R115681
City Council Meeting: December 19, 2023 Santa Monica, California
RESOLUTION NUMBER 11568 (CCS)
(City Council Series)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA
ADOPTING OBJECTIVE DESIGN STANDARDS FOR QUALIFYING HOUSING
PROJECTS THAT ELECT TO USE THE STREAMLINED, MINISTERIAL APPROVAL
PROCESS ESTABLISHED BY SENATE BILL 35
WHEREAS, in an effort to address the California housing shortage by increasing
housing supply, Senate Bill (“SB”) 35, passed in 2017 by the California State Legislature
and most recently amended by SB 423 in 2023, provides qualifying housing projects the
opportunity to opt into a streamlined, ministerial approval process through which a
housing project is only reviewed against objective zoning and design review standards;
WHEREAS, SB 35 applies to jurisdictions that do not have a compliant Housing
Element or have not met their Regional Housing Needs Assessment (“RHNA”) goal for
construction of above-moderate income housing and/or housing for households below
80% area median income (AMI); and
WHEREAS, each year, the State Department of Housing and Community
Development (“HCD”) issues an SB 35 determination that indicates which cities are
subject to the streamlining requirements of SB 35; and
WHEREAS, this determination is based upon Annual Progress Report data
submitted by jurisdictions each year compared to the RHNA or prorated Lower (Very-Low
and Low) and Above-Moderate RHNA for each jurisdiction; and
WHEREAS, on June 30, 2023, HCD determined that Santa Monica fell behind on
addressing Lower-Income housing needs for the City’s 5th Cycle (2013-2021) Housing
Element, and, therefore, Santa Monica is subject to SB35 for housing projects that include
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more than 50% of their units as affordable units and elect to comply with all other
requirements of SB 35; and
WHEREAS, as a result, eligible housing projects must only be reviewed against
objective design standards (in addition to compliance with other development standards)
and cannot be subject to the City’s standard architectural review process, which is
designed to, among other things: (1) prevent the development of structures or uses that
are not of acceptable exterior design or appearance, are of inferior quality, or are likely to
have a depreciating effect on the local environment or surrounding area by reason of
appearance or value; and (2) to eliminate conditions, structures, or uses, which by reason
of their effect tend to degrade the health, safety, or general welfare of the community; and
WHEREAS, the proposed objective design standards supplement standards
already in existence and seek to ensure quality building design while addressing design-
related issues often considered during the design review of housing project, including, but
not limited to: (1) ground floor design standards for residential uses facing the street to
ensure adequate design and pedestrian orientation; (2) standards for design details of
façade materials, transitions, and overall visual interest; (3) design standards for open
space for residential projects to ensure maximal resident use and enjoyment of the space;
and (4) standards to ensure that any above-grade parking levels within housing projects
are adequately screened and designed with materials that integrate well into the project’s
design and minimize its appearance; and
WHEREAS, the proposed objective design standards have been developed in
consultation with the Southern California Association of Governments (“SCAG”),
AECOM, Architectural Review Board (“ARB”), Planning Commission, and commentary
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received by members of the public during virtual community workshops occurring on
August 22, 2022, October 26, 2023 and a roundtable discussion on November 27, 2023;
and
WHEREAS, the following objectives guided the creation of the proposed
standards: (1) no replacing of existing objective design standards in the zoning ordinance
already extensively discussed throughout Housing Element process; (2) ensuring that
proposed standards are not a constraint on housing production; and (3) ensuring that
proposed standards are within the scope of ARB’s typical review; and
WHEREAS, should the City not adopt any objective design standards, projects
could be approved without any design review that is intended to promote the health,
safety, and general welfare of the community; and
WHEREAS, the City Council now desires to adopt Objective Design Standards
attached as Exhibit A to this Resolution in compliance with SB 35 to ensure that the City
has appropriate standards immediately in place to apply to qualifying SB 35 housing
projects, should an eligible applicant opt into using that process.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA
DOES HEREBY ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The City Council does hereby adopt the Objective Design Standards
attached to this Resolution as Exhibit A and incorporated herein by reference. In adopting
these standards, the City Council finds and declares that, based on the oral and written
testimony presented to the City Council at the public hearing on December 19, 2023, that
there is substantial evidence in the record to support the standards set forth therein.
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SECTION 2. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Resolution, and
thenceforth and thereafter the same shall be in full force and effect.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
_________________________
Douglas Sloan, City Attorney
Exhibit A - Objective Design Standards for Projects Subject to Senate Bill 35
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EXHIBIT A
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SB 35 Objective Design Standards
December 2023 | Final
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I. Ground Floor
Design Intent
To promote an active, accessible, and comfortable pedestrian environment that enhances
the public realm at a human scale, promotes a sense of openness, and enables flexible
uses over time.
Objective Design Standards
A. Horizontal Element for buildings with a ground floor height of 15 feet or greater:
Incorporate a horizontal element between 9 and 14 feet above sidewalk elevation for
a minimum of 30% of building frontage. Any horizontal elements shall not consist of
vinyl or plastic materials. Elements may be continuous or intermittent, and may include
but not limited to:
1) An awning, canopy, or other covering;
2) Signage band
3) An architectural projection of at least 18 inches; and/or
4) A trellis.
B. Entrances Except For Entrances to Residential Units: Street-facing façades shall
provide a minimum of one entrance for each street frontage that opens onto the
sidewalk. Entrances shall be articulated by one or more of the following:
1) A canopy, awning or other covering;
2) Signage band
3) Porch/portico;
4) Trellis; or
5) Recessed entryway.
C. Street-Facing Residential Uses: Ground floor residential units with street frontage
shall have either an entrance or private Outdoor Living Area facing the street. Projects
that do not provide street-facing residential units and provide a primary entry into the
site or residential lobby may include street-facing residential amenity space pursuant
to Section I(C)(6) below.
1) Entrances to residential units on the ground floor shall be set back a minimum of
4 feet from the street-facing property line.
2) Entrances shall have a minimum 3-foot covered landing area at the same grade
as the interior floor.
3) Entrances shall incorporate at least three of the following:
a. Recession of entrance at least 2 feet from the building façade;
b. Overhead projection (e.g. porch roof);
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c. A sidelight window, adjacent window, or door with a window;
d. At least one stair, up or down, from the pedestrian pathway;
e. Paving material, texture, or pattern differentiated from the pedestrian
pathway.
4) Stoops and patios: The side of a patio or stoop (when parallel to a sidewalk) taller
than 30 inches shall be set back a minimum of 18 inches from the property line,
separated by planted area.
5) Private Outdoor Living Area Adjacent to a Street: Ground floor private outdoor
living areas adjacent to a street shall not be permitted to be enclosed with a fence,
wall, or hedge greater than 5 feet in height. Any portion of fences, walls, and
hedges above 42 inches in height shall be at least 50% visually transparent.
6) Housing Projects with a Single Primary Entry for Residents: Resident amenity
space including but not limited to community rooms, gym or other active space for
residents may be located on the ground floor facing the street if the project is
designed with a single primary entrance into the site or building lobby for residents.
Such spaces shall be subject to transparency requirements for ground floor
residential uses pursuant to Section II(A)(1).
D. Equipment Screening: Equipment including but not limited to electrical boxes, back-
flow preventers or similar connections required to be located at the street-facing
elevations shall be screening with landscape material, or painted to match adjacent
building materials, as permitted.
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II. Façades
Design Intent
To address the incorporation of architectural elements and features for visual interest,
creating well-designed and coherent building façades with sufficient detail, relief and/or
variation.
Objective Design Standards
A. Transparency: Street-facing façades shall incorporate glazing for at least 30 percent
of the façade, inclusive of ground floor transparency.
1) Ground Floor Residential Uses: A minimum of 20% of each ground floor street-
facing façade shall be transparent, measured between floor and ceiling height.
B. Openings
1) Every room on an exterior wall shall contain an operable opening unless prohibited
by Building Code or located within the Air Quality Assessment Zone.
2) Windows shall be recessed at least 2 inches from the face of the façade unless
windows have an exterior shading device on a street facing façade.
C. Materials
1) Material transitions shall occur at the inside corner of a plane change. When
material changes occur in the same plane, projecting or recessed architectural
elements shall be used to create a corner for material transition.
2) Drainage shall be routed away from the façade to prevent the staining of materials.
3) No foam materials shall be utilized.
D. Roof Decks: Roof decks or portions of roof decks located within 12 feet of a
residential zoning district shall be set back a minimum of 30 inches from the building
edge.
E. Fences & Walls: Fences and walls shall be made of prefinished materials except for
foam, plastic, or vinyl. If the wall is constructed of concrete block, the wall shall be
stacked bond or polished block.
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III. Open Space
Design Intent
To provide a variety of open spaces that contribute enhanced livability by providing
residents access to light and air as well as passive and active recreation. Common
outdoor living areas typically consist of landscaped areas, landscaped courts, walks,
patios, swimming pools, barbeque areas, playgrounds, turf, gardens, or other such
improvements.
Objective Design Standards
A. Balconets: At least half of residential units without private outdoor living area shall
have a balconet (e.g. Juliet balcony). The balconet is not required to allow residents
to step beyond the façade; it may be a railing at the outer plane of a façade opening
that extends to the floor.
B. Common Outdoor Living Area
1) Open-to-the-sky: No more than 20 percent of Common Outdoor Living Area
may be covered by occupied building space.
2) Landscaping: A minimum of 25 percent of each Common Outdoor Living Area
500 square feet or greater shall be planting area with a minimum length and
wide of 30 inches. For Common Outdoor Living Area less than 500 square feet
and greater than 100 square feet, a minimum of 10% shall be planting area.
There shall be no requirement for spaces less than 100 square feet.
3) Trees: A minimum of one 24-inch box tree for every 500 square feet of Common
Outdoor Living Area shall be planted within the Common Outdoor Living Area.
At least 50 percent shall be shade trees. A shade tree shall be defined as a
deciduous tree that provides relief from direct sunlight for at least six months.
4) Social Space: A minimum of one social space, either soft or hardscape, with a
minimum dimension of 10 feet in each direction shall be provided for every 25
units. Each required Social Spaces shall incorporate one of the following
amenities:
a. Cooking facilities
b. Edible gardens
c. Pools and/or spas
d. Water features
e. Exercise space and/or equipment
f. Play space and/or play equipment
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5) Seating: A minimum of 1 seat per 200 square feet of Common Outdoor Living
Area shall be provided with a minimum of four seats. Benches at least 48 linear
inches in length may be calculated as 2 seats. At least 50% of required seating
shall be arranged in groups of four or more seats.
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IV. Parking
Design Intent
To reduce the visual impacts of above-grade parking.
Objective Design Standards
A. Design of Parking Entrances: Exterior building finishes shall wrap into parking
entrances/exits for a minimum of 20 feet from the building façade.
B. Screening of Structured Parking: Facades shall be screened with materials that
are used elsewhere in the building design or may use any of the following materials:
1) At least 13-gauge metal;
2) Precast concrete panels;
3) Laminated glass; and/or
4) Green walls.
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Adopted and approved this 19th day of December, 2023.
__________________________
Phil Brock, Mayor
I, Nikima Newsome, Assistant City Clerk of the City of Santa Monica, do hereby
certify that Resolution No. 11568 (CCS) was duly adopted at a meeting of the Santa
Monica City Council held on the 19th day of December, 2023, by the following vote:
AYES: Councilmembers Torosis, Davis, Parra, Zwick
Mayor Pro Tem Negrete, Mayor Brock
NOES: None
ABSENT: Councilmember de la Torre
ATTEST:
_____________________________________
Nikima Newsome, Assistant City Clerk
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