7.120 Objective Design Standards for Qualifying Residential Projects.

A. Purpose. The purpose of this section is to provide objective design standards for the review of residential

developments that qualify for streamlined or ministerial planning permit review pursuant to the laws of the State

of California and/or regulations of the City of Petaluma. These standards contain concise and quantiQable

language that is designed for consistent interpretation by applicants, reviewers, and approval bodies alike.

The objective standards herein are intended to achieve Qve core goals in the development of qualifying residential

projects:

1. Strengthen Community Character and the Public Realm. Design developments that reRect the Petaluma

community and contribute to its physical, economic, social, and cultural character.

2. Design for People. Emphasize a pedestrian-oriented environment where buildings and public realm

design are cohesive and complementary to a diverse range of uses.

3. Design Equitable Places. Make spaces that recognize and support residents’ and workers’ activities across

age, ability, culture, race, gender, and income.

4. Support Connectivity. Design safe, functional, and comfortable multimodal connections between activities

that are accessible and easy to navigate by walking, bicycling, and public transit.

5. Design for Sustainability. Support sustainable building practices and site design approaches to enhance

Petaluma’s resilience and resource stewardship - now and into the future.

B. Applicability. The City of Petaluma’s Objective Design Standards apply to qualifying residential projects for

which the state requires review for compliance using only objective standards. This includes residential projects,

which upon applicant request and demonstration of eligibility, qualify for streamlined and/or ministerial

processing. Alternatively, projects subject to these objective standards may opt to apply for permit processing

under discretionary site plan and architectural review (SPAR) in accordance with Section 24.050.

The standards in this section apply in addition to any applicable objective standards in the adopted City

documents, including but not limited to the documents referenced in subsection (F) of this section. Should there

be any conRicting objective standards in the SmartCode or IZO Historic District Standards, the SmartCode and

Historic District standards shall take precedence over the standards within this section. Unless expressly

prohibited by or in conRict with the standards in this or another applicable regulatory plan or code, additional

architectural or design features are allowable.

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C. De7nitions. The deQnitions in this subsection (C) are intended to apply speciQcally to the objective standards in

this section. If a deQnition is not in this section, the deQnition in Chapter 28, Glossary, shall apply. If a deQnition is

not listed in this section or the glossary, the commonly used deQnition shall apply.

Accent Materials. Distinct materials used to provide emphasis of architectural features or areas of the

building. Qualifying accent materials must either be a diTerent material type, have a diTerent cut size, or use

a diTerent installation technique.

Arterial Street. Streets designated as an arterial street in the City’s General Plan Mobility Element and which

provide relatively high-capacity access to regional transportation facilities. Access to arterials is generally from

collector and local streets.

Articulation. Dividing a building’s mass into smaller parts through the placement of architectural features

such as windows, doors, molding, columns, or other three-dimensional façade enhancements that create a

clear and distinct section of the building.

ArtiCcial Turf. A surface of synthetic Qbers made to look like natural grass.

Class I Bikeway (Bike Path). Provides a completely separated right-of-way for the exclusive use of bicycles

and pedestrians with crossRow traSc minimized.

Class II Bikeway (Bike Lane). Provides a striped lane for one-way bicycle travel on a street or highway.

Class III Bikeway (Bike Route). Provides for shared use with pedestrian or motor vehicle traSc.

Class IV Separated Bikeway. A bikeway for the exclusive use of bicycles and includes a separation required

between the separated bikeway and the through vehicular traSc.

Common Open Space. Restricted access outdoor space available for all residents in the development.

Creeks. For the purposes of this section creeks means a creek with a proposed or existing public pathway as

identiQed in the General Plan on Figure 5-2, Proposed and Existing Bicycle Facilities, or as updated from time

to time.

Cupola. A relatively small, most often rounded or dome-like structure on top of a building.

Full CutoD Downcast Lighting. Lighting Qxtures that have no direct uplight (no light emitted above

horizontal) and limited intensity of light from the Qxture in the region between 80 degrees and 90 degrees.

Ground Floor Activating Strategies. Uses that generate daily pedestrian activity. These may include but are

not limited to retail, restaurants, personal services, oSces (including medical), residential entryways, Qtness

centers, lobbies, resident services, etc. Ground Roor activating strategies shall be compatible with residential

uses.

Inactive Frontages. Sections of the building with no active use, including blank walls, service entrances with

access to trash, utilities, service areas, and garage entrances.

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Internal Road. See: Private Street.

Landscape Area. All the planting areas, turf areas, and water features in a landscape design plan are subject

to the maximum applied water allowance calculation. The landscape area does not include footprints of

buildings or structures, sidewalks, driveways, parking lots, decks, patios, gravel or stone walks, other pervious

or nonpervious hardscapes, and other nonirrigated areas designated for nondevelopment (e.g., open spaces

and existing native vegetation).

Multi-Use Path. See: Class I Bikeway.

Natural Habitat. The natural environment of a plant or animal.

Occupied Roofs. Roofs planned for occupancy as either open space, assembly or other functional purpose

beyond maintenance or repair access.

Open Space. Any park, right-of-way, City-owned property, utility corridor, publicly used land, school yard, or

natural habitat area which is open land on which there is no structure.

Planting Area (Landscaping). Unpaved areas of the site with prepared soils and irrigation systems intended

to support the establishment and long-term health of intentionally selected and installed plant materials.

Primary Building Façade. The side of the building oriented toward the front lot line.

Primary Entrance. The entrance to the building through which most users are expected to travel and which

shall be located on the primary building façade.

Primary Street Frontage. The area between the primary building façade and the front lot line.

Private Open Space. A private outdoor space designated for no more than one residential unit and not

accessible to other units. A private balcony also qualiQes as private open space.

Private Pathway. A thoroughfare on private property designed for pedestrians and bicyclists where access is

limited to residents or individuals with speciQc permission.

Private Street. A street located solely on private property, owned and maintained by either a property owner

or homeowners association.

Public Open Space. The area outside the footprint of the building on a site that may include parks, green

spaces, squares, plazas, playgrounds, and/or trails, and which are accessible to all members of the public. The

Petaluma River is considered public open space.

Public Pathway. A thoroughfare designed for pedestrians and bicyclists and accessible to the public. This

includes bike paths, walking paths, trails, and sidewalks.

Public Realm. The area fronting or physically accessible to the public, including the street, sidewalk, and

adjacent parks and building frontages.

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Public Street. A street owned and maintained by the City of Petaluma or another public agency.

Qualifying Residential Development. Residential development that, under state law, is required to be

processed through ministerial review using only objective standards.

Secondary Entrance. Any entrance, other than a service entrance, to a building not designated as the

primary entrance.

Secondary Building Façade. Any side of a building facing a public street (not including alleys) that is not the

primary façade.

Secondary Street Frontage. The area between a secondary building façade and a public street that is not the

primary street or alley.

Sensitive Habitat. Sensitive habitats are those areas in which plant or animal life or their habitats are either

rare or especially valuable because of their special nature or role in the ecosystem.

Turret. A small tower at the corner of a building.

Unused Area. A vacant or nonfunctional area of a site that does not have a structure, sidewalk, roadway,

parking stall, aisle, or other function. There is no minimum size and unused areas may include spaces

between buildings, spaces between pathways and structures, or similar locations.

D. Site Design.

1. Building Orientation.

a. Orientation. The primary building façade, which includes the primary entrance and the primary

street frontage, shall be oriented to the front lot line as deQned by Chapter 28.

b. Activation. At least one ground Roor activating strategy shall be integrated into the primary building

façade and secondary building façade.

Figure 1 Ground Floor Activation

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2. Circulation and Access.

a. Pedestrian and Bicycle Access Routes. For projects with more than two separate dwelling structures, all

structures shall be internally connected by pedestrian pathways and each building shall have a

pedestrian pathway that connects to the public sidewalk.

Figure 2 Pedestrian and Bicycle Access Routes

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b. Crosswalks. For mixed-use or residential projects with internal streets or surface parking areas, a

crosswalk shall be provided at a maximum distance of 190 feet between crosswalks along internal

streets or drive aisles and comply with Caltrans and Federal Accessibility Standards.

c. Driveway Location. Driveways shall not be located adjacent to the Petaluma River or a creek.

d. Short-Term Parking. For developments with 10 or more units, a passenger loading and residential

delivery zone (yellow curb marking) shall be designated at the curb along the primary frontage and shall

comply with Petaluma Municipal Code Sections 11.48.030 and 11.48.070. This requirement shall be

waived if there is not suScient space to accommodate both short-term parking and emergency vehicle

access. A waiver will be granted based on a written communication from the Fire Marshal stating that

short-term parking would inhibit emergency vehicle access and no other alternatives are available.

3. General Parking Standards.

a. Parking Location. Parking lots and structures are prohibited in the following locations:

1) Between the building and the primary street frontage.

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2) Between the building and an adjacent river or creek unless no other feasible location for

parking exists.

3) For multifamily dwelling structures containing more than two units, parking within a front or

side street setback is prohibited.

b. Parking Spaces.

1) The width of a parking space shall be increased by one foot if either side of the space is

adjacent to a wall, fence, support column or other structure.

2) Two feet of the parking stall depth may be landscaped with low-growth, hearty materials in lieu

of paving, allowing a two-foot bumper overhang while maintaining the required parking dimensions.

3) Electric vehicle parking, and charging infrastructure, shall be provided as required by the City of

Petaluma Building Code; provided, that at least 50 percent of minimum required parking spaces are

Level 2 Electric Vehicle Ready as deQned by CalGreen regulations.

4) The size of parking spaces shall comply with the following dimensions based on angle of

parking and standard or compact in Table 1.

Table 1. Parking Space Size Requirements

Width of Length of Minimum
Angle of Parking Width of Length of
Angled Angled Back up
Space Space (ft) Space (ft)
Space (ft) Space (ft) Length (ft)

Standard Cars

Parallel Parking 9 22 - - -

30 Degree Angle 9 19 18 17.3 11.5
Parking 9.5 19 19 17.7 11.5

10 19 20 18.2 11.5

45 Degree Angle 9 19 12.7 19.8 13
Parking 9.5 19 13.4 20.2 13

10 19 14.1 20.5 13

60 Degree Angle 9 19 10.4 20.9 17.5
Parking 9.5 19 11 21.2 17.5

10 19 11.5 21.4 17.5

90 Degree Angle 9 19 9 19 26
Parking 9.5 19 9.5 19 24

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Table 1. Parking Space Size Requirements

Width of Length of Minimum
Angle of Parking Width of Length of
Angled Angled Back up
Space Space (ft) Space (ft)
Space (ft) Space (ft) Length (ft)

10 19 10 19 23

Compact Cars

Parallel Parking 8 20 - - -

30 Degree Angle 8 16 15.9 14.1 12

Parking

45 Degree Angle 8 16 11.2 16.9 12

Parking

60 Degree Angle 8 16 9.2 18.4 14

Parking

90 Degree Angle 8 16 8 16 22

Parking

Unistall 60 Degree 8.5 18 8.5 18 26

Parking

Unistall 90 Degree 8.5 18 8.5 18 26

Parking

c. Parking Screening. Parking lots or structures shall be screened by 42 inches high solid fencing that

complies with subsection (D)(5) of this section or plants with a minimum expected height of 42 inches at

maturity.

d. Parking Structure Massing and Façade Articulation. Parking structures facing the primary or secondary

street frontage shall comply with the façade design requirements in subsection (E)(1) of this section.

e. Landscaping. Surface parking areas shall be landscaped in accordance with site design landscaping

subsection (D)(7) of this section and as follows:

1) Residential parking areas for more than four cars and parking lots in all commercial and

industrial zones shall be screened from the street right-of-way through the use of decorative walls,

fences, and/or landscaping with a height of at least 42 inches at maturity.

2) Parking areas shall include 100 square feet of planting area for every six parking spaces. This

may be accomplished through landscape strips that are no less than 100 square feet, or through a

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larger landscaped area within the parking lot. Vehicle overhang space (see subsection (D)(3)(b)(2) of

this section) shall not be used to Qll this requirement. Parking lot landscaping does not count toward

open space requirements.

3. Shade trees shall be provided in parking lots so that the average estimated canopy diameter at

15 years of age covers 50 percent of the parking surface when viewed directly from above. The

estimated canopy size shall be determined using the City of Petaluma List of Approved Street Trees.

Figure 3 Parking Lot Landscaping and Shade Trees

4. Shade structures with integrated solar panels may be used to provide up to 100 percent of

required shading as long as trees are planted around the perimeter of the parking area at a ratio of

one tree per 30 linear feet.

Figure 4 Solar Carports with Shade Trees

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5) All exterior areas that are not used for parking stalls, walkways, or driveways shall be planted

with ground cover or topdressed mulch.

4. Bicycle Parking.

a. Residential Bicycle Parking. Long-term bicycle parking shall be located in a secure weather-protected

area on-site.

1) Acceptable parking facilities include:

a) Controlled Access Fenced Area. Covered, lockable enclosures with permanently anchored

racks for bicycles using allowable short-term designs in the section below; or

b) Controlled Access Bike Room. Lockable bicycle room with permanently anchored racks; or

c) Bike Lockers. Lockable, permanently anchored individual bicycle lockers;

d) An area of a parking garage that is separated from vehicle traSc and that has a

pedestrian/bike walkway between the storage area and the public street.

2) Electric bicycle charging ports shall be provided for a minimum of 25 percent of the required

number of bicycle spaces.

b. Access. Racks shall not be located in a place that requires the use of stairs or lifting of the bicycle in

order to access the racks.

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c. Number of Residential Bicycle Parking Spaces Required. At least one bicycle parking space shall be

required for all units with up to two bedrooms. Two bicycle parking spaces shall be required for each

unit with more than two bedrooms. Each bicycle parking space may be located on a shared rack that

accommodates more than one parking space.

d. Size of Bicycle Parking Spaces. Bicycle parking spaces shall have a minimum of the following sizes:

Table 2. Bicycle Parking Dimensions

Spacing Minimum Space (in inches)

Length of parking space for each bike 72"

Distance from a bike rack to a wall 24"

Distance between two racks (horizontal) 36"

Distance between two bike racks (length) 72"

e. Age-Restricted Developments. In developments where age is restricted to senior citizens, the

minimum number of required bicycle parking spaces may be reduced by up to 25 percent. At least 50

percent of spaces shall be sized as follows:

Table 3. Bicycle Parking Dimensions for Age Restricted Development

Spacing Minimum Space (in inches)

Length of parking space for each bike 72"

Distance from a bike rack to a wall 36"

Distance between two racks (horizontal) 60"

Distance between two bike racks (length) 72"

f. Aisle. An aisle or other space shall be provided for bicycles to enter and leave the facility. This aisle

shall have a width of at least Qve feet to the front or rear of a standard six-foot bicycle parked in a facility.

g. Surface Material. Areas containing bicycle spaces shall be surfaced with durable surfaces such as

concrete or permeable pavers.

h. Bu8er. When located within or adjacent to a vehicle parking area, barriers such as curbs, fences,

planter areas, or wheel stops shall be installed and maintained between bicycle and automobile parking.

i. Means of Securing. Except in the case of individual locking bicycle lockers and attended bicycle

parking, all bicycle parking spaces shall have a closed loop to allow a single u-lock to capture one wheel

and one closed section of the bike frame to attach to a securely anchored tamper-resistant rack. The

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loop shall have a minimum outside diameter of two inches and be constructed from a minimum of

11-gauge steel tubing.

j. Mounting. Bicycle racks shall be surface-mounted to the ground with security fasteners, such as

concrete spikes, or tamper-resistant nuts on wedge anchors.

k. Rack Shape. Bicycle racks shall use one of the following designs and be constructed from steel,

stainless steel, or another equivalent material with equal strength, longevity, and tamper-resistance:

Figure 5 Allowable Bike Rack Styles

1) Alternative bike racks are allowed provided that they meet the criteria in subsections (D)(4)(i),

(j), and (k) of this section, and do not use any of the prohibited styles listed below. Bicycle racks that

require lifting the bicycle or any portion thereof, shall not be used.

2) The following designs are prohibited:

Figure 6 Prohibited Bicycle Rack Styles

5. Fencing.

a. Prohibited Materials. The use of chain link with more than a one-inch opening, vinyl, barbed wire, and

razor wire fencing is prohibited.

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b. Design. Solid fences more than 42 inches high and more than 25 feet long that are located adjacent

to the public right-of-way shall incorporate one or more of the following:

1) Vertical change in pattern or material along the entire horizontal length of the fence.

2) A post or column every 25 feet that projects at least two inches from the face of the fence.

3) Stucco or concrete fences shall not have an unarticulated surface for more than 25 linear feet.

4) Murals or public art covering a minimum of 50 percent of the area of the fence.

5) Horizontal members or courses.

6) Laser-cut metal panels.

6. Facility and Equipment Screening.

a. Screening. All exterior utility facilities and equipment shall be screened. This includes:

1) Garbage, compost, and recycling areas or receptacles.

2) Utility boxes, electric and gas meters, transformers, and similar equipment.

3) Rooftop mechanical equipment, not including solar panels or other green infrastructure that

relies on access to the sun or wind for power generation.

4) Air conditioning units, heat pumps, and similar equipment.

b. Coverage. All equipment shall be fully screened from view by an architectural or landscape screen.

1. The point of view for determining visibility on the roof shall be Qve feet above grade at a

   distance of 200 feet.

   2. The point of view for determining visibility at street level shall be Qve feet above grade at a

   distance of 50 feet.

   Figure 7 Equipment Screening

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c. Speci7c Waste, Compost, and Recycling Enclosure Requirements. An enclosure for waste, compost, and

recycling collection shall be provided and screened. The enclosure(s) shall have the following

characteristics and design standards:

1) A concrete slab that extends through the full area of the enclosure, including the access

through the service gates.

2) Fully enclosed in a wood or concrete structure with walls at least seven feet in height on three

sides connected to a solid roof.

3) A solid metal gated entry painted to match the other materials of the enclosure.

4) Water outlets (hose bibs) for Qre safety and sanitation within 40 feet of enclosures for refuse

containers of total capacity greater than Qve 30-gallon cans.

5) The enclosure shall incorporate a sewer drain to allow the enclosure to be washed down.

Storm water shall be prevented from getting into the sewer system.

6) Enclosures shall be designed and managed to prevent animal entry and shall be screened to

prevent odors, Ries, and other nuisance conditions from disturbing residents and the public.

7) Screening and gates shall be of a durable construction; fences, walls, footings, slabs and curbs

shall meet City Building Code requirements. Gates shall be constructed of heavy-gauge metal or of a

heavy-gauge metal frame with covering of wood or other suitable material. Gates shall be secured

with sturdy hinges or sliders, and latches. For enclosures of six cans or more and for bins, the

screening shall be protected at its base by curbs. If screening is to be situated directly adjacent to

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parking spaces or drives, it shall be protected by a concrete-curbed buTer strip (minimum three feet

wide) of landscaping or pavement.

8. The location of waste, compost, recycling collection shall not conRict with circulation or parking

conditions on site. If exterior facilities are used, a clear pathway that does not cross traSc, with a

minimum width of Qve feet shall be provided for tenant access to the disposal location.

9) Enclosures shall comply with the following dimensions:

Table 4. Waste, Recycling, and Compost Enclosure Dimensions

Bin Size (in cubic
Height of Enclosure Depth of Enclosure Width of Enclosure
yards)