Council adopts refinements to multifamily objective design standards, adds bike and driveway rules

The City Council voted to adopt a package of amendments to the city’s objective design standards for multifamily housing and related zoning and transportation code updates on May 27. The updates refine standards originally adopted in 2023 and add targeted adjustments intended to increase design variety, support active streetfronts and improve bicycle and driveway standards.

The changes were presented by planning staff including principal planner Matt Benoit and principal transportation planner Claire Glogly, with planning technician Bennett Williamson leading the design‑standards overview. Staff emphasized that the package is a refinement rather than an overhaul: it responds to community requests for more architectural variety while offering clearer, more legible diagrams for applicants and staff.

Key changes and examples

- Incentive for traditional architectural forms: The update creates an incentive route (deeper window insets and higher‑quality materials) that allows developers limited flexibilities in façade treatment while encouraging traditional forms the community favored in outreach. - Ground‑floor activation and entry improvements: The standards add clearer rules for ‘‘dooryard’’ areas where businesses meet the sidewalk, require landscaping at entries, and revise permitted‑use lists to make it faster to open certain neighborhood‑serving businesses. - Roof‑stepback option to reduce bulk: Buildings can satisfy roof‑form requirements by stepping back the top story by at least 4 feet along the building length. Staff said this option can reduce perceived bulk without changing height limits. - Transportation updates: The code will require space for protected bicycle facilities on Soquel Avenue as new development proceeds, aligns local ‘‘daylighting’’ (corner red‑curb) rules with AB 413, narrows default driveway widths to 24 feet unless a public‑works director exception is granted, and removes local electric‑vehicle charging language now superseded by the California Building Code.

Why it matters

State law requires objective design standards in some zones; the city adopted the first set in 2023. These 2025 refinements aim to improve predictability for developers, reduce friction for neighborhood‑serving businesses and produce more varied, human‑scaled building forms.

Council action and outcome

After staff presentations and public comment, council voted to adopt the zoning ordinance amendments and related code updates. The roll call vote was recorded as aye by all members present. Council members praised the added clarity of diagrams and the focus on ground‑floor activity and bicycle safety.

Public and staff context

Staff said the updates followed public outreach in 2021–23 and targeted problems that arose in later project reviews — for example, how to treat building utility rooms on street‑facing facades when projects include no parking. Staff also noted the new standards include more user‑friendly illustrations and diagrams to help applicants and the public interpret the code.

Next steps

Planning staff will publish updated objective design standard documents and updated zoning code text and begin applying the new rules to incoming applications. Transportation staff will coordinate implementation details for required bicycle facility space on Soquel Avenue as development proposals appear.

Ending

Council approved the package of objective design standards and related zoning and transportation code amendments; staff will finalize publication and begin using the new rules for applicable project reviews.