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Carmel approves Opticos contract to craft objective design standards for ADUs and multifamily
Summary
On Oct. 6 the Carmel-by-the-Sea City Council unanimously authorized a professional services agreement with Opticos to write objective design and development standards (ODDS) for accessory dwelling units, multifamily and mixed-use housing, prioritizing ADUs and adding hearings at the council's direction.
Carmel-by-the-Sea — The City Council on Oct. 6 unanimously authorized the city administrator to execute a professional services agreement with Opticos for objective design and development standards (ODDS) covering accessory dwelling units (ADUs), multifamily and mixed-use residential projects, with the council directing staff to prioritize ADU work and add two additional adoption hearings.
City planning staff presented the scope and timeline. The contract cost proposed by staff rose from a previously discussed $180,000 to $212,290; council later amended the motion to add two adoption hearings at an additional consultant cost of about $8,000, bringing the not-to-exceed total cited by council to approximately $220,290. Staff said roughly $80,000 of the project will be paid with a REAP 2 grant and that the city is seeking a State Department of Housing and Community Development extension on the housing element adoption deadline to June 2027.
"Objective design standards are clear, measurable rules that do not involve personal opinions or subjective judgments," Planning staffer Marnie told the council, describing how the standards would replace subjective review language with elements such as maximum door heights, window proportions and defined trim widths. Staff outlined a two-phase schedule: an accelerated, roughly eight-month ADU phase that includes four community meetings, a planning commission study session and adoption hearing(s); and a second eight-month phase for multifamily and mixed-use standards with additional outreach and hearings.
Opticos principal Tony Perez told the council that many cities give applicants the option to pursue a discretionary review if they cannot or choose not to meet the objective standards. "If you do not meet the standards, you have elected to go through the discretionary review process in the city," Perez said, describing how other coastal communities handle exceptions and opt-outs.
Council and public discussion focused on how many architectural "style groups" the ODDS should cover and whether ADUs should be required to match the main house. Council members pressed staff and the consultant about whether three broad style groups (with substyles) would adequately describe Carmel's varied architecture and whether an applicant could opt into a discretionary review when a proposed ADU did not fit any of the listed styles. Several council members said they preferred the ADU work proceed before multifamily work so the city can adopt ADU standards sooner.
Public commenters supported requiring ADUs to be compatible with the primary residence and urged a shorter ADU timeline and scrutiny of consultant costs. Nancy Toomey said she supported the concerns about style coverage and "contin[ing] to align to whatever is the look and feel of the primary residence." Maria Bruce asked why the overall contract cost increased from earlier estimates and urged faster work on multifamily standards as well.
Council member comments led to a motion (as amended) to approve the resolution in staff packet, direct staff to prioritize the ADU phase before multifamily standards, and to work with the consultant to develop an objective model that helps ensure ADUs are compatible with the primary residence. The council recorded a roll-call vote of five in favor, none opposed. The motion included adding two additional hearings to the project scope at the incremental consultant cost discussed during the meeting.
The contract work includes consultant fieldwork documenting Carmel's built "DNA," community meetings and study sessions designed to produce measurable, permit-ready criteria intended to speed ministerial ADU approvals required under state housing law. Staff said the ODDS could later be applied selectively to discretionary reviews and that the process will document additional styles that could be added if the council expands the scope and budget.
Council direction: staff to proceed with the Opticos agreement as amended; prioritize ADUs; add two adoption hearings (added consultant cost); seek the HCD extension to June 2027; and return with final contract documents for execution.
