Foster City evaluating new architecture guidelines

Foster City may be a planned community, but the Planning Commission and staff are hopeful the Aug. 4 discussion will start to help address issues and bring codes into current times.

“We can upgrade and still maintain harmony,” Planning Commissioner Evan Adams said.

Foster City is receiving more requests to incorporate design styles not traditionally consistent with its architectural principles, often a significant departure from previous proposals, a staff report said. Many are using minor materials but with different architecture styles than previous, like sidings.

Adams said homeowners are choosing finishes that wouldn’t necessitate a review but are still different, prompting the city to try and be proactive. For many homeowners, architecture is low on the list of factors considered when buying a home, given the difficulty in the Bay Area market. Once people buy a house and complete the arduous process, many look to make updates to their specifications.

“I think there is a way we can modernize while maintaining continuity,” Adams said.

The last code review was back in 2001, with a clear need to update to address lengthy application and process times and friction throughout the process. Adams said current plans hadn’t been updated for so long because of the piecemeal authority over the codes, with staff, council and the master plan instructions all involved. Guidelines may also have additional control layers in specific neighborhoods because of Homeowner Association requirements. Current guidelines ask that architecture preserve the character and scale of neighborhoods, build improvements that reduce privacy and sunlight, or remove views from the lagoons and waterways. The city’s municipal code also has guiding principles when going through an architecture review that staff looks for, including copying materials, windows, colors and roof pitch, while also keeping in character with the original home.

Additional discussions around SB 9 and ADU laws will also take place. SB 9 allows for the creation of up to four housing units in the lot area typically used for one single-family home as the state works to address its housing shortage. Adams said lots of wording is general and unspecific and would not work in conjunction with SB 9, which requires ministerial review and objective design standards. ADUs in single-family lots also raise questions on architecture standards on how they fit into Foster City.

The subject will be further discussed in smaller study sessions looking at individual projects, with plans for more community outreach to understand where residents stand. Residents at the Aug. 4 Planning Commission asked for a more streamlined process that does not drag on for two to three years and wastes money.

curtis@smdailyjournal.com

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