammals, and amphibians and reptiles. The agricultural fields support populations
of small mammals that provide food for foraging raptors and larger mammals such as coyotes.
The continual disturbance from agricultural activity limits the habitat value of the agricultural fields
and to some extent the riparian areas along Copeland and Hinebaugh Creeks.
The General Plan identified several special-status species as potentially occurring in the Rohnert
Park Sphere of Influence, which includes UD LLC and Vast Oak. According to the General Plan,
the tricolored blackbird (Agelaius tricolor) and foothill yellow-legged frog (Rana boylii) occur in the
area around the Laguna de Santa Rosa, and the western pond turtle (Clemmys marmorata) and
western yellow-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus occidentalis) have been observed in the
Copeland Creek area between S.S.U. and the GMC .
The Natural Diversity Database and other information sources identify a number of other special-
status species of plants (Table 12) and wildlife (Table 13) as occurring in the region and
potentially in the Specific Plan. Although habitat for several of these species is present at the site,
no special-status species of plants have been found during the numerous plant surveys that have
been conducted at the site.
Four invertebrate species have the potential to occur in the region, including the California
freshwater shrimp (Syncaris pacifica), California linderiella (Linderiella occidentalis), Ricksecker’s
water scavenger beetle (Hydrocharis rickseckeri), and San Francisco forktail damselfly (Ischnura
gemina). Because Hinebaugh Creek and Copeland Creek are dry for much of the year, suitable
habitat for the California freshwater shrimp is absent the project site. Suitable habitat for the
California linderiella (vernal pools and grassy swales) is also absent. Portions of Hinebaugh
Creek may provide potential habitat for Ricksecker’s water scavenger beetle and San Francisco
fork-tailed damselfly.
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 55
Twenty-five special-status wildlife species inhabit the region or occurred in the region historically
and were considered to have some potential to occur on the project site (Table 13). The central
California coast steelhead has been reported in Copeland Creek, which is immediately adjacent
to the southern boundary of UD LLC. Two other special-status species were detected on-site
during field studies: white-tailed kite and grasshopper sparrow. Three special-status species were
detected along Copeland Creek during field studies: foothill yellow-legged frog, western pond
turtle and yellow warbler.
The site is outside of the range of the federally threatened California red-legged frog as delineated
by the USFWS (1996). Nocturnal surveys for northern red-legged frogs were conducted between
1995 and 2002, and none were observed. The project site is within the range of the federal
endangered species and California Species of Special Concern, the California Tiger Salamander
(“CTS”). Aquatic surveys for larval tiger salamanders were carried out in potential breeding habitat
between 1994 and 2002 and none were detected. Surveys using federal protocols are ongoing,
including drift fencing and aquatic surveys. No CTS have been found as of the date of the
submittal of the Specific Plan Amendment.
Five other special-status species are considered to have a moderate potential to occur in UD LLC
and Vast Oak, including the following: California horned lark, loggerhead shrike, tricolored
blackbird, pallid bat, and Yuma myotis. One other special-status species, the ferruginous hawk,
has a moderate potential to occur at UD LLC and Vast Oak during the winter since appropriate
foraging habitat is present and it has been observed in the area in the past. The rest of the
specials-status species are considered to have a low potential to inhabit UD LLC and Vast Oak.
Preliminary Mitigation for Impacts to Biological Resources
The Environmental Impact Report for the General Plan recommended a number of mitigation
measures for three of the four categories of impacts identified in the General Plan EIR where the
impacts were judged to be potentially significant. The following summary identifies the impact
categories where potential significant impacts were anticipated in the General Plan and identifies
how the appropriate mitigation measures have been incorporated into the development plan for
UD LLC and Vast Oak. The specific elements of mitigation were developed through the permitting
process in consultation with the resource agencies responsible for the biological resources
impacted by development of the Specific Plan.
EC-4: Cooperate with the State and Federal agencies to ensure that development does not
substantially affect special status species appearing on any State or Federal list of rare,
endangered, or threatened species. Require assessment of biological resources prior to approval
of any development within 300 feet of any creeks or high potential wetlands, as depicted in
[General Plan] Figure 6.2-1, or within habitat areas of identified special status species, as shown
in [General Plan] Figure 6.2-3.
UD LLC and Vast Oak had multiple meetings with the State and Federal agencies responsible for
management of the biological resources at the site, including the Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service, National Marine Fisheries Service, North Coast Regional Water Quality
Control Board, and California Department of Fish and Game. For impacts to special-status
species, UD LLC and Vast Oak continue to work with the agencies to identify the level of impacts
and the appropriate mitigation for impacts to special-status species that are known to occur at UD
LLC and Vast Oak or that may be affected by development of the UD LLC and Vast Oak.
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 56
In consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, a survey plan based on the accepted
protocols, was developed and is being implemented on UD LLC and Vast Oak. The drift fencing
portion of the surveys have been completed and the aquatic surveys were completed prior to
June 1, 2003. To date no CTS have been observed or captured during conduct of the protocol
survey and a Letter of No effect has been issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for UD LLC
and Vast Oak.
Storm water runoff from the developed portions of the site are subject to passive treatment, either
through vegetated swales, on – site water quality storm detention or a combination of both before
entering the underground storm water pipes. Post -construction storm water treatment facilities
will be developed in consultation with the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board.
UD LLC and Vast Oak have proposed site plan designs that incorporate the criteria of the resource
agencies, including increasing creek buffer dimensions, providing frontage roads adjacent to the
most of the creek buffers and open space, reducing lighting impacts to the creeks, installing
pedestrian crossings only at degraded areas of the creeks and installing a single roadway
crossing at a degraded portion of Hinebaugh Creek.
EC-6: Work with private, nonprofit conservation, and public groups to secure funding for wetland
protection and restoration projects.
U.D. LLC and Vast Oak will include use restrictions and management funding for open space and
wetland areas, including working with private groups to manage these areas.
EC-13: Require dedication of creek protection zones extending 50 feet (measured from the tops
of the banks and a strip of land extending laterally outward from the top of each bank) for creeks,
with extended buffers where significant habitat areas or high potential wetlands exist.
Development shall not occur within this zone, except as part of greenway enhancement (for
example, trails and bicycleways). Require City approval for the following activities within the creek
protection zones:
Construction, alteration, or removal of any structure;
Excavation, filling, or grading;
Removal or planting of vegetation (except for removal of invasive plant species); or,
Alteration of any embankment.
Hinebaugh Creek will be subject to periodic maintenance to maintain the low flow channel in the
creek. Any maintenance activity will need to be authorized by the California Department of Fish
and Game and possibly the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board. Approval of plant
removal activities for non-invasive plant species will be obtained prior to commencement of such
activities.
EC-14: As part of Specific Plans (see Policy LU-G), require evaluation and implementation of
appropriate measures for creek bank stabilization, and any necessary steps to reduce erosion
and sedimentation, but preserve natural creek channels and riparian vegetation.
Impacts to and anticipated maintenance activities in Hinebaugh Creek have been described
above. There may be some stabilization of the banks of Hinebaugh Creek in Vast Oak but any
such stabilization will be kept to a minimum to reduce the impacts to the creek and its banks to
the maximum extent practical.
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 57
Impact 4.7-b: New development could result in elimination or potential degradation of areas with
high potential to support wetlands and wildlife.
Seven mitigation measures were identified in the General Plan EIR to address this impact
category. These include the following mitigation measures:
EC-4: Cooperate with the State and Federal agencies to ensure that development does not
substantially affect special status species appearing on any State or Federal list of rare,
endangered, or threatened species. Require assessment of biological resources prior to approval
of any development within 300 feet of any creeks or high potential wetlands, as depicted in
[General Plan] Figure 6.2-1, or within habitat areas of identified special status species, as shown
in [General Plan] Figure 6.2-3.
See response for EC-4 under Impact 4.7-a above.
EC-5: Require development in areas with high and moderate potential delineated in [General
Plan] Figure 6.2-1 to complete assessments of biological resources.
Multiple surveys conducted for special status plants and wildlife since 1994 provide updated
information. The extent of jurisdictional waters of the United States has been determined and
verified by the Corps of Engineers. This information updates the general information contained
in the General Plan Figure 6.2-1.
EC-6: Work with private, nonprofit conservation, and public groups to secure funding for wetland
protection and restoration projects.
See response for EC-6 under Impact 4.7-a above.
EC-10: As part of development approval in any new growth area, require participation in a
landscape assessment district, with responsibility for maintaining creek ways, open spaces,
landscaped medians, and other similar features.
UD LLC and Vast Oak will work to establish the mechanism to finance maintenance of creek
ways, open spaces, and other similar features.
EC-13: Require dedication of creek protection zones extending 50 feet (measured from the tops
of the banks and a strip of land extending laterally outward from the top of each bank) for creeks,
with extended buffers where significant habitat areas or high potential wetlands exist.
Development shall not occur within this zone, except as part of greenway enhancement (for
example, trails and bicycleways).
Require City approval for the following activities within the creek protection zones:
Construction, alteration, or removal of any structure;
Excavation, filling, or grading;
Removal or planting of vegetation (except for removal of invasive plant species); or,
Alteration of any embankment.
See response for EC-13 under Impact 4.7-a above.
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 58
EC-14: As part of Specific Plans (see Policy LU-G), require evaluation and implementation of
appropriate measures for creek bank stabilization, and any necessary steps to reduce erosion
and sedimentation, but preserve natural creek channels and riparian vegetation.
See response for EC-14 under Impact 4.7-a above.
HS-11: In cooperation with the Sonoma County Water Agency, maintain flood plain areas,
drainage channels, and other drainage structures and improve drainage channel capacity in ways
that will preserve the natural character of habitat areas, riparian corridors, and waterways to the
maximum extent feasible.
Any maintenance activities within the creeks will need to be approved by the resource agencies,
particularly the California Department of Fish and Game and possibly North Coast Regional Water
Quality Control Board.
Other Applicable Mitigation Measures
General Plan Policy LU-10A requires that Specific Plans prepared pursuant to the General Plan
incorporate “a site-specific biological assessment of wetlands and creek sides by a City-approved
biologist and a program for conservation/mitigation to the extent feasible.” The extent of
jurisdictional waters of the United States has been determined and verified by the Corps of
Engineers. Mitigation plans to offset the loss of wetland and other waters of the United States are
currently being prepared and will be subject to approval by the resource agencies.
General Plan Policy HS-5 calls for implementation of “environmentally sensitive drainage
improvements including flow reduction and flood bypass systems in order to ensure protection of
surface water quality and stream integrity.” The State Water Quality Control Board has directed
its regional boards to incorporate more defined and stringent measures to treat storm water runoff
generated by development. UD LLC and Vast Oak have received approval from the North Coast
Regional Water Quality Control Board over development of acceptable post-construction storm
water treatment facilities. Untreated storm water from the UD LLC developed areas will not flow
directly into Copeland Creek. Storm water runoff from the developed portions of the site will be
subject to passive treatment, either through vegetated swales, detention or a combination of both
before entering the underground City storm water pipes. There will be similar steps taken for those
portions of the Specific Plan Area that flow towards Hinebaugh Creek. Sedimentation control will
also be addressed.
Impact 4.7-c: New development under the General Plan could result in the introduction and
spread of non-native invasive plant species.
Three mitigation measures were identified in the General Plan EIR to address this impact
category. These include the following mitigation measures:
EC-7: Encourage planting of native vegetation in new development sites, parks, public areas,
and open space.
UD LLC and Vast Oak propose to use native and drought tolerant plants in the creek protection
zones and buffer areas to the maximum extent possible.
EC-8: As part of the City’s Park, Recreation and Open Space Master Plan, institute an ongoing
program to remove and prevent the re-establishment on invasive plant species from ecologically
sensitive areas, including City parks and other City-owned open space.
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 59
Maintenance of the parks will include removal of invasive non-native species. This program
(removal of non-native invasive plants) would likely be implemented as part of its routine
maintenance of parks. If ponds are created on the parks, a bullfrog eradication program may be
necessary to prevent establishment of bullfrog populations. The community CCRs will limit the
plant palette for landscaping in the developed areas to reduce the impact of non – native plant
species upon the creeks and open space.
EC-12: Protect oaks and other native trees that are of significant size through the establishment
of a Heritage Tree Preservation Ordinance.
Vast Oak proposes to preserve existing oak trees located in the northern end of Vast Oak, subject
to their health. Large trees located in the riparian corridors will not be impacted by development
of Vast Oak. Measures will be implemented to encourage regeneration of the existing oaks in
Vast Oak.
Table 12
Potential for Special-status Plant Species to Occur in the Specific Plan on UD LLC and
Vast Oak
Common Name
(Scientific Name)
Status 1
Potential to Occur in Specific Plan
Bent-flowered fiddleneck
Amsinkia lunaris
-/-/4
Not found - annual grassland suitable habitat
Brewer’s milkvetch
Astragalus breweri
-/-/3 Not found - annual grassland suitable habitat
Baker’s blenosperma
Blenosperma bakeri
FE/SE/1B Not found - seasonally moist wetland habitat
in eastern part of site considered suitable
habitat
Dwarf downingia
Downingia pusilla
-/-/1B Not found - seasonally moist habitat along
Hinebaugh Creek considered marginally
suitable habitat
Fragrant fritillary
Fritillaria liliaecea
-/-/1B Not found - habitat generally not suitable
Purdy’s fritillary
Fritillaria purdyi
-/-/4 Not found - habitat not suitable
Burke’s goldfields
Lasthenia burkei
FE/SE/1B Not found - seasonally moist wetland habitat
considered marginally suitable habitat
Sebastopol meadowfoam
Limnanthes vinculans
FE/SE/1B Not found - seasonally moist wetland habitat
considered marginally suitable habitat
Napa lomatium
Lomatium repostum
-/-/4 Not found - suitable habitat not present on
site
1 Federal/ State/ CNPS
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 60
Table 12 (Concluded)
Common Name
(Scientific Name)
Status
Potential to Occur in Specific Plan
Baker’s navarretia
Navarretia leucocephala
ssp. Bakeri
FE/SE/1B Not found - suitable habitat occurs at site
Many-flowered gilia
Navarretia leucocephala
ssp. Pleiantha
FC/SE/1B
Not found - marginally suitable habitat
occurs at site
Gairdner’s yampah
Perideridia gairdneri ssp.
Gairdneri
-/-/1B Not found - heavier clay soils at site
considered to provide suitable habitat
Lobb’s buttercup
Ranunculus lobbii
-/-/4 Not found - marginal habitat in deep farmed
wetland depressions
Showy Indian clover
Trifolium amoenum
-/-/1B Not found - annual grassland suitable habitat
Status Codes
Federal Status
FE Federally listed as Endangered under Federal Endangered Species Act (ESA)
FT Federally listed as Threatened under ESA
FPE Federally proposed for listing as Endangered under ESA
FPT Federally proposed for listing as Threatened under ESA
FPD Federally proposed for Delisting
FC Federal candidate species (former Category 1 candidates)
MNBMC Fish and Wildlife Service: Migratory Nongame Birds of Management Concern
State Status
SE State listed as Endangered under California Endangered Species Act (CESA)
ST State listed as Threatened under CESA
SCE State candidate for listing as Endangered
SCT State candidate for listing as Threatened
CSC California Special Concern species designated by the Department of Fish and Game (DFG)
CFP Fully Protected Species under the Fish and Game Code of California
CP Protected Species under the California Code of Regulations
CNPS (California Native Plant Society) Status
List 1A Species presumed extinct in California
List 1B Species rare and endangered in California and elsewhere
List 2 Species rare and endangered in California but more common elsewhere
List 3 Species about which additional data are needed
List 4 Species of limited distribution
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 61
Table 13
Potential for Special-status Wildlife Species to Occur in the Specific Plan on UD LLC and
Vast Oak
Common Name
(Scientific Name)
Status
State/Federal
Potential to Occur in Specific Plan
Fishes
Central California coast
steelhead (Oncorhynchus
mykiss)
-/FT Present - Moves along Copeland Creek
adjacent to site to and from upstream
spawning areas.
Amphibians
California tiger salamander
Ambystoma californiense
CSC, CP/FC Low - Did not breed on-site in ’94,
’95,’00, ‘01, ‘02
Northern red-legged frog
Rana aurora aurora
CSC, CP/- Low - Did not breed on-site in ’94, ’95,
’96,‘00, '01, ‘02
California red-legged frog
Rana aurora draytonii
CSC, CP/FT Outside range delineated by USFWS
Foothill yellow-legged frog
Rana boylii
CSC, CP/- Present in Copeland Creek
Reptiles
Western pond turtle
Clemmys marmorata
CSC, CP/- Present in Copeland Creek
Birds
Cooper's hawk (nesting)
Accipiter cooperi
CSC/- Moderate - Did not nest on-site in ’94, ‘00
Golden eagle
Aquila chrysaetos
CSC, CFP/- Low - Did not nest onsite in ’94, ‘00
Ferruginous hawk (wintering)
Buteo regalis
CSC/MNBMC Moderate - Suitable wintering habitat
available
Northern harrier (nesting)
Circus cyaneus
CSC/- Low - Did not nest onsite in ’94, ‘00
White-tailed kite (nesting)
Elanus leucurus
CFP/MNBMC Moderate - Observed onsite in ’95, ‘00
Merlin (wintering)
Falco columbarius
CSC/- Low - Wintering habitat available
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 62
Table 13 (Concluded)
Common Name
(Scientific Name)
Status
State/Federal
Potential to Occur in Specific Plan
Birds (Continued)
Western yellow-billed cuckoo (nesting)
Coccyzus americanus occidentalis
SE/MNBMC
Low - No recent nesting records; Did
not nest onsite in ’94, ‘00
Long-eared owl (nesting)
Asio otus
CSC/- Low - No recent nesting records from
Sonoma Co.
Burrowing owl
Athene cunicularia
CSC/
MNBMC
Low - No recent nesting records from
Sonoma Co.
California horned lark
Eremophila alpestris actia
CSC/
-
Moderate - Did not nest onsite in ’94,
‘00
Loggerhead shrike
Lanius ludovicianus
CSC/
MNBMC
Moderate - Did not nest onsite in ’94,
‘00
Tricolored blackbird (nesting)
Agelaius tricolor
CSC/
MNBMC
Moderate - Did not nest onsite in ’94,
‘00
Grasshopper sparrow (nesting)
Ammodramus savannarum
-/
MNBMC
Present during nesting season in
grasslands and fields in ‘00
Yellow warbler
Dendroica petechia brewsteri
CSC/
MNBMC
Present on Copeland Creek in ‘00
Yellow-breasted chat (nesting)
Icteria virens
CSC/
-
Low - Did not nest onsite in ’94, ‘00
Mammals
Pallid bat
Antrozous pallidus
CSC/-
Moderate - Suitable roosting and
foraging habitat present
Townsend's big-eared bat
Corynorhinus townsendii
CSC/
-
Low - Marginal roosting habitat
present
Yuma myotis
Myotis yumanensis
CSC/
-
Moderate - Suitable roosting and
foraging habitat present
Western mastiff bat
Eumops perotis
CSC/
-
Low - No roosting habitat present
Status Codes
Federal Status
FE Federally listed as Endangered under Federal Endangered Species Act (ESA)
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 63
FT Federally listed as Threatened under ESA
FPE Federally proposed for listing as Endangered under ESA
FPT Federally proposed for listing as Threatened under ESA
FPD Federally proposed for Delisting
FC Federal candidate species (former Category 1 candidates)
MNBMC Fish and Wildlife Service: Migratory Nongame Birds of Management Concern
State Status
SE State listed as Endangered under California Endangered Species Act (CESA)
ST State listed as Threatened under CESA
SCE State candidate for listing as Endangered
SCT State candidate for listing as Threatened
CSC California Special Concern species designated by the Department of Fish and Game (DFG)
CFP Fully Protected Species under the Fish and Game Code of California
CP Protected Species under the California Code of Regulations
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 64
APPENDIX A
DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
Description and Purpose
These Development Standards for the UDSP provide standards for residential and other land
uses, including building designs, parking, maintenance, setbacks, and second units.
Development standards included below are provided for each of the land use descriptions in the
UDSP Plan Area. These development standards set forth permitted uses, the minimum
requirements for, lot size, lot width, floor area ratio, lot coverage, height, setbacks, garage
prominence and variance of housing types within each development proposal. The intention of
these standards is to provide guidance for development within each of the land use categories.
For issues not specifically addressed by the developments standards or the Specific Plan, the
City of Rohnert Zoning Ordinance shall apply and shall be based on the most compatible zoning
designation as determined by the Development Services Director or his/her designee. Each
development area is required to be approved through the City's Development Area Plan ('DAP')
process. See DAP requirements Rohnert Park Municipal Code Chapters 17.06.400 and
17.06.410) as they apply for all applications.
Chapter 1: Residential D evelopment Standards
This chapter establishes standards for the Residential uses as outlined in the City's Zoning
Ordinance, Chapter 17.06.010 - Residential Zoning Districts.
The residential districts are intended to achieve the following Purposes:
A. Reserve residential areas for a broad range of dwelling types and densities, which meet
the economic and social needs of the residents consistent with sound standards of
public health and safety.
B. Ensure the provision of light, air, privacy and open space.
C. Protect residential neighborhoods from excessive noise, illumination, unsightliness,
odors, dust, dirt, smoke, vibration, heat, glare, and other objectionable influences.
D. Minimize congestion and avoid the overloading of public services and utilities. (Ord. 695,
2003)
1.1 Residential Land Use Designations
Estate Density Residential: As described in the Land Use Plan section of the Specific Plan, the
density range for this designation is 0.1 to 2.21 dwelling units per acre. The minimum lot size for
single family detached homes within this designation is 14,000 square feet. See Sections 1.4
and 1.5 below for setback, building area, building height and parking requirement descriptions.
Low Density Residential: As described in the Land Use Plan section of the Specific Plan with
density ranging from 4.1 to 6.0 dwelling units/acre. The minimum lot size for single family
detached homes, including alley and motor – court lots, within this designation is 4,000 square
feet. See Sections 1.4 and 1.5 below for setback, building area, building height and parking
requirement descriptions.
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 65
Medium Density Residential: As described in the Land Use Plan section of the Specific Plan,
this designation includes single family detached and single family attached homes with a density
range of 6.1 to 12.0 dwelling units/acre on lots up to a maximum of 5,500 square feet, including
alley and motor–court lots. See Sections 1.4 and 1.5 below for setback, building area, building
height and parking requirement descriptions.
Public / Institutional / Medium Density Residential: As described in the Land Use Plan section,
this designation includes conventional, alley and motor–court single family detached, single
family attached and multi – family stacked flat, carriage, townhome, zero – lot line, condominium
ownership and rental homes, with density ranging from 6.1 to 12.0. A dwelling units/acre on lots
up to a maximum of 5,500 square feet as well as open space, trails, permanent and temporary
private and public storm water detention / water quality basins and facilities, including fencing,
and maintenance roads. See Sections 1.4 and 1.5 below for setback, building area, building
height and parking requirement descriptions. Water quality and detention basins and drainage
facilities, whether public or private, are allowed, including fencing, maintenance roads, walls and
other requirements to facilitate these basins. Class 1 Bicycle trails, sidewalks, and irrigated and
non - irrigated landscape areas are allowed in this area.
High Density Residential: As described in the Land Use Plan section, this designation includes
alley and motor-court single family attached and multi-family stacked - flat, carriage, townhome,
zero - lot line and condominium ownership and rental homes with density ranging from 1,2.1 to
24.0 dwelling units/acre. See Sections 1.4 and 1.5 below for setback, building area, building
height and parking requirement descriptions. For-sale and rental home are allowed.
Mixed-use Density Residential: As described in the Land Use Plan section, this designation
includes residential homes on motor-court single family detached and single family attached, as
well as multi-family stacked - flat, carriage townhome, live-work, condominium ownership and
rental homes. See Sections 1.4 and 1.5 below for setback, building area, building heights and
parking requirement descriptions. For-sale and rental homes are allowed in this density.
1.2 Designs for Residential Density, Public/Institutional/Medium Residential
Density, and Mixed-use Residential Density
Single Family Detached Homes: Include front-, alley-, and motor-court loaded homes with
garages and uncovered parking. Motor-courts are homes with pedestrian and vehicular access
off of a public street, common driveway or paseo. Alley-loaded homes have a front door off of
an alley, a paseo, or public - street, and vehicular access off of an alley on a separate parcel or
easement. These homes may have front yards and side yards maintained by an association,
while the fenced private open spaces are maintained by the homeowner. These homes can be
located within all Residential and P-I / Medium Density Residential densities, except for High -
Density Residential, and may have front or side-loaded driveways as well as alley-or motor-
court loaded driveways and drive aprons. Second units are allowed within all densities.
Attached Homes: Include front-, alley-and motor-court loaded homes with garages and
uncovered parking. These are located on individual lots, defined as Single-Family in the
Municipal Code, or with multiple units on a large lot, defined as Multi-Family. Motor-court homes
have pedestrian and vehicular access off of a public street, shared driveway or paseo. Alley-
loaded homes have a front door off of an alley, paseo or public street with vehicular access off
of an alley. Attached homes may have features of detached homes, including fenced private
open space, front / side / rear--and alley loaded driveway and drive aprons. Maintenance of
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 66
fenced lot/private open space may be by the homeowner and maintenance of front yards may
be by an association, while alley, motor-court and common area may be maintained by an
association either through ownership of a separate parcel or easements. These are within all
densities except Estate and Low.
Multi-Family Condominium and Apartment Rental Homes: “Multi-Family” homes are within High-
and Mixed -use Densities and include Town-home, Carriage, Stacked-Flat and Live/ Work
homes. These have three or more units and are either within an association or owned as a
rental community that maintains exteriors and common area. No second units are allowed.
Second Units: Second Units will follow the City's Municipal Code requirements.
Setbacks and Development Standards: Building setbacks and heights, floor area ratio, and lot
coverage for homes described above are shown within the Development Standards. Any conflict
between the Guidelines and the Municipal Code will defer to the Development Standards.
1.3 Permitted Uses
All residential uses shall utilize the City of Rohnert Park Zoning Ordinance, Chapter 17.06.030
Permitted Uses, as a guide.
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 67
Section 1.4 Residential Standards
SETBACKS ARE MINIMUM, EXCEPT WHEN NOTED OTHERWISE
See Specific Plan for min.
lot sizes per density
Estate
Density –
Detached
Conventional
Low Density
- Detached
Conventional
Two Story
Low Density
Detached
Conventional
Single Story
& Pop-Up
Medium
Density –
Detached
Conventional
Medium –
Density –
Detached Alley
and MC
Medium –
Density –
Attached Alley
and MC
P / I /
Medium
Density -
Conventional
P / I / Medium
Density
Detached Alley
and MC
P / I / Medium
– Density
Attached Alley
and MC
High Density –
Attached Alley
and MC
High
Density
Multi -Family
Alley and
MC
Mixed-use
Residential
– Detached
Alley and
MC
Mixed-use
Residential
– Attached
Alley and
MC
Mixed-use
Multi -
Family
Residential
over Retail
FRONT
Garage Front – On 25’ 18’ 18’ N/A 18’ 18’ 18’ 18’ 18’ 18’ N/A N/A N/A N/A
Garage Side – On (55’lot) 13’ 8’ 8’ N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Porch Court 15’ 10’ 10’ 5’ 5’ 5’ 5’ 5’ 5’ 5’ 4’ 4’ 4’ 0’
Arch. / Fireplace / Media 13’ 8’ 8’ 5’ 5’ 5’ 5’ 5’ 5’ 5’ 4’ 4’ 4’ 0’
Living Area – All Floors 20’ 12’ 10’ 10’ 5’ 5’ 10’ 5’ 5’ 5’ 4’ 4’ 4’ 0’
SIDE
Garage Front – On 5’ 4’ 4’ 4’ 4’ 4’ 4’ 4’ 4’ 4’ 4’ 4’ 4’ 4’
Garage Alley and MC N/A N/A N/A N/A 4’ 4’ N/A 4’ 4’ 4’ 4’ 4’ 4’ 4’
Living Area – All Floors 5’(1S)10’(2S) 5’ 4’ 4’ 4’ 4’ 4’ 4’ 4’ 4’ 4’ 4’ 4’ 4’
Arch. / Fireplace / Media 4’ 4’ 4’ 4’ 4’ 4’ 4’ 4’ 4’ 4’ 4’ 4’ 4’ 4’
Trellis / Porch / Court 5’ 4’ 4’ 4’ 4’ 4’ 4’ 4’ 4’ 4’ 4’ 4’ 4’ 4’
Corner Conditions – Add 5’ 5’ 5’ 4’ 4’ 4’ 4’ 4’ 4’ 4’ 4’ 4’ 4’ 4’
REAR
Trellis / Garage 5’ 5’ 5’ 5’ 3’(A) 4’(MC) 3’(A) 4’(MC) 5’ 3’(A) 4’(MC) 3’(A) 4’(MC) 3’(A) 4’(MC) 3’(A) 4’(MC) 3’(A) 4’(MC) 3’(A) 4’(MC) 3’(A) 4’(MC)
Living Area – All Floors 20’ 10’ 5’(1S),10’(2S) 10’ 3’(A) 4’(MC) 3’(A) 4’(MC) 10’ 3’(A) 4’(MC) 3’(A) 4’(MC) 3’(A) 4’(MC) 3’(A) 4’(MC) 3’(A) 4’(MC) 3’(A) 4’(MC) 3’(A) 4’(MC)
BUILDING SEPARATION
Rear – Garage to Garage N/A N/A N/A N/A 26’ (A) NA (MC) 26’ (A) NA (MC) N/A 26’ (A) NA (MC) 26’ (A) NA (MC) 26’ (A) NA (MC) 26’ 26’ 26’ 26’
Rear – Living to Living N/A N/A N/A N/A 26’(A) NA (MC) 26’(A) NA(MC) N/A 26’(A) NA (MC) 26’(A) NA(MC) 26’(A) NA(MC) 26’ 26’ 26’ 26’
Private Open Space / S.F. 600 500 400 400 300 300 400 300 300 200 100 200 200 100
Max. Floor Area Ratio 60 % 65 % 65 % 70 % 75 % 75 % 70 % 75 % 75 % 75 % 200 % 75 % 85 % 200 %
Max. Lot Coverage 55 % 60 % 60 % 65 % 75 % 75 % 75 % 75 % 75 % 75 % 80 % 80 % 90 % 90 %
Notes:
Floor Area Ratio includes conditioned living area but not porches, garages, second units, decks, carports, and exterior stairs. Lot Coverage includes only the first floor living area, covered porches and garages.
MC or (MC) = Motor-court (A) = Alley Pop-Up = second level living area over a portion of a single story home. (1S) = One-Story residential structure (2S) = Two-Story residential structure
For Low Density Detached Conventional Single Story and Pop-Up, second floor windows located along the 4’ side-yard shall be clerestory windows to provide greater privacy to adjacent lot.
On corner lots, buildings may encroach into corner setback areas, so long as no portion of building is closer than 5’-0” to property line and is located outside clear vision triangle area (as defined by RPMC Section 17.14.040).
Trellis reference shall apply to Trellis, Pergola, or Shade Structure for setback and height requirements. See Section 1.5 for additional restrictions on these improvements.
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 68
1.5 Other Standards for Residential Uses
Building Heights
The maximum ridge height is from finished grade at the front of the foundation and shall not exceed
35 feet for 2 stories and 45 feet for 3 stories. City requirements for roof access and emergency
service requirements take precedence over these Development Standards. Chimney and
architectural projections are not intended for human occupancy and shall not be more than 8’-0”
above the maximum height. This standard applies to both residential and commercial buildings.
Accessory Structures
Accessory structures such as sheds and cabanas shall follow the standards set forth by the City of
Rohnert Park Zoning Ordinance.
Site Coverage
All Site Coverage, whic h includes Floor Area Ratio and Lot Coverage , shall comply with Section 1.4
Residential Standards.
Private and Public Outdoor Space
Subject to requirements of Section 1.4, balconies, bay windows, open stairs, porches, and other
projections may project no closer than setbacks from property line as shown in Section 1.4 of the
Specific Plan . Shade structures, pergolas, and trellis are not allowed to encroach into side – yard
or rear – yard setbacks of the main house structure, including overhangs as defined in Section 1.4
Residential Standards. No projection shall encroach into the public right-of-way or adjacent
properties. Air conditioning equipment may project into side yards but require three feet clearance
from adjacent structures and fences. These encroachments shall meet the City’s noise ordinance.
Builder installed front – yard bio – swales shall remain as – is, though minor plant modifications
may be possible subject to Association Architectural Review Committee (“ARC”) approval.
Subject to Association approval, 3’ – 0” maximum width concrete walkways (flatwork) may be
installed by homeowners from the lot driveway to the garage side -yard for trash / recycle toter
storage behind fencing (as per the fence location installed per the City approved plot plan).
Removal of landscape and irrigation in front yards shall not reduce the pervious percentage of the
front yard below 50%. Any replacement of landscape materials shall adhere to Specific Plan
Amendment approved plant material and be approved by Association ARC.
Fencing, trellis and other structures, such as sheds and paly equipment, will not exceed the existing
height of the fencing installed pursuant to the plot plan and at the time of the original issuance of
certificate of occupancy. Fencing, gates or trash screens will not be allowed in front of the garage
or the existing fence / gate location installed per the plot plan.
No electrical and plumbing fixtures, such as water softeners or battery systems, will be allowed in
the front yard.
City ordinances and requirements will be adhered to as part of the Association approvals.
Front Yard and Front Door Orientation in Vast Oak North
In order to achieve a pedestrian friendly neighborhood, front doors of single-family homes should
face the street whenever possible. To achieve this, garages should be at the rear of the lot from
alleys or motor-courts, which would allow the front door to be oriented towards the local street and
allow pedestrian access directly from the public access (Figure 17).
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 69
Figure 17
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 70
Parking & Driveway / Garage Standards
The following addresses parking and garage standards at all densities that vary from Municipal
Code for all residential density types. If a parking situation is not defined in Development Standards
below, then the Municipal Code shall prevail.
Residential Parking Standards
• Side-by side covered parking spaces shall have minimum interior dimension of 10’-0” x 10’-
0” at the garage or covered parking structure
• Compact covered parking spaces shall be a minimum of 10’-0” x 16’-0” measured from inside
of the garage and covered parking structure, as well as from structures in uncovered areas.
• Standards tandem covered parking spaces shall be a minimum of 10’-0” x 19’-0” as a single
or 10’-0” x 36’-0” combined as measured from inside of the interior dimension of the garage.
• 8’-0” by 16’-0” compact uncovered parking spaces are allowed within side-yard use
easement areas, only behind lot fencing once approved by Association.
• 18’-0” deep driveways are allowed in front-loaded, alley-loaded and motor-court conditions.
• Tandem, side-be-side and detached garages satisfy parking requirements for all homes.
• Alleys and motor-courts are private roadways that include drives, motor-courts, lanes,
access-ways, and are owned as separate lots or have easements for Association
maintenance of alleys and motor-courts with more than four units. In the case of alley and
motor-court developments with four units or less, each unit will provide its fair share funding
for maintenance and repairs.
• No parking is allowed in private roadways, drives, lanes or access-ways at alleys and motor-
courts, as these are only allowed for vehicular and pedestrian access to garages and parking
spaces for home and second unit. Access to parking within a lot, such as garage and
uncovered space, is allowed access from alley, lane or motor-court.
• A garage may have a 3' minimum and a 7' maximum drive apron depth or an 18'-0" minimum
driveway depth. Alley - and Motor-court loaded homes can have either full driveways or drive
apron. Subject to Association approval, homeowner may install a maximum of 18” wide
concrete surface on each side of the driveway or a 24” wide surface on one side of the
driveway, only after confirming with Association that proposed impervious surface of front
yard of the lot will not exceed 50% of front yard.
• If more covered or uncovered parking spaces are provided within a lot, such as by driveways
or other spaces, then these satisfy any required uncovered on-site or on-street visitor
parking. No additional parking is allowed in the front yard from what was shown on plot plan.
• On-street public roadway parking and on-site/on-lot driveway parking satisfies visitor parking
requirements for all residential land uses including parking required for second units.
Off-Street Parking and Loading
Parking within the Residential and Mixed–Use districts shall generally follow the Rohnert Park
Municipal Code.
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 71
Chapter 2: Mixed-Use Commercial Development Standards
This chapter establishes standards for the Mixed-use Commercial Center uses (“Mixed-use
Center”) as outlined in the City’s Zoning Ordinance, Chapter 17.06.040 – Mixed-Use Zoning
Districts. 2.1 Mixed-Use Commercial Center
Mixed -Use Commercial Center. This designation provides for a variety of uses, including,
but not limited to, grocery, personal services, neighborhood service retail, and entertainment.
Parcels may include multiple land uses as individual buildings or within each building. See City’s
Municipal Code for Development Standards not addressed below for this Land Use.
The preferred pattern of development will be commercial uses, with residential and/or office uses
located on the upper floor(s). Special urban design amenities (p edestrian f acilities,
landscaping, public spaces, etc.) would be includ ed in the District to create recognizable,
pedestrian friendly activity centers. On-site parking would be provided for residential uses and
parking for businesses would generally be on-street, in parking structures, or on-site parking lots.
Convenient vehicular and pedestrian/bicycle access from surrounding neighborhoods and transit
se rvice would also be components of this Mixed-use Commercial Center.
Mixed-use Commercial Center is situated along RPX and serves as primary easterly entry point
to the overall project. The Mixed -use Center incorporates retail, office, restaurants, hotel and
residential u ses and plays a major role in establishing the overall image of the University District. 2.2 Mixed-Use Commercial Center Permitted Uses
The following table establishes the permitted land uses for the Mixed-Use Commercial Center.
To use the chart, find the type of use in the category on the left-hand side of the table. Read
across the row for the permitted use as follows:
P = permitted
C = conditionally-permitted by Planning Commission
A = administrative permit
Z = certificate of zoning compliance
T = temporary conditional permit
I = uses allowed as incidental to a primary use
Uses not specifically listed are not permitted unless determined, by the Planning and
Community De velopment Director, to be su bstantially similar to a listed one.
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 72
MIXED-USE COMMERCIAL CENTER PERMITTED USES
USE TYPE M.U.
Amusement Center (e.g. video games, other indoor amusements) C
Animal Hospital/ Veterinary Clinic C
Antique Store P
Bakery (Retail Sales) P
Bank/Savings & Loan/Credit Union (drive-through windows not permitted) P
Bar C
Bar/Restaurant P
Bar/Nightclub C
Barber/Beauty Shop P
Bath House/Spa C
Bed & Breakfast Inns C
Billiards Parlor C
Club & Lodges C
Cultural Institutions (e.g. museums) C
Day Care Center (non-residential) P
Dry Cleaning Outlet (only minor processing on-site) P
Florist P
MIXED-USE COMMERCIAL CENTER PERMITTED USES
USE TYPE M.U.
Food Store
Under 15,000 SF P
Between 15,001 SF and 40,000 SF C
Hardware Store P
Health Club P
Interior Decorator P
Laboratory (in conjunction with a medical, dental, or optical use) P(I)
Laundromat P
Liquor Store (Off-Sale) C
Live Entertainment C
Massage Therapy P
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 73
Medical Clinic P
Microbrewery P
Office
Professional and administrative P
Medical and Dental P
Parking Lot (Commercial) P(I)
Photog raphy Studio P
Printing (small copy center) P
Public Assembly C
Public Facility
e.g. police and fire stations, community centers, government offices P
Religious Assembly C
Homeless Shelter (as part of institution, 6 or less persons) P
Residential Facility C
Congregate Care/Assisted Living C
Convalescent Hospital C
Single Room Occupancy (15) P
Senior Housing (independent living) P
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 74
MIXED-USE COMMERCIAL CENTER PERMITTED USES
USE TYPE M.U.
Residential Use
Live-Work P
Multi -Family P
Townhouse P
Restaurant
General P
Outdoor & Sidewalk Café A
Take Out/Delivery (drive -through windows not permitted) P
With Bar & Live Entertainment C
Retail, General, & Specialty P
Studio (e.g. Dance, Martial Arts) C
Tailor P
Tattoo/Piercing Studio C
Temporary Use/Event
Arts & Crafts Show T
Circus/Carnival T
Flea Market/Swap Meet C
Live Entertainment C
Outdoor Exhibit T
Recreational Event C
Religious Assembly C
Retail Sales T
Seasonal Lot/Activity (e.g. Christmas trees, pumpkins) T
Trade Fair C
Theater (under 500 seats) C
* No food preparation unless applied for and approved as part of project
approval or separately.
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 75
2.3 Mixed-Use Commercial Setbacks
MIXED-USE COMMERCIAL SETBACKS
SETBACKS ARE MINIMUMS, EXCEPT WHEN NOTED OTHERWISE
See Specific Plan for min. lot sizes per density type High - Density Multi –Family Alley and MC
BUILDING SIZE
Maximum Building Width 300’
Maximum Building Depth 300’
SETBACKS FROM PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY
Ground Floor 0’-10’
Upper Floo rs
With ground floor at 0’-5’ 10’
With ground floor at 5’-10’ 5’
SETBACKS FROM OTHER BUILDINGS ON SIT E
From Resid ential 20’
From Non-Residential Buildings 20’
From Carports 15’
FROM NON-STREET PROPERTY LINE
Of SF attached or MF lot 20’
Of SF detached lot 25’
Non-Resid ential Buildings 25’
MISCELLANEOUS
Building Height 3 stories or 45’ Max
Setback from Parking or Aisle 15’
Max. Floor Area Ratio 2.00
Building Form - Primary Street Façade Build-to 50% Minimum
Building Form - Side Street Façade Build-to Lines 30% Minimum
Building Height is m easured from finished grade at entry to the top of the ridge/parapet.
MC or (MC) = Motor-court; (A) = Alley; (MF) = Multif amily; (SF) = Single-Family
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 76
2.5 Other Standards for Mixed -use/Commercial
Building Heights
The maximum ridge height is from finished grade at the front of the foundation and shall not
exceed 35 feet for 2 stories and 45 feet for 3 stories. City requirements for roof access
and emergency service requirements take precedence over these Development Standards.
Chimneys and architectu ral projections are not intended for huma n occupancy and shall not be
more than 8’-0” above the maximum height. This stand ard applies to both residential and
commercial buildings. Accessory Structures
Accessory structures include structures such as enclosures for trash and mechanical
equipment. Areas for service, storage, loading, and equipment should be located adjacent to
parking away from streets and concealed from public view wherever possible. Accessory
structures such as sheds and cabanas shall follow the standards set forth by the City of Rohnert
Park Zoning Ordin ance.
Site Coverage
The following establishes the dimensional requirements for lots in the Mixed-use areas and
the Commercial Center. These Design Guidelines apply to all Mixed -use and Commercial Core
building areas within the University District. Buildings shall not cover mo re than 80 % of the lot,
except for parcels with structured parking within the Commercial Core. W ith parking structures
associated with retail or mixed-use buildings, lot coverage maximum shall be determined by the
Planning Director, as these site plans require extensive evaluation on a case-by-case basis. Private and Public Outdoor Spaces
Balconies, bay windows, open stairs, and porches, and other projections may project 4’ max. into
adjacent ya rd setbacks and the setback is the distance that the building must be from the property
line. The projection may not encroach into the public right-of-way or adjacent properties. Air
conditioning equipment may project into side yards but need three feet clearance from adjacent
structures and fences. These encroachments shall meet the City’s noise ordinance. Parking & Driveway/Garage Standards
The following addresses parking and garage standards at all densities that vary from the Municipal
Code for all residential density types. If a parking situation is not defined in the Development
Standards below, then the Municipal Code shall prevail.
Commercial and Mixed-use Parking Standards
• Standard side–by–side parking spaces shall have minimum interior dimension of 9’-0” x
18’-0”.
• 8’-0 by 16’-0” parking spaces are considered compact in an uncovered parking lot.
• For Mixed-use, up to 20% of the parking spaces may be comp act as def ined in these
guidelin es.
• Compact covered parking spaces shall be a minimum of 10’-0” x 16’-0” as measured from
the inside of the garage and covered parking structure, as well as from structures in
uncovered areas.
• No parking is allowed in the private roadways, drives, lanes or access-ways, unless
specifically designated, as these are only allowed for vehicular and pedestrian access to
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 77
garages and parking spaces for retail access. Access to parking within a lot, such
as a garage and uncovered space, is allowed access from alleys, lanes and drive aisles.
• Drive aisles shall be a minimum width of 24’ across.
• Parking areas shall be efficiently designed and as easy to navigate as possible,
elimination as much confusion as possible for customers.
Off-Street Parking and Loading
Parking within the Commercial Mixed-use shall generally follow the Rohnert Park Municipal
Code except for instances listed in the Parking Ratios table below.
Shared Parking Concept: If the proposed uses are a mixture of the below mentioned
uses, a reduction of up to 20% is allowed for a combination of uses that share a common
parking area, where the demand for parking occurs over different periods of time such as
peak and non-peak hours. This parking concept and 20% reduction may be deducted from the
parking ratios below:
PAR KING RATIOS
TYPE OF ESTABLISHMENT ONE SPAC E
PER
SPACES
PER
1000
Eating & Drinking
Cocktail Lounge, Bar, Restaurants
(with seating)
100 SF of gross floor area 10.0
Take-Out, Specialty Foods (min. seating) 135 SF of gross floor area 7.0
Hotel
guest room plus one
space per 250 SF of banquet
or conference seating area
4.0
* Where standard spaces are adjacent and perpendicular to landscaping or a walkway, the planting area
or walkway may be increased by two feet in depth and the length of the adjacent parking decreased by
two feet to allow for a two- foot overhang.
** Mixed-use Center and Commercial Core: 25% of the required parking spaces may be made up of
compact spaces
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 78
Chapter 3: Public/Institutional, Parks, and Open Space Districts
3.1 Public Institutional, Parks, and Open Space Land Use Designations
Public / Institutional. See Land Use Section and City’s Municipal Code for allowed uses and design
criteria for this land use, though water quality and detention basins and drainage facilities, whether
public or private, will be allowed in this land use. Includes fencing, maint enance roads, walls
and oth er requirements for basins. Class 1 Bicycle trails, sid ewalks, and irriga ted and non –
irrigated landscape areas are allowed. See City’s Municipal Code for Development Standards.
Open Space. Land uses may include, among others, creeks, buffers, scenic corridors,
wetlands, drainage facilities, public streets, paved and unpaved maintenance roads, fencing,
Class 1 bicycle trails.
trails, pedestrian trails, bridges, lighting, parking, signage, benches, trash receptacles,
emergency vehicle access, utilities. See City’s Municipal Code for Development Standards
for this Land Use.
Park. See Land Use Section and City’s Municipal Code for allowed standards. Chapter 4: Green Building and Smart Growth
In compliance with the "Build It Green 2005 Edition of the New Home Construction Gree n
Building Guid elines" adopted by the City Council on March 14, 2006 by Resolution 2006-67,
the
Developer of each residential neighborhood shall cooperate and work with City to establish
"green" (i.e., environmentally sensitive) and "smart growth" development standards and
requirements in
accordance with the General Plan and Specific Plan. These standards and requirements will
be submitted with Development Area Plans for each neighborhood and will be sufficient to
ensure
that:
(i) all single-family detached units will achieve a minimum of 100 points,
(ii) all sin gle-family attached units will achieve a minimum of 90 points, and
(iii) all multifamily units shall achieve a minimum of 80 points. Such standards and requirements shall address issues including sustainable site planning,
safeguarding water quality and water efficiency, optimizing energy perf ormance, conserving
and recycling materials and resources, and improving indoor environmental quality. Each of
the above specified minimum point requirements shall include a minimum of 10 points f or
recycled water, community and innovation credits.
In addition, the Developer or its successor with respect to the Mixed-Use Commercial Center
shall cooperate with City to develop green building standards for the Mixed-Use Commercial
Center commercial and mixed-use buildings, which shall be incorporated into the Development
Area Plan for the Mixed-Use Commercial Center. The Mixed-Use Commercial Center
Development Area Plan shall be subject to review and approval by the City.
79
Public Hearing Draft – City Council
APPENDIX
B
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCT ION
DESIGN GUIDELINES
1.1 Design and Community Vision Statement
The UDSP Design Guidelines (“Guidelines”) promote planning and design fundamentals for
pedestrian friendly neighborhoods with defined architecture and landscape architecture. These
promote interaction with SSU, the GMC, residential and Mixed -use areas, schools, and open
space. These provide criteria for innovative designs, including front -, alley - and motor-court
loaded lots, as well as second units, to re spond to the current and future housing market.
The Guid elin es conce pts include the following:
1. Create neighborhoods that achieve the General Plan goals of quality architectural and
landscape design for the Specific Plan neighborhoods and Mixed -use area s.
2. Create gathering spaces, such as parks and a plaza at the Mixed-use center, which
promote connections to the GMC, educational facilities and open space.
3. Create a varied transportation network that promotes pedestrian and bicycle traffic,
including the north – south “Linear Parkway” system between Keiser Avenue and
Copeland Cree k.
4. Provide flexibility for neighborhood planning, as well as innovative architectura l and
landsca pe design, so as to allow home designs to better address current and futu re
market conditions.
5. Introduce a range of diverse housing types and lot sizes throughout all densities,
including front -, alley – and moto r-court loaded homes that promote alternative street
scenes.
6. Allow public roads, trails, landscape parcels, and rights–of–way within all land uses,
including parks, basins and open space.
80
Public Hearing Draft – City Council
CHAPTER 2
SITE & ARCHITECTURE DESIGN GUIDELINE S
This chapter includes guidelines for residential and Mixed Use commercial buildings and
illustrate the desired character of the site, building and landscape design, and achieve a
community with quality and a distinctive sense of place while encouraging flexibility,
innovation, diversity, and neighborhood character. 2.1 General Planning Concepts
a. Buildings should be oriented to walkways, paseos, motor-courts, drives
and/or stree ts, when feasible.
b. Retail surrounding the Commercial Center should be oriented to the
Plaza when feasible.
c. Encourage a pedestrian-friendly environment through the use of
amenities su ch as:
• Shaded tree-lined streets with 4’-0’ minimum parkway strips.
• Convenient on-street parking at parks and residential areas.
• Public access to parks and to the Commercial Center. 2.2 Residential Guidelines
Detached, Attached, and Multi-family homes within the Estate -, Low -, Medium -, P / I /
Medium, High -, and Mixed -use – Residential Densities should have architectural styles that
complement the neighborhood yet maintain individualit y, in cluding the following:
A. Site Design
Site planning encouraged with strong pedestrian orientation. Building locations can frame
prominent corners and highly visible portions of site. Parking area s can be less prominent
through building enclosures and creative landscape.
• Reduce driveways to the minimum width of 16’ and a depth of 18’.
Massing & Building Form
• Homogeneous styles, colors and materials create greater individuality while
the architectural styles need to complement the master planned community.
• At perimeter of multi–family neighborhoods, provide building corners with
architectural enhancements.
81
Public Hearing Draft – City Council
• Porches and/or entries are strongly encouraged on select floor plans and
elevations to be the primary element of each home on the stree t façade.
• Home architecture or porches preferred clo ser to street than the gara ge doors.
• Provide a minimum 3 elevations per f loor plan and 3 architectural styles per
neighborhood, though 4 architectural styles per neighborhood is preferre d.
Entries
• Enhance the neighbo rhood character and complement the Specific Plan.
• Visible from the street when feasible, except for second units, which will be
accessed from the alleys, motor-courts and paseos. Front doors at motor-
courts and alley loaded homes, as well as attached homes, can be lo cated
away from the stree t and off of paseos or motor-courts.
• Enhancements may include identification signs, lighting and enhanced
hardscape and plantings which would draw from the palette of adjoining streets.
• Provide enhancements that are small in scale and can be in corpora ted into
the entry points of each project as a form of id entification.
• If included, porc hes, stairs and decks should be designed to ref lect the
appropriate sca le and detail for the architectural style.
• Porch and entry features should be one-story elements in limited quantities
and may also be incorporated into two-sto ry vertical elements to brea k up the
building mass facing the street or to provide visu al intere st to the stree tscape.
Roofs
A variety of roof plans is desired, dependent on architectural style, as roof forms
and materials have impact on neighborhood, though roof forms must remain
simple in form to allow for future photovoltaic applications by homeowners.
• Roofs over one-sto ry elements, such as those over porc hes or ba ys, provide
addition al articulation of the massing of larger, two-story residences.
• Roof forms should accentuate building elements and functions.
Colors, Materials, Finishe s & Details
• Roofing materials appropriate to architectural style and pitch and for future
photovoltaic applications.
82
Public Hearing Draft – City Council
• Provide homes with a color palette th at includes body, trim and accent colors.
• Building colo rs and materials should ref lect the neighborhood’s character with
diversity for visual interest and unifies the homes with complementary images.
• Each elevation with 3 colors minimum; 1 body, 1 trim and 1 accent.
• Each neighborhood with a minimum of 3 roof profiles and building colors.
o Individual color schemes must be appropriate to architectural styles with
a harmonious selection of accent materials, roof profiles and colo rs.
o No adjacent single-family detached home with same color. Attached
and multi-family housing will have distinctive colors from
unit to unit and building to building, or if a harmonious architectural style
is preferred, use complementary colors. Duplexes with distinctive
colors separating units to def ine maintenance areas.
O Second units have same materials, forms and color of primary home. B. Garage Treatments & Configurations
Use varied garage-door patterns and colors, and alternative garage configurations, such as
one car, tandem, and detached garages. Garage door widths no more than 16 feet maximum.
Standard Front - Loaded Garages
W hen garages are 18’ minimum behind front propert y line, no garage should be less th an 3'
behind forward portion of home or porch. Th ree -car tandem garages preferred, if feasible, and on
larger lots, such as 50’ x 80’.
Standard Alley – Loaded Garages and Parking Garages and uncovered parking spaces have a minimum drive apron from alley /drive / access-
way /lane as defined in Section 2.2. Parking space size and require ments defined in Section 2.2.
Swing-in Front – Loaded Garages (Sid e-On) Swing-in garages reduce garage impacts on the streetscape though these are discouraged on lots
less than 55' wide, and cannot be accessed from the roadway side on corner lots.
Detached garages or carports at Multi – Family neighborhoods, tie into overall project design
while reducing visual emphasis. To achieve this, these structures shall incorporate the following:
1. Utilize the same architectural style, massing elements, wall materials
and finish, design details and colors as the residential dwelling units.
2. Use similar or comp atible roof forms to the resid ential buildings.
3. Provide sectional garage doors with automatic door openers.
4. Carports shall be screened and not be visible from the street.
C. Parking
The focus of the multi-family buildings should be their street front image and pedestrian access
so that they incorpora te interior oriented parking solutions and enhance the stree t scene:
83
Public Hearing Draft – City Council
1. Where parking areas are visible from public streets, these areas should
be screened from view with landscape or architectural solutions.
2. Distribute resident parking on site and within public streets to provide
close proximity as possible to individual units.
3. Group unassigned or guest parking in evenly distributed loca tions. 2.3 Mixed-use Guidelines
Commercial Core is envisioned as a place for social gathering and conducting personal
and community related business in a pedestrian-oriented environment, within walking and biking
distance from adjacent resid ential neighborhoods and the Sonoma State University community.
A. Scale
• The first floor level should be at street level or within 18".
• Intermittent ra in protection provid ed (e .g., awnings, canopies, arcades).
• Faca de divided into increments of 30’ +/- which may give overall façade the
appearance of a series of smaller-scale building build adjacent to each other.
• There should be well-def ined entrances.
• Glass at 50% or more of faça de at street level for building transpare ncy. • No front setback required for hous ing over first floor commercial space.
• Centra l volumes should step down in mass only where appropriate.
• Corner retail and/or live - work should integrate awnings and clerestory
windows in to storefronts where appropriate.
84
Public Hearing Draft – City Council
B. Architecture
• Loading and services areas should be integrated into the overa ll building
composition and scree ned from the sidewalk views.
• Architectural enclosures should be designed as integra l elements of the
building architecture.
• Trellises, pergolas, or permanent awnings incorporated to serve as shade and
weather protection. Arcades, overhangs, awnings, etc., should be used.
• Arcades o nly u sed where appropriate to architectural style and, if incorpora te,
should be a minimum of 8’ in depth between building face and inner edge of
column. Exposed raf ter tails only sh own were appropriate to architectura l style.
• Arcades should not obstruct the views onto window displays. When storefronts
are located within an arcade, they should compromise a minimum of 50% of
the ground floor openings. Arcades with blank wall facades are discouraged.
• Architectural features such as towers placed in areas appropriate for site plan
and architectura l style, not necessarily asymmetrically placed in the façade.
• For commercial buildings, downspouts integrated into design of façade.
C. Materials & Color
The color palette shall be appropriate to individual building materials and architectural style and
relate to adjace nt buildings. Garish contra sts in color combinations shall be avoided.
• The building color palette should complement the Green Music Center and
overall concept of the Mixed-use Center.
• Building colo rs shall complement key building elements such as storef ronts,
ornaments, awnings, and roofing.
• One color for entire surface area that obscures details is discouraged. Accent
colors on trim, moldings, cornices, and other details encouraged.
• Tenant’s buildings encouraged to use creativity in interpreting criteria in
Guidelines. Buildings c ompatible in massing, form, color, and materials to
achieve a sense of architectura l continuity.
• Strong correlation between exterior facades, sidewalk surfaces, and planting is
critical to design theme.
85
Public Hearing Draft – City Council
• Materials should be appropriate to the building’s architectural style and
character and suited to commercial construction.
• Changes in materials should occur at inside corners where building plane
changes direction.
• Board and batten may be used on commercial and mixed-use buildings when
appropriate to the selected architectura l style.
• Mi rror glazing should n ot be used.
• Window and door glazing area should be a minimum of 40 percent of the
storefront area on the primary store/building frontage.
• Horizontal or vertical windows work well, while tall, narrow or square
proportions are allowed if consistent with the architectural style.
• Canvas awnings, when incorporated into building façade, should have a
valance height appropriate to mass, scale and architectural style of building.
Valances may be rigid or hanging, and colors based on building style. D. Stre etscape
Streetscapes furnish ed with enriched materials and f urnishings that create a comfortable
and convenient experience in a similar style, color and finish to crea te a refined experience.
• Pedestrian scale street lighting, benches, bollards, bike racks, trash
receptacles, street trees, and other sidewalk amenities should be provided.
• First floor use of the building shall be pedestrian-oriented.
• Buildings define streetscape by being built up to the right-of-way and should
promote street activity. Primary entrances should be sited to face the street.
• Outdoor seating and dining is encou raged within the Commercial Core area.
• Provisions for outdoor alcohol sales with app ropriate barriers and ra iling.
• Vertical surfaces should be treated with anti-graffiti coatings.
• Bic ycle parking and utilities should be integrated into the landscape design to
place these elements where they are needed in a discre te manner.
• The pedestrian experience enhanced with accent paving at transition points
along pathways and in front of re tail stores. The inclusion of seating in outdoor
public spaces, such as benches, chairs, or raised planter edges, is encouraged.
86
Public Hearing Draft – City Council
2.4 Lighting
Lighting should create welcoming spaces, accentuate design, be used at gathering and active use
areas, have ambient lighting at building entries, stairwa ys and plantings and include:
• Pole heights, spacing and installation should comply with City standards.
• Lightings placement to maximize use of vehicular, pedestrian and bicycle
circulation.
• Use of low intensit y and shielded lighting design to prevent light spillage.
• Selection of functional, durable materials that follow theme of adjacent architecture in
color and detailing. • Application of multi-use light featu res, allowing f or event signage and banners. • Adequate lighting for commercial, parking and other public areas to enable their use
af ter daylight hours and ensure public safety of property and pedestrians.
Parking lot and lower accent light fixtures shall ref lect design theme of Mixed-use center. Parking
lot illumination coordinated with timers for hours of operation and security re quirements of tenants.
Lights at rear of building and service areas, whether wall or pole-mounted, shall be selected to
provide cut-off feature s to prevent light sou rc e from being visible from adjace nt properties. All
lighting (signage, landsca pe, and parking lot) designed to minimize spillover to adjacent re sidential
units, outdoor spaces, and streets. Wall mounted fixtures at front of re tail buildings shall
complement design of stores and fixture s. Lighting shall be minimum illumination directed
downwards and shielded at lot lines so as not to be visible from an adjoining properties. 2.5 Trash Enclosures
• Trash Enclosures shall accommodate quantity and types of trash containers
required by disposal company, centrally-convenient for re sidents, minimize
impacts on adjacent re sidences with enclosure s away from edges of community. Trash
enclosure s constructed with mason ry walls in a st yle and f inish consistent with
archit ectu ra l character of Mixed-use center, have complementary durable gates,
hinged to self-supporting steel posts, tre llis or covered structure overhead, and lighting
at each enclosure. Trash enclosure s shall have a trellis or other overhead structure.
If possible, no gates will be require d if tra sh-enclosure screening can be provided. 2.6 Mechanical & Roof Mounted Equipment & Utilities
• Roof mounted solar equipment placed behind para pet wall or integrated with roof. • All plans conform to utility provider standards, i.e. PG&E c learance requirements. 2.7 Signage
• Lettering may be increased by 2” for every foot of setback from property line.
• Freestanding signs should not exceed 15’ feet in height.
87
Public Hearing Draft – City Council
CHAPTER 3
ARC HITECTURAL STYLES
3.0 Residential Architecture
The following add resses arc hitectural styles that are encouraged for this community, providing
criteria that addre ss designs and details appropriate and authentic to particular architectural
styles, including elements that typica lly characterize a st yle. The use of any of these styles is
appropriate within the UDSP densities, including in the mixed-use density, as well as the use of
other architectura l styles though these styles need to be complementary to the adjacent
neighborhoods and the overa ll community.
1. Craftsman
2. Cottage
3. French Country
4. English Country
5. Italian Country
6. Spanish Colonial
7. Italianate
8. Wine Country
9. Tuscan
10. Traditional
3.1 Craftsman
Inspired by two California brothers – Charles Sumner Greene and Henry Mather Greene – these
homes were the dominant style for smaller houses built through the country during the period from
about 1905 to the early 1920’s. This style originated in Southern California and quickly sprea d
throughout the country by pattern books and ma gazines. This style is still popular and has
continued with numerous architectura l renovat ions and re vival projects.
Standard Elements:
Form & Roof:
• Low pitched gable roofs (occasionally hipped)
• Roof-rafters usually exposed
• Multiple roof planes
88
Public Hearing Draft – City Council
• 4:12 or grea ter roof pitch
• Only front elevations are to provide these elements
Walls & Windows:
• Shed or gable dormers
• Window boxes and balconies
• Transom windows
Details:
• Porches are either full, or partial-width, with roof supported by square columns
• Decorative (false) beams or braces under gables
• Columns, or column bases, frequently continue to ground level without breaks at
porch level
Colors:
• Body: whites, light-tinted colors, and rich earth tones
• Trim: whites and lighter tinted colors that complement the body color
• Accent: light or dark shades that contract to the body color
Enhancement Opportunities for this Style:
• Triangular knee braces
• Extra stickwork in gables or porches
• Extended and/or elabo rated raf ter ends, when feas ible with gutters
89
Public Hearing Draft – City Council
Craftsman Style Elevation
90
Public Hearing Draft – City Council
3.2 Cottage
The Cottage home was traditionally a smaller home on the grounds of a much larger estate, often
occupied by the workers of those estates. Architecturally, these homes were inspired by
medieval English countryside homes and became popular in the Unites States during the 1920’s
and 1930’s. Regional influences can have an effect on the look of these homes; however the
standard elements generally re main consistent.
Standard Elements:
Form & Roof:
• Asymmetrical one and t wo-sto ry
• Medium to stee p roof pitch, often gambrel or hip with cross gables, sometimes with
clipped gables
• Shingle-look
• Only front elevations are to provide these elements
Walls & Windows:
• Windows with small panes
• Tall, narrow multi-light windows in bands
Details:
• Brick and stone wainscot at front elevation, or natural shake siding
• Stucc o, shingle and lap siding
Colors:
• Body: whites and light-tinted colors with the occasional bold earth tones
• Trim: whites and lighter tinted colors as well as bold earth tones
• Accent: bold earth tone colors
Enhancement Opportunities for this Style:
• A bold color on the door
• Accent roof form
• Accent materials at front elevations
• Decorative half-timbering
91
Public Hearing Draft – City Council
Cottage Style Architecture
92
Public Hearing Draft – City Council
3.3 French Country
The French Country style has its roots in the sunny hillsides of rural France and includes
picture sque examples based on Fre nch farmhouses. This style shows many examples of basic
French architecture and detailing, but is united by a characteristic roof. This style was f ound
throughout the count ry in the 1920’s and 30’s, but gained more popularit y after the 1960 ’s.
Standard Elements:
Form & Roof:
• Tall, stee ply pitched, hipped roof (occasionally gabled)
• Eaves flared upward at wall connection
• S ymmetrical or towered building form
• Only front elevations are to provide these elements
Walls & Windo ws:
• Brick, stone or stucco wall finish at front elevation only
• Arched windows or do rmers
Details:
• Formal faça de detailing
• Decorative (false) beams or braces under gables
• Doors set in arched openings
Colors:
• Body: Light-tinted colors
• Trim: W arm light tones and colors that complement the body color
• Accent: High contrast colors and textures that contrast to the body color
93
Public Hearing Draft – City Council
French Country Architectural Style
94
Public Hearing Draft – City Council
3.4 English Country
The English Country st yle home originally was constructed in Great Britain and made its way to
the United States during the last quarter of the 19th century where it was incorpora ted into
neighborhoods across America for the next 50 years.
Standard Elements:
Form & Roof:
• One and two-story
• Asymmetrical
• Overhang of the second floors
• Cross-gabled, steeply pitched roof sometimes with clipped gables
• Only front elevations are to provide these elements
Walls & Windows:
• Arrangements of tall, narrow multi-light windows in bands at front elevation only
• Clinker brick and decorative brickwork at front elevation only
• Siding commonly seen is stucco, shingle and lap
Details:
• Half-round doors
Colors:
• Body: light colored body in an earth tone
• Trim: dark colore d earth tone complementary to the body color
• Accent: dark colored earth tone complementary to the body color
Enhancement Opportunities for this Style:
• Decorative half-timbering with brick infill
95
Public Hearing Draft – City Council
English County Architectural Style
96
Public Hearing Draft – City Council
3.5 Italian Country
The Italian Country style is found in the early 20th century buildings through the country but is
considerably less common that the contemporary Craftsman, Tudor or Colonial Revival styles.
Considere d a mo re re laxed interpre tation of the vast, architect-designed landmarks in major
metropolitan areas prior to W orld W ar 1, this vernacular spread widely with the perfection of
masonry veneering techniques across the W est Coast and more particularly, wine regions.
Standard Elements:
Form & Roof:
• S ymmetrical and asymmetrical one and two-story massing
• Lower pitched roof forms
• Ceramic tile
• Only front elevations are to provide these elements
Walls & Windows:
• Stucco
Details:
• Recessed entry porches
• Full length first-story windows with arches above
• Broad overhanging, boxed eaves with decorative brackets underneath
• S ymmetry about Palladian three arched porticos
Colors:
• Body: Ochres of rich cream tones
• Trim: Dee p green or brown
• Accent: Deep greens
Enhancement Opportunities for this Style:
• Classical door surrounds
• Molded cornices and belt courses
97
Public Hearing Draft – City Council
Italian Country Style Architecture
98
Public Hearing Draft – City Council
3.6 Spanish Colonial
Spanish Colonial, also known as Spanish Eclectic, is an adaptation of Mission Revival enriched
with additional Latin American details and elements. The style attained widesprea d popularity
af ter its use in the Panama-Calif ornia Exposition of 1915. The simple court yards of the Spanish
Colonial heritage with hanging pots, a flowering garden and sprawling shade tree s are hardly
surpassed as foreground design elements. Further architectural distin ction is established through
the use of roof tiles, stucco walls, heavily texture d wood en doors and highlighted ornamental
ironwork. Key feature s of this st yle were adapted to the Mont ere y Coun t y area and throughout
much of California. The plans have been informally organized around a courtyard with the front
elevation very simply articulated and detailed. The charm of this style lies in the directness,
adaptability and contrast of materials.
Standard Elements
Form & Roof:
• Two-story massing with strong one-story elements
• Square or rectangular plan form massing
• 4:12 to 5:12 roof pitch
• 12” to 16” overhang
• Simple hip or gable roof
• Curved concrete, clay barrel or “S” shaped tiles
• Only front elevations are to provide these elements
Walls & Windows:
• Light sand finish or light lace finish stucco
• Vertical hung six and eight paned windows
Details:
• Stucc o-over-foam window and door trim
• Arched stucco column porches and fully rounded arches
• Clay pipe or half oval attics
Colors:
• Body:
• Trim:
• Accent:
Enhancement Opportunities:
• Simple, articulated two-story boxed plan massing with no more than 50% one-story
element across the front elevation
• Shed roof over porch
• Stucc o sand finish
• Feature recessed arched windows
• Shaped rafter tails at feature areas, if feasible
99
Public Hearing Draft – City Council
Spanish Colonial Style Architecture
100
Public Hearing Draft – City Council
3.7 Italianate
The Italianate Style, often called the Italian Revival, Renaissance or Mediterranean, was
derived in part from the Beaux Arts style architecture popular at the turn of the 20th century.
In the 1920’s, Americans became much more familiar with the various styles and architectura l
influences from Europe and henceforth, especially in warmer climates such as Florida and
California, great examples of Italianate style homes can be found in man y cities.
Standard Elements:
Form & Roof:
• One and two-story
• Elegant façade may be symmetrical or asymmetrical but always harmonious
and proportional
• Balanced, low-pitched hip roof
• Tile roof , f lat and barrel
• Only front elevations are to provide these elements
Walls & Windows:
• Masonry exterior is most often stucco, stone or brick and often unadorned
• Smaller and simple upper-story windows
Details:
• Entry slightly recessed or enclosed
• Arch over doors along first floor
Colors:
• Body: Bold earth tones
• Trim: Light colo red trim complementary to the body style
• Accent: Bold and complementary earth tone to the body color
Enhancement Opportunities for this Style:
• Eaves widely overhanging with decorative brackets
• Pilasters or columns surrounding entry
101
Public Hearing Draft – City Council
Italianate Architectural Style
102
Public Hearing Draft – City Council
3.8 Wine Country
Drawing from homes of the late nineteenth century and early twentieth centuries, this “wine
country” or more agrarian rura l and contempora ry architectural style typically has a roof from to
the front and a partial or full-width front porch. These homes have appropriate detailing that
adds to the overa ll refinement of the architecture without detracting from it. The “W ine
Country” home should be a familiar, welcoming residence .
Standard Elements:
Form & Roof:
• Simpler plan and form
• Simpler roof design, front to back gable or side to side gable
• 5:12 to 12:12 roof pitch
• Minimum 16” ea ves and zero gable ends permitted
• Flat or barrel concrete tile or roofing
• Only front elevations are to provide these elements
Walls & Windows:
• Horizontal siding, board and batten siding, stucco or a combination of these
• S ymmetrical placement and careful attention to developing distinct fenestra tion
rhythms
• Square , circular or minimum 2:1 vertically proportioned rectangular windows
• Grid patterns typica lly: 1, 2, 4 or 6/1; 2/2; 4/4; 6/6
• Window grids facing all public streets and other locations in clear public view
Details:
• Porches with simple columns and simple trim detailing
• Porch railings should be simple in design when provided
Colors:
• Body: whites, light-tinted colors and rich earth tones
• Trim: whites, or light shades complementary to the body color
• Accent: light or dark shades in contrast to the body color
Enhancement Opportunities for this Style:
• Decorative shutters
• Appropriately proportioned dormers, preferably active
• Exposed rafter tails, when feasible with gutters
• Trowel detailing on stucco elevations
103
Public Hearing Draft – City Council
W ine Country Architectural Style
104
Public Hearing Draft – City Council
3.9 Tuscan
This vocabulary has its historical roots in the villas and villages of the inland French and Italian
Mediterranean regions of Provence and Tuscany whose topography, vegetation and climate is
very similar to that of Sonoma County. This palette of cut and rustic stone with hues of rose,
buff and ochre, ornamental carved or ca st stone, terra cotta roof tile, awning shutters, detailed
iron work and plants potted in terra cotta has a strong historical precedence in the Bay Area.
Standard Elements:
Form & Roof:
• S ymmetrical and asymmetrical one and two-story massing
• Main hip roof front to back 4:12
• Barrel “S” tiles
• Only front elevations are to provide these elements
Walls & Windows:
• Generally smooth stucco
• Four pane over four pane
• Two over two vertical panes
• Recessed
Details:
• Doors and windows recessed into thick walls
• Loggias with columns
• Columns between windows
• Box bays
Colors:
• Body: rich, warm tones (tan to ochre)
• Trim: Loam to b rown
• Accent: light gray blue to light gray green
Enhancement Opportunities for this Style:
• Tile surrounds
• Wrought iron
• Turned wood
• Stone window and door surrounds
• Stone columns and trellises
105
Public Hearing Draft – City Council
Tuscan Architectural Style
106
Public Hearing Draft – City Council
3.10 Traditional
One of the most ubiquitous house styles is the Traditional. Commonly overlooked as a
non- style, it quickly evolved from a simplified modern interpretation of the many revival styles of
the
1920’s. These homes took a style such as Modern American, Mod ern Colonial or Modern English
and stripped them of their parts, creating a simple and affordable home in that era . They were
well constructed smaller homes with few decorative details.
Standard Elements:
Form & Roof:
• One and two-story ho mes
• Low- to medium pitched hipped or gabled roof
• Narrow, boxed eaves
Walls & Windows:
• Windows may be single- or double-hung, often with two=over-two horizontal planes
• Windows may wrap corners
• Wall cladding may be mixed with wood in clapboards, plain or raked shingle.
Details:
• Flat=panel doors with small windows
• Small, covered front porch
• Little, if any, ornamentation
Colors:
• Body: white and light colored body
• Trim: light colore d trim
• Accent: bold complementary color on front door and shutters
Enhancement Opportunities for this Style:
• Brick or veneer as accent materials
• Substantial, but proportional chimney
107
Public Hearing Draft – City Council
Traditional Architectural Style
108
Public Hearing Draft – City Council
CHAPTER 4
LANDSCAPE, PARK & OPE N SP AC E DESIGN GUIDELINE S
4.0 Purpose
The following promote consistent application of Landscape, Park and Open Space concepts
throughout the community. These provide the design theme for the landscaped and open space
environment, using elements to insure that the landscape will compliment and unif y the diverse
residential and Mixed – Use areas of the community.
• Provide attractive stree t scenes with landscape parcels and parkways
• Define the communit y clearly organized, pedestrian and bicycle friendly,
and well connected to surrounding uses and amenities.
• The selection of furnishings should be coordinated with the building.
• Maximize the use of recycled water for irrigation. 4.1 Residential Landscaping Guidelines & Standards
The landscape concept is to provide guidance for front yards at Detached and Attached homes,
at public right – of – way parkway strips, at landscape parcels, as well as at multi-family area s,
City maintain ed public parks, and other public spaces.
• Select appropriate plant species based on climate and neighborhood style.
• For each lot, use a mix of shrubs, ground cover and minimal turf as
appropriate.
• Trees should be a minimum height of 7’-10’ wh en planted, or match City
standards in public right-of-way areas.
• Use larger sh rubs adjacent to fences, walls and facades where appropriate.
• Plant accent shrubs to highlight entries where appropriate.
• Provide a minimum of one backdrop tree per residential corner side yard
home site.
• Plant shrubs and/or ground cover from back of walkways to face of wall
or fence, if feasible and appropriate.
• Standard fencing of a “good neighbor” type should be used on all fence
locations between private lots.
109
Public Hearing Draft – City Council
4.2 Mixed-use Center Landscaping Guidelines & Standards
The landscape concept is to provide basic planting direction along the along streets and other
public spaces, while allowing tenants to individualize their landscaping where appropriate. The
following information describes suggested landscaping within mixed-use and commercial areas.
• Outdoor seating adjacent to businesses must be wider than 20 feet.
• Landscape design shall be appropriate at corners and in front of
commercial buildings and should not block visibility to tenants where
possible.
• Select appropriate plant species based on climate and architectural style.
• Use a mix of shrubs and ground cover, as appropriate.
• Plant foundation shrubs at the base of the buildings and walls as
appropriate.
• Trees should be a minimum height of 7’-10’ when planted, or max. City
standards in public right=of-way areas.
• Use larger sh rubs adjacent to walls and facades.
• Plant vines on walls, enclosures, fences, trellis/arbors and structures if
app rop riate.
• Plant accent shrubs to highlight entries where appropriate.
• Tree planting should shade and mitigate the effects of paving, reflected
heat and light, direct and protect pedestrians interacting with parking areas,
and visually screen parking areas from periphera l views.
• Shade tree s should be placed approximately every other facing parking
space to achieve one tree per every five spaces.
• Tree grates should be us ed primarily in commercial, retail and other high-
use pedestrian areas that contain large amounts of paving. The tre e grates
should re main consistent in size and design throughout the Plan area. 4.3 Circulation - Vehicular and Pedestrian
A pattern of separate pedestrian/bicycle and vehicular circulation routes shall be established,
allowing for community wide travel as well as provide connections to adjacent and regional
destinations. The pedestrian circulation pattern shall be established b y p roviding extensive
residential street walks, and designated Class I and III bikeways (as defined by the General Plan,
Chapter 4-35) in the form of clearly marked multi-use tra ils to promote pedestrian and bicycle
travel between destinations within and adjacent to the UDSP. Elements to be in cluded in
pedestrian circulation routes are : distinct routes marked by enhanced paving and themed
110
Public Hearing Draft – City Council
directional and informational signage, plant materials that denote pedestrian routes, pedestrian
and bicycle linkages, crossings and transfer points to shopping, school and transit destinations.
• Direct walkways may include treatments such as brick, colored paving or
concrete. 4.4 Landscape Water Use and Planting Concepts
Land uses shall be categorized into Landscape Water Use Zones, whi ch are defined by
general water use characteristics of landscape materials, (Moderate, Low, Very Low), and by
Hydro- zones (High, Medium, Low) def ined by fre quency and duration of anticipated irrigation
needs (Regular, Regular as needed, Supplemental). Recycled water can be used f or i rrigation of
Public landscapes and Parks, and tempo ra ry establishment of limited vegetation at creek buffer
areas.
General Plant Materials
Use of plant materials adaptive to the region’s horticultural conditions, drought tolerant, adapted
or native (not indigenous) plants shall serve as the unifying landscape planting element
throughout the UDSP. Tre e planting shall serve to delineate a hierarch y of entries, foca l points,
major th rough-stree ts and neighbo rhood enclaves. Stree t tree sp ecies established on major
directional axis and in conjunction with significant uses such as parks and plazas shall be
continued throughout the project to establish a clear theme. Massing of plant materials to reinforce
a localized landsca pe th eme, the proper selection, placement, and installation of landscape
materials will be key elements in establishing a cohesive, high-quality landscape.
Landscape Planting
Tree planting shall serve to delineate entries, focal points, th rough-streets and neighborhood
enclaves. Street tree established on major directional axis shall be carried throughout the project.
Plant Lists
Plant lists contained at the end of this section provide developers, designers and builders with a
genera l palette for each project area, from which specific plants can be selected. W hile there is
some flexibility in the use of sp ecific plant varieties from each list, and between lists, selections
shall be made to enhance the theme of each project area, reinforce dominant planting such
as stree t trees, and account for site conditions such as adjace nt land use, slope conditions,
exposure , comp atible plant sp ecies, water use zones and require ments; and actual site
para meters such as paving configurations, setb acks and view corridors. Plant materials chos en to
suit the definitions of each Water Use Zone, as shown in the UDSP Plant Materials Matrix, shall
further define landscape character for designers and builders. 4.5 Landscape Irrigation
The UDSP is committed to water conservation and efficiency through innovative and accepted
irrigation practices. Irrigation designers should use current water use guid elin es and tables,
state-of-the art irrigation equipment and automatic controllers capable of multiple progra mming.
General criteria for re sidential landscape irrigation that complies with model water efficient
landscape (Ordinance AB 1881) are as follows;
111
Public Hearing Draft – City Council
• Drip irrigation and/or other effective irrigation systems should be used in
planting areas.
• Turf areas should be minimized. If used, turf areas should be served by
efficient watering systems.
• All valves and equipment should be located adjacent to buildings where
feasible and visually screened from public view. No irrigation equipment
should be located in such a wa y as to create a safet y hazard to persons or
property.
• Operating manuals and scheduling charts should be provided to all
homeowners, maintenance companies, associations or agencies.
The following establishes standards and guidelines for design, installation and management of
irrigation syst ems. Skillf ul irrigation design methods, site analysis, appropriate selection of plant
materials and landscape management practices can assure landscape development that avoids
excess water demand and is less vulnerable to failure during periods of severe drought.
Elements of irrigation to be addressed include general design and application standards,
descriptions and guidelines for water sources (including reclaimed and potable water source use),
water use hydro-zones based on proposed site uses, irrigation perf ormance stand ards, design
guidelines and equipment and installation standards. Current, relevant regional climate and
weather data, as well as template documents developed by local water delivery agencies were
used as technical reference s for development of these irrigation standards and guidelines.
Measure s shall be taken in planning and landscape design to minimize irrig ation water use and
eliminate water wast e, b y using established water conservation techniques such as soil
amendments, hydro-zone planting design, mulching and water-need sensing irrigation systems.
Irrigation in all planting areas shall be accomplished by means of automatically controlled,
underground piping supplied spra y, bubbler and/or low volume (drip) irrigation systems. Irrigation
throughout Creek Corridors and environmental conservation areas shall be accomplished by
means of a temporary, low volume irrigation system, and then abandoned.
4.6 Source Standards
Irrigation systems shall be irrigated using potable water provided by the City and reclaimed
water provided by the City of Santa Rosa Sub Regional System. The minimum information in the
water quality re port shall include total suspended particulates, levels of soluble calcium and
magnesium and sodium. Chemical assessment of reclaimed water source is available from:
4.7 Water Use Zones
Irrigation applications shall be divided into three water use zones as defined below; def initions and
guidelines for each use zone shall be developed based on historic precipitation, plant types,
microclimates, and evapo-tra nspiration rates. Irrigation standards for each water zone include the
intended types of equipment designed to deliver the most eff icient water applica tion ra te.
112
Public Hearing Draft – City Council
Specific plant hydro-zones (high, moderate, low) within each water use zone shall be delineated
to deliver the appropriate amount of water. Planting area s, in cluding turf, in the mod era te and
low water use zones, shall be irrigated within an 8-10 hour time period at night. Drip syst ems
and bubblers sh all be used during off-peak use times such as evenings or nights. Low flow
devices shall be used in planting area s less than 8’ wide and planting areas within 24” of non-
permeable surf aces unless the non-permeable surface drains entire ly to landscaping.
a. Moderate water use zones
• Pop -up head sp ra y syst ems and bubblers at high density/attached, single
family residential and parks
• Average precipitation: 4" per month
• Plant hydro-zones to include high and moderate categories
b. Low water use zones
• Pop-up head spray systems, drip systems & bubblers at project entries and
links to adjacent uses, public right-of-way, parkways and Mixed -use District
landsca pes
• Average precipit ation: 2.8" per month
• Plant hydro-zones to include modera te and low ca tegories
c. Very low water use zones
• Drip systems & bubblers at the creek corridor, mitigation areas, trails, and
passive use areas of parks
• Average precipitation: 2” per month
• Plant hydro-zones to include low category
4.8 Irrigation Design Standards
Water Application Devices
All irrigation systems and application devices shall be efficiently designed and installed to
reduce over-spray onto walks, walls, paved or non-pervious surface s, and to pre vent soil erosion.
Backflow Prevention Devices
All irrigation systems from potable water sourc es shall have an approved backf low pre vention
device downstream of the point of connection to the potable water source. Reclaimed water
irrigation systems do not re quire a backflow pre vention device.
Automatic Irrigation Controllers & Valves
All irrigation s ystems shall have a controller capable of multiple programming, water budgeting,
rain shut-off, program backup, drip cycling, multiple start times, as well as the capacity to be
progra mmed using historical, regional evapo-transpiration ra tes.
113
Public Hearing Draft – City Council
Private, Single-Family Home Irrigation Systems
Private residential irrigation systems in side and rear yards shall have an automatic irrigation
controller capable of water budgeting, rain shut-off, progra m backup, drip cycling, and multiple
start times, re mote control valves, below grade piping, drip emitters and pop-up heads for water
application.
Residential irrigation systems in front yards shall be supplied from the master neighborhood
recycled water irrigation system.
Public Use/Common Area Irrigation Systems
Turf and shrub areas in moderate and low water use zones shall have underground piping with
pop-up heads and ‘multi-connection pod’ drip emitters for water application.
Tree Bubbler Systems
Trees in all water use zones except temporary irrigation areas shall be valved separa tely from
overhead spray, drip or rotor systems.
Irrigation systems shall be designed so that the applica tion ra te does not exceed the infiltra tion
rate of the soil, and minimize over spray. The soil infiltra tion ra te shall be determined by the
results of an agronomy soils analysis, conducted within each proposed landsca pe improvement
area, and shall be imp roved using organic soil amendment at the recommendation of the soil
agronomist.
An irrigation programming schedule shall be re quired for each independent system. The
progra mming schedule shall include a four-season brea kdown of water application for both plant
establishment and mature landscape phases; and include run time and f re quency for each station.
The programming schedule shall provide a complete watering cycle that avoids run-off and over
spray.
Efficient irrigation equipment shall be used in all applications. These design measure s include
progra mmable irrigation controllers and water-need sensing equipment, low precipit ation and
low volume sp rinkler heads and pre ssure comp ensating emitter device s.
Irrigation systems shall be separa ted (e .g. drip separate from bubbler systems) and additional
control valves installed to account for site-specific characteristics (i.e. sun/shade, level/sloping,
shrubs/lawn ).
Maximum sprinkler sp acing in all planting are as sh all be 50% of the diameter of the nozzle
throw. Spacing of sprink lers shall take into account the prevailing winds at the site. All turf areas
shall utilize pop-up rotary heads with a riser height of six inches.
Irrigation for sloped planting areas shall be designed to provide systems running perpendicular to
slope condition. Where spray heads are used, full triangular coverage shall be provided to slope
planting areas. Low precipitation watering equipment shall be used on slopes exceeding 25%.
Reclaimed Wat er Irrigation Syst ems
The primary source of irrigation water for all public and common areas shall be from the reclaimed
water source as provided by the Santa Rosa Subregional System. All equipment and
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 114
delivery systems designed must be designed and clearly marked for reclaimed water use.
Single family front yard systems tied to master neighborhood irrigation systems shall be
reclaimed water systems, and so marked in the field. Each system shall be designed for 70%
delivery efficiency, based on spacing and layout of equipment, plant material type and supply
pressure . 4.9 Technical Specifications
All irrigation equipment specified shall be from known manufacturers with documented
eff iciency and performance standards and shall be designed and installed in accordance with
all loca l and state laws, rules and regulations governing or relating to irrigation syst ems.
Installation
All irrigation systems shall be installed, tested and approved prior to planting. Testing shall
include maximum pre ssure, system isolation, water delivery, coverage and all irrigation systems
shall be designed and installed with phasing and permanent conditions consid ered.
Water Application Devices
All irrigation spra y and rotor heads shall be pop-ups with the lowest angle, lowest flow
characteristics, and lowest precipitation rates available. All application devices, including drip
emitters, shall be pre ssure compensating.
Protection & Screening of Above-Grade Irrigation Equipment
All irrigation equipment such as backflow p reventers, booster pumps, valves, quick couplers,
and controllers sh all be housed in secure , vandal-resistant, locked cabinets or boxes and shall
be scree ned from view by landscape, grading or screen fencing.
Backflow Prevention Devices
All backflow prevention devices shall meet or exceed local and state specifications for pressure
and temperature ratings, materials and safety rating.
Automatic Irrigation Controllers & Valves
All irrigation systems shall be linked separately to the controllers with approved remote control
valves. Each irrigation system sh all be broken into geographic sub-systems, isolated from the
supply by clearly marked manual shut-off valves.
Private, Single-Family Home Irrigation Systems
Residential irrigation systems shall have a connection and approved backflow pre vention device
provided by the developer and shall conform to the stand ards set forth in Irrigation- Section 5,
above.
Reclaimed Water Systems
All equipment in reclaimed water systems, or those anticipated to use reclaimed water, including
piping, valves, and heads, shall be clearly marked with tags and b y color as non-potable.
Temporary Drip Systems
Above-grade piping for temporary irrigation systems may be used in non-public use area s
such a s conservation areas. Piping and emitter devices shall be concealed from view with soil,
mulch, or plant materials. All tempora ry drip systems shall be broken into geographic sub -
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 115
s ystems, isolated from the supply by clearly marked manual shut-off valves, allowing for phased
abandonment.
Sloped Planting Areas
Anti-dra in check valves shall be used on all heads and systems to prevent low-head line
drainage and soil erosion.
Tree Irrigation Syst ems
All trees in public and common areas shall be irrigated b y pop-up t ype bubblers. All trees
in open sp ace and mitigation areas shall be irrigated by below grade drip-emitter ‘collars’ with
multiple emitters.
UNIVERSITY DISTRICT: PLANT MATERIAL MATRIX
BOTANICAL NAME COMMON NAME WATER
Large Trees (50'-100')
Acer rubrum Red Maple Moderate
Cedrus deodara Deodar Cedar Low
Liriodendron tulipif era Tulip tree Moderate
Platanus racemosa California Sycamore Moderate
Quercus agrifolia Oak Very Low
Quercus lobata Valley Oak Low
Quercus rubra Scarlet Oak Moderate
Sequoia ‘Aptos Blue’ Coast Redwood High
Ulmus parvifolia Chinese Evergreen Elm Moderate
Umbellularia californica California Bay Moderate
Zelkova serrulata Sawleaf Zelkova Moderate
Medium Trees (30'-50')
Arbutus ‘Marina’ Hybrid Madrone Low
Carpinus betulus ‘fastigiata’ Columnar Hornbeam Moderate
Celtis sinensis Chinese Hackberry Low
Fraxinus a. ‘Autumn Purple’ Purple Ash Moderate
Ginkgo biloba Ginkgo tree Moderate
Magnolia spp. Magnolia Moderate
Malus floribunda Crabapple Moderate
Melaleuca quinquenervia Cajeput Tree Very Low
Olea europaea ‘Swan Hill’ Fruitless Olive Very Low
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 116
UNIVERSITY DISTRICT: PLANT MATERIAL MATRIX
BOTANICAL NAME COMMON NAME WATER
Platanus acerifolia ‘Columbia’ Columbia Plane Tree Moderate
Pistachia chinensis Chinese Pistache Low
Prunus serrulata ‘Washington’ Columnar Cherry Moderate
Pyrus calleryana ‘Capital’ Columnar Flowering Moderate
Pyrus calleryana ‘Chanticleer’ Chanticleer Flowering Moderate
Sophora japonica Scholar’s Tree Low
Small Trees (15'-30')
Acer palmatum Japanese Maple Moderate
Arbutus Unedo
Strawberry Tree
Low
Cercis occidentalis Western Redbud Very Low
Citrus spp. Orange/Lemon Moderate
Cornus spp. Dogwood Moderate
Crataegus laeugata Columnar Hawthorn Moderate
Eriobotrya deflexa Bronze Loquat Moderate
Geijera parvifolia
Australian Willow Moderate
Lagerstroemia spp. Crape Myrtle Low
Maytenus boaria Mayren Tree Moderate
Pittosporum undulatum Victorian Box Moderate
Prunus cerasifera Purple-leaf Plum Low
Large Shrubs (8'-15')
Arctostaphylos spp. Manzanita Very Low
Buddleia spp. Butterf ly Bush Low
Callistemon viminalis “Slim”
Slim Bottlebrush Low
Ceanothus spp Wild Lilac Very Low
Dodonaea viscosa ‘Purpurea’ Purple Hopseed Bush Low
Feijoa sellowiana Pineapple Guava Low
Heteromeles arbutifolia Toyon Very Low
Leptospermum scoparium New Zealand Tea Tree Moderate
Myrica californica Pacific Wax Myrtle Low
Photinia fraserii Photinia Moderate
Podocarpus spp. Fern Pine Moderate
Prunus caroliniana Carolina Cherry Low
Rhamnus californica Buckbrush Low
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 117
BOTANICAL NAME
Medium Shrubs (3'-8')
COMMON NAME
W
WATER
Abelia x grandiflora Dwarf Abelia Moderate
Arctostaphylos spp. Manzanita Very Low
Camellia sasanqua Sun Camellia Moderate
Carpenteria californica California Anemone Low
Choisya ternata Mexican Mock Orange Moderate
Cistus hybrids Rockroses Low
Coleonema spp Breath of Heaven Moderate
Escallonia ‘Fradesii’ Escallonia Moderate
Euonymus spp. Waxy Euonymus Moderate
Galvezia speciosa Chaparral Pea Low
Grevillea sp.
Grevillea
Low
Lavandula dentata French Lavender Low
Lavandula i. ‘Provence’ Provence Lavender Low
Leonotus leonurus Lion’s Tail Low
Loropetalum ‘Razzleberry’ Fringe Flower Low
Myrtus communis ‘Compacta’ Dwarf Myrtle Low
Nandina domestica Heavenly Bamboo Low
Oenothera berlanderi Mexican Primrose Low
Osmanthus fragrans Fragrant Osmanthus Moderate
Penstemon spp. Garden Penstemon Moderate
Phlomis fruticosa Jerusalem Sage Low
Phormium spp. New Zealand Flax Low
Photinia fraser ‘Indian Princess’ Dwarf Photinia Moderate
Pittosporum spp Pittosporum Low
Punica granatum ‘Nana’ Dwarf Pomegranate Low
Rhaphiolepis spp. Indian Hawthorn Low
Ribes sanguineum Current Low
Romneya coulteri Coulter’s Poppy Very Low
Rosa ‘Meidiland Hybrids’ Landscape roses Moderate
Rosa californica Wild Rose Low
Rosmarinus spp Rosemary Low
Salvia spp Ornamental Sage Moderate
Teucrium fruticans Bush Germander Low
Viburnum tinus ‘Spring Bouquet’ Spring Bouquet Moderate
Westringia fruticosa
Australian Rosemary Low
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 118
Xylosma c. ‘Compacta’ Xylosma Low
UNIVERSITY DISTRICT: PLANT MATERIAL MATRIX
BOTANICAL NAME COMMON NAME WATER
Small Shrubs/Perennials (1'-3')
Acacia cognata “Cousin Itt”
Little River Wattle
Low
Anigozanthus spp. Kangaroo Paw Low
Artemisia spp. Coast Sage Very Low
Baccharis pilularis Prostrate Coyote Bush Low
Bergenia crassifolia Winter Bergenia Moderate
Buxus m. japonica ‘Green Beauty’ Japanese Boxwood Moderate
Coleonema pulchellum Breath of Heaven Moderate
Correa spp. Australian Fuchsia Low
Dietes spp. Fortnight Lily Low
Epilobium canum California Fuchsia Low
Erigeron karvinskianus Santa Barbara Daisy Low
Erigonum grande var. rubescens
San.Mig.Isl.Buckwheat Low
Escallonia ‘Compakta’ Dwarf Escallonia Moderate
Festuca glauca Blue Fescue Low
Gaura lindamerii Arizona Rocket Moderate
Geranium spp. Hardy Geraniums Moderate
Hesperaloe parvifolia “Brakelights” Brakelights Red Yucca Low
Helichrysum ‘Limelight’ Licorice Plant Moderate
Hemerocallis spp. Daylilies Moderate
Heuchera spp Alum Root Moderate
Iris hybrids Bearded Iris Low
Kniphopia uvaria Red-hot Poker Moderate
Mahonia eurybracteata “Soft Caress”
Soft caress Ore. grape Low
Nepeta faassenii Cat Mint Low
Santolina spp Santolina Low
Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ Red Rockcress Low
Sollya heterophylla Australian Bluebell Low
Stachys byzantina Lamb’s Ear Low
Teucrium chamaedrys Blue Germander Low
Trachelospermum jasminoides Star Jasmine Moderate
Tulbaghia violacea Society Garlic Moderate
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 119
Grasses
Bouteloua gracilis
Blue gamma
Low
Calamagrostis ‘Karl Foerster’ Reed Grass Low
Carex divulsa
European gray sedge
Low
Carex tumulicola
Berkeley sedge
Low
Festuca mairei Atlas Fescue Low
Helictotrichon sempervirens Blue Oat Grass Low
Juncus patens
California grey rush
Low
Leymus condensatus ‘Canyon Prince’
Blue Wild Rye Low
Lomandra longifolia
Spiny headed mat Low
Miscanthus s. ‘Morning Light’ Maiden Grass High
Miscanthus s. ‘Zebrinus’ Zebra Grass High
Molinia ‘Moor’s Flame’ Moor Grass Moderate
Muhlenbergia rigens Deer Grass Low
Pennisetum Massaicum Bunny Tails Low
Groundcovers
Achillea spp. Creeping Yarrow Low
Arctostaphylos spp. Prostrate Manzanita Very Low
Armeria maritima Sea Thrift Moderate
Cotoneaster dammeri ‘Lowfast’ Prostrate Cotoneaster Moderate
Fragaria chiloensis Creeping Strawberry Moderate
Gazania hybrids Cape Daisy Moderate
Helianthemum nummularium Sun Rose Low
Juniperus spp Prostrate Juniper Low
Lamium spp. Spotted Wood Mint Moderate
Lantana spp. Lantana Low
Myoporum parvifolium Prostrate Myoporum Low
Rosmarinus o. ‘Prostratus’ Creeping Rosemary Low
Salvia sonomensis Creeping Sage Low
Scaevola ‘Mauve Clusters’ Purple Scaevola Low
Verbena lilacina “De La Mina” Lilac verbena Low
Vines
Clematis armandii Evergreen Clematis Moderate
Ficus pumila Creeping Fig Moderate
Gelsemium sempervirens Carolina Jessamine Low
Public Hearing Draft – City Council 120
Hardenbergia spp Lavender Trumpet Vine Moderate
Jasminum polyanthemum Pink Jasmine Moderate
Parthenocissus tricuspidata
Boston Ivy Moderate
Rosa spp Climbing Roses Moderate
Solanum jasminoides White Potato Vine Moderate
Wisteria sinensis Chinese Wisteria Moderate
UNIVERSITY DISTRICT: PLANT MATERIAL MATRIX
BOTANICAL NAME COMMON NAME WATER
*Water Use category refers to typical supplemental
water need for each species, based on designations
in:
Water Use Classifications of Landscape Species
(WUCOLS) by the University of California Cooperative
Extension & California Department of Water Resources.
Note: Tree and general planting shown in DAP submittals are subject to change in both
plant counts and locations due to final locations of utilities, streetlights, City required
equipment, bus stops, signage and mailboxes/related furnishings. Total tree and general
planting count shall not be reduced by more than 5 % due to conflicts described above.