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HomeMy WebLinkAbout91-09 Regarding Granny Units and Accessory ApartmentsORDINANCE NO. 91-q AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COSTA MESA, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING TITLE 13 OF THE COSTA MESA MUNICIPAL CODE REGARDING GRANNY UNITS AND ACCESSORY APARTMENTS. The City Council of the City of Costa Mesa does hereby ordain as follows: SECTION 1: The City Council of the City of Costa Mesa finds and declares as follows: WHEREAS, the California State Legislature passed Assembly Bill No. 3529 which became effective January 1, 1991. Assembly Bill No. 3529 increased the allowable size for second units. Specifically detached second units may now be up to 1,200 square feet in area; WHEREAS, this increase in allowable size necessitates that the City revise the Municipal Code which references the previous size limits; WHEREAS, this increase in allowable size also makes accessory apartments a more viable addition to single-family lots and if allowed without restriction could result in the proposed infrastructure being inadequate; WHEREAS, the development of granny flat units and accessory apartment units pursuant to California Government Code Sections 65852.1 and 65852.2 in single-family and multi -family residential zones may cause adverse impacts on the public health, safety, and welfare, such as, the units will increase residential densities inconsistent with the City of Costa Mesa General Plan's land use designation; the units may impose significant adverse impacts on the public infrastructure and facilities; and the units may irreparably injure the single-family residential character of existing residential neighborhoods in the City of Costa Mesa; WHEREAS, accessory apartments may impose significant adverse impacts on local roadways in residential areas where the City Council has previously received complaints of excess traffic; WHEREAS, accessory apartments may impose significant adverse impacts on local sewer systems that have been designed to handle sewage from single-family neighborhoods. WHEREAS, therefore, it is necessary to limit which lots in the City can support accessory apartments; WHEREAS, due to limited income of seniors and the lesser anticipated impact of seniors, the lot size limitation need not be extended to granny units; WHEREAS, granny units do not need such limits since they are self-limiting due to the occupancy limits (age and maximum number of occupants) associated with them. WHEREAS, given the appropriate limits on granny units and accessory apartments, it would be reasonable to review such second units at the Staff level through the Development Review process; ACCORDINGLY, the City Council of the City of Costa Mesa hereby amends Title 13 of the Costa Mesa Municipal Code as hereinafter set forth: SECTION 2. Subsection B of Section 13-126 of the Costa Mesa Municipal Code is hereby amended by adding paragraphs 6 and 7 to read as follows: "6. Granny units that meet the criteria set forth in Section 13-132. 7. Accessory apartments that meet the criteria set forth in Section 13-131.1- SECTION 3-131." SECTION 3. Section 13-126 of the Costa Mesa Municipal Code is hereby amended by deleting C.9 and C.10. SECTION 4. Section 13-131 of the Costa Mesa Municipal Code is hereby amended to read as follows: "Section 13-131. Accessory apartments. Accessory apartments shall be submitted to the Planning Division for Development Review per Section 13-145 of the Costa Mesa Municipal code. Accessory apartments shall meet the criteria specified in Section 65852.2 of the California Government Code and the following criteria: (a) One (1) dwelling unit on the property shall be owner -occupied. A "Notice and Declaration of Land Use Restriction" to this effect shall be signed and recorded prior to issuance of building permits for the accessory apartments. (b) Accessory apartments shall be limited to those lots large enough to support two (2) units without exceeding the General Plan density of units per acre for the lots on which they are to be located. (c) Parking shall be provided as required elsewhere in this title. (d) Accessory apartments shall comply with main structure setbacks and shall be a minimum of ten (10) feet from any main structure and a minimum of six (6) feet from any accessory building. SECTION 5. Article 7 of Title 13 of the Costa Mesa Municipal Code is hereby amended by adding Section 13.132 to read as follows: "Section 13-132. Granny units. Granny units shall be submitted to the Planning Division for Development Review per Section 13-145. Granny units shall meet the criteria specified in Section 65852.1 of the California Government Code and the following criteria: (a) A "notice and declaration of land use restriction" outlining the occupancy limits for the granny units per Section 65852.1 of the California Government Code shall be signed and recorded prior to issuance of building permits for the granny unit. (b) Parking shall be provided as required elsewhere in this Title." The City Council finds and declares that this Ordinance is required for the immediate protection of the public peace, health and safety for the following reasons: The Ordinance will assure that accessory apartments of up to 1,200 square feet in area will be limited to lots of sufficient size such that the General Plan density will not be exceeded in a manner that could cause the proposed infrastructure to be inadequate. Therefore, this Ordinance shall be effective upon publication. The Ordinance shall apply to all accessory apartments which will not have received written planning approval by the Zoning Administrator by the end of the business day of April 16, 1991. SECTION 7. Publication This Ordinance shall take effect and be in full force upon publication and immediately upon its passage shall be published once in the ORANGE COAST DAILY PILOT, a newspaper of general circulation, printed and published in the City of Costa Mesa or, in the alternative, the City Clerk may cause to be published a summary of this Ordinance and a certified copy of the text of this Ordinance shall be posed in the office of the City Clerk five (5) days prior to the date of adoption of this Ordinance, and immediately after adoption, the City Clerk shall cause to be published the aforementioned summary and shall post in the office of the City Clerk a certified copy of this Ordinance together with the names of the members of the City Council voting for and against the same. PASSED AND ADOPTED this /5� day of , 199/. ATTEST: City Cler] of the City of Mayor oV the City of Costa Mesa Costa MesAJ APPROVED AS TO FORM: City Attorney (MAMYACC.MD) 01 STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF ORANGE ) as. CITY OF COSTA MESA ) I, EILEEN P. PHINNEY, City Clerk and ex -officio Clerk of the City Council of the City of Costa Mesa, hereby certify that the above and foregoing Ordinance No. 91-9 was introduced and considered section by section at a regular meeting of said City Council held on the 15th day of April , 1991, and thereafter passed and adopted as a whole at a regular meeting of said Council held on the 15th day of April 19_21, by the following roll call vote: AYES: COUNCIL MEMBERS: Hornbuckle, Genis, Buffa, Glasgw NOES: COUNCIL MEMBERS: None ABSENT: COUNCIL MEMBERS: Humphrey IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereby set my hand and affixed the Seal of the City of Costa Mesa this 16th day of April , 1991. City Clerk and ex -officio C1 rk of the City Council of the City of Costa Mesa BY; Deputy Cit Clerk