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Planning commission forwards zoning cleanup amendments and landscaping guidance to city council
Summary
On April 8, 2026 the San Clemente Planning Commission unanimously recommended that the city council adopt a package of zoning 'cleanup' amendments clarifying accessory structure setbacks, landscaping rules (including WELO guidance), walls and signage, and endorsed public‑facing landscaping handouts and a zeroscape brochure for community guidance.
The San Clemente Planning Commission on April 8 recommended that the city council adopt a set of zoning cleanup amendments covering accessory structures, the NC 1.2 commercial use table, walls and fences, sign rules and landscaping clarifications.
Lead project planner David Krillo briefed commissioners that the amendments are intended to clarify measurement rules, improve administration of the code and provide better written guidance to the public. “So today's goal is to reintroduce and discuss the cleanup amendments and to for staff to receive a planning commission recommendation to city council,” Krillo said.
Staff presented draft public materials — a landscape guidelines flowchart, a zeroscape brochure and a plant list — intended to help applicants understand when a preliminary vs. comprehensive landscape plan is required and when state water‑efficiency review (WELO) requires consultant review (staff noted WELO thresholds such as 500 sq ft for certain new landscaping and 2,500 sq ft for larger rehabilitation work). Staff also recommended aligning the city's native‑plant target with current state guidance and clarified where artificial turf and vertical landscaping may be allowed.
Commissioners asked for plain‑language clarifications (spell out acronyms such as WELO/MWELO on the handout, add a QR code linking to detailed web guidance) and discussed the balance between resident cost and regulatory compliance. The commission also reviewed edits to retaining‑wall and fence language intended to avoid the visual effect of a solid fence immediately above a retaining wall and asked minor editorial renumbering corrections in the draft code language.
After discussion, the commission voted unanimously to adopt Resolution PC 26‑010 recommending that the city council adopt Zoning Amendment 26‑062 and finding the amendments are not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act because they do not constitute a project under state CEQA guidelines. Staff said the roof‑element definition item had been removed from this batch for a scheduled study session on April 22 and will return for further discussion.
What happens next: The planning commission's recommendation and the redlined code will be forwarded to city council for final action; staff will post the public handouts on the city's website and incorporate commissioner edits.
