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Design Review and Planning commissions report lower case volumes, outline downtown design standards and ADU support plans
Summary
Design Review Commission and Planning Commission presented annual reports; both noted a downturn in number of applications, and staff described work on downtown objective design standards (Phase 2) and a two-pronged ADU support program funded partly by a state grant.
Two Lafayette advisory bodies— the Design Review Commission (DRC) and the Planning Commission—gave annual updates to the City Council on May 27, summarizing recent activity and upcoming priorities including downtown objective design standards and a new accessory-dwelling-unit (ADU) support program.
The DRC reported fewer meetings and applications in the last year, listing approved projects such as sign permits, commercial building improvements, residential additions, grading and landslide repairs, and several new single-family residences (examples cited included 3515 St. Mary's Road, 13602 Sunset Loop and 830 Broadmoor Court). The DRC chair said Phase 2 of the downtown objective design standards (focusing on downtown and multifamily standards) is a council priority for fiscal year 2025–26, consultants have been engaged, study sessions with commissions are expected within roughly four weeks, and staff aims to complete the work by the end of calendar year 2025.
The Planning Commission update covered a similar theme: fewer meetings and lower application volumes in the most recent year, attributed in part to market conditions and construction costs, but commissioners said early 2025 shows renewed interest in multifamily downtown projects. Planning staff and commissioners also discussed the local implementation of SB 9 (state statute governing certain ministerial lot splits): about 20–25 SB 9 applications were reported over the prior year; where resulting homes do not meet local objective standards, applicants have sought discretionary hillside development permits, which brought some projects to the commission.
Greg Wolfe, planning and building director, outlined an ADU support program funded by approximately $100,000 from the state (identified as funds through Senator Glazer's office). Wolfe described two prongs for the grant: roughly half would provide direct subsidies to accelerate ADU construction (with higher per-unit support for smaller units), and the other half would pay for the production of "permit-ready" ADU plans that would be posted on the city website for residents to use without additional vetting. Staff indicated the application for the program was being finalized and anticipated public rollout within 2–4 weeks.
Why it matters: Downtown design standards affect the shape and scale of future multifamily and mixed-use projects; the ADU program aims to lower barriers to adding small rental units and could accelerate housing production at a modest scale.
