Planning Commission to hold Public Hearing on Draft Development Code and Zoning Map

The City of Duarte Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on July 19, 2010, for the Comprehensive Citywide Development Code (MCA and ZC 10-1), which replaces the current Subdivision and Zoning Codes that were originally adopted in 1962 and last updated in 1991.

The Development Code regulates the physical development of land, which affects people both living and working in Duarte. The new Development Code includes modifications to development standards and permitted land uses and will include new sustainability and conservation standards. Minor changes to the zoning map will also be considered.

In 2008, the City of Duarte initiated an update to the City’s Zoning and Subdivision sections of the Duarte Municipal Code (Titles 19 and 18, respectively).

The Zoning and Subdivision ordinances have not been comprehensively updated in more than 40 years. As a result of piecemeal changes and fixes over the years, these ordinances are difficult to use, lacking in flexibility, confusing to both the public and staff, and internally inconsistent. With the assistance from consultant Hogle-Ireland, the proposed Comprehensive Development Code is intended to create a modern, streamlined set of development regulations that will attract economic development, result in high-quality construction, and serve as a functional tool.

Since 2008, 11 community workshops have been held to discuss various sections of the proposed Code, such as: zoning districts, hillside development, parking, residential uses and sign related issues. Most recently, in June, two workshops were held with the Planning Commission to review the entire draft Comprehensive Citywide Development Code. Community input from these workshops have been incorporated into the new Code. The Code is now ready for deliberation by the Planning Commission, which will also consider recommendation to the City Council for final approval.

The Planning Commission will also review and consider recommending City Council approval of an Addendum to the Final Environmental Impact Report (“FEIR”) for the Duarte General Plan Update (SCH #2007031064) certified in 2007, based on EIA (Initial Study) #240 and the determination under the California Environmental Quality Act that all environmental impacts related to the adoption of the Development Code were reviewed and mitigated in the FEIR. An Addendum is appropriate when, as here, only minor technical changes or modifications to the previously certified FEIR are necessary and such changes do not result in any new significant impacts or a substantial increase in the severity of previously identified significant impacts.

To provide input and to learn about the Development Code and how it may affect your property, please attend the Planning Commission public hearing on Monday, July 19, 2010, at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers, 1600 Huntington Drive, Duarte, California.

Copies of the draft Development Code and Zoning Map are available for public review at the City Community Development counter, as well as the City of Duarte public library. The accompanying draft Zoning Map reflects land uses and vision established by the 2007 General Plan. The draft Code may also be viewed on-line from the following links:

Table of Contents
Article 1: Enactment, Applicability, and Enforcement
Article 2: Zones, Allowable Uses, and Development Standards
Article 3: Regulations Applicable to all Zones
Article 4: Standards for Specific Land Uses and Activities
Article 5: Subdivisions
Article 6: Nonconformities
Article 7: Permit Processing Procedures
Article 8: Development Code Administration
Article 9: Definitions
Draft Zoning Map
Map

We encourage you to contact the City of Duarte Community Development Department prior to the Planning Commission meeting, to learn more about the proposed changes or to arrange to review the Draft Development Code.

For further information, please contact the Community Development Department at 1600 Huntington Drive, Duarte, CA, Monday through Thursday between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. or call us at (626)-357-7931, ext. 230 or 235.

Any interested party may appear in person or by agent and be heard. If this matter is challenged in court, there will be a limit to only those issues that were raised at the Public Hearing described in this Notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the City Council at, or prior to, the Public Hearing. Written correspondence may be sent to Duarte City Hall, Community Development Department, 1600 Huntington Drive, Duarte, CA 91010. Disability Accommodations: Please notify the Community Development Department at 626-357-7931 at least 48 hours prior to the meeting if reasonable disability accommodations are needed.