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San Carlos council introduces objective design standards to streamline multifamily review amid debate over El Camino commercial protections
Summary
Council introduced Ordinance 1626 to adopt objective design standards (ODS) for mixed‑use and multifamily zones to comply with SB 35/SB 330, eliminate subjective review, and refine setbacks, stepbacks, facades and landscape buffers; council amended the draft and voted to introduce the ordinance unanimously.
After a multi‑hour public hearing on Sept. 22, the San Carlos City Council voted to introduce Ordinance 1626, a sweeping set of objective design standards (ODS) for multifamily and mixed‑use zoning districts intended to bring the city into compliance with state housing laws and speed ministerial review of housing projects.
Principal planner Rucha Dandi and consultant Rick Williams presented the draft ODS, saying the rules replace subjective design findings with measurable standards for entries, massing breaks, facade hierarchy, window proportions, landscaping and transitions to single‑family neighborhoods. Dandi told the council the effort was prompted by state law: “Pursuant to the state law SB35 and SB 330, it is required that multifamily housing projects be reviewed…
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