Santa Barbara County Municipal Code § 2-25 Planning commission—Established

Pursuant to the provisions of the Planning and Zoning Law, title 7 of the California Government Code, planning commissions in and for the county are hereby established as follows:

(a) The county planning commission for the area of the county located outside of the Montecito planning area as designated by the Montecito community plan, and for regional issues that may affect the Montecito planning area in addition to other unincorporated areas of the county.

(b) The Montecito planning commission for the area of the county located within the Montecito planning area as designated by the Montecito community plan.

(Ord. No. 1695, § 1; Ord. No. 4468, § 2)

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 65100 of the California Government Code, a planning agency for the county is hereby established to carry out the functions prescribed in Section 65101 et seq. of the California Government Code. For the purposes of this section:

(a) Except as provided under section 2-25.2, the county planning commission is hereby designated to be the planning agency for the unincorporated portions of the county located outside of the Montecito planning area as designated by the Montecito community plan with the powers and duties as described below.

(b) Except as provided under section 2-25.2, the Montecito planning commission is hereby designated to be the planning agency for the unincorporated portion of the county located within the Montecito planning area as designated by the Montecito community plan with the powers and duties as described below.

(Ord. No. 1695, § 2; Ord. No. 4468, § 2)

(a) The powers and duties of the county planning commission shall be the same as those given to the planning commission in chapter 21 and articles I, II, III and V of chapter 35 of this Code and such additional duties and powers as may be assigned to the county planning commission by the board of supervisors, provided, however, that the Montecito planning commission shall assume the powers and duties given to the planning commission in chapter 21 and articles II and IV of chapter 35 of this Code within the Montecito planning area as designated in the Montecito community plan except as provided in section 2-25.2(b).

(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), the following shall remain within the jurisdiction of the county planning commission unless the board of supervisors directs that the Montecito planning commission shall have jurisdiction.

(1) Recommendations regarding proposed amendments to articles I, II, III, V and VII of chapter 35 of the county Code, unless the property affected by a proposed amendment to article II is solely located within the Montecito planning area as designated in the Montecito community plan.

(2) Initiation, consideration and recommendations regarding general plan amendments required by law or requested by the board of supervisors unless the property affected by such initiation, consideration or recommendation is solely located within the Montecito planning area as designated in the Montecito Community Plan.

(3) Initiation, consideration and recommendations or decisions on applications, proposals or matters involving countywide transportation, airports, waste disposal sites, detention facilities, hospitals, reservoirs, fire facilities or affordable housing.

(4) Such other applications, proposals or matters that may be specifically assigned by the board of supervisors to the county planning commission.

The Montecito planning commission may provide recommendations to the county planning commission on projects and matters identified above.

(Ord. No. 1695, § 3; Ord. No. 4468, § 2)

(a) The county planning commission shall consist of five appointive members so selected as to provide that there shall be one member from each supervisorial district.

(b) The Montecito planning commission shall consist of five appointive members who reside in the Montecito planning area as designated by the Montecito community plan.

(Ord. No. 1695, § 4; Ord. No. 4468, § 2)

(a) The members of the county planning commission shall be appointed for two-year terms commencing at 12:00 Noon on the first Monday after the first day in January of each odd numbered year.

(b) The members of the Montecito planning commission shall be appointed for two-year terms commencing at 12:00 Noon on the first Monday after the first day in January, except that:

(1) The terms of the first commissioners appointed hereunder shall commence at 12:00 Noon on the first Monday after the first day of March 2003 and shall terminate at 12:00 Noon on the first Monday after the first day of January 2005.

(2) Two of the first commissioners appointed hereunder shall be for an initial term of ten months.

(Ord. No. 1695, § 5; Ord. No. 4468, § 2)

(a) One member of the county planning commission shall be appointed by each supervisor from residents of the supervisorial district for which an appointment is made, with the approval of the board of supervisors.

(b) The members of the Montecito planning commission shall be appointed by the supervisor of the First Supervisorial District from the residents of the Montecito planning area as designated in the Montecito community plan with approval of the board of supervisors.

(Ord. No. 1695, § 6; Ord. No. 4468, § 2)

(a) The appointive members of the county planning commission shall receive as compensation for attendance at meetings of such commission the sum of three hundred dollars for each meeting attended, whether regular or special, as compensation. Members shall receive additional compensation in the amount of fifty dollars per meeting for review of materials and preparation. Additionally, members will be compensated fifty dollars for attendance of each meeting designated as a subcommittee of the county planning commission. Members shall be reimbursed by the County of Santa Barbara for their round-trip mileage from their places of business within this county to the place of the meeting of the planning commission at the rate per mile allowed to county officers and employees. Round-trip mileage for site visits shall be reimbursed at the rate per mile allowed to county officers and employees.

(b) The appointive members of the Montecito planning commission shall serve without compensation.

(Ord. No. 1695, § 7; Ord. No. 4468, § 2; Ord. No. 4618, § 1)

Vacancies shall be filled by appointment for the unexpired portion of the term by the same method as for the original appointment.

(Ord. No. 1695, § 8; Ord. No. 4468, § 2)

A member of either the county planning commission or the Montecito planning commission may be removed by a majority vote of the board of supervisors.

(Ord. No. 1695, § 9; Ord. No. 4468, § 2)

The county planning commission and the Montecito planning commission shall each elect its chairman and vice-chairman from among its members. A designee(s) of the director of the planning and development department shall serve as secretary to the county planning commission and the Montecito planning commission.

(Ord. No. 1695, § 10; Ord. No. 4468, § 2)

The county planning commission and the Montecito planning commission shall adopt bylaws that include rules for the transaction of business and shall keep a public record of its resolutions, transactions, findings and determinations. The bylaws of the county planning commission and the Montecito planning commission shall generally be consistent with each other. All decisions and recommendations of the county planning commission or the Montecito planning commission with regard to amendments to the zoning ordinance, rezonings, specific plans and general plan amendments, and any other instance where the county planning commission or the Montecito planning commission provides a recommendation to the board of supervisors shall be submitted to the board of supervisors in written form and shall include the reasons for the decision or recommendation.

(Ord. No. 1695, § 11; Ord. No. 4468, § 2)

(a) The county planning commission shall hold regular meetings on every Wednesday, except on such Wednesdays as they shall by motion decide that no meeting will be held. Special meetings may be held at any date and time fixed by the motion of such commission or upon call of the chairman, or in the absence of the chairman, the vice-chairman of such commission, at any regular or special meeting.

(b) The Montecito planning commission shall hold regular meetings on the third Wednesday of each month, except on such Wednesdays as they shall by motion decide that no meeting will be held. Special meetings may be held at any date and time fixed by the motion of such commission or upon call of the chairman, or in the absence of the chairman, the vice-chairman of such commission, at any regular or special meeting.

(Ord. No. 1695, § 12; Ord. No. 4468, § 2; Ord. No. 4512, § 1)

Pursuant to Government Code Section 65900, the office of zoning administrator in the planning and development department is hereby established.

(Ord. No. 1695, § 13; Ord. No. 4468, § 2)

The zoning administrator shall be appointed and may be removed by the director of the planning and development department. In the absence of the zoning administrator, said director may appoint a temporary zoning administrator to serve during the administrator's absence.

(Ord. No. 1695, § 14; Ord. No. 4468, § 2)

The powers and duties of the zoning administrator shall be those given to the zoning administrator in chapter 21 and articles I, II, III, V and VIII of chapter 35 of this Code and such additional duties and powers as may be assigned to the zoning administrator by the director of the planning and development department or the board of supervisors, provided, however, that the Montecito planning commission shall assume the powers and duties given to the zoning administrator in chapter 21 and articles I, II, IV, V and VIII of chapter 35 of this Code within the Montecito planning area as designated by the Montecito community plan.

(Ord. No. 1695, § 15; Ord. No. 4468, § 2)

The zoning administrator shall hold noticed public hearings on applications under articles I, II, III, V and VIII of chapter 35 of this Code not less than twice a month at a place and time to be established by the rules of the administrator.

(Ord. No. 1695, § 16; Ord. No. 4468, § 2)

The zoning administrator shall adopt rules establishing the time and place of the administrator's hearings and such other rules for the transaction of business as the administrator deems necessary.

(Ord. No. 1695, § 17; Ord. No. 4468, § 2)

The zoning administrator may arrest without a warrant any person whom he has reasonable cause to believe has committed in his presence a misdemeanor or infraction which is a violation of the provisions of article I of chapter 35 of this Code.

(Ord. No. 1695, § 18; Ord. No. 4468, § 2)

The board of supervisors finds that inappropriateness or poor quality of design in the exterior appearance of buildings, structures or signs adversely affect the desirability of the immediate area and neighboring areas for residential, business or other purposes and by so doing, impairs the benefits of occupancy of existing property in such areas, impairs the stability and value of both improved and unimproved real property in such areas, prevents the most appropriate development and use of such areas, produces degeneration of property in such areas with attendant deterioration of conditions affecting the health, safety and general welfare of the county and destroys a proper relationship between the taxable value of real property in such areas and the cost of public services provided therefor. It is the purpose of these sections 2-33.1 through 2-33.16 to prevent these and other harmful effects of such exterior appearance of buildings, structures or signs erected or altered in any neighborhood or on any site subject to architectural review and thus to promote the health, safety and general welfare of the county, conserve the value of buildings and encourage the most appropriate use of land within the unincorporated portion of this county.

(Ord. No. 1695, § 19; Ord. No. 4468, § 2)

(a) The county board of architectural review in and for the portions of the county located north of the Supervisorial District Boundary for the Third Supervisorial District, and north of the southern Township 8N Boundary within the First Supervisorial District, hereinafter called the North County board of architectural review or NBAR, is hereby established.

(b) The county board of architectural review in and for portions of the county south of the northern Supervisorial District Boundary for the Third Supervisorial District, and west of Farren Road and north to the ridge of the mountain, hereinafter called the Central County board of architectural review or CBAR is hereby established.

(c) The county board of architectural review in and for the portions of the county outside of the Montecito planning area, as designated in the Montecito community plan, and located east of Farren Road and north to the ridge of the mountain including Isla Vista, and south of the northern Township 7N Boundary within the First Supervisorial District, hereinafter called the South County board of architectural review or SBAR, is hereby established.

(d) The Montecito board of architectural review in and for the portion of the county located within the Montecito planning area, as designated in the Montecito community plan, hereinafter called the Montecito board of architectural review or MBAR, is hereby established.

(e) Said boards are the successor bodies to the county architectural board of review and whenever land use regulations of this county, heretofore issued, enacted, or adopted in ordinances, conditional use permits, conditions of variances, or other forms of land use regulations, refer to said architectural board of review, said references shall henceforth be read to refer to the NBAR, CBAR, SBAR or the MBAR depending on the location of the property subject to the land use regulation.

(f) The geographic boundaries of said boards are as depicted below. The original map is located in the files of the clerk of the board.

[Figure]

(Ord. No. 1695, § 20; Ord. No. 4468, § 2; Ord. No. 4584, § 1; Ord. No. 5174, § 1, 3-14-2023)

(a) The NBAR shall be composed of five persons appointed by the first, third, fourth and fifth district supervisors and approved by the board. The persons need not live in the district of the appointing supervisor. Three of the persons shall be licensed architects or licensed landscape architects. The remaining two persons shall be skilled in reading and interpreting architectural drawings and able to judge the effects of a proposed building, structure, or sign upon the desirability, property values, and development of surrounding areas. Three persons shall constitute a quorum; one member of the quorum must be either a licensed architect or a licensed landscape architect. Two alternates may be appointed, one by the fourth district supervisor and one by the fifth district supervisor and approved by the board. The alternates shall be licensed architects, licensed landscape architects or a community member skilled in reading plans. The alternates shall be available to fulfill the requirements of a quorum. Members and alternates shall reside within the boundaries of the NBAR except that members and alternates who are either licensed architects or licensed landscape architects need not live within the boundaries of the NBAR if their professional business is located within the boundaries of the NBAR.

(b) The CBAR shall be composed of five persons, residents of the county, appointed by the third district supervisor and approved by the board of supervisors. Three of the persons shall be licensed architects or licensed landscape architects. The persons need not live in the boundaries of the CBAR. The remaining two persons shall reside in the area south of the City of Lompoc and west of Farren Road and north to the ridge of the mountain and shall be skilled in reading and interpreting architectural drawings and able to judge the effects of a proposed building, structure, or sign upon the desirability, property values, and development of surrounding areas. Three persons shall constitute a quorum; one member of the quorum must be either a licensed architect or a licensed landscape architect. Two alternates may be appointed by the third district supervisor and approved by the board. The alternates shall be licensed architects, licensed landscape architects or a community member skilled in reading plans. The alternates shall be available to fulfill the requirements of a quorum.

(c) The SBAR shall be composed of seven persons, residents of the county, appointed by the first, second and third district supervisors and approved by the board of supervisors pursuant to section 2-33.4(b). Three of the persons shall be licensed architects. The persons need not live in the district of the appointing supervisor. The remaining four persons shall reside east of Farren Road and north to the ridge of the mountain, including Isla Vista, but outside the Montecito planning area, as designated in the Montecito community plan, and shall be skilled in reading and interpreting architectural drawings and able to judge the effects of a proposed building, structure, or sign upon the desirability, property values, and development of surrounding areas, and shall include, at a minimum, two licensed landscape architects. Four members shall constitute a quorum; two members of the quorum must be either a licensed architect or a licensed landscape architect.

(d) The MBAR shall be composed of seven persons who are residents of the county. The members of the MBAR shall be appointed by the supervisor of the first supervisorial district with approval of the board of supervisors. Five of the members shall be licensed architects or licensed landscape architects. The persons need not live in the district of the appointing supervisor. The remaining two members shall reside within the Montecito planning area as designated in the Montecito community plan, and shall be skilled in reading and interpreting architectural drawings and able to judge the effects of a proposed building, structure, or sign upon the desirability, property values, and development of surrounding areas. Four persons shall constitute a quorum; two members of the quorum must be either a licensed architect or licensed landscape architect.

(Ord. No. 1695, § 21; Ord. No. 4468, § 2; Ord. No. 4584, § 2; Ord. No. 4869, § 2, 11-12-2013; Ord. No. 4875, § 1, 2-18-2014)

(a) The members of the BAR shall be appointed for four-year terms. Members shall serve until their successors are approved by the board of supervisors or they are removed or their term changed by a three-fifths vote of the board of supervisors. The district representative members' BAR term, other than the MBAR, shall coincide with the election years of the appointing supervisors for that district.

(b) December 2013:

The terms of the current regular and alternate members (those sitting as of December 12, 2013) of the NBAR shall expire on December 31, 2013.

Following January 1, 2014:

1st district: Appointment for three years until December 31, 2016 for one member of the NBAR;

3rd district: Appointment for three years until December 31, 2016 for one member of the NBAR;

4th district: Appointment for three years until December 31, 2016 for two members of the NBAR and appointment for three years until December 31, 2016 for one alternate member of the NBAR;

5th district: Appointment for one year until December 31, 2014 for one member of the NBAR and appointment for one year until December 31, 2014 for one alternate member of the NBAR.

Appointments (or reappointments) shall be made every four years.

(Ord. No. 1695, § 22; Ord. No. 4468, § 2; Ord. No. 4584, § 3; Ord. No. 4869, § 3, 11-12-2013; Ord. No. 4875, § 2, 2-18-2014)

Vacancies, otherwise than by expiration of terms, shall be filled by appointment for the unexpired portion of the term by the same method as for the original appointment.

(Ord. No. 1695, § 23; Ord. No. 4468, § 2)

A member of the NBAR, the CBAR, the SBAR or the MBAR may be removed or a term may be changed by three-fifths vote of the board of supervisors.

(Ord. No. 1695, § 24; Ord. No. 4468, § 2; Ord. No. 4584, § 4)

(a) Members of the NBAR, the CBAR, and SBAR shall receive compensation in the amount of one hundred fifty dollars per meeting attended, whether regular or special. Members shall be reimbursed by the county of Santa Barbara for their round-trip mileage from their places of business within this county to the place of the meeting of the BAR at the rate per mile allowed to county officers and employees. Round-trip mileage for site visits shall be reimbursed at the rate per mile allowed to county officers and employees as well.

(b) Members of the MBAR shall serve without compensation.

(Ord. No. 1695, § 25; Ord. No. 4468, § 2; Ord. No. 4584, § 5)

The NBAR, the CBAR, the SBAR and the MBAR shall elect its chairman and vice chairman from among its voting members. A designee(s) of the director of the planning and development department shall serve as secretary of each BAR.

(Ord. No. 1695, § 26; Ord. No. 4468, § 2; Ord. No. 4584, § 6)

No member of the NBAR, the CBAR, SBAR or the MBAR may make, participate in making, or influence a decision on a building, structure, sign or landscape plan if he/she has a qualifying conflict of interest, unless he/she falls within a qualifying exception (as provided in Government Code §§ 87100 et seq. (Political Reform Act) and Cal. Code of Regs. §§ 18700 et seq.) He/she will have a conflict if the decision will have a reasonably foreseeable material financial effect on his/her economic interest. A member of the planning commission who is also a member of a BAR shall comply with the provisions of Government Code § 87105 upon identifying a conflict of interest or potential conflict of interest.

(Ord. No. 1695, § 27; Ord. No. 4468, § 2; Ord. No. 4584, § 7)

Each BAR shall recommend rules or bylaws, not inconsistent with any provisions of these Sections 2-33.1 to 2-33.16, governing its procedure and the transaction of business. Any such BAR rules or bylaws shall be reviewed by the BAR and adopted by resolution by the board of supervisors. The secretary of the BAR shall keep a public record of the BAR's resolutions, transactions, findings, and determinations. The record of all actions of the BAR that are appealed to the county planning commission or Montecito planning commission shall be submitted to the appropriate commission in written form and shall include the reasons for the BAR's action. The bylaws of the NBAR, CBAR, SBAR and MBAR shall generally be consistent with each other.

(Ord. No. 1695, § 28; Ord. No. 4468, § 2; Ord. No. 4584, § 8)

The NBAR, CBAR, SBAR and MBAR shall each hold a minimum of one regular meeting each month; the bylaws may provide for more frequent regular meetings; a special meeting may be called at any time by the chairman of the BAR or by a majority of the members of the applicable BAR.

(Ord. No. 1695, § 29; Ord. No. 4468, § 2; Ord. No. 4584, § 9)

(a) North County Board of Architectural Review.

(1) (i)

Zoning clearance, sign certificates of conformance, land use permits, or coastal development permits for any development or use located north of and including the City of Lompoc, requiring BAR approval pursuant to Chapter 35, Zoning, of this Code shall not be issued by the planning and development department until final BAR approvals, or recommendations pursuant to subsection (3) below, have been obtained from the NBAR. The powers and duties shall also include those given to the BAR pursuant to Chapter 35, Zoning, of this Code for projects located outside of the Montecito planning area as designated by the Montecito community plan.

(ii) Development plans within the jurisdiction of the planning commission, previously approved subdivision maps requiring BAR approval and previously approved ministerial and discretionary permits requiring BAR approval in order to mitigate visual impacts or provide for consistency with the general plan shall obtain final approval and shall not be subject to subsection (3) below.

(2) County projects (projects proposed by any entity governed by the board of supervisors or by an entity whose governing body is appointed by the board of supervisors) located north of the southern boundary of the City of Lompoc that exceed fifty thousand dollars in estimated construction costs may be reviewed by the NBAR and a recommendation must be made. The decision-maker for county projects may require NBAR approval.

(3) Individual single family dwellings, not subject to (1)(ii) above, shall be reviewed by the NBAR no more than three times or for no longer than three months from the date of filing an application, whichever occurs first unless project changes or requests for a continuance initiated by the applicant require further review; the project would then go to the decision-maker. For such projects, the NBAR is advisory and therefore its decisions are not appealable. The NBAR shall seek to complete its review of all projects within its purview as expeditiously as possible.

(4) Individual single family dwellings and commercial/industrial projects, other than those in section (a)(l)(ii) above, not open to the public which cannot be viewed from public roadways or other areas of public use are exempt from review by the NBAR. Landscape screening shall not be taken into consideration when determining the view from public roadways.

(b) Central County Board of Architectural Review.

(1) Zoning clearance, sign certificates of conformance, land use permits, or coastal development permits for any development or use located south of the City of Lompoc and west of the City of Goleta requiring BAR approval pursuant to Chapter 35, Zoning, of this Code shall not be issued by the planning and development department until final BAR approvals have been obtained from the CBAR. The powers and duties shall also include those given to the BAR pursuant to Chapter 35, Zoning, of this Code for projects located outside of the Montecito planning area as designated by the Montecito community plan.

(2) County projects (projects proposed by any entity governed by the board of supervisors or by an entity whose governing body is appointed by the board of supervisors) located south of the City of Lompoc and west of the City of Goleta that exceed fifty thousand dollars in estimated construction costs may be reviewed by the CBAR and a recommendation must be made. The decision-maker for county projects may require CBAR approval.

(c) South County Board of Architectural Review.

(1) Zoning clearance, sign certificates of conformance, land use permits, or coastal development permits for any development or use located east of the City of Goleta, including Isla Vista, requiring BAR approval pursuant to Chapter 35, Zoning, of this Code shall not be issued by the planning and development department until final BAR approvals have been obtained from the SBAR. The powers and duties shall also include those given to the BAR pursuant to Chapter 35, Zoning, of this Code for projects located outside of the Montecito planning area as designated by the Montecito community plan.

(2) County projects (projects proposed by any entity governed by the board of supervisors or by an entity whose governing body is appointed by the board of supervisors) located east of the City of Goleta and outside of the Montecito planning area as designated by the Montecito community plan, which exceed fifty thousand dollars in estimated construction costs may be reviewed by the SBAR and a recommendation must be made. The decision-maker for county projects may require BAR approval.

(d) Montecito Board of Architectural Review.

(1) Zoning clearance, sign certificates of conformance, land use permits, or coastal development permits for any development or use located within the Montecito planning area as designated by the Montecito community plan requiring MBAR approval pursuant to Chapter 35, Zoning, of this Code shall not be issued by the planning and development department until final MBAR approvals have been obtained. In addition, the MBAR shall assume the powers and duties given to the BAR pursuant to Chapter 35, Zoning, of this Code for projects located within the Montecito planning area as designated in the Montecito community plan.

(2) County projects (projects proposed by any entity governed by the board of supervisors or by an entity whose governing body is appointed by the board of supervisors) located within the Montecito planning area as designated by the Montecito community plan that exceed fifty thousand dollars in estimated construction costs may be reviewed by the MBAR and a recommendation must be made. The decision-maker for county projects may require MBAR approval.

(e) The duties of the NBAR, CBAR, the SBAR and the MBAR are to review and recommend or approve, as applicable, as submitted, recommend, disapprove or approve subject to conditions, specified changes, or additions, the exterior architecture, including landscaping as it affects the exterior architecture, of buildings, structures, and signs which are within the jurisdiction of the BAR. When requested, the NBAR, the CBAR, the SBAR or the MBAR shall also render its advice on exterior architecture of buildings, structures, and signs to the planning and development department (or director), zoning administrator, planning commission or board of supervisors.

(Ord. No. 1695, § 30; Ord. No. 4468, § 2; Ord. No. 4584, § 10; Ord. No. 4869, §§ 4—7, 11-12-2013)

Applications for NBAR, CBAR, SBAR or MBAR recommendation or approval, as applicable, shall be filed with the planning and development department. Any fee required by a resolution of the board of supervisors for an application for NBAR, CBAR, SBAR or MBAR recommendation or approval, as applicable, shall be paid as provided in the fee resolution. An application for recommendation or approval, as applicable, of a building or structure shall contain the information required under the zoning ordinances, as well as any other information deemed necessary by the planning and development department. An application for recommendation or approval, as applicable, of a sign shall contain the "required information" pursuant to the sign regulations of the county, or as deemed necessary by the planning and development department.

(Ord. No. 1695, § 31; Ord. No. 4468, § 2; Ord. No. 4584, § 11)

The NBAR, the CBAR, the SBAR and the MBAR, as appropriate, shall review the project for conformity with the purpose of these sections 2-33.1 through 2-33.16, and the applicable comprehensive plan policies and zoning regulations. The BAR's review shall include:

(a) Height, bulk, and area of buildings and structures;

(b) Colors and types of building materials and application;

(c) Physical and architectural relation with existing and proposed structures on the same site and in the immediately affected surrounding area;

(d) Site layout, orientation, and location of buildings, and relationship with open areas and topography;

(e) Height, materials, colors, and variations in boundary walls, fences, or screen planting;

(f) Location and type of landscaping including, but not limited to, off-street parking areas and exposed structures on the downhill side of buildings; and

(g) Appropriateness of sign design and exterior lighting to the site and surrounding area.

(Ord. No. 1695, § 32; Ord. No. 4468, § 2; Ord. No. 4584 § 12)

In approving, approving with conditions, or denying an application, the BAR and the MBAR shall examine the materials submitted with the application and any other material provided by the planning and development department to determine whether the buildings, structures, or signs are appropriate and of good design in relation to other buildings, structures, or signs on the site and in the immediately affected surrounding area. Such determination shall be based upon the following findings, as well as any additional findings required pursuant to the county zoning ordinances:

(a) Overall building shapes, as well as parts of any structure (buildings, walls, screens, towers, or signs), are in proportion to and in scale with other existing or permitted structures on the same site and in the vicinity surrounding the property.

(b) Mechanical and electrical equipment is well integrated in the total design concept.

(c) There is a harmonious palette of colors.

(d) There is a limited number of materials that will be on the exterior face of the building or structure.

(e) The project demonstrates a harmonious relationship with existing and proposed adjoining developments, avoiding excessive variety and monotonous repetition, but allowing similarity of style, if warranted.

(f) Site layout, orientation, and location of structures, buildings, and signs are in an appropriate and well designed relationship to one another, and to the environmental qualities, open spaces and topography of the property.

(g) Adequate landscaping is provided in proportion to the project and the site with due regard to preservation of specimen and landmark trees, existing native vegetation, selection of planting which is appropriate to the project and its environment, and adequate provisions have been made for maintenance of all planting.

(h) Signs, including their lighting, are well designed and are appropriate in size and location.

(i) All visible onsite utility services are well designed and are appropriate in size and location.

(j) All exterior site, structure and building lighting is well designed and appropriate in size and location.

(k) There is harmony of material, color, and composition of all sides of a structure or buildings.

(l) Consistency and unity of composition and treatment of exterior elevation.

(m) The proposed development is consistent with any additional design standards as expressly adopted by the board of supervisors for a specific local community, area, or district pursuant to the article II, III, and IV zoning ordinances.

(Ord. No. 1695, § 33; Ord. No. 4468, § 2)

Decisions of a BAR are final, unless appealed pursuant to the county zoning ordinances. Appeals of decisions of the NBAR, CBAR and the SBAR shall be under the jurisdiction of the county planning commission. Appeals of decisions of the MBAR shall be under the jurisdiction of the Montecito planning commission.

(Ord. No. 1695, § 34; Ord. No. 4468, § 2; Ord. No. 4584, § 13)