Hollister — Design Review

Last reviewed: July 2, 2026

Overview

This page summarizes how Hollister’s zoning code (Title 17) treats design review (Site & Architectural Review and related architectural/site plan checks). It pulls the rules that trigger review, who decides, and district‑level design expectations from the City’s Zoning Ordinance and related district standards, with practical guidance for applicants. For related topics see the city’s pages on Hollister Zoning and on Hollister Development Standards.

What Hollister calls “design review”

Hollister handles most aesthetic and site‑planning reviews through a Site and Architectural Review process (sometimes administered as an administrative Site & Architectural Permit) that is part of Title 17 — Zoning. Table 17.24‑1 in the Zoning Ordinance shows the review authority for Site and Architectural matters and how the Development Review Committee (DRC), Department staff, the Planning Commission and City Council participate; see § 17.24.060 for the formal allocation of review/decision authority.

Key procedural points:

• Many projects are reviewed first by staff and the Development Review Committee (DRC); the Planning Commission is the typical final decision maker for Site & Architectural Review as shown in § 17.24.060.
• Administrative Site & Architectural actions (staff/Director level) can be appealed and some administrative decisions are subject to a 15‑day appeals period; see the administrative review/appeal provisions in the administration chapters (application, fees and approvals) at § 17.24.070 and the administrative permit procedures described in the code.

For on‑site technical standards that are routinely reviewed as part of design review (landscaping, parking, setbacks), the city refers applicants to the parking and development standard chapters—applicants should consult Hollister Parking and Hollister Development Standards for plan details.

District‑by‑district breakdown — where design review applies and what it looks for

Note: below each district name is bolded and the local code references cited. Where the retrieved materials did not specify a requirement for design review in a district I state "Not found in retrieved materials."

Home Office (HO)

Purpose and where: a combining zone providing limited small‑scale professional and arts uses near downtown; portions overlap the Monterey Street National Historic District. See § 17.06.010.
Typical permitted uses and review triggers: small professional offices, beauty salons, studios—uses and permit requirements are listed in Table 17.06‑1; some conversions or non‑residential uses require land‑use permits and may trigger Site & Architectural Review per the table of uses in § 17.06.020.
Key dimensional/design notes: the HO district is intended to preserve historic character; design review focuses on compatibility with adjacent residential and historic fabric. See § 17.06.010.

North Gateway (NG)

Purpose and where: Gateway corridor along State Highway 25 and San Felipe Road; intended for larger retail, office parks and coordinated center design. See § 17.08.040.
Design review focus: master infrastructure/streetscape, coordinated architectural programs, 20‑ft landscape corridors and tree requirements along gateway segments, screening of parking/loading, and required street network/bikeway plans as a precondition to Site & Architectural Review. These are explicit supplemental standards evaluated during Site and Architectural Review under the North Gateway rules in § 17.08.040.

Mixed‑Use Districts (Downtown Mixed Use, West Gateway, Neighborhood Mixed Use)

Purpose and where: allow combination of commercial and residential uses; conversions and mixed‑use projects have explicit review triggers. See § 17.08.050.
Review triggers and standards: A Site and Architectural Review is required for conversion of a building to mixed‑use and for other design changes; heights differ by subdistrict (e.g., Downtown Mixed Use: 75 ft, West Gateway: 50 ft, Neighborhood Mixed Use: 50 ft) and are listed in § 17.08.050.

Industrial (M1 and IBP)

Purpose: Light industrial and industrial business park standards are in § 17.10.030.
Design review focus: tables in § 17.10.030 set minimum yards, maximum heights (75 ft for M1/IBP), lot size and landscaping percentages; Site & Architectural Review evaluates compatibility, screening of outdoor storage, and landscaping per those standards. See § 17.10.030.

Overlay Zoning (Residential Performance Overlay — R1 L/PZ, R3 M/PZ, R4 H/PZ)

Purpose and where: performance overlays that permit flexible lot sizes and require performance agreements to achieve General Plan densities. See § 17.14.010.
Design review focus: overlay requires development that responds to neighborhood scale, pedestrian/bicycle connections, open space and lot‑design; Site & Architectural Review and recorded performance agreements are tools used to ensure design objectives are met. See § 17.14.010.

Two‑Unit Residential / Urban Lot Splits (SB 9 implementation)

Applicability and review: Chapter 17.26 provides objective standards for SB9 urban lot splits and two‑unit developments; those projects are subject to the Chapter’s standards and the chapter controls where it conflicts with other code. See § 17.26.010 and § 17.26.020.
Design review note: the code requires that new units match the existing primary dwelling in architectural style, color, and materials for urban lot split units and sets objective setback and design rules; see the design and accessory standards in Chapter 17.26 (design, mechanical screening, parking, and street‑facing elevation plane breaks).

West Fairview Road Specific Plan (RWF District)

Where and review: The Specific Plan establishes its own Site and Architectural Review/development review process and requires Department review and referral to the Commission for certain housing types; projects must be found consistent with the Specific Plan. This specific‑plan review requirement is described in the RWF design & review text in the code (see the RWF design standards and review requirements). Not all snippet text included a formal section number in the retrieved extract — verify with the Department for parcel‑specific applications.

Quick decision‑relevant table (common triggers and authorities)

How Site & Architectural Review is applied in practice (plain‑English guidance)

• Small, internal building changes that do not alter street‑visible facades or site layout are typically handled at the staff/Director level as an administrative review; larger projects or those that affect neighbors or the public realm are placed on the Planning Commission agenda under § 17.24.060.
• If your parcel sits in a special area (North Gateway, Performance Overlay, Specific Plan area), expect supplemental, district‑specific design rules to be enforced in addition to the standard Site & Architectural criteria: see § 17.08.040, § 17.14.010, and the RWF Specific Plan excerpts.
• Technical standards likely reviewed alongside aesthetics include parking (see Chapter 17.18 for parking/circulation; curb cut rules at § 17.18.120), landscaping and screening expectations, and stormwater/drainage measures (§ 17.16.140). Applicants should consult the Hollister Parking, Hollister Landscaping and Screening pages and stormwater provisions when preparing plans.

Checklist — what an applicant must submit / satisfy for a design review application

• Complete City application and applicable fees (see § 17.24.070 and § 17.24.080)
• Scaled site plan showing building footprints, setbacks, parking layout, driveway/curb cuts (curb cuts must meet § 17.18.120)
• Elevations, materials, colors and roof profiles showing compatibility with adjacent architecture and (if applicable) the historic district (HO) or Specific Plan standards (RWF) — the code requires visual compatibility in those contexts (see § 17.06.010, RWF excerpts).
• Landscape plan showing required street trees, perimeter planting and parking lot screening per district supplemental rules (NG, industrial, overlay districts) — see § 17.08.040, § 17.10.030, § 17.14.010.
• Stormwater / drainage strategy consistent with § 17.16.140 and associated engineering submittals if required.
• Project notice sign installed on site when a Site & Architectural Review or other required noticeable project is filed (see § 17.24.070(D)) and any CEQA documentation requested during initial review.
• For large or gateway projects: master architectural/landscaping/lighting/sign programs or infrastructure/street network plans as required by § 17.08.040.

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain‑English summary

If your project changes how a building looks from the street, changes how the site is organized, or falls into a special district (North Gateway, Mixed‑Use conversions, an overlay, or a Specific Plan area), expect a Site & Architectural Review — the DRC/staff will review smaller items but the Planning Commission is the usual final decision maker; check the code’s review authority table and district rules early in design. § 17.24.060 and the district sections (e.g., § 17.08.040, § 17.08.050, § 17.06.010) state the thresholds and standards.

Source References

• Hollister Zoning Ordinance — Title 17: Review authority and Table 17.24‑1 (Site & Architectural Review authority) § 17.24.060.
• Development Services Director & Planning Commission powers § 17.24.030, § 17.24.040.
• Application filing, project notice sign and fees § 17.24.070, § 17.24.080.
• Administrative permit review and DRC processing guidance (administrative Site & Architectural processes) — administrative permit text.
• North Gateway District supplemental design standards § 17.08.040.
• Mixed‑Use district standards and conversions (Site & Architectural Review trigger) § 17.08.050.
• Home Office (HO) district purpose and uses § 17.06.010 and Table 17.06‑1.
• Industrial general development standards (M1, IBP) and design metrics § 17.10.030.
• Overlay Zoning Districts — Residential Performance Overlay (R1 L/PZ, R3 M/PZ, R4 H/PZ) § 17.14.010.
• Two‑unit residential developments and Urban Lot Splits (SB9) applicability and standards § 17.26.010, § 17.26.020.
• Curb cut and driveway design reference (parking chapter) § 17.18.120 (cited within the Zoning excerpts).
• Stormwater management / drainage standards § 17.16.140.

Retrieved passages

• CBC § 17.18.120 (Chapter 17.18) Medium relevance show source text
• Hollister Zoning Code (§ 2) Medium relevance show source text
• Hollister Zoning Code (Section 6.0) Medium relevance show source text
• Hollister Zoning Code (§ 2) Medium relevance show source text
• Hollister Zoning Code (§ 2) Medium relevance show source text
• Hollister Zoning Code (Chapter 17.22) Medium relevance show source text
• Hollister Zoning Code (§ 2) Medium relevance show source text
• Hollister Zoning Code (Section 17.24.100) Medium relevance show source text

Cited sections

• Hollister Zoning Ordinance — Title 17: Review authority and Table 17.24‑1 (Site & Architectural Review authority) **§ 17.24.060**. (Title 17)
• Development Services Director & Planning Commission powers **§ 17.24.030**, **§ 17.24.040**. (§ 17.24.030)
• Application filing, project notice sign and fees **§ 17.24.070**, **§ 17.24.080**. (§ 17.24.070)
• Administrative permit review and DRC processing guidance (administrative Site & Architectural processes) — administrative permit text.
• North Gateway District supplemental design standards **§ 17.08.040**. (§ 17.08.040)
• Mixed‑Use district standards and conversions (Site & Architectural Review trigger) **§ 17.08.050**. (§ 17.08.050)
• Home Office (HO) district purpose and uses **§ 17.06.010** and Table 17.06‑1. (§ 17.06.010)
• Industrial general development standards (M1, IBP) and design metrics **§ 17.10.030**. (§ 17.10.030)
• Overlay Zoning Districts — Residential Performance Overlay (R1 L/PZ, R3 M/PZ, R4 H/PZ) **§ 17.14.010**. (§ 17.14.010)
• Two‑unit residential developments and Urban Lot Splits (SB9) applicability and standards **§ 17.26.010**, **§ 17.26.020**. (§ 17.26.010)
• Curb cut and driveway design reference (parking chapter) **§ 17.18.120** (cited within the Zoning excerpts). (§ 17.18.120)
• Stormwater management / drainage standards **§ 17.16.140**. (§ 17.16.140)
• Hollister_ZoningCode.md

• Official Hollister code library