Sebastopol Municipal Code Ch. 2.32 Design Review Board

A Design Review Board is hereby created and established. The term “Board” as used herein shall mean and refer to such Design Review Board.

The Board shall consist of five members or such other number as the City Council shall, from time to time, determine by resolution, but in no event less than five members. The Board members shall serve a term of two years or until their successors are appointed. Initially, three members of the Board shall be appointed for two years and two members shall be appointed for one year. Thereafter, the terms shall be staggered in accordance with their expiration dates. In making the appointments the City Council shall select, insofar as possible, the following:

A. Two persons, at least one of whom shall be a licensed architect and at least one of whom shall be a licensed landscape architect.

B. One person who may be any of the following: architect, landscape architect, building designer, building contractor, landscape contractor.

C. Two persons not in subsection A or B of this section.

D. One alternate who may be in subsection A of this section or who possesses a particular expertise in the area of design, land use patterns, urban development or other related fields to serve at any meeting or on any matter in the absence of a Board member, or in the event a member has a conflict of interest.

E. In the event suitable candidates satisfactory to the City Council in the above categories are not available to serve, the City Council may then select any person or persons in their discretion. All terms of office shall terminate December 31st of the last year of the term of appointment.

Any member of the Board who fails to attend three consecutive meetings of the Board shall be considered automatically removed and a vacancy shall be deemed to have occurred unless a showing of good cause is presented to the City Council. The City Council shall be the sole judge as to whether or not good cause is shown. If a vacancy shall occur other than by expiration of a term, it shall be filled by appointment by the Mayor with the approval of a majority of the City Council for the unexpired portion of the term. Nothing in this chapter shall preclude the City Council from reappointing members to the Design Review Board.

The Design Review Board shall select its own Chairman. The Board shall select a convenient meeting time weekly or as deemed necessary but the same shall be at regular times and places and all meetings of the Board shall be open to the public as required by law.

A quorum at any regular or special meeting of the Board shall consist of a majority of the members of the Board. No action of the Board shall be valid without the affirmative vote of a majority of the quorum. In the event of a lack of quorum at any regular or adjourned meeting the Board may act as “a committee of the whole” and hear any matters before the Board. No action may be taken but recommendations may be made to the next regular or adjourned meeting of the Board. In the absence of a quorum from a regularly scheduled meeting, the City Planner, in his discretion, may exercise the powers of the Board as set forth in SMC 2.32.060 on any applications pending at said scheduled regular meeting.

The Board shall have the following duties:

A. To perform all of the duties as required under SMC 17.450.030 as the same exists now or may hereafter be amended.

B. To review all environmental findings including the issuance of a negative declaration; provided, however, if a project requires an environmental impact report it shall automatically be referred to the Planning Commission for environmental review only.

C. Conceptual landscape plans shall be part of the initial building design review by the Board; provided, however, that all landscape plans may be delegated by the Board to the City Planning staff for review and approval. Final landscape and irrigation plans may be approved by the Planning staff unless, in the opinion of the City Planner, they should be referred to the Design Review Board.

D. Sign review shall be subject to all sign requirements and ordinances and resolutions of the City of Sebastopol. The sign review may be approved by the City Planning staff unless, in the opinion of the City Planner, a sign needs to be referred to the Design Review Board.

E. To review all condominium applications for design review purposes.

F. The Planning staff may approve all minor building modifications or additions unless, in the opinion of the City Planner, they should be referred to the Design Review Board.

G. Any decision of the City Planning staff or City Planner may be appealed in writing to the Design Review Board.

Members of the Board shall receive no compensation except such expenses as are authorized by law and the City Council.

All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict with this chapter are hereby repealed.