Part 24 — EM-H—Hillside District

The purpose of the Hillside District is to place special controls on proposed development, public or private, within hillside areas which have an average natural slope greater than fifteen (15%) percent in order:

(a) To preserve and enhance hillsides as a fragile resource;

(b) To protect people and property from potentially hazardous conditions particular to hillsides;

(c) To encourage innovative designs for difficult sites;

(d) To enhance the beauty of the City’s landscape;

(e) To provide density, grading, and land use criteria that will assure the best possible treatment of the hillsides, natural features and open space;

(f) To reduce excessive padding or terracing of building sites on the hillsides;

(g) To provide safe and functional ingress and egress of vehicular, pedestrian, and bicycle traffic to and within hillside areas;

(h) To provide for access by emergency vehicles necessary to serve the hillside areas; and

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(i) To encourage the concentration of dwellings and other structures by clustering and/or high rise on small areas, thereby preserving hillsides in their natural state.

(Ord. 506-80 C-M, eff. September 11, 1980, as amended by § 2(3) (Exh. A), Ord. 1481-25 (CM), eff. October 9, 2025)

The following regulations shall apply to the EM-H District. Where conflicts in regulations occur, the regulations set forth in this part shall apply:

(a) Slope/natural state requirements. All proposed developments in the EM-H District shall calculate the maximum percentage of the property which shall remain undisturbed by any building or grading, utilizing the following formula:

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C is the contour interval, in feet

L is the combined length of such contours, in feet A is the area of the property in square feet.

The percent of average slope shall be certified by a registered civil engineer. Once the percent of average slope is determined, that percentage of the parcel which shall remain undisturbed can be determined by using the following graph:

(b) Maintenance of open space. Open space areas which are under private ownership shall include covenants and restrictions placed on such properties requiring the owners to conduct annual inspections, consisting of clearance of adequate fire breaks and replanting where necessary to protect bare soil from erosion.

(c) Parking standards. Parking standards may be subject to modification by the decision-maker where the parking in the proposal will satisfy the intent of providing safe adequate parking. Parking in bays may be provided in lieu of on-street parking:

(1) Between dwellings of clusters of dwellings;

• (2) In the center of cul-de-sac turnarounds; and (3) Behind dwellings.

(d) Street requirements. The width of streets and street designs shall be constructed in accordance with the standards established by the Council as adopted by resolution.

(e) Pre-submission conferences. Prior to the submission of proposed plans, the applicant shall schedule a meeting with planning staff members to discuss the requirements of the Hillside District. At this meeting the applicant shall be prepared to present the following information about his development:

• (1) Outline and size of parcel;

• (2) Percent average slope;

(3) Location and percent coverage by buildings, parking, private drives, and other improvements, including any necessary grading; and

(4) Area to remain undisturbed.

(f) Design standards. Design modifications, such as clustering or grouping of buildings on the flat section of parcels, shall be encouraged to reduce necessary grading to a minimum. In no case shall disturbed areas exceed that allowed by the slope/natural state requirements of this title.

(g) Lots of record. Any lot of record within the Hillside District prior to the enactment of this title shall be permitted at least one dwelling unit.

(h) Findings required. No development in the EM-H District shall be approved unless a finding is made that the development conforms to the provisions of this title.

(Ord. 506-80 C-M, eff. September 11, 1980)