The document discusses policy options for San Jose's Distinctive Neighborhoods Program. It considers requiring permits for demolishing older homes, defines demolition, and outlines options for conservation areas. Key points include: 1. Using 1955 as a cutoff date for requiring permits for demolishing homes, as this marked a period of major city expansion. 2. Defining demolition of older homes as removal of over 50% of walls or 40% of street-facing elevations. 3. Streamlining the process for designating conservation areas to provide pre-designation protection for properties.

1. City of San José Distinctive Neighborhood Program Policy Options Community Meeting Thursday October 1, 2009 San Jose City Hall

2. Background The City Council approved funding for the development of the Distinctive Neighborhoods Program to address the following concerns: Incompatible New construction Incompatible Additions Demolitions

3. Willow Glen and the Rose Garden

4. Brookwood Terrace Neighborhood

5. Northside

6. Eichler Homes in San Jose

7. Ranch Homes in San Jose

8. A Single-Family House Permit is required if : New construction exceeds 30 feet or 2 stories in height, The floor area ratio (F.A.R.) of the house exceeds 0.45, The house is listed on the Historic Resource Inventory. Existing Permitting Process Currently No Design Review Addition/Demolition below SF House Permit Size Thresholds and not listed on Historic Resource Inventory: Building Permit (No Design Review)

9. Outreach Results Residents of Older Neighborhoods Residents of Newer/rural Neighborhoods Architectural Style and Design Loss of Fabric Demolitions Loss of architectural elements and details Design of new construction Attached garages Inconsistent setbacks Loss and maintenance of trees Bulk and Scale High density infill Monster Homes Second stories Loss of privacy Open Space Loss of Landscaping and open space Loss and maintenance of trees

10. Four Policy Options Consider adding as SFH Permit Thresholds: Demolitions of houses over a certain age or built before a certain date. City Wide Neighborhood Specific City would create a Toolkit of overlays available to community: Conservation Study Area Zoning Overlay Design Guidelines Overlay Implementation requires revisions to the Municipal Code City Council approved funding for implementation of Citywide option and Conservation Study Area. Zoning and Design Guidelines Overlays are possible implementation measures for the General Plan Update

11. Policy Options - City Wide Require Permit Citywide to Demolish Older Homes Add one of the following as a SFH permit trigger Neighborhoods that could benefit: Older neighborhoods b. Demolitions of homes built before a certain date (1945) Demolitions of homes over a certain age (50 years)

12. Policy Options – Neighborhood Specific Toolkit Option 1 - Conservation Study Area Potential Neighborhoods that could benefit: Northside, Willow Glen, The Rose Garden and other older neighborhoods Designation Application Designation Approved Conservation Area Conservation Study Area Development Review Required submittals: Historic Evaluations of Contributing Structures Context Statement Required submittals: Context Statement Historic Evaluations List of Contributing Structures Only if application does not meet Guidelines + + SFH Permit application SFH Permit application

13. Policy Options – Neighborhood Specific Toolkit Option 2 – Zoning Overlay Potential Criteria for Designation: Agreement of 2/3 of property owners. The neighborhood should be clearly delineated. The neighborhood must consist a minimum number of homes. Characteristic must be present in 75% of the homes. Distinct Development Standards for Designated Area Potential Neighborhoods That could benefit: Eichler Neighborhoods and others Distinct Setbacks 50 ft Single Story District 25 ft Public Right Of Way Attached Garages

14. Policy Options – Neighborhood Specific Implementation Implications : Residents would pay for: consultants to draft guidelines planner to work with consultant This process would take at least a year Toolkit Option 3 – Design Guidelines Overlay Potential Neighborhoods That could benefit: Willow Glen, The Rose Garden, Northside, other Criteria for Designation: Same as Zoning Overlay

15. City of San José End of Policy Development Beginning of Policy Implementation

16. Time Line December Planning Commission Analysis and Code Revision Coordination with City Attorney August September October November 2009 Outreach July City Council Development of outreach strategy October 1, 2009 Community Meeting October 2, 2009 Developers Roundtable October 7, 2009 Historic Landmarks Commission Study Session

17. Require Permit Citywide to Demolish Older Homes Add the following as a SFH permit trigger Neighborhoods that could benefit: Older neighborhoods Demolitions of homes built before a certain date (1945 or 1955)

18. Map of Single Family Homes by Date of Construction Before 1945 (8009 SF homes) 1945-1949 (3738 SF homes) 1950-1954 (6629 SF homes) 1955-1959 (21,549 SF homes) 1960-1969 (44,052 SF homes) 1970-1979 (40,425 SF homes) 1980 to present (19,029 SF homes)

19. 1950 Dutch Hamann became City Manager – beginning of mass annexations 1954 State legislation changed allowing cities to have other than a Unified School District Why choose 1955? Major road block was removed from annexations 1945-1949 (3738 new single-family homes) 1950-1954 (6629 new single-family homes) 1955-1959 (21,549 new single-family homes)

20. Demolitions of houses built prior to 1955 Require Permit Citywide to Demolish Older Homes House is a CEQA resource House does not qualify for the inventory Cat. I SFH Permit including a historic evaluation House qualifies as a Structure of Merit Cat II SFH Permit Hearing (includes notification sign) Cat I SFH Permit No Hearing

21. Definition of Demolition Current – “ removal of more than fifty percent (50%) of the exterior walls of a building” Proposed - For single-family homes built before 1955 or for homes listed on the Historic Resources Inventory demolition means removal of more than fifty percent (50%) of the exterior walls of a building, or removal of more than forty percent (40%) of the surface of all exterior walls facing a public street(s)

22. Definition of Demolition Current – Proposed for older homes – 50% of exterior walls OR 40% of elevation surface

23. Conservation Area – Streamlining Designation Application Designation Approved Current process Proposed Process Development Review Required submittals: Historic Evaluations of Contributing Structures Context Statement Required submittals: Context Statement Historic Evaluations List of Contributing Structures Only if application does not meet Guidelines + + SFH Permit application SFH Permit application

24. Conservation Area – Pre-designation Protection Current process Proposed Process Citywide Protection Citywide Protection Full Protection Citywide Protection Full Protection Full Protection Designation Application Designation Approved Application Complete Notice Notice Within 180 days

25. To conclude - What do you think of the following? Demolitions 1. Using 1955 as a cutoff date for requiring a SFH permit for a proposed demolition. 2. New definition for the term “demolition” applicable to homes older than 1955 or listed on the HRI. Conservation Area 1. Streamlining the process for designation of a Conservation Area rather than creating a new entity called a Conservation Study Area. 2. Requiring a Pre-designation protection for properties located within an area proposed to be designated as a Conservation Area.