San Dimas council introduces ordinance to remove initiation step for zone changes

San Dimas City Council on April 8 read by title and introduced Ordinance 1322 (MCTA 24-11), a municipal-code amendment to delete the initiation step now required before a formal application for a zone change or code-text amendment.

Staff told the council the initiation process — a free, non–public-hearing step heard by the Planning Commission that provided early feedback to applicants — is redundant and confusing. "Should this amendment be approved, the initiation process will no longer be required and would save the applicant precious time and entitlement process," staff said, estimating the change would reduce the timeline by about two months.

Planning staff said San Dimas appears to be the only nearby city that retains the initiation step. The Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval of MCTA 24-11 on Feb. 20 and forwarded it to council with that recommendation.

Council members asked whether removing initiation would bar applicants from seeking informal pre-application feedback; staff replied it would not. Council members also asked how often initiation requests occurred (staff estimated once or twice a year) and why the step originally existed; staff said it likely originated as a low-cost pre-check to help applicants judge project viability.

A council member moved to read Ordinance 1322 by title and introduce it approving MCTA 24-11; the council waived further reading and the motion carried 5-0. Introduction moves the amendment to the next formal steps in the municipal process; it does not adopt the code change on final reading.

The council held no public speakers on the item during the hearing. The planning and code-change matter will return to the council as required by the city's adoption procedures.