ITEM 6-I

City Council Meeting:  October 12, 1993

To:       Mayor and City Council

From:     City Staff

Subject:  Proposed Amendment to Ordinance 1689 (CCS) to Allow
          Affordable Housing Projects to be Exempt from Pitched       Roof
          Requirements 

INTRODUCTION

At its meeting on July 13, 1993, the City Council directed the Planning
Commission to consider amendments to interim Ordinance 1689 (CCS) to
allow affordable housing projects to be exempt from the requirement to
have a pitched roof in certain zoning districts.  This report forwards
the Commission's comments and recommends that an amendment to Ordinance
1689 be prepared.

BACKGROUND

Ordinance 1689 renewed the "affordable housing ordinance" adopted on an
interim basis by the City Council over a year ago (Attachment A).  This
ordinance effectively altered the use allowances of the Zoning
Ordinance, created revised parking requirements for certain residential
uses, and provided a variety of incentives for affordable housing
development.  In renewing the affordable housing ordinance, the Council
considered a request to exempt affordable housing projects in one
district from the requirement to have a pitched roof (see Attachment
B).  The concern is that this requirement may constrain the development
of the number and size of affordable units which is otherwise
permitted.  At present, there are four multi-family areas subject to a
pitched roof standard:  the OP districts, the NW districts, the R2R
district, and Ocean Park Boulevard between Lincoln and 25th Street.

The Council discussed a range of possible approaches to this issue,
from a blanket exemption in all districts from the requirement to have
a pitched roof for all fully-affordable projects, to only exempting
such projects when they were adjacent to a non-residential district
having an equal or greater height limit.  The Council directed that the
Planning Commission consider these concepts and make recommendations to
the Council.

Planning Commission Action

On August 4, 1993 the Planning Commission took action on this matter. 
The Commission recognized the concern that the pitched roof requirement
might adversely affect the production of affordable housing units by
limiting the development envelope.  The Planning Commission approved
the staff recommendation to exempt affordable housing projects from the
requirement for a pitched roof where such projects are located on a
parcel abutting or across an alley from a non-residential district with
a height limit equal to or greater than the height limit of the
residential district.  The Commission also asked staff to consult with
Merhdad Amanat, the developer who raised this issue with the City
Council, to determine if this approach was workable; staff has
discussed the Commission's action with Mr. Amanat, who has indicated
that the Commission's recommendation on this matter is satisfactory. 

The Commission also asked staff to review the provision allowing the
exemption when the residential parcel is located across an alley from
a commercial district.  The concern was that there are a number of such
parcels, and that the proposed exemption might facilitate too many
projects not conforming to the pitched roof standard.  Staff believes
that this is unlikely, given the few affordable housing projects that
historically have been developed in the City.

BUDGET/FINANCIAL IMPACT

The recommendation of this report would have no budget or financial
impact.

RECOMMENDATION

It is recommended that the City Council direct the City Attorney to
prepare an ordinance amending Ordinance 1689 (CCS) to include a
provision which indicates that in applicable residential districts, for
developments located on parcels which abut or are located across an
alley from a non-residential district with a maximum height limit equal
to or greater than the height limit for a pitched roof in the
residential district, the requirement for a pitched roof shall not
apply and the flat roof may achieve the height established for a
pitched roof.

Prepared by:  D. Kenyon Webster, Planning Manager

Attachments:  A.  Ordinance 1689 (CCS)
              B.  Letter Regarding Pitched Roof Requirement