PURPOSE:

At the City Council meeting of August 16, 2005, the Community Development Department presented a proposed Zone Text Amendment to modify the development standards pertaining to fences, walls, hedges, and other yard features in residential zones. At the conclusion of the meeting, the City Council directed staff to present options for additional public involvement in the crafting of these new standards.

DISCUSSION:

In recent years, the Community Development Department has utilized two (2) types of public participation processes in the development of new zoning standards: community meetings and Blue Ribbon Committees. Both processes have individual strengths and weaknesses.

Community Meetings

The community meeting strategy has been utilized recently in the development of the new single family standards and the development of new hillside/view protection standards. Under this format, staff would hold a number of community meetings regarding new fence standards. Typically, the format has involved a room which is divided into different topic areas, where members of the public could provide their input on particular elements of the proposed standards. For example, in one area, the public might be able to address issues pertaining to fence height limits while a second area would address the issue of fencing material. In the past, staff has presented a proposed ordinance or options in order to provide a framework for discussion.

Community meetings allow a large number of interested residents the opportunity to participate in the process. These meetings are typically more casual and inviting than, for example, a City Council meeting, allowing staff to respond directly to questions and encouraging discussion among participants. Based on past experience, this format brings in residents who might otherwise be uncomfortable with participating in a more formal process. The responses and comments are recorded and utilized in the further development of the standards.

This process tends to produce better results for standards that do not require a particular level of �expertise�, such as height and size limitations. However, because the community meeting process begins with a set of proposed standards, the public participation tends to manifest itself as responses to those standards rather than actual development of new standards. In previous community meeting processes, staff has attempted to reduce this effect by providing a topic area table where participants can express their thoughts on all aspects of the issue.  

Blue Ribbon Committee

A Blue Ribbon Committee would consist of a group of residents who are responsible for developing a framework for new standards with the assistance of staff. These committees are typically appointed by the City Council and often include members with specific expertise or experience in the topic area being considered. Blue Ribbon Committees are often utilized for topics where a particular level of expertise is required. For example, a Blue Ribbon Committee was utilized recently to assist in the development of a citywide affordable housing strategy.

Under this type of strategy, the new standards are, for the most part, created by the members of the committee. When these committees are appointed by the City Council, they are subject to Brown Act requirements. As such, the committee�s meetings are required to be open to the public and provide opportunities for public comment. However, because these meetings are more formal, they may not necessarily result in the same quantity of public input as, for example, a community meeting process.

CONCLUSION:

Both the community meeting and Blue Ribbon Committee strategies are valuable methods for incorporating public participation into the planning process. However, because the nature of this particular topic is somewhat universal and does not necessarily require a substantial level of expertise, staff believes that a series of community meetings would provide more community input into the development of new fence standards and allow staff to develop an ordinance that is reflective of the community views and values. Staff would propose a series of community meeting in several areas of the City in order attract the greatest amount of public input.

If the City Council were to choose a Blue Ribbon Committee, staff would recommend that the committee be composed of six (6) members, including two (2) Planning Board members who would chair the committee and four (4) at-large members.

RECOMMENDATION:

Staff recommends that the City Council direct staff to conduct a series of community meetings to obtain public input on standards pertaining to fences, walls, and hedges in residential zones.

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