San Fernando Municipal Code Div. 4 Administrative Planning Review

The purpose of this chapter is to establish thresholds for level of review for planning applications that do not require a full site plan review or conditional use permit review. Applications applied for under this division shall be reviewed and approved administratively.

(Ord. No. 1732, § 3(Exh. A), 5-5-2025)

The review authority shall only approve an application for a minor or major administrative planning review if it finds that the application is consistent with the purposes of this article and with the following:

(1) The applicable standards and requirements of this Code;

(2) The general plan and any applicable specific plan, community plan, ordinances or policies the city has adopted;

(3) Any applicable design guidelines or standards the city has adopted;

(4) Any approved tentative map, conditional use permit, variance, or other planning or zoning approval that the project required.

(Ord. No. 1732, § 3(Exh. A), 5-5-2025)

No change in the use or structure for which a permit or other approval has been issued is permitted unless the permit is modified as provided for in this Code. For the purpose of this section, when an applicant is proposing to amend, alter, expand buildings or uses, or otherwise revise a specific project or an existing developed site, staff will be required to determine the type of application (site plan review or conditional use permit) and level of review based on the following below:

(1) Minor administrative planning review. The director may approve minor changes to approved plans that are consistent with the original findings and conditions approved by the review authority and would not intensify any potentially detrimental effects of the project or create a new unanticipated impact that may or may not be significant. Minor projects typically do not require the review of other departments or agencies. Minor projects include, but are not limited to, the following:

a. Residential minor administrative planning review: Architectural or exterior material, treatments or color changes which do not change the basic form and theme of an existing building or conflict with the original architectural form and theme of an existing building; and which do not require the review of other departments (excepting building and safety) or agencies.

1. Any interior alterations that do not increase the number of rooms, bedrooms, or the gross floor area within a structure, or change or intensify the permitted use of that structure or the height of the building.

2. On-site changes to a previously approved site plan which do not change the basic form and/or function of an existing site; and, not requiring the review of other departments or agencies.

3. Landscape modifications which do not alter the general concept or reduce the effective amount of landscaping not requiring the review of other departments or agencies.

4. Structural additions or alterations to existing residential projects not requiring the review of other departments or agencies, and/or which do not propose additional units exceeding density requirements for respective districts, and do not require a change to entitlement type.

5. Parking lot configurations not changing the previously approved circulation of the parking lot.

b. Non-residential minor administrative planning review:

1. Minor structural additions to non-residential projects not requiring the review of other departments or agencies.

2. Construction of fences, walls, and screens on non-residential property which do not include vehicular or emergency service pedestrian gates.

3. Any addition of solar covered parking structures less than or equal to 1,000 square feet not requiring the review of other departments or agencies.

4. On-site changes to a previously approved site plan which do not change the basic form and/or function of an existing site; and, not requiring the review of other departments or agencies.

5. Landscape modifications which do not alter the general concept or reduce the effective amount of landscaping not requiring the review of other departments or agencies.

6. Parking lot configurations not changing the previously approved circulation of the parking lot.

(2) Major administrative planning review. Major administrative planning reviews typically require the review of a limited number of other departments or agencies. Major administrative planning reviews include, but are not limited to, the following:

a. Residential major administrative planning review:

1. Structural additions or alterations to existing residential projects requiring the review of a limited/abridged number of other departments or agencies, and which do not propose additional units exceeding density requirements for respective districts or require a change to entitlement type.

2. New construction or additions to residential buildings of less than 200 square feet.

3. Construction of a new residential building(s) within existing residential projects exceeding either 50 percent of the existing number of units or 50 additional units, whichever is less and, which do not propose additional units exceeding density requirements for respective districts and do not require a change to entitlement type.

b. Non-residential major administrative planning review:

1. Structural additions to non-residential projects requiring the review of a limited/abridged number of other departments or agencies.

2. Structural additions to non-residential projects or the construction of a new building(s) or structure(s) on developed and previously entitled land or parcels.

3. Addition of a drive-through facility to an existing or previously approved building.

4. New construction or expansion of existing parking lots into areas not previously utilized for parking or on-site vehicular circulation that change the previously approved circulation of the parking lot.

5. Any change or modification to an existing conditional use permit (or other application type requiring noticing), which does not require or warrant re-noticing.

(3) Full review. Projects that do not fit the above criteria and projects that require a full entitlement review, as determined by the director, shall be considered full site plan reviews and/or full conditional use permits. Examples of this include, but are not limited to, the following:

a. New use on vacant/undeveloped land.

b. Changes resulting in additional environmental impacts not previously assessed; or, which are not eligible for a CEQA exemption.

c. Construction of a new building on undeveloped land or parcel.

d. Expansion of a building or use encompassing a land area not included in the previously approved entitlement.

e. Establishment of a new conditional use.

f. Expansion of a conditional use with no previously approved conditional use permit on record.

g. Structural additions to non-residential projects that result in 20 percent or more of the existing square footage or 500 square feet, whichever is less.

h. Structural additions to existing residential projects that are 200 square feet or more or add another level to the existing residential structure.

(Ord. No. 1732, § 3(Exh. A), 5-5-2025)