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9.A. - Page 6 <br /> Home Size Restrictions <br /> The Redwood City Municipal Code has numerous zoning code restrictions that limit the <br /> size of any home, essentially creating the "envelope" in which it can be developed. The <br /> four major regulations that limit home size include maximum lot coverage (the footprint <br /> of the house), minimum setbacks (distance of the house to the property line), maximum <br /> height (as measured from the grade level) and automobile parking. As noted above, as <br /> the Municipal Code currently stands, the Planned Development Permit process allows <br /> hillside property owners to request exceptions to these regulations. <br /> Redwood City does not, however, restrict home size for residential properties beyond <br /> the regulations stated above. In other words, there is not an explicit maximum amount <br /> of floor area ratio (FAR) that can be built on each property. Throughout this process, <br /> there have been discussions about potential restrictions on home sizes. Some <br /> community members stated that explicit FAR limits would contribute toward safety and <br /> compatibility. Other community members were concerned with a "one-size-fits-all" <br /> formula that didn't reflect specific lot characteristics or family needs. Staff is not <br /> recommending that the City institute FARs on homes on slopes. <br /> Review Threshold: Staff and Planning Commission recommend the establishment of a <br /> threshold for additional review. This approach would require a Zoning Administrator <br /> public hearing for new houses greater than 3,000 square feet or additions to existing <br /> homes that (with the addition) exceed 3,000 square feet. The idea is that the expanded <br /> notification of neighbors, a public hearing requirement, and the additional opportunity for <br /> public review would ensure that neighborhood concerns are addressed prior to approval <br /> of a larger home. All Zoning Administrator decisions are appealable to the Planning <br /> Commission. Thresholds do not have the certainty of a specific limit, which may create <br /> concerns about what size of home can be expected. However, as noted above, staff is <br /> also recommending the removal of the Planned Development Process, which will create <br /> additional certainty. The Review Threshold strategy does allow for more discretion in <br /> evaluating proposed construction. <br /> The potential for a FAR limit, a strategy used in many communities, was evaluated, but <br /> staff and Planning Commission do not recommend this approach. There are significant <br /> concerns with instituting a floor area limit, particularly when applied exclusively to <br /> hillside properties. <br /> Inconsistent application- Redwood City does not limit floor area in any other residential <br /> neighborhood. General Plan Program BE-1 (see below) calls for considering floor area <br /> ratios and building scale in established neighborhoods, and establishing floor area limits <br /> on residential development. However, all other jurisdictions that apply floor area limits <br /> apply them district-wide to all residential single-family districts. Slope is often a factor, <br /> but even flat lots have some limit applied. Staff did not find a jurisdiction that applied <br /> floor area limits solely to hillside or sloping areas. Establishing a hard limit for certain <br /> lots and no limits for adjacent properties can create potential compatibility and fairness <br /> Page 6 of 10 <br />