Commission gives staff consensus to begin drafting objective design standards for multifamily and mixed‑use housing

The Manteca Planning Commission on May 15 gave staff consensus to begin developing objective design standards (ODS) for multifamily and mixed‑use housing projects, a city official said. Staff described the standards as measurable, non‑subjective rules that would allow certain housing projects to be reviewed ministerially under state law.

Senior Planner Dave Ruby presented the rationale and scope for the ODS, telling the commission the standards are intended to comply with multiple recent state housing laws and to enable a streamlined, ministerial review for qualifying projects. He gave a working definition: objective standards are “standards that involve no personal or subjective judgment by a public official and are uniformly verifiable by reference to an external and uniform benchmark,” and offered an example: “all houses should have a 4 foot deep by 4 foot wide minimum porch with an overhang,” which he described as a verifiable standard.

Ruby and staff said the work will focus initially on multifamily and mixed‑use projects citywide and would be developed in six steps: project initiation, community outreach, draft preparation (likely with a consultant), additional outreach on the draft, review and adoption (via public hearings at the Planning Commission and City Council) and implementation. Staff estimated the process could take roughly a year from start to adoption and said a consultant would likely be used for the design work while much of the outreach and coordination would be handled in‑house.

Commissioners asked about staffing, the potential for cookie‑cutter outcomes and whether standards could preserve downtown character. Ruby and Deputy Director Jesus Orosco said the standards can be written to allow a range of acceptable options—developers could select from preapproved architectural choices or follow a points‑based menu—so projects need not be homogenous. Assistant City Attorney Daniella Green noted existing municipal appeal routes would remain: conditional use permits and other discretionary decisions can still be appealed to the City Council.

Commissioners expressed support for the approach. At the end of the discussion, Chair Fiore asked for consensus to move forward; commissioners verbally agreed and staff said they would prepare requests for consultant proposals and return with interim drafts. Staff and the commission highlighted landscaping and water‑use standards as an early priority for the ODS.