06/17/1999 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Intent of Color Limitations The basic intent of regulating house colors is to provide an additional means of "blending" a home with its environment. Regulations in Town and in other communities frequently rely on either "earth tone" colors or light reflectivity values (LRV)to suggest darker tones which do not show through vegetation as readily and are not as conspicuous as lighter colors. The Town's existing "color board" limits the exterior color of most new homes to a modest range of colors with limited reflectivity. The Town does not, however, regulate color when re- painting an existing home, so that the main concern is to limit colors until landscape screening grows to better shield the visibility of the structures. Options Several options have been identified to address the exterior color issue: 1. Maintain the existing color board and policy, but specify how long after final approval a house must remain painted (probably 3-5 years), to allow time for landscape screening to mature. 2. Expand the colors on the color board, either in terms of the color "tones", such as adding yellow, or by allowing a greater LRV, say 60% instead of 50%. 3. Revise the existing regulations to limit how colors are combined, to limit the gloss as well as the LRV of paint colors,and/or to limit the color and reflectivity of roofing materials. • 4. Limit color restrictions to highly visible hillside and ridgeline lots only. 5. Eliminate all requirements for exterior colors on new homes. 6. Eliminate paint color requirements, but retain some limitations on the color and/or reflectivity of roofs. If you have comments on the above issues, please plan to attend the meeting, or provide written comments to the Planning Department, Town of Los Altos Hills, 26379 Fremont Road, Los Altos Hills, CA 94022, or Fax comments to (650) 941-3160. For further information, please call (650) 941-7222. MOTION SECONDED AND CARRIED: Moved by Johnson, seconded by Finn and passed unanimously to amend the second sentence of the second paragraph to read: "Regulations in Town and in some other communities . . . .". PASSED BY CONSENSUS: #1 change 'probably 3-5 years'to Tor example 3-5 years'; #6, add 'including reroofs';put on webpage and add webpage address; include email address; direct Planning Director to sign notice; and give Council a clean copy of the notice MOTION SECONDED AND CARRIED: Moved by Siegel, seconded by Johnson and passed unanimously to schedule a public hearing on the color board for the second meeting in September, include information in the September Newsletter and mail notices to residents three weeks before the meeting. 6. NEW BUSINESS • June 17, 1999 Regular City Council Meeting 4