After two years of revisions, county supervisors unanimously
approved the new version of the hillside development ordinance
laying out criteria that would guide additional review for
proposals on slopes.
HOLLISTER
After two years of revisions, county supervisors unanimously approved the new version of the hillside development ordinance laying out criteria that would guide additional review for proposals on slopes.
The revised ordinance will require a design review for new residential buildings, structures or additions that mandate a building permits in the following county locations:
– Sites on slopes greater than 15 percent
– Viewshed corridors of Highways 101 and 156, and Highway 25 north of Panoche Road or Fairview Road
– At an elevation of 200 feet or higher than the viewshed corridor
– Sites visible from the nearest point on the viewshed corridor up to 1.5 miles in either direction along the corridor
These criteria establish what’s called the sensitive viewshed area.
The 2004 ordinance has been under revision since 2007 as the board and planning commission grappled with the issues of development and property rights versus the environmental and aesthetic considerations of the county viewshed.
The ordinance’s primary goal is to “ensure that the lot(s) are developed in accordance with its unique location, topography ad vegetation.” Some of the factors to be considered are landscaping, building materials and color palettes. Design review submittals may require story pole analysis, various plans and photo representations of the proposed structures.
The planning department’s presentation noted that the majority of the applications for building permits already include adequate information to provide the required notice to neighbors and to take to the planning commission.
