Chapter 8.294 — RM-CZ DEVELOPMENT REVIEW CRITERIA

The purpose of this Chapter is to require the submission for review of all developments proposed within the Resource Management-Coastal Zone District.

The intent is to simplify and improve the procedure by which developments are reviewed by bringing to bear all of the required criteria and reviews in a single procedure, incorporating to the extent possible the zoning review, subdivision review and environmental impact review procedures.

All developments, as defined in Section 8.138.040 proposed for location within the RM-CZ District, shall be required to obtain a Development Review Permit, pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 8.296 of this ordinance.

The General Review Criteria included in this Chapter shall apply in addition to the general permit review criteria specified in Chapter 8.296, except where required to be modified for reasons of public health and safety, whenever a development within the RM-CZ District is proposed.

All development shall comply with all applicable criteria and standards of this Chapter and of local, State and Federal agencies and must secure all required permits.

• (a) All developments should be designed and located to conserve energy resources, and thereby reduce the impacts of energy consumption on air, land, water, and living resources. Such efforts might include the clustering or location of development to reduce paving, grading, runoff, and driving times, and structural designs which maximize use of solar energy and reduce use of electricity and fossil fuels.

• (b) Standards for emission of air pollutants must be met, for protection of crops, the natural environment, and public health.

• (c) Where local climatic and topographic factors are conducive to airshed pollutant concentration, the location and arrangement of land uses and population density shall reflect such conditions.

San Mateo County, California, Code of Ordinances Title 8 – Zoning & Development Code

• (d) No use or development may introduce significant levels of noxious odors into the environment.

• (e) Pesticides and other chemicals used should be of the types and amounts that will have no significant or persistent adverse effects upon the environment.

• (f) Use and discharge of chemical agents, particularly including pesticides and heavy metals, which concentrate in the food chain and interrupt or destroy the primary biological network or threaten the survival of endangered species shall be prohibited.

• (g) Developments resulting in long-term noise levels which may have a substantial detrimental effect on resources or the quality of the environment shall be prohibited.

• (h) When an extensive change in vegetative cover is proposed, it must be demonstrated that the change will provide for minimal adverse impact on micro-climatic conditions, and similar protection from erosion as that provided by the existing vegetation.

• (i) No use or development shall have a significant adverse environmental impact upon primary wildlife or marine resources. Development shall clearly demonstrate a high degree of compatibility with, and minimal adverse impact on, wildlife habitat areas.

• (a) Development shall be located, sited and designed to carefully fit its environment so that its presence is subordinate to the pre-existing character of the site and its surrounding is maintained to the maximum extent practicable.

• (b) All roads, buildings and other structural improvements or land coverage shall be located, sited and designed to fit the natural topography and shall minimize grading and modification of existing land forms and natural characteristics. Primary Designated Landscape Features defined in the Open Space and Conservation Elements of the San Mateo County General Plan shall not be damaged.

• (c) Small, separate parking areas are preferred to single large parking lots.

• (d) No use, development or alteration shall: (1) create uniform, geometrically-terraced building sites which are contrary to the natural land forms; (2) substantially detract from the scenic and visual quality of the County; or (3) substantially detract from the natural characteristics of existing major water courses, established and mature trees and other woody vegetation, dominant vegetative communities or primary wildlife habitats.

San Mateo County, California, Code of Ordinances Title 8 – Zoning & Development Code

• (e) All development shall be sited and designed to minimize the impacts of noise, light, glare and odors on adjacent properties and the community-at-large.

• (f) The applicant shall demonstrate that the development will not contribute to the instability of the parcel or adjoining lands and that all structural proposals including excavation, and proposed roads and other pavement have adequately compensated for adverse soil engineering characteristics and other subsurface conditions.

• (g) In forested areas, no structure or appurtenance shall exceed the height of the forest canopy.

• (h) The development shall employ colors and materials which blend in with, rather than contrast with, the surrounding soil and vegetative cover of the site. In forested areas, all exterior construction materials shall be of deep earth hues such as dark browns, greens and rusts. Materials shall absorb light (i.e., dark, rough textured materials). Exterior lighting shall be minimized, and earth-tone colors of lights used (e.g., yellow, brown toned lights, rather than blue toned fluorescents). In grassland, or grassland/forest areas, all exterior materials shall be of the same earth and vegetative tones as the predominant colors of the site (as determined by on-site inspections). Highly reflective surfaces and colors are discouraged.

• (i) Wherever possible, vegetation removed during construction shall be replaced. Vegetation for the stabilization of graded areas or for replacement of existing vegetation shall be selected and located to be compatible with surrounding vegetation, and should recognize climatic, soil and ecological characteristics of the region.

• (j) Removal of living trees with trunk circumference of more than 55 inches measured 4-1/2 feet above the average surface of the ground is prohibited, except as may be required for development permitted under this ordinance, or permitted under the timber harvesting ordinance, or for reason of actual or potential danger to life or property.

• (k) With the exception of trails and paths, and related appurtenances, no structural development shall be permitted where such development will adversely affect a perennial stream and associated riparian habitat.

• (l) Sand dunes should be preserved in their natural state and detrimental activities shall not be permitted.

• (a) Public utility structures, including building signs, overhead wires and utility poles, shall be of minimum bulk and height and designed to have an uncluttered appearance and remain subordinate to the setting.

San Mateo County, California, Code of Ordinances Title 8 – Zoning & Development Code

• (b) Underground utility lines shall be required for planned unit developments and subdivisions where required by State law or the County Subdivision Ordinance, except where such undergrounding would result in significant adverse environ-mental impacts; surface power line super-structures shall be painted to disguise or mottle their appearance as much as possible; and revegetation programs shall be used to mitigate adverse impacts in power line construction swaths.

• (c) There must be either a public water supply available or the existence of an adequate local water supply must be demonstrated.

• (d) Suitability for septic tank installation or other treatment facility must be demonstrated where no sewer system exists. Where a development is proposed to utilize an existing public or community sewer system, it must be demonstrated that sufficient capacity exists to serve the proposed development.

• (a) Solid and liquid waste discharge and disposal shall not be permitted to contaminate water resources or otherwise adversely affect a marine, aquatic or riparian environment. All discharges which might effect a water body shall comply with discharge requirements as established by the Regional Water Quality Control Board.

• (b) Discharge of water containing organic nutrients shall be shifted from the aquatic environment to land environments whenever possible when such shift will produce less detrimental effects.

• (c) To ensure minimal impact on hydrologic processes, grading and other landscape alteration shall be kept to a minimum and the present configuration of landforms shall be maintained to the maximum extent practicable.

• (d) Site preparation procedures and construction phasing shall be carefully con-trolled to reduce erosion and exposure of soils to the maximum extent possible.

• (e) Projects shall utilize methods to maintain surface water runoff at or near existing levels.

• (f) Development, with the exception of agricultural uses and public works and public safety projects, which might cause significant adverse impacts upon the natural course or riparian habitat of any stream, shall not be permitted. All developments shall be required to perform all feasible measures to mitigate possible impacts upon such areas.

San Mateo County, California, Code of Ordinances Title 8 – Zoning & Development Code

• (g) Excessive inter-basin transfers of water resources which may result in adverse impacts on water regimen stability and water quality shall not be permitted.

• (h) Projects shall clearly demonstrate methods to be employed for management of vegetative cover, surface water runoff, ground water recharge, and erosion and sedimentation processes to assure stability of downstream aquatic environments.

• (a) Whenever there is substantial indication that an archaeological or paleontological site (hereinafter “site”) may exist within a project area, an appropriate survey by qualified professionals shall be required as a part of the Environmental Setting Inventory.

• (b) Sites are often not known prior to commencement of construction for a development. When an archaeological site is discovered during construction, all work which could damage the site shall be suspended pending site investigation by qualified professionals. Such investigation shall commence within 15 days or construction may be continued. If no significant site is found, excavation shall be completed within 30 days of discovery of the site. If a significant site is found, excavation shall be completed within 90 days of discovery of the site.

• (c) Once known, sites shall be evaluated against the Cultural Resources Policies of the Open Space and Conservation Element of the San Mateo County General Plan prior to development. Primary sites shall not be destroyed; other sites shall be excavated under the direction of qualified professionals prior to development which might damage such sites.

• (a) Reasonable and appropriate setbacks from hazardous areas shall be provided within hazardous areas defined within the Conservation, Open Space, Safety, and Seismic Safety Elements of the San Mateo County General Plan.

• (b) No development shall disrupt the natural erosion and transport of sand or other beach material from coastal watersheds into the coast’s littoral circulation system where such disruption will significantly accelerate shoreline erosion.

• (c) Notwithstanding the permitted development density under this ordinance, areas shall not be used for placement of structures: 1) which are severely hazardous to life and property due to soils, geological, seismic, hydrological, or fire factors; 2) whose development would pose a severe hazard to persons or property outside the proposed development; or 3) for which elimination of such hazards would require

San Mateo County, California, Code of Ordinances Title 8 – Zoning & Development Code

major modification of existing land forms, significant removal or potential damage to established trees or exposure of slopes which cannot be suitably revegetated.

• (d) No noxious chemical, petroleum or other flammable liquids, or other potentially hazardous materials shall be stored or manufactured in any hazard area as defined in Section 8.294.180.

• (e) No electric substations, domestic water pumping facilities, sewage treatment, pumping, or disposal facilities shall be located in any hazards areas indicated in Section 8.294.180 unless the County Engineer certifies that direct damage or indirect threat to public health and safety would be unlikely in the event of occurrence of the designated hazard(s).

• (f) No land shall be developed which is held unsuitable by the Planning Commission for its proposed use for reason of exposure to fire, flooding, inadequate drainage, soil and rock formations with severe limitations for development, susceptibility to mudslides or earthslides, severe erosion potential, steep slopes, inadequate water supply or sewage disposal capabilities, or any other feature harmful to the health, safety or welfare of the future residents or property owners of the proposed development or the community-at-large. To determine the appropriateness of development the following shall be considered:

  1. The danger to life and property due to the designated hazards caused by excavation, fill, roads, and intended uses.

  2. The danger that structures or other improvements may slide or be swept onto other lands or downstream to the injury of others.

  3. The adequacy of proposed water supply and sanitation systems, and the ability of those systems to prevent disease, contamination and unsanitary conditions during or following a hazardous event or condition.

  4. The susceptibility of the proposed facility and its contents to potential damage, and the effect of such damage to the property.

  5. The importance of the services provided by the proposed facility to the community.

  6. The availability of a sufficient amount of water, as defined by the fire protection agency, for fire suppression purposes.

7. The availability of alternative locations, not subject to hazards.

San Mateo County, California, Code of Ordinances Title 8 – Zoning & Development Code

8. The relationship of the proposed development to the Safety, Seismic Safety, and Open Space and Conservation Elements of the San Mateo County General Plan.

These supplementary review criteria shall apply to developments that fall within Primary Resource Areas as designated or defined in the Conservation and Open Space Element of the San Mateo County General Plan. These criteria are in addition to all other Development Permit Review criteria.

The following criteria shall apply within Scenic Corridors and other Primary Scenic Resources Areas as defined or designated in the Open Space and Conservation Element of the San Mateo County General Plan:

• (a) Public views within and from Scenic Corridors shall be protected and enhanced, and development shall not be allowed to significantly obscure, detract from, or negatively affect the quality of these views. Vegetative screening or setbacks may be used to mitigate such impacts. Development visible from Scenic Corridors shall be so located and designed as to minimize interference with ridgeline silhouettes.

• (b) Clear cutting or removal of existing vegetation from rights-of-way is prohibited, except in those areas required for road and shoulder alignment or as required for reasons of safety, or permitted under subsections (h) and (i).

• (c) Within a corridor, pathway pavements should be colored or selected to blend in with the surrounding landscape.

• (d) In forested areas, development, including all access roads and parking areas, shall be visually screened from Scenic Corridors.

• (e) Curved approaches to Scenic Corridors shall be used in conjunction with native planting to screen access roads from view. Additional planting may be required where existing planting is considered insufficient. Planting shall be placed so that it does not constitute a safety hazard.

• (f) The number of access roads to a Scenic Corridor shall be minimized wherever possible. Development access roads shall be combined with the intent of minimizing intersections with scenic roads, prior to junction with a Scenic Corridor unless severely constrained by topography. Traffic loops shall be used to the maximum extent possible so that dead-end roads may be minimized.

• (g) Colors and plant materials shall be selected as necessary to minimize visual impact of development upon Scenic Corridors.

San Mateo County, California, Code of Ordinances Title 8 – Zoning & Development Code

• (h) Selective clearing of vegetation which allows the display of important public views may be permitted.

• (i) Scenic Corridor development should include vista points and roadside rests which provide an opportunity to view scenic amenities and natural features.

• (j) No off-premise outdoor advertising shall be permitted. Other permitted signs shall be carefully designed to harmonize with the scenic qualities of Scenic Corridors.

• (k) No development, with the exception of agricultural uses, shall be permitted on grass and/or brush land in Scenic Areas unless such development will be screened effectively from existing or proposed public viewing areas or Scenic Corridors.

• (l) No development shall be permitted on a Designated Primary Landscape Feature.

• (m) No development shall be permitted to obstruct or significantly detract from views of any Scenic Area or Landscape Feature from a Scenic Corridor.

• (n) Screening as required under this section should not consist of solid fencing, rather it should be of natural materials of the area, preferably natural vegetation in conjunction with low earth berms.

The following criteria shall apply within Primary Fish and Wildlife Areas as defined or designated in the Open Space and Conservation Element of the San Mateo County General Plan:

• (a) Significant reduction of primary habitat areas shall be prohibited.

• (b) Ecological characteristics, including the food chain, of primary wildlife habitat areas shall not be changed in a manner that would have substantial adverse impact on the quantity or quality of marine and other wildlife.

• (c) The direct removal of primary habitat areas shall be avoided by clustering uses on other portions of the property.

• (d) Spawning and nesting areas shall not be subject to development, including intensive public recreational use.

San Mateo County, California, Code of Ordinances Title 8 – Zoning & Development Code

• (e) The filling or dredging of tidal marshes, estuaries or marine waters is not permitted.

• (f) Watersheds whose streams are used for fish spawning grounds and fish nurseries shall be managed to maintain the flow of fresh water necessary for those purposes.

• (g) Public access to primary wildlife habitat areas shall be controlled to allow for compatible recreational use, without over-utilization and disturbance to wildlife populations or over-collection of species.

The following criteria shall apply within agricultural preserves, primary Agricultural Re-sources Areas as defined or designated in the Open Space and Conservation Element of the San Mateo County General Plan, and designated agricultural districts as defined in the adopted Resource Conservation Area Density Matrix Policy.

• (a) Only agricultural and compatible uses shall be permitted. Agricultural uses are lands used for the production of an agricultural commodity for commercial purposes. Compatible uses shall include all uses permitted under the use provisions of the RM-CZ District, provided that such uses would not substantially reduce the agricultural potential of the land.

• (b) Clustering of uses shall not be permitted unless and until a finding is made by the Planning Commission that such clustering would promote the use or potential use of the land for agricultural purposes.

• (c) Where possible, structural uses shall be located away from prime agricultural soils.

The following criteria shall apply within Primary Water Resources Areas as defined or designated in the Open Space and Conservation Element of the San Mateo County General Plan:

• (a) It shall be demonstrated that withdrawals from ground water basins will not be in such quantity that a continued supply would be jeopardized or would result in salt water intrusion.

• (b) Construction, including placement of impermeable surfacing or compaction, shall not significantly disrupt or diminish natural patterns of ground water recharge.

• (c) Watersheds whose streams are used for spawning grounds and fish nurseries shall be managed to maintain the flow of fresh water necessary to their maintenance for these purposes.

San Mateo County, California, Code of Ordinances Title 8 – Zoning & Development Code

• (d) No use, development or alteration shall be undertaken unless the applicant demonstrates that such use, development or alteration will not interfere with the existing capacity of any water body, will not substantially increase erosion, will not increase the amounts of silt or chemical nutrient pollutants, or do anything else that will contribute to the deterioration of the quality of water in any water body.

• (e) All development and associated access roads near existing and future lakes and reservoirs whose maximum design water surface area exceeds 5 acres shall be constructed at least 50 feet from the high water line. Development may not deny reasonable access to the shoreline.

The following criteria shall apply along the entire ocean shoreline of the RM-CZ District:

• (a) Public access from state or local roads or trails to the ocean shoreline shall be provided to the maximum extent practicable. Access shall be located to minimize harm to the environment, and to prevent trespass over private lands.

• (b) For land divisions and planned unit developments, a public access easement, extending inland no more than 100 feet from the mean high tide line, shall be dedicated along the ocean shoreline before private development is to be permitted. The Planning Commission may decrease this width to a reasonable degree where justified by topography, public safety, site security or parcel configuration.

• (c) The applicant shall demonstrate that reasonable alternative non-ocean shoreline sites are not available or suitable for the development, and that the proposed development will not cause significant harm to:

  1. The water quality of the adjacent waters; 
  

  2. the natural beauty of the area, including views from public places, roads, and trails;

     3. navigation, safety or health; or

     4. public use of the adjacent waters or underlying lands.

The following criteria shall apply within Primary Mineral Resources Areas defined or designated in the Open Space and Conservation Element of the San Mateo County General Plan:

San Mateo County, California, Code of Ordinances Title 8 – Zoning & Development Code

• (a) Plans for rehabilitation, enhancement and reuse of mineral extraction areas shall be made a part of any proposal for an extractive development.

• (b) Potential impacts of mineral extraction on open space values, including scenic resources, skylines and natural terrain, should be considered in the review of all extractive development. Any activity that produces permanent, large visible surface scars should be considered incompatible with the goal of maintaining the scenic quality of open space.

• (c) Potential impacts of mineral extraction on the values of water resources and wildlife habitat areas should be considered in the review of all extractive development. Any activity that would have a significant adverse impact on water resources or wildlife habitat areas should be considered incompatible with the maintenance of open space values.

• (d) Permanent or long-term uses which may interfere or be incompatible with existing or potential mineral extraction activities should not be permitted within Mineral Resource Areas.

The following criteria shall apply within Primary Natural Vegetation Areas as defined or designated in the Open Space and Conservation Element of the San Mateo County General Plan.

• (a) Significant reduction of vegetation shall be prohibited.

• (b) The direct removal of vegetation shall be avoided by clustering uses on other portions of the property.

• (c) Public access to vegetation areas shall be controlled to allow for compatible recreational use, without over-utilization and disturbance to vegetation or over-collection of species.

These Permit Review Criteria shall apply to developments that fall within the Special Hazard Areas defined in appropriate sections of the Conservation and Open Space Element or within the adopted Resource Conservation Area Density Matrix policy.

The following criteria shall apply within designated floodways:

San Mateo County, California, Code of Ordinances Title 8 – Zoning & Development Code

• (a) No land shall be developed which is held unsuitable for its proposed use by reason of flooding, or other feature harmful to the health, safety or welfare of the future residents or property owners of the proposed development or the community at large. In determining the suitability of the site for its intended use, the following shall be considered: the danger to life and property due to the increased flood heights or velocities caused by excavation, fill, roads, and intended uses; the requirements of the development for a waterfront location; the safety of access to the property for emergency vehicles in times of flood; the expected heights, velocity, duration, rate of rise and sediment transport of the floodwaters expected at the site; and the costs of providing governmental services during and after flood conditions including maintenance and repair of public utilities and facilities such as sewer, gas, electrical and water systems, and streets and bridges.

• (b) No development shall be permitted unless it is demonstrated that such development will not: (1) interfere with the existing capacity, substantially increase the erosion, siltation, or chemical nutrients, or anything else that might contribute to the deterioration, of any watercourse or the quality of water in any water body included in this district; (2) require storage of material, construction of any substantial flood or erosion control works, or substantial grading or placement of fill, within this area; or (3) cause adverse disturbance to any dunes or beaches.

• (c) The following uses which have low flood damage potential and do not threaten other lands during times of flood shall be permitted within this area provided they are not prohibited by any other ordinance: agricultural uses such as general farming, pasture, grazing, outdoor plant nurseries, horticulture, viticulture, truck farming, forestry, sod farming, and wild crop harvesting; uses such as loading or parking areas; private and public recreational uses such as beaches, beach cabanas not suitable for use as dwellings, boardwalks and steps to permit access across dunes, beaches, and other fragile resources, pavilions and other similar small platforms, lifeguard stations, golf courses, tennis courts, driving ranges, archery ranges, picnic grounds, boat launching ramps, fish hatcheries, shooting preserves, target ranges, trap and skeet ranges, hunting and fishing areas, hiking and horseback riding trails, temporary structures for sale of food and refreshments, arts and crafts; residential uses such as lawns, gardens, parking areas and play areas.

ifeguard stations, golf courses, tennis courts, driving ranges, archery ranges, picnic grounds, boat launching ramps, fish hatcheries, shooting preserves, target ranges, trap and skeet ranges, hunting and fishing areas, hiking and horseback riding trails, temporary structures for sale of food and refreshments, arts and crafts; residential uses such as lawns, gardens, parking areas and play areas.

• (d) The following shall be permitted provided that they are not otherwise prohibited or do not threaten other lands during the times of flood: extraction of sand, gravel, oyster shells and other materials; marinas, yacht clubs, boat rentals, lighthouses, docks, piers, wharves, groins, bulkheads, seawalls, jetties, harbor works, and erosion control devices; railroads, streets, bridges, utility transmission lines and pipelines.

• (e) Buildings (temporary or permanent) shall not be designed or used for human habitation; shall be designed with low flood damage potential; shall be constructed and placed on the building site so as to offer the minimum resistance to the flow of floodwaters; and shall be firmly anchored to prevent flotation which may result in damage to other structures.

• (f) Service facilities such as electrical and heating equipment shall be floodproofed or constructed at or above the 100-year flood elevation for the particular area.

San Mateo County, California, Code of Ordinances Title 8 – Zoning & Development Code

• (g) Storm drainage facilities shall be designed to store and convey the flow of surface waters without damage to persons or property using the following criteria: (1) Major channels or creeks (a watershed area of four or more square miles) with a 50-year average recurrence interval; (2) Secondary channels (a watershed area of one through four square miles) with 30-year average recurrence interval; and (3) Minor channels or storm drain systems (a watershed area of less than one square mile) with a 10-year average recurrence interval. The system shall insure drainage at all points along streets, and provide positive drainage away from buildings and on-site waste disposal sites.

• (h) Installation of sewage disposal facilities requiring soil absorption systems shall be prohibited where such systems might not function due to high ground water, flooding or unsuitable soil characteristics.

• (i) All water systems including individual wells located in this area, whether public or private, shall be floodproofed to a point at or above the flood protection elevation.

• (j) Floodproofing systems plans must be adequate and may include: anchorage to resist flotation and lateral movement; installation of watertight doors, bulkheads, and shutters, or similar methods of closure; reinforcement of walls to resist water pressures; use of paints, membranes or mortars to reduce seepage of water through walls, addition of mass or weight to structures to resist flotation; installation of pumps to lower water levels in structures; construction of water supply and waste treatment systems so as to prevent the entrance of floodwaters; building design and construction to resist rupture or collapse caused by water pressure or floating debris; installation of valves or controls on sanitary and storm drains which permit the drains to be closed to prevent backup of seepage and storm waters into building or structures; location and installation of all electrical equipment, circuits and electrical appliances so that they are protected from inundation by a 100-year flood; location of storage facilities for chemicals, explosives, buoyant materials, flammable liquids or other toxic materials which could be hazardous to public health, safety and welfare at elevations above the 100-year flood elevation; or design of such facilities to prevent flotation of storage containers, or damage to storage containers which could result in the escape of toxic materials.

The following criteria shall apply within all areas defined as Tsunami Inundation Hazard Areas:

• (a) The following uses, structures, and development shall not be permitted: publicly-owned buildings intended for human occupancy other than park and recreational facilities; schools, hospitals, nursing homes, or other buildings or development used primarily by children or physically or mentally infirm persons.

• (b) Residential structures and resort developments designed for transient or other residential use may be permitted under the following circumstances:

San Mateo County, California, Code of Ordinances Title 8 – Zoning & Development Code

1. The applicant submits a report prepared by a competent and recognized authority estimating the probable maximum wave height, wave force, run-up angle, and level of inundation in connection with the parcel or lot upon which the proposed development is to be located.

2. No structure covered by this section shall be allowed within that portion of the lot or parcel where the projected wave height and force is fifty (50) percent or more of the projected maximum, unless: (a) the highest projected wave height above ground level at the location of the structure is less than six (6) feet, (b) no residential floor level is less than two (2) feet above that wave height, and (c) the structural support is sufficient to withstand the projected wave force.

3. No structure covered by this section shall be allowed within that portion of the lot or parcel where the projected wave height and force is less than fifty (50) percent of the projected maximum unless the requirements of subsection b, 2), (a), and (c) are satisfied and the residential flood level is at least one (1) foot above the highest projected level of inundation.

4. Permission under this subsection shall not be granted if the Planning Commission determines that sufficient data, upon which the report required by subsection 1) must be based, is unavailable and cannot feasibly be developed by the applicant.

The following criteria shall apply within all areas designated on the Fault and Associated Fracture Zones Areas Map:

• (a) For all development proposed within this area, require geologic reports prepared by a registered and certified engineering geologist consistent with the guidelines of the California Division of Mines and Geology (CDMG Notes #37).

• (b) The following uses shall be prohibited within this area: structures designed or intended for relatively dense human occupancy, including but not limited to multiple residential uses, schools and hospitals; critical public services and high-risk facilities, including but not limited to fire and police stations, emergency relief storage facilities, water storage tanks, dams and power plants.

• (c) This area may contain areas suitable for low-density residential uses, such as occasional single-family detached residential dwellings. However, such developments shall not be permitted unless the applicant demonstrates, through detailed geologic site investigations and adequate engineering design, that proposed sites are suitable for the uses proposed, and that direct damage to such uses or indirect threat to public health and safety would be unlikely in the event of a major seismic event. No structure for human occupancy shall be permitted to be placed across the trace of an active fault. The area within fifty (50) feet of any trace of an active fault shall be assumed to be underlain by active branches of that fault unless and until proven otherwise by an appropriate geologic investigation and submission of a report by a geologist registered in the State of California.

San Mateo County, California, Code of Ordinances Title 8 – Zoning & Development Code

• (d) Public and private transmission facilities, including but not limited to electric transmission lines, water supply systems, sewer collection and transmission systems, gas mains and oil transmission lines, shall not be permitted within or across this district unless: reasonable alternative routes are not available and the facility is determined to be of overriding public need and benefit. In the event that such facilities are to be permitted, their design shall include provision for valves, switches, and other equipment appropriate to ensure minimal adverse impact on adjacent and surrounding areas and to facilitate restoration of service in the event of a major fault displacement.

The following criteria shall apply within all areas defined as highly unstable on the Landslide Susceptibility Areas Map:

• (a) The following uses shall be prohibited: structures designed or intended for relatively dense human occupancy, including but not limited to multiple residential uses, schools and hospitals, critical public services and high-risk facilities, including but not limited to fire and police stations, emergency relief storage facilities, water storage tanks, dams, and power plants.

• (b) This area may contain areas suitable for low-density residential uses, such as single-family detached residential dwellings. However, such developments shall not be permitted unless the applicant demonstrates that no other locations less susceptible to such hazards are reasonably available on the site for development, and through detailed geologic site investigations and adequate engineering design, that proposed locations are suitable for the uses proposed, and that direct damage to such uses or indirect threat to public health and safety would be unlikely.

• (c) The applicant shall demonstrate that the development will not contribute to the instability of the land and that all structural proposals including excavation, access roads and other pavement have adequately compensated for soils and other subsurface conditions.

• (Prior code Chapters 36, 36A.1, 36A.2, Sections 6900 through 6914.3 - Added by Ordinance No. 2697 - December 16, 1980)

(Prior code Section 6905 - Amended by Ordinance No. 2781 - April 6, 1982)

(Prior code Section 6905(w) - Added by Ordinance No. 2804 - October 26, 1982)

(Prior code Section 6905(w) - Repealed and Added by Ordinance No. 2863 - December 13, 1983)

(Prior code Section 6906.1 - Amended by Ordinance No. 2893 - June 5, 1984)

San Mateo County, California, Code of Ordinances Title 8 – Zoning & Development Code