§ 8109-1.3.4. Residential High Density development standards.

The site plans or other materials submitted with the RHD zoning clearance application shall establish compliance with the following development standards:

a.

Setback Regulations. Setbacks shall be in accordance with standards established in Section 8106-1.1.

b.

Open Space Requirements. Open space shall be provided for the benefit and recreational use of the residents of the multi-family residential project in accordance with the following standards:

(1)

Common Open Space:

(a)

At least twenty (20) percent of the permit area shall be preserved as common open space.

(b)

Land uses considered as common open space for the purposes of this section include parks, recreational facilities, common gardens, greenbelts at least ten (10) feet wide, bikeways, and pedestrian paths not associated with individual dwelling access.

(c)

At least fifty (50) percent of the area designated as common open space shall be comprised of land with slopes of ten (10) percent or less.

(d)

The following areas may not be used to fulfill the common open space requirement:

i.

Streets and street rights-of-way;

ii.

Parking areas and driveways, and parking area landscaping;

iii.

Drainage or retention facilities that are not specifically designed for common recreational uses; or

iv.

Private outdoor open space.

(e)

Property owner(s) are responsible for maintenance of all common open space in compliance with Ventura County Landscape Design Criteria.

(2)

Private Outdoor Open Space: In addition to common open space, private open space shall be provided for each unit. It may be provided in the form of outdoor patios, decks and/or balconies and shall be directly and exclusively accessed by the unit it is intended to serve.

(a)

Ground Floor Level Units: Private outdoor open space must be a minimum of one hundred fifty (150) square feet per unit and all dimensions must be a minimum of eight (8) feet.

(b)

Upper Level Units: Private outdoor open space for upper level units must be provided as balconies or loggias with a minimum 5-foot depth dimension.

c.

Multi-family residential projects located on parcels adjacent to agricultural operations shall include a 300-foot setback between the agriculture and the new residential structures or a 150-foot setback if there is a vegetative barrier between the agriculture and the new residential structures.

d.

Multi-family residential projects located adjacent to railroad right-of-way shall provide six foot high fencing or walls on-site to prevent project residents from accessing the railroad tracks.

e.

The applicant must demonstrate that the Water and Environmental Resources Division of the Watershed Protection District has determined: (1) there is sufficient water supply to serve the proposed multi-family development; and (2) if the proposed multi-family development is located within the service area of a water purveyor that provides water from an overdrafted groundwater basin or provides water from a groundwater basin that is in hydrologic connection with an overdrafted groundwater basin, that the proposed multi-family development will not adversely impact the overdrafted groundwater basin. If the groundwater basin that will serve the development is located within the boundaries of the Fox Canyon Groundwater Management Agency then the Water and Environmental Resources Division of the Watershed Protection District must first consult with the Fox Canyon Groundwater Management Agency prior to making its determination. Applicants may be required to submit a water demand study prepared by a state-licensed Civil Engineer or Professional Geologist that demonstrates the project will not cause a net increase in average annual groundwater extraction. If a water demand study is required, it must consider the current consumptive water demand of existing land uses on the project site and the estimated consumptive water demand of the proposed project. The effects of changes in percolation rates due to development, water recycling and conservation measures such as low water use appliances and efficient irrigation must be considered in the analysis.

f.

If the proposed multi-family residential project site is located in a dam inundation area as identified in the Hazards Appendix of the General Plan, then an emergency evacuation plan submitted by the applicant must be approved by the County Office of Emergency Services.

g.

Compliance with all other applicable County development and building standards.

(Ord. No. 4436, § 7, 6-28-2011)