Resilient City Design Review Process & Opportunities for Public Input: 

This process is available to Multi-Family Residential, Lodging, Mixed-Use Development, Single Room Occupancy Facility, and Child Care Day Care uses located within one of the City’s Priority Development Areas or Downtown Core boundary.

Neighborhood Meetings

Neighborhood meetings are required when a development proposal requires a public hearing, and may affect a residential neighborhood.  The purpose is to provide the opportunity for early input by affected neighbors. While neighborhood consensus or agreement is the goal, it is not a required outcome of the neighborhood meeting.

Concept Design Review Meeting – (held at or at after 4:30 p.m., in Council Chambers)

Concept Design Review is intended to provide an opportunity for non-binding comments from the Design Review Board to the applicant and interested members of the public. Concept Design Review is a public meeting and occurs in the Council Chambers.

Upon submittal of Design Review application

Notice of Application distributed

A Notice of Application is mailed to property owners within 400 feet of the project site, and electronic notification is provided to the Community Advisory Board. The purpose of this notification is to inform members of the public that an application has been received. The public is provided the opportunity to review and comment on the project being proposed.

Plans are referred to requisite City Staff and Outside Agencies and reviewed for issues. During this time any applicable conditions of approval are prepared, the project is evaluated pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act, and is prepared for a public meeting and action by the Zoning Administrator.

Zoning Administrator Meeting – (held at or after 5:00 p.m., at City Hall)

The Zoning Administrator (ZA) may approve, approve with conditions, or deny the application for Design Review. Action by the ZA occurs during a public meeting, which is noticed a minimum of 10 days prior. Members of the public may submit comments prior to the meeting, and/or attend the meeting to provide comments. Any member of the public can request a public hearing (which includes a public hearing notice in the Press Democrat and a public hearing sign posted on the project site) up to one day in advance of the scheduled meeting.   

An action by the ZA may be appealed to the Design Review Board. Appeal forms and fees must be submitted to the Planning and Economic Development Department within 10 calendar days of ZA action.

The Resilient City Development Measures Ordinance can be accessed here.