Planning and Community Development Department Update on Improvements

Planning and Community Development Department Update on Improvements to the Development Review Process and Recommended Changes Related to Design Review City Council December 8, 2014

Development Process Review Planning and Community Development Department Purpose • Report on the progress of process improvements. • Present future improvements staff will be implementing. • Review proposed ideas to change the Design Review process. 2

Development Process Review Planning and Community Development Department Development Process Overview 3

Development Process Review Planning and Community Development Departments that are part of the development review process 4

Development Process Review Planning and Community Development Department Sample of Building Code Regulations 5

Development Process Review Planning and Community Development Department Sample of California Retail Food Code (Public Health) 6

Development Process Review Phase One: Planning Entitlement Application submitted to Planning Division Planner reviews case for completeness Project deemed Complete Various departments review and provide conditions Prepare for hearing • CEQA conducted • Staff report prepared Incomplete Project Corrections provided and applicant resubmits when addressed Hearing Held • Approval or Disapproval 7

Development Process Review Phase Two: Plan check Applicant submits plans Staff reviews plans for conformance to applicable codes Building Permit issued Inspections conducted (preliminary and final) Corrections required 8

Development Process Review Planning and Community Development Department Development Review Study 9

Development Process Review Planning and Community Development Department Development Review Study • Consultant studied the development review process. • Consultant conducted focus group meetings. • Study identified best practices currently in place. • Study identified where improvements could be made. 10

Development Process Review Planning and Community Development Department Improvements Made to Date 11

Development Process Review Planning and Community Development Department Interdepartmental Improvements • Interdepartmental Review Team (IRT) formed. Matrix Report: • Managed by Planning and Community Development staff. IRT • Two-year work program created. • Improvements made. Work Program 12

Development Process Review Planning and Community Development Department IRT Work Program Improvements • Custom tracking system implemented. • E-mail notifications sent to supervisors. • Business license routing procedures improved. • Entitlement cases routed electronically. 13

Development Process Review Planning and Community Development Department Improved Customer Service in the Permit Center • Staff relocated. • Sub-trade permit window established. • Q-flow system upgraded. • Real wait times provided on-line. 14

Development Process Review Planning and Community Development Department Process Improvements • • • Early feedback provided to applicants. Cases routed within one week. New application forms developed. Applications reviewed upon submittal. New Design Review staff report templates created. 15

Development Process Review Planning and Community Development Department Results of Improvements 16

Development Process Review Planning and Community Development Department As compared to 2010, the processing time for the most common planning cases has been reduced as follows: • Certificates of Appropriateness (Historic Preservation Permits) reduced by 34% • Conditional Use Permits reduced by 44% • Hillside Development Permits reduced by 53% • Minor Conditional Use Permits reduced by 43% • Minor Variances reduced by 46% 17

Staff Implemented Recommendations Planning and Community Development Department Table 1 – Planning Case Processing Times 18

Development Process Review Planning and Community Development Department Table 2: Medium Projects are generally classified as: Tenant Improvements between 3, 000 and 10, 000 square feet, Single-Family residential additions between 500 and 1, 000 square feet outside of Hillside Districts, all residential remodels over 500 square feet (interior only), swimming pools and spas in Hillside Districts, Commercial and Multi-Family additions under 500 square feet, signs requiring Zoning Field Inspection or Design Review, Retaining Walls, Wireless Communication Facilities and foundation only for new construction. 19

Development Process Review Planning and Community Development Department Decrease of 40% from 2010 -2014 Table 3: Large Projects are classified as Tenant Improvements over 10, 000 square feet, Commercial and Multi-Family additions over 500 square feet, all new construction of single-family residential structures, Duplexes, Multi-Family, Commercial, Mixed-Use, industrial or Institutional projects, all single-family additions over 1, 000 square feet, seismic retrofit, all grading. 20

Development Process Review Planning and Community Development Department Total Planning Cases 800 700 600 28% increase from 2010 - 2014 500 400 Total Planning Cases 300 200 100 0 FY 11 FY 12 FY 13 Table 4 – Total Planning cases received FY 2010 through FY 2014 FY 14

Development Process Review Planning and Community Development Department Building Valuation (in Millions) 250 200 212% increase from 2010 -2014 150 Building Valuation (in Millions) 100 50 0 FY 11 FY 12 FY 13 Table 5: Total Building Permit Valuation over last five Fiscal Years FY 14

Development Process Review Planning and Community Development Department Doing More with Less • 28% increase in number of planning cases • 212% increase in Building Permit Valuation • 24% decrease in staffing levels 23

Development Process Review Planning and Community Development Department Future Improvements 24

Development Process Review Planning and Community Development Department Future Improvements to be Implemented by Staff • Establish Personalized Case Manager program. • Replace the land management system. • Introduce Permit Technician job classification. • Improve communications regarding the development review process. 25

Development Process Review Planning and Community Development Department Design Review • Pasadena places high value on quality design. • Design Commission plays important role. • Design Commission and Planning staff have been working together to improve the Design Commission Process 26

Development Process Review Planning and Community Development Department Design Review Process Staff Level Design Commission Design staff reviews project and makes recommendations to Design Commission Design staff reviews project Director approves or disapproves project Design Commission approves or disapproves project Decision appealable to City Council Decision appealable to Design Commission 27

Development Process Review Planning and Community Development Department Design Review Design Commission cases a four-step process: Preliminary Consultation 50% Concept Review 28 Final Review

Development Process Review Planning and Community Development Department Design Review Process Current Design Commission composition requirements (Title 2. 80) The Commission consists of 9 members appointed as follows: • The mayor nominates 5 members from persons nominated by the City Councilmembers. • The Transportation Advisory Commission, the Arts and Culture Commission, the Cultural Heritage Commission and the Planning Commission each nominate 1 member for a total of 4 members. • All appointments are subject to ratification by the City Council 29

Development Process Review Planning and Community Development Department Design Review Process Current Design Commission composition requirements (Title 2. 80) • All members must be residents of the City; provided however, that a person nominated by a Councilmember need not reside in the Councilmember’s district. • The criteria for selection of members must be a demonstrated interest in the community and professional expertise and experience in a design related field, including one or more of the following fields: 1. Architecture; 5. Artist; 2. Landscape architecture; 6. Urban design; 3. City planning; 7. Engineering; and 4. Historic preservation; 8. Transportation planning. 30

Development Process Review Planning and Community Development Department Design Review Process • Current Design Review Process mentioned in study focus groups. • Study recommends: > > Comprehensive design guidelines Transition to two-step process and possibly into one-phase Membership reduced from nine to five Minimum of three licensed architects 31

Development Process Review Planning and Community Development Department Three-year Review of Design Cases Average of four meetings per case 60% required the 50% Concept Review 20% included Public Art component 93% included Planning entitlement 29 Cases 32

Development Process Review Planning and Community Development Department Design Review Process Staff Proposed Process (three-steps): • Eliminating 50% Concept Review • Clarify Preliminary Consultation Concept Review 33 Final Review

Development Process Review Planning and Community Development Department Design Review Process Staff Proposed Composition: • Reduce from nine to seven members • Establish specific qualifications: Ø Ø Ø Two commissioners with a background in Architecture (Mayor appointed) One commissioner with a background in Historic Preservation (Mayor appointed) One commissioner with a background in Landscape Architecture (Mayor appointed) One commissioner that is a community member at large (Mayor appointed) One commissioner that is a representative of the Planning Commission One commissioner that is a representative of the Historic Preservation Commission 34

Development Process Review Planning and Community Development Department Design Review Process • Study recommendations presented to various commissions. • Staff asked for recommendations from the Planning Commission and Design Commission. • Neither Commission was supportive of reducing the number of Design Commission members. The Planning Commission commented: • Modify the membership of the Design Commission to replace the existing Arts and Culture Commission representative with a Mayoral appointee with expertise in Historic Preservation. • One of the existing Mayoral appointees should have expertise in Historic Preservation. • Did not comment on eliminating the 50% Concept Review phase. 35

Development Process Review Planning and Community Development Department Design Review Process The Design Commission commented that: • The Design Commission could benefit from ensuring certain disciplines with experience in historic preservation are represented on the commission (e. g. an architect or urban planner with an expertise in historic preservation). • The Commission was not opposed to eliminating the 50% Concept Review phase. 36

Development Process Review Planning and Community Development Department Staff Recommendation It is recommended that the City Council direct staff to prepare amendments to the Municipal Code which: • Amend the Design Review process to eliminate the “optional” 50% Concept Review and clarify the Preliminary Consultation review; and • Modify the composition of the Design Commission by reducing the number of members from the current nine to seven and establish specific qualifications for its members. 37

Development Process Review Planning and Community Development Department Next Steps • Should the City Council wish to implement the proposed changes, amendments to Title 2 and Title 17 of the Municipal Code would be required. • Planning Commission review is required for Title 17 changes (Design Review Process). • The City Council would need to conduct a future public hearing on an ordinance to review any required changes to the Municipal Code. • City Council should provide direction on any additional public outreach desired prior to City Council action. 38

Planning and Community Development Department Update on Improvements to the Development Review Process and Recommended Changes Related to Design Review City Council December 8, 2014

Development Process Review Planning and Community Development Department Custom Program for Electronic Routing 40

C. Third Quarter Report: Cycle Times Planning and Community Development Department Projects Received 1/1/2014 -9/30/2014 Final Review - Medium Plan Checks 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Building Review D&HP Review Fire Review Average of. Days Average Number of Health Review Goal(14 (7 Days) Goal days) Power Review Public Works Review Water - Domestic Zoning Review Average Number of Days Goal (7 Days) % Meeting Goal Number of Plan Checks Represented Building Review D & HP Review 4 3 7 7 84 80 400 129 Fire Review Health Review Power Review Public Works Review Water - Domestic Zoning Review 3 4 8 1 3 6 7 7 7 95 92 50 100 96 67 174 26 10 233 27 221 Case Type