Chapter 17.39 OBJECTIVE DESIGN STANDARDS

Chapter 17.39
OBJECTIVE DESIGN STANDARDS¹

Sections:

17.39.030 Multifamily objective residential design standards.

17.39.040 Multifamily plex objective residential design standards.

17.39.050 Single-family objective residential design standards.

17.39.010 Purpose of chapter.

This chapter establishes objective residential design standards that are clear, specific, and intended to ensure high quality, creative building designs that enhance Cotati’s character and livability. These objective standards work to maintain the rural, small-town feel of the community, in harmony with a downtown area, major street corridors, and rail transit-oriented community area that are suitable for intensified development. Consistent with existing state law, objective standards are those that involve no personal or subjective judgment by a public official and are uniformly verifiable by reference to an external and uniform benchmark. These objective standards can be applied in either ministerial or discretionary design review processes for residential development. (Ord. 927 § 16, 2024; Ord. 905 § 5, 2021).

17.39.020 Applicability.

The provisions of this chapter apply to all residential projects and residential portions of mixed use projects. (Ord. 927 § 16, 2024; Ord. 905 § 5, 2021).

17.39.030 Multifamily objective residential design standards.

These standards apply to all multifamily housing developments of ten or more dwelling units, with the exception of cottage housing projects consistent with Section 17.42.125. Residential developments that are subject to this chapter must be consistent with each of the standards below:

A. Neighborhood Compatibility. The purpose of the neighborhood compatibility design standards is to minimize impacts to established neighborhoods and their distinctive characteristics by requiring new multifamily development projects to include features most relevant to the Cotati community. Design characteristics that differentiate one neighborhood from another add variety to a city. Such differentiation can be handled through the public realm (city-initiated enhancements) and further emphasized from building to building or development to development. Distinct neighborhoods create a sense of ownership and a visual diversity that makes cities and towns interesting and more livable.

1. Multifamily projects fronting on an existing or proposed public street shall orient the buildings to the street with individual entries, porches and/or stoops, windows, and landscaping facing the street. Street-facing parking lots, parking spaces, carports, and garages are not allowed.

2. The project shall be designed so that at least seventy-five percent of the length of the facade of each building adjacent to a public street is occupied by habitable space with windows.

3. A third story (or higher) portion of any multifamily building shall be set back a minimum of thirty feet from any property line adjacent to properties in the NL or NM zoning districts that are developed with single-family residences.

B. Building Design. The intent of these building design standards is to enhance the quality and character of neighborhoods with new multifamily developments that include design features of traditional residential architectural styles.

1. Buildings shall include design features of traditional residential architectural styles, consisting of:

a. Visible roof styles shall incorporate low to moderately pitched roofs (gabled or hipped) with slopes ranging between 4:12 and 9:12. Other roof types such as flat, parapet, butterfly, and shed shall not be visible elements of the architecture, except a dormer, porch, or architectural projection may include a shed roof. A shed roof with a projecting dormer(s) is permissible.

b. Rooflines shall extend past the wall of the building with a minimum eave width of eighteen inches and shall include exposed roof beams and/or rafters.

c. The upper portion (quarter to half) of a window shall include divided lights or simulated divided lights. Tinted and reflective glass is prohibited.

d. Windows shall be limited to double hung, single hung, casement, or fixed, and shall include a wood surround with a minimum width of four inches (nominal).

e. Exterior entry doors shall include recessed panels and/or glazing and shall include a wood surround with a minimum width of four inches (nominal). Exterior wall materials shall include at least two of the following materials: solid wood or concrete-based wood siding, plywood with vertical solid wood battens of at least two-inch width (nominal), solid wood or concrete-based shingle siding, stucco, brick, and stone. Materials such as T1-11 siding, particle board, vinyl, foam, and EIFS are prohibited.

f. Building materials and details shall be consistent on all elevations.

g. All ground-level residential units fronting onto a public street, plaza, park, or courtyard shall have their primary access from a porch or stoop, the floor of which is a maximum of thirty inches above grade. The porch/stoop shall be a minimum of four feet clear depth and six feet clear width. The porch/stoop shall be open on the front and at least one side, with the exception of a partial enclosure of a maximum height of thirty-six inches (or the minimum height required by the building code) above the floor, that is either (i) a half wall or pony wall enclosed with the same materials as the building’s exterior, natural stone, or brick, or (ii) a wooden balustrade featuring balusters, pickets, or spindles, open horizontal slats, or other decorative woodwork of an open design. Stoops may feature a finished metal railing and balustrade. Porches/stoops shall be covered with a roof that is supported by square/rectangular columns which may be straight and/or tapered. Cantilevered roofs are not permitted.

h. The project shall be designed and constructed so that a minimum of ten percent of the units are one story and meet federal and state accessibility standards.

2. Affordable units and market rate units in the same development shall be constructed of the same exterior materials and details such that the units are not distinguishable. Affordable unit types by bedroom count shall be provided in the same proportion as the overall unit mix of the project and shall be distributed evenly throughout the project.

3. Blank walls shall not exceed twenty linear feet without being interrupted by a window or entry. Walls without entries or windows shall include shrubs and trees or art.

4. Buildings over three stories must provide a ground-floor elevation that is distinctive from the upper stories by providing a material change or horizontal articulation with a minimum dimension of ten feet between the first floor and upper floors along at least seventy-five percent of the building facade with frontage upon a street, adjacent public park, or public open space.

5. Covered front porches of existing homes to remain shall not be enclosed.

6. Window Orientation. Where one or more windows are proposed ten feet or less from a side lot line, or ten feet from another residential structure on the same site, the windows shall be oriented and/or screened by an architectural feature to provide privacy for the residents of both structures.

7. Entry points into multifamily housing buildings shall be distinguished from the facade using articulation, projections, or other distinguishing characteristics which highlight the point of entry.

8. All roof-mounted and/or ground-mounted equipment with the exception of solar collector panels shall be screened from view using architectural and/or landscape features.

C. Massing/Articulation. The intent of massing/articulation standards is to require building designs that minimize the perceived scale of large buildings to enhance the pedestrian experience and incorporate variety in massing and details to add visual interest.

1. A minimum of two features such as balconies, cantilevers, dormers, bay windows, porches, stoops, and individualized entries shall be incorporated into each project building facade.

2. The building facade facing a street, public park, or publicly accessible outdoor space shall incorporate a horizontal offset for every fifty feet of continuous building wall length with a minimum depth of eighteen inches.

3. Rooflines shall be vertically articulated at least every fifty feet along the street frontage, by varying rooflines, height and/or building form.

D. Usable Open Space/Landscape. The intent of the open space/landscape standards is to require new multifamily development to support a high quality of life with appropriate usable open space, indoor and outdoor community amenities, and new planting of trees, shrubs, and ground cover that add variety and interest. “Usable open space” means on-site area or areas, accessible to the residents of the development it serves and designed for safe and convenient active use for recreational, leisure, and social activities. Other open spaces such as areas within a street side setback (other than a permitted private porch and/or patio), creek setback, stormwater management facility, wetland/habitat preservation areas, and sloped areas over five percent are not considered “usable open space.”

1. Usable Open Space and Amenities. Each multifamily residential project shall provide permanently maintained usable open space and/or amenities. The total amount of usable open space and/or amenities included for the project shall at a minimum provide a total of one hundred fifty square feet of usable common and/or private open space per unit. Projects directly adjacent to a public park or directly across a local street from a public park need to only provide a total of forty-eight square feet of common and/or private usable open space per unit on the project site. Usable open space and/or amenities shall be provided as follows:

a. Ground-level units shall include a private porch and/or private patio/garden. Each private porch or private patio/yard shall include a minimum clear dimension of six feet by eight feet.

b. Projects not directly adjacent to a public park or directly across a local or collector street from a public park shall include usable common open space which may be a courtyard or rooftop terrace.

c. Projects shall include a minimum of three of the following additional usable open space amenities:

i. Private balconies above the ground floor for each unit.

ii. Playground.

iii. Swimming pool.

iv. Community center. (Interior portions of the building devoted to recreational and social uses count as usable open space up to a maximum of fifteen percent of the total usable open space requirement for the development. Other uses such as offices, utility rooms, or hallways are not counted as usable open space.)

v. Community garden.

vi. Play/sport court(s) – teen/adult (i.e., bocce ball, basketball).

vii. Courtyard.

viii. Rooftop terrace.

2. Outdoor seating shall be provided at common usable open space areas.

3. Any playground area must be visible to multiple units to provide casual surveillance and be separated from traffic. Benches or picnic tables for adults that accompany younger children shall be provided.

4. Configuration of Usable Open Space. Required usable open space areas shall be designed and located as follows:

a. Courtyards shall be enclosed fully or partially on a minimum of two sides by buildings that include residential units and/or community buildings with entries and windows facing the courtyard; and shall have a minimum dimension of twenty feet. Courtyards shall at a minimum include hardscape, landscaping, and seating with a table or tables.

b. Rooftop terraces shall include tables, chairs, and landscaping at a minimum. The rooftop terrace shall be designed and constructed to ensure that interior noise levels of adjacent uses are in compliance with Section 17.30.050.

5. Open space landscaping shall comply with the requirements of Chapter 17.34 (Water Efficient Landscaping Standards).

6. Maintenance and Control of Common Open Space. Required common open space shall be controlled and permanently maintained by a homeowners’ association (HOA) or similar entity within a common ownership interest development. Provisions for control and maintenance shall be included in property covenants of all common interest developments.

E. Outdoor Lighting. The intent of outdoor lighting standards is to require high quality lighting fixtures to provide safety and security for persons and property, and to minimize light pollution, sky glow and glare. Outdoor lighting shall be installed and maintained along all vehicular access ways and pedestrian walkways, in compliance with Section 17.30.060 (Outdoor lighting). The lighting shall be shielded and directed downward onto the driveways and walkways within the development and away from adjacent properties to eliminate glare and minimize light trespass. Lighting of at least one foot-candle shall also be installed and maintained within all covered and enclosed parking areas and shall be screened with full cutoff luminaires to minimize sky glow and glare onto public sidewalks and adjacent residences. Lighting fixtures/lamps shall be energy efficient and be a warm light with a broad color spectrum to minimize sky glow. An all-night light shall not exceed three thousand K (Kelvin Color Temperature Scale) and lights with an on/off timer shall not exceed four thousand K.

Proposed lighting shall be shown on the required landscape plan and supported by a photometric analysis.

F. Site Design. The intent of site design standards is to ensure the integration of new multifamily development into the surrounding neighborhood and to enhance the appearance, safety, convenience, and social interaction of the project through the provision of circulation connectivity. Further, these standards are intended to identify the appropriate location and appearance of parking and other features serving these developments.

1. Project shall provide or extend streets as shown in the adopted Cotati general plan or the adopted specific plan.

2. When dwelling units are abutting common open space areas, a minimum of one window from each dwelling abutting the common open space area shall overlook the common open space.

3. Accessory Structure Design. Accessory structures and uses (e.g., bicycle storage, garages, carports, laundry rooms, recreation facilities, etc.) shall be designed and constructed with an architectural style, exterior colors, and materials that match the structures in the project containing dwelling units.

4. Screen all parking areas, covered and uncovered, from public street frontages. Screening may be accomplished through building placement, landscaping, a planted earth berm, planted fencing, topography, or some combination of the above. Landscaping used for screening purposes shall be no less than fifteen feet wide (from the back of sidewalk or street curb to the parking lot paving, whichever is greater) and no less than three feet tall.

5. Structures listed on Table 9.1-1 (Buildings Potentially Eligible for the California Register) of the Cotati general plan background report shall be preserved/restored in their existing location and incorporated into the proposed development.

6. A pedestrian walkway system shall be provided to connect each unit to facilities within the project, to public streets, and to public pedestrian/bicycle paths abutting the project where legally permissible.

7. Street trees within a planter strip or tree well shall be provided except in cases where the public works standards call for a contiguous sidewalk or no sidewalk.

8. Front Setback Pavement. No more than forty percent of the front setback area shall be paved for walkways, driveways, and/or other hardcover pavement.

9. Parking Location. Off-street parking shall be located so that garage doors, carports, and open parking spaces are not visible from the street fronting the parcel.

G. Accessory Elements. The intent of accessory elements standards is to ensure that certain accessory uses are provided and appropriately screened.

1. Perimeter fencing utilized along public streets shall be constructed of decorative iron, pre-painted welded steel, stone, or wood pickets or a combination of such materials. Chain-link fencing is prohibited.

2. The height of solid fencing between private yards and common open spaces shall be limited to forty-two inches in height.

3. Screen rooftop equipment (solar panels are exempt) from visibility. The point of view for determining visibility shall be five feet above grade at a distance of two hundred feet.

4. Screen all exterior trash, recycling, storage utility boxes, wood service poles, electric and gas meters, fire sprinkler valves and backflow preventers and transformers, or other ground-mounted infrastructure.

5. Refuse Containers.

a. Provide dumpsters for refuse collection within a roofed enclosure with walls a minimum of six feet tall. Allow adequate size to accommodate the needed landfill, compost, and recycling containers. All enclosures and gates should be designed to withstand heavy use. Provide wheel stops or curbs to prevent dumpsters from banging into walls of enclosure.

b. Coordinate with the refuse pickup provider to determine the size and number of dumpsters required, and ensure that dumpsters shall accommodate all waste streams (landfill, recycling and compost, etc.).

c. Provide an opening so that pedestrians can access the dumpsters without opening the large gates.

d. Provide lighting at refuse enclosures for nighttime security and use.

e. Locate dumpster enclosures so that no dwelling is closer than twenty feet (including those on abutting properties), or more than one hundred feet from a residential unit. No minimum distance from dwellings is required if dumpsters are located within a fully enclosed room.

6. Storage. A minimum of one hundred cubic feet of lockable storage area shall be provided for each dwelling outside of the unit, with no dimension less than thirty inches. This section does not apply to vertical mixed use.

7. Laundry Facilities. Each unit shall be provided a plumbed individual laundry area within the unit or its garage, of a size large enough to accommodate a clothes washer and dryer. If located in the garage for an individual unit, the laundry area shall not encroach into the required parking area. Alternatively, project applicant may provide common laundry facilities.

H. Mixed Use Developments. Projects consisting of both commercial and residential uses shall also be consistent with each of the following standards below:

1. Site planning and building design shall provide for pedestrian access from the public street into the nonresidential and residential portions of the project, through courtyards, plazas, and walkways.

2. Horizontal mixed use projects shall include a pedestrian network connecting the residential components of the project with the nonresidential components through the provision of courtyards, plazas, and walkways.

3. All building design and site design requirements and criteria identified herein shall be incorporated into mixed use projects.

I. Solar on Site. Projects shall include on-site solar photovoltaic panels/equipment to help achieve energy efficiency standards contained within California Code of Regulations Title 24.

J. Additional Objective Standards Within Land Use Code and Specific Plans. Projects subject to this chapter must comply with all other applicable objective standards within this land use code and adopted policies of specific plans. (Ord. 927 § 16, 2024).

17.39.040 Multifamily plex objective residential design standards.

These standards apply to all multifamily plex housing developments that contain two to nine dwelling units, with the exception of cottage housing projects consistent with Section 17.42.125, to which only the standards of subsections (B)(1) through (B)(5) of this section shall apply. The standards of subsections (B)(1) through (B)(5) of this section may also be applied to structures containing up to four dwelling units that are part of a development of ten or more units that is comprised of single-family and/or multifamily structures.

A. Neighborhood Compatibility. The purpose of the neighborhood compatibility design standards is to enhance established neighborhoods and their distinctive characteristics by requiring new multifamily plex development projects of two to nine dwelling units to include features most relevant to the Cotati community.

1. Dwelling units in multifamily plex developments may be contained in a single building or multiple buildings, with the number of units across all buildings in the development totaling no more than nine.

2. The dwelling units within the development that are adjacent to a public street(s) shall be oriented with individual entries, porches, stoops, windows, and landscaping facing the street. Walkways shall lead from the street to the individual entries of the street-facing units.

3. The project shall be designed so that at least fifty percent of the length of the facade of each building adjacent to a public street is occupied by living space with windows.

4. Street-facing parking lots, parking spaces, carports, and garages are not allowed. All parking shall be located behind the street-facing building(s) or at the rear of the lot, with the exception of two-unit (duplex) developments.

5. The maximum height for multifamily plex housing is three stories. A third story must be set back a minimum of thirty feet from any property line adjacent to properties located in lower-density zoning districts that are developed with single-family residences.

6. Any building facade facing a street, public park, or publicly accessible outdoor space shall incorporate a horizontal offset for every fifty feet of continuous building wall length with a minimum depth of thirty-six inches.

B. Building Design. The intent of these building design standards is to enhance the quality and character of neighborhoods with new multifamily plex developments that include design features of traditional architectural residential styles that reflect the character of the Cotati community.

1. Buildings shall include design features of traditional homes consisting of:

b. Rooflines shall extend past the wall of the building with a minimum eave width of eighteen inches and shall include exposed roof beams and/or rafters.

c. The upper portion (quarter to half) of a window shall include divided lights or simulated divided lights. Tinted and reflective glass is prohibited.

d. Windows shall be limited to double hung, single hung, casement, or fixed, and shall include a wood surround with a minimum width of four inches (nominal).

e. Exterior entry doors shall include recessed panels and/or glazing and shall include a wood surround with a minimum width of four inches (nominal).

f. Exterior wall materials shall include at least two of the following materials: solid wood or concrete based wood siding, plywood with vertical solid wood battens of at least two-inch width (nominal), solid wood or concrete based shingle siding, stucco, brick, and stone. Materials such as T1-11 siding, particle board, vinyl, foam, and EIFS are prohibited.

g. Building materials and details shall be consistent on all elevations that are visible from a public street.

h. All ground-level residential units fronting onto a public street, plaza, park, or courtyard shall have their primary access from a porch, or in the NU zoning district, a porch or stoop. Porches that serve one or two units shall be a minimum of six feet clear depth and eight feet clear width. Porches that serve three or more units shall be a minimum of six feet clear depth and twelve feet clear width. Stoops shall be a minimum of four feet clear depth and six feet clear width. Porches/stoops shall be open on the front and at least one side, with the exception that porches shall have a partial enclosure of a maximum height of thirty-six inches (or the minimum height required by the building code) above the floor. This enclosure shall be either (i) a half wall/pony wall enclosed with the same materials as the building’s exterior, natural stone, or brick, or (ii) a wooden balustrade featuring balusters, pickets, or spindles, open horizontal slats, or other decorative woodwork of an open design. Stoops may feature a finished metal railing and balustrade. Porches and stoops shall be covered with a roof that is supported by square/rectangular columns which may be straight and/or tapered. Cantilevered roofs are not permitted.

2. Blank walls shall not exceed twenty linear feet without being interrupted by an architectural element, material change, window, or entry.

3. Where one or more windows are proposed ten feet or less from a side lot line, or ten feet from another residential structure on the same site, the windows shall be oriented and/or screened by an architectural feature or landscaping to provide privacy for the residents of both structures.

4. Exposed stairs to the upper levels of structures are not permitted on the street-facing facades.

5. All roof-mounted and/or ground-mounted equipment with the exception of solar collector panels shall be screened from view using architectural and/or landscape features.

6. The maximum unit size in gross floor area, exclusive of garages or private open space, for multifamily plex housing development shall be as follows, for at least eighty percent of the development’s units or fraction thereof:

a. Zero-bedroom/studio units: six hundred square feet.

b. One-bedroom units: nine hundred square feet.

c. Two-bedroom units: one thousand two hundred square feet.

d. Three-bedroom units: one thousand five hundred square feet.

e. Four-plus-bedroom units: one thousand eight hundred square feet.

C. Site Design. The intent of site design standards is to ensure the integration of new multifamily plex development into the surrounding neighborhood and enhance the appearance, safety, convenience, and social interaction of the project. Further, these standards are intended to identify the appropriate location and appearance of parking and other features serving these developments.

1. Each multifamily plex residential project shall provide permanently maintained usable open space. “Usable open space” means on-site area or areas, accessible to the residents of the development it serves and designed for safe and convenient active use for recreational, leisure, and social activities. Projects shall provide a minimum of fifty square feet of usable private open space per unit, which may include a porch, stoop, patio, deck, balcony, and/or yard, and a minimum aggregate total of one hundred square feet of usable common open space per unit.

2. Structures shall be separated by a minimum of five feet.

3. The entrances, porches/patios, and at least one window of dwelling units that are not required to be oriented toward a public street shall be oriented toward the common open space in the project.

4. Accessory structures and uses (e.g., bicycle storage, garages, carports, laundry rooms, recreation facilities, etc.) shall be designed and constructed with an architectural style, exterior colors, and materials that match the structures in the project containing dwelling units.

5. Off-street parking, covered and uncovered, for multifamily plex developments of three or more units shall be screened from view from adjacent public streets. Screening may be accomplished through building placement, landscaping, a planted earth berm, planted fencing, topography, or some combination of the above. Landscaping used for screening purposes shall be no less than ten feet wide (from the back of sidewalk or street curb to the parking lot paving, whichever is greater) and no less than three feet tall.

6. Structures listed on Table 9.1-1 (Buildings Potentially Eligible for the California Register) of the Cotati general plan background report shall be preserved/restored in their existing location and incorporated into the proposed development.

7. Landscaping shall comply with the requirements of Chapter 17.34 (Water Efficient Landscaping Standards).

8. Parking Location. Off-street parking shall be located so that garage doors, carports, and open parking spaces are not visible from the street fronting the parcel, with the exception of two-unit (duplex) developments which shall comply with Section 17.36.090.

9. Outdoor lighting shall be installed and maintained along all vehicular access ways and pedestrian walkways, in compliance with Section 17.30.060 (Outdoor lighting). The lighting shall be shielded and directed downward onto the driveways and walkways within the development and away from adjacent properties to eliminate glare and minimize light trespass. Lighting of at least one foot-candle shall also be installed and maintained within all covered and enclosed parking areas and shall be screened with full cutoff luminaires to minimize sky glow and glare onto public sidewalks and adjacent residences. Lighting fixtures/lamps shall be energy efficient and be a warm light with a broad color spectrum to minimize sky glow. An all-night light shall not exceed three thousand K (Kelvin Color Temperature Scale) and lights with an on/off timer shall not exceed four thousand K. Proposed lighting shall be shown on the required landscape plan and supported by a photometric analysis.

D. Accessory Elements. The intent of accessory elements standards is to ensure that certain accessory uses are provided and appropriately screened.

1. Perimeter fencing utilized along public streets shall be constructed of decorative iron, pre-painted welded steel, stone, wood, or a combination of such materials. Chain-link fencing is prohibited.

2. The height of solid fencing between private yards and common open spaces shall be limited to forty-two inches in height.

3. Screen rooftop equipment (solar panels are exempt) from visibility. The point of view for determining visibility shall be five feet above grade at a distance of two hundred feet.

5. Refuse Containers.

a. Four units or less may be served by individual or shared refuse containers, which must fit either in garage(s) or into a special enclosure(s).

b. Projects of five units or more shall provide dumpsters for garbage collection within a roofed enclosure.

c. When dumpsters are required, the project applicant shall coordinate with the refuse pickup provider to determine the size and number of dumpsters required and ensure that dumpsters shall accommodate all waste streams (landfill, recycling, and compost, etc.).

d. Dumpster enclosures shall be roofed and incorporate walls a minimum of six feet tall. Allow adequate size to accommodate the needed garbage dumpsters, compost, and recycling containers. All enclosures and gates should be designed to withstand heavy use. Provide wheel stops or curbs to prevent dumpsters from banging into walls of enclosure.

e. Provide an opening so that pedestrians can access the dumpsters without opening the large gates.

f. Provide lighting at trash enclosures for nighttime security and use.

g. Locate dumpster enclosures so that no dwelling is closer than twenty feet (including those on abutting properties), or more than one hundred feet from a residential unit. No minimum distance from dwellings is required if dumpsters are located within a fully enclosed room.

6. Laundry Facilities. Each unit shall be provided a plumbed individual laundry area within the unit or its garage, of a size large enough to accommodate a clothes washer and dryer. If located in a garage for an individual unit, the laundry area shall not encroach into the parking area. Alternatively, project applicant may provide common laundry facilities.

E. Mixed Use Developments. Projects consisting of both commercial and residential uses shall also be consistent with each of the following standards below:

3. All building design and site design requirements and criteria identified herein shall be incorporated into mixed use projects.

F. Solar on Site. Projects shall include on-site solar photovoltaic panels/equipment to help achieve energy efficiency standards contained within California Code of Regulations Title 24.

G. Additional Objective Standards Within Land Use Code and Specific Plans. Projects subject to this chapter must comply with all other applicable objective standards within this land use code and adopted policies of specific plans. (Ord. 927 § 16, 2024).

17.39.050 Single-family objective residential design standards.

These standards apply to all single-family homes, with the exception of cottage housing projects consistent with Section 17.42.125 and dwelling units that are part of a multifamily housing development. The standards of Sections 17.39.040(B)(1) through (B)(5) may also be applied to structures containing up to four dwelling units that are part of a development of ten or more units that is comprised of single-family and/or multifamily structures.

A. Building Design. The intent of these building design standards is to enhance the quality and character of neighborhoods with new single-family homes that include design features of traditional residential architectural styles and reflect the character of Cotati’s existing housing.

1. Single-family homes shall include design features of traditional residential architectural styles as follows:

a. The primary entrance to the dwelling shall be clearly visible from the street and accessed via a front porch that is located on the front facade. The porch shall be a minimum of six feet clear depth and eight feet clear width. The porch shall be open on the front and at least one side, with the exception of a partial enclosure of a maximum height of thirty-six inches (or the minimum height required by the building code) above the floor. This enclosure shall be either (i) a half wall/pony wall enclosed with the same materials as the building’s exterior, natural stone, or brick, or (ii) a wooden balustrade featuring balusters, pickets, or spindles, open horizontal slats, or other decorative woodwork of an open design. Porches shall be covered with a roof.

b. Building materials and details shall be consistent on all elevations, with the exception of the rear elevation.

c. Exterior wall materials shall include at least two of the following materials: solid wood or concrete-based wood siding, plywood with vertical solid wood battens of at least two-inch width (nominal), solid wood or concrete-based shingle siding, stucco, brick, and stone. Exterior wall materials such as T1-11 siding, particle board, vinyl, foam, and EIFS are prohibited.

d. The front facade of a garage shall not exceed a width of twenty-five feet.

e. Blank walls shall not exceed twenty linear feet without being interrupted by a window or entry.

f. Where one or more windows are proposed ten feet or less from a side lot line, or ten feet from another residential structure on the same site, the windows shall be oriented and/or screened by an architectural feature or landscaping to provide privacy for the residents of both structures.

2. The building design shall comply with at least five of the following standards:

b. Rooflines shall extend past the wall of the building with a minimum eave width of eighteen inches and shall include exposed roof beams and/or rafters.

c. Triangular knee braces supporting eaves, beams extending beyond the edge of the roof eaves, and/or decorative exposed roof beams shall be incorporated.

d. The upper portion (quarter to half) of a window shall include divided lights or simulated divided lights. Tinted and reflective glass is prohibited.

e. Windows shall be limited to double hung, single hung, casement, or fixed, and shall include a wood surround with a minimum width of four inches (nominal).

f. Exterior entry doors shall include recessed panels and/or glazing and shall include a wood surround with a minimum width of four inches (nominal).

g. The ground floor of the home shall be raised twelve to thirty inches above natural grade.

h. The roof of the front porch shall be supported by square/rectangular columns at least six inches in width (nominal) which may be straight and/or tapered.

i. The upper story(ies) of the house shall be set back at least thirty-six inches from the first story.

j. Parking shall be provided behind dwelling such that no surface parking, garage, or carport is visible from street. Such parking may be accessed via an alley at the rear or side of the property, or via a driveway in compliance with Section 17.36.090(A)(4).

B. Site Design. The intent of site design standards is to ensure the integration of new single-family homes into the surrounding neighborhood.

1. No more than forty percent of the front setback area shall be paved for walkways, driveways, and/or other hardcover pavement.

2. Perimeter fencing utilized along public streets shall be constructed of decorative iron, pre-painted welded steel, stone, wood, or a combination of such materials. Chain-link fencing is prohibited.

3. All roof-mounted and/or ground-mounted equipment with the exception of solar collector panels shall be screened from view using architectural and/or landscape features. The point of view for determining visibility of roof-mounted equipment shall be five feet above grade at a distance of two hundred feet.

5. Accessory structures and uses shall be designed and constructed with an architectural style, exterior colors, and materials that match the dwelling unit.

6. All landscaping shall comply with the requirements of Chapter 17.34 (Water Efficient Landscaping Standards).

7. Any outdoor lighting on the property shall be in compliance with Section 17.30.060 (Outdoor lighting).

C. Additional Objective Standards Within Land Use Code and Specific Plans. Projects subject to this chapter must comply with all other applicable objective standards within this land use code and adopted policies of specific plans. (Ord. 927 § 16, 2024).

ARTICLE 4. STANDARDS FOR SPECIFIC LAND USES

Prior legislation: Ord. 918.