Richmond Municipal Code Art. 15.04.304 Interim Study Overlay District

In addition to the general purposes listed in Article 15.04.101, the specific purpose of the -IS Interim Study Overlay District is to allow discretionary review of development proposals in areas where changes in zoning regulations are contemplated or under study.

An IS district may be initiated as prescribed by Article 15.04.814 or established in an ordinance amending Chapter XV. Prior to approving an amendment reclassifying land to a future IS district, the Planning Commission and City Council shall approve a study plan that identifies regulatory problems and states land use and development issues to be resolved for the area proposed for reclassification. The IS district may be combined with any base district. Each IS district shall be shown on the zoning map with an "-IS" designator, numbered and identified sequentially by order of enactment and reference to the enacting ordinance.

Three IS overlay districts are established by Ordinance 16-16, carrying forward designations in prior Interim Zoning Regulations. These include lands where the pre-existing zoning district has been deemed inappropriate under the General Plan and assignment of a new classification and new zoning awaits completion and Council adoption of a specific plan or other planning and zoning study.

A. IS-1 includes the Form-Based Code study area which includes Downtown Richmond and adjacent mixed use corridors;

B. IS-2 includes the Richmond Bay Specific Plan study area; and

C. IS-3 includes the Point Molate study area, where the City Council has initiated a review of appropriate zoning, development standards and related open space for General Plan implementation in the context of the Point Molate Reuse Plan.

These IS designations will expire no later than December 30, 2019, unless extended by action of the City Council, or rescinded early with Council action on the specific plan or other planning and zoning study.

(Ord. No. 30-18 N.S., § I(Exh. A), 12-18-2018)

A. Use Permit Required. Approval of a conditional use permit or, in the case of the IS-1 and IS-2 overlay districts, an administrative use permit shall be required for establishment of a new use or expanded use adding more than 10 percent to the existing floor area in a building in an IS district, and may be approved for any use classification permitted or conditionally permitted in the base district with which the IS district is combined. In addition, within IS-2, limited industrial development is permitted in an existing building, consistent with the base zoning. Minor additions to such buildings of up to 10 percent of existing floor area are allowed without discretionary review beyond that required for a building permit or design review. Repairs and maintenance also is allowed as may be necessary to comply with existing City codes and ordinances or to strengthen or restore to a safe condition any building, structure, or part thereof declared to be unsafe by the Director of Planning and Building Services or any other City official charged with the responsibility of protection of public health, safety and welfare. It is not the intent of this provision to hamper economic development and job creation, so uses permitted under the Planning Commission recommended Richmond Bay Specific Plan only require zoning compliance review in the IS-2 overlay district, not a use permit.

B. Required Findings. In addition to the findings required for use permits by Article 15.04.806 and additional findings that may be required for specific use classifications, approval of a conditional use permit in the IS district shall require a finding that the proposed use will not conflict with the land use and development policies established for the area in the General Plan and being considered in proposed specific plans or other planning and zoning studies.

Development regulations for the IS district shall be specified by a use permit or shall be those of the base district with which the IS district is combined.

An ordinance establishing an IS district shall contain a provision terminating the IS designation one or two years from its effective date. An ordinance establishing an IS district may be amended, reenacted, or superseded by a zoning map amendment adopted as prescribed by Article 15.04.814.

Notwithstanding the provisions of Article 15.04.806, a conditional use permit application that has been denied, or approved subject to conditions unacceptable to the applicant, may be resubmitted on or after the effective date of zoning map or regulation amendments superseding an IS district designation.