Glendale planning commission studies objective design standards to speed housing approvals; commissioners and residents raise buildability and cost concerns

Staff from Glendale’s Long Range Planning division presented a study session April 1 on proposed citywide zoning code amendments and a new Objective Design Standards (ODS) chapter that would convert subjective design guidelines into measurable rules for multifamily and residential mixed‑use projects. The briefing was informational; no action was taken. The public hearing is scheduled for April 15, and staff said the City Council is tentatively scheduled to introduce the ordinance May 12 with adoption May 19; the draft ordinance would take effect June 20 if approved.

The draft ordinance updates residential and commercial development chapters (GMC 30.11 and 30.12) and creates a new ODS chapter (GMC 30.17). Staff said the changes do not increase base density or floor‑area ratios but do propose higher lot coverage in more intense residential districts (from 50% to 60%), elimination of the per‑floor “wedding cake” setbacks, and a uniform three‑story by‑right height limit. Open‑space requirements would shift from a per‑unit square‑foot minimum to a percentage‑of‑lot measure for a new ground‑floor common open‑space amenity (COSA). Smaller projects of seven units or fewer could provide enlarged private open space instead of COSA. For commercial corridors the draft…