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HomeMy WebLinkAbout370 • ORDINANCE NO. 370 AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWN OF LOS ALTOS HILLS AMENDING TITLE 10 REGARDING ZONING AND SITE DEVELOPMENT The City Council of the Town of Los Altos Hills does ORDAIN as follows: Section ' l. Amendment of Code. Section 10-1.223 [Floor area] of Article 2 [Definitions] of Chapter 1 [Zoning] of Title 10 [Zoning and Site Development] of the Los Altos Hills . Municipal Code is hereby amended to read: Sec. 10-1. 223 Floor Area. "Floor area" shall mean the gross horizontal area of the several floors of all buildings, including garage space, measured to the outside of exterior walls. Floor area is counted twice when the vertical distance between the upper surface of the floor and the upper surface of the floor or the underside of the roof directly above it is greater than seventeen feet (171 ) . Stairwells shall only be counted as floor area once. That portion of an attic is considered floor area when the distance between the upper surface of the attic floor and the underside of the roof above it is more than seven feet (71 ) in height. For the purposes of this definition, all attic spaces are considered to have floor surfaces. Area meeting the definition of a basement is exempted from floor area. Section 2 . Amendment of Code. Section 10-1. 227 [Height, structure] of Article 2 [Definitions] of Chapter 1 [Zoning] of Title 10 [Zoning and Site Development] of the Los Altos Hills Municipal Code is hereby amended to read: Sec. 10-1. 227 Height, Structure. "Structure height" shall mean the. vertical distance at any point from (i) the natural grade which existed prior to grading for the proposed structure, (ii) existing grade indicated on an approved grading plan, if different than the natural grade, or (iii) the proposed building pad if excavated below natural grade, whichever elevation is lowest, to the highest part of the structure directly above. Section 3 . Amendment of Code. Section 10-1. 234 [Natural • ground level] of Article 2 [Definitions] of Chapter 1 [Zoning] of • Title 10 [Zoning and Site Development] of the Los Altos Hills Municipal Code is hereby amended to read: Sec. 10-1. 234 Natural Grade. "Natural grade" shall mean the existing ground surfaces currently found on the site but shall not include illegal or unapproved grading, cut or fill. Section 4 . Amendment of Code. Section 10-1. 504 (a) , (b) and (c) [Height] of Article 5 [Area, Coverage, Height and Setback Limitations] of Chapter 1 [Zoning] of Title 10 [Zoning and Site Development] of the Los Altos Hills Municipal Code is hereby amended to read: (a) Structures. No structure or part of a structure shall be constructed or altered to exceed twenty-seven feet (271 ) in structure height in any permitted location. (b) Special height limitation. No structure shall exceed a height of thirty-five feet (351 ) , measured as the distance between the lowest natural grade topographical elevation of the structure along the building line and the highest topographical elevation of the roof of the structure. No point of • the building may exceed thirty-five feet (351 ) above the lowest pad elevation of the building. (c) Exceptions. The following structures or elements of structures are exempt from the height limits to the extent indicated: (1) Chimneys and appurtenances can extend above the twenty-seven foot (271 ) height limit. However, the maximum height including chimneys and appurtenances shall not exceed thirty-five feet (351 ) and all points of the building must lie within a thirty-five foot (351 ) horizontal band based from the lowest visible natural or finished grade. Section 5. Amendment of Code. The title of Article 7, "Building Siting, View Protection, Ridgeline Preservation, " of Chapter 2 [Site Development] of Title 10 [Zoning and Site Development] is hereby amended to read: Article 7 . Building Siting, View Protection, Ridgeline Preservation, Creek Protection. Section 6. Amendment of Code. Section 10-2 . 702 (b) and Section 10-2 . 702 (b) (1) of Article 7 [Building Siting, View Protection, Ridgeline Preservation, Creek Protection] of Chapter 2 [Site Development] of Title 10 [Zoning and Site - 2 - • Development] of the Los Altos Hills Municipal Code is hereby amended to read: (b) Preservation of Ridgelines, hilltops, and highly visible lots. Ridgelines, hilltops, and highly visible lots shall .be preserved by the siting of structures to take advantage of natural topographic or landscape features which would cause structures to blend with their natural surroundings. The Site - Development Authority shall consider the following guidelines in approving the location. of a structure: (1) Single story -buildings and height restrictions may be required on hilltops, ridgelines, and highly visible lots. Section 7 . Amendment of Code. Section 10-2 . 702 (e) [Creek Protection] of Article 7 [Building. Siting, View Protection, Ridgeline Preservation, Creek Protection] of Chapter 2 [Site Development] of Title .10 [Zoning and Site Development] is hereby added to the Los. Altos ..Hills Municipal Code to read: (e) Creek Protection. Structures shall be set back a minimum of twenty five-feet (251 ) from the top of bank of all creeks. Greater setbacks may be required along major creeks in the Town; however, • lesser setbacks may be allowed where approved by the Planning Commission. Improvements required to all creeks shall be accomplished to appear natural and to maintain the natural meandering course of the existing creek. Creeks and ,banks shall be protected so as to remain in their natural state as much as possible. They should not be disturbed by the building or grading process. No grading shall be allowed in creeks or within the required setbacks from top of bank. Siting of' structures shall be done with safety as a ,primary concern. Safety concerns and preservation of riparian habitat are required to be simultaneously addressed when designing development and required improvements to creeks. Section 8 . Negative Declaration. Pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act, the City Council hereby approves a negative declaration for this project. Section 9. Severability. If any part of this ordinance is held to be invalid or inapplicable to any situation by a court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this ordinance or the applicability of this ordinance to other situations. • Section 10. Effective Date; Posting. This ordinance shall become effective thirty (30) days from the date of its passage, - 3 - 7, J and shall be posted within the Town of Los Altos Hills in three • (3) public places.. INTRODUCED: April 6, 1994 PASSED: April 20, 1994 AYES: Mayor Johnson and Councilmembers Dauber, Hubbard, Siegel and Tryon NOES: None ABSTENTIONS: None ABSENT: None By: Mayo ATTEST: City Clerk APPROVED AS TO FORM: City ttorney PB\MAS1149490N5.002 04/11/94 4 -