65C - UPDATE ZONING CODE - Laserfiche WebLink

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REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: NOVEMBER 17, 2015 TITLE: UPDATES TO THE CITY'S ZONING CODE (STRATEGIC PLAN NO. 3,2B) CITY MANAGN�-- - - -' -- RECOMMENDED ACTION CLERK OF COUNCIL USE ONLY: FTITIJWTO ti ❑ As Recommended ❑ As Amended ❑ Ordinance on 1a` Reading ❑ Ordinance on 2nd Reading ❑ Implementing Resolution ❑ Set Public Hearing For CONTINUED TO FILE NUMBER Direct staff to initiate the Zoning Code Update process as proposed. DISCUSSION The Zoning Code is a critical component of the City's development process. In conjunction with the General Plan, the Zoning Code provides homeowner, property owners and developers direction for development in the City. Without a clear, concise and equitable code, economic development in the City could be unnecessarily constrained. As the last comprehensive update to the Zoning Code was completed in the mid 1980's, staff is in the process of finalizing a work program to perform a comprehensive update of the City's Zoning Code. As a precursor to this work effort, staff has identified several updates to the code that can be easily achieved. Therefore, staff is proposing to move forward with these amendments, which will immediately assist in streamlining the development process as well as implement the goals and policies of the Strategic Plan. This initial effort of updating and streamlining the code will consist of several items, including but not limited to, removing redundancies found in the Code; modifying code sections that pertain to the processing of conditional use permits, variances, minor exceptions; improving the sign regulations; revising the parking standards; and, the establishment of a hearing officer procedure. Other items will be identified during this effort and will be included provided they can be implemented in a timely manner and will assist in streamlining the development process. A presentation on the Zoning Code update was presented to the Development and Transportation Council Committee in early October. Based on their direction to move forward, staff is finalizing the comprehensive list of clean -up items within the next 30 days. It is expected that these draft changes to the Code will be completed no later than January 2016. It is anticipated that these proposed changes will be presented to the Planning Commission for their review and recommendation in March 2016, with a formal request to amend the Zoning Code (zoning ordinance amendment) forwarded to the City Council in April 2016. 65C -1