Chapter 18.34 — Performance Standards

Sections:

18.34.010 – Purpose 18.34.020 – Applicability 18.34.030 – Address Assignments 18.34.040 – Air Quality, Dust, and Dirt 18.34.050 – Crime Prevention Design Review 18.34.060 – Hazardous Materials 18.34.070 – Heat and Cold 18.34.080 – Mechanical Devices 18.34.090 – Noise 18.34.100 – Odor 18.34.110 – Outdoor Light and Glare 18.34.120 – Outdoor Storage, Refuse Areas, and Service Areas 18.34.130 – Vibration 18.34.140 – Enforcement

The purpose of this chapter is to establish uniform performance standards for development tot promote compatibility with surrounding areas and land uses.

The following provisions, standards, and specifications apply to all properties, structures, uses, and activities in all zones, unless an exception is specifically noted. The provisions of Municipal Code Chapter 8.08 with regard to nuisances also should be considered..

• A. New address assignment . A new address is assigned when any of the following situations occurs:

  1. Construction of a new building;

  2. Construction or legalizing a secondary dwelling unit;

  3. Current address is out of sequence or range;

  4. Existing entrance for a corner lot is on a different street;

  5. Existing duplicate address or street name;

  6. New address will facilitate better emergency response from the Police or Fire Departments; or

  7. A new parcel number is required to be issued for this project.

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Performance Standards

B. Submittal requirements for new address .

1. Submittal of the Department Application Form.

2. A letter explaining why the new address is required and how it complies with the City’s Address Assignment criteria listed above.

3. Payment of two hours of staff time plus a five percent technology fee based on the City’s adopted Master Fee Schedule.

4. A site plan or parcel map identifying the location of the new building or secondary dwelling unit, if applicable.

5. Location of the new mailbox.

• C. Submittal procedures . The property owner or a designated representative shall submit the information listed above to the Department. Applications will be processed in accordance with the Permit Streamlining Act. Once addresses are assigned, an addressing notice will be prepared and sent to the Department’s distribution list, including post office, county assessor, city departments, utility companies, and emergency services.

D. Limitations on address assignment .

1. Addresses are not assigned to empty lots or vacant land.

2. Addresses will only be assigned when new development or alteration work is proposed.

3. Multi-tenant buildings will have one street address with suite numbers for tenant spaces.

• A. Air quality . It is unlawful for operations or activities to cause the emission of any smoke, fly ash, dust, fumes, vapors, gases, or other forms of air pollution, beyond any boundary line of the parcel, which exceeds the requirements of any air quality plan, rule or regulation, or General Plan Air Quality Element. The requirements of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District shall be met be all development.

• B. Grading . To ensure a dust free environment, appropriate grading procedures shall include, but are not limited to, the following:

  1. Schedule all grading activities to ensure that repeated grading will not be required and implementation of the subsequent land use (e.g. planting, paving or construction) will occur as soon as possible after grading;

  2. Disturb as little native vegetation as possible;

  3. Comply with all provisions of Municipal Code Chapter 15.48; and

  4. Re-vegetate graded areas as soon as possible.

The Director shall determine which projects will require a crime prevention review in consultation with the Administrative Policies of the East Palo Alto Police Department.

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August 2018

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Article 3 – Regulations Applicable to All Zones

• A. Fire and explosive hazards . All activities involving and all storage of flammable and explosive materials shall be provided at all times with adequate safety devices, adequate firefighting and fire suppression equipment, and devices standard in the industry, except as otherwise provided by applicable fire codes.

• B. Radioactivity or electric disturbances . Activities shall not emit dangerous radiation or create electrical disturbances that affect activities and operations on any other property. Radioactive emissions shall be further subject to applicable federal and state law and regulations. Existing or proposed uses generating electrical disturbances that may be considered hazardous or a nuisance shall be shielded, contained, or modified to prevent any disturbances.

• C. Hazardous materials . All uses and activities shall comply with the requirements of Municipal Code Chapter 8.40.

It is unlawful for operations or activities to emit heat or cold which would cause a temperature increase or decrease on any adjacent property in excess of five degrees Fahrenheit, whether the change is in the air, on the ground, or in any structure, or in any body of water.

Air conditioners, antennas, heating, cooling, ventilating equipment, swimming pool pumps, transformers, and all other mechanical devices shall be screened from surrounding properties and streets with a fence, architecturally compatible wall, landscaping, berming, or combination thereof, and shall be operated in a manner so that they do not disturb adjacent uses and activities.

All uses and activities shall comply with the regulations specified in Municipal Code Chapter 8.52 .

It is unlawful to emit odorous gases or other odorous matter in any quantity readily detectable beyond the property lines of the source. Any process that may involve the creation or emission of any odors shall be provided with a secondary safeguard system so that control will be maintained if the primary safeguard system should fail.

All outdoor lighting shall be arranged so as to keep light directed only on the subject property. It is unlawful to create illumination exceeding 0.1 foot-candles on any adjacent property. It is unlawful to create or allow direct glare, whether from floodlights or from high temperature processes (e.g. combustion, welding, etc.) visible at the property line in violation of Section 18.34.110.

All allowed storage areas for maintenance equipment, vehicles, or refuse, and all collection areas and service areas, shall be enclosed or effectively screened from public view with a fence, wall, and landscaping.

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Performance Standards

It is unlawful to create or allow vibration that can be felt at or beyond the property line.

• A. Enforcement of performance standards. Enforcement of the provisions of this chapter shall be processed in compliance with the provisions of Chapter 18.116

• B. Measurement. The determination of the existence of any objectionable elements shall be made at the location of the use creating the objectionable elements and at any points where the existence of the elements may be more apparent. The measurements necessary for enforcement of standards shall be taken at property line boundaries; unless the Director determines another location is more appropriate.

• C. Additional enforcement provisions. Initial and continued compliance with performance standards is required of every use, and provisions for enforcement of continued compliance with performance standards shall be invoked by the Director against any use if there are reasonable grounds to believe that the standards are being violated.

East Palo Alto Development Code, Title 18

August 2018

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Article 3 – Regulations Applicable to All Zones