Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Steve Monowitz, Community Development Director
Subject: A zoning text amendment to the County’s Mobilehome Park (MH) Zoning District (Zoning Regulations Chapter 26) to adopt a uniform 28-foot height limit for all structures on mobilehome parks in the County’s Coastal Zone, and to apply a uniform method of measuring structure height in MH-zoned areas countywide that measures height from the lower of finished or natural grade.
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt an ordinance amending County Ordinance Code, Division VI, Part One (Zoning Regulations) Chapter 26 (MH Zoning District) Section 6541, regarding maximum height in Mobilehome Parks, and waive the reading of the ordinance in its entirety.
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BACKGROUND:
Proposal: The proposed project is a zoning text amendment to the County’s MH Zoning District (Zoning Regulations Chapter 26, Section 6535 et. seq.) establishing a uniform 28-foot height limit for all structures in MH-zoned areas in the County’s Coastal Zone, and applying a uniform method of measuring structure height in all MH-zoned areas countywide that measures height from the lower of finished or natural grade to the topmost point of the structure immediately above.
Planning Commission Action: On December 13, 2017, the Planning Commission voted to recommend that the Board of Supervisors adopt the proposed amendments to the height of structures in MH-zoned areas in the County’s Coastal Zone, and the method of measuring height in MH-zoned areas countywide.
Report Prepared By: William Gibson, Project Planner, 650/363-1816
Appellant: N/A
Applicant: San Mateo County Planning and Building Department
Owner: N/A
Locations:
• Bayshore Villa Manufactured Housing Community,
3499 East Bayshore Road, Redwood City
• Trailer Villa, 3401 East Bayshore Road, Redwood City
• Belmont Trailer Park, 100 Harbor Boulevard, Belmont
• Pillar Ridge, 164 Culebra Road, Moss Beach (in the County’s Coastal Zone)
• Redwood Trailer Village, 855 Barron Avenue, Redwood City
• Sequoia Trailer Park, 730 Barron Avenue, Redwood City
APNs: Various
Sizes:
• Bayshore Villa: 7.92 acres
• Trailer Villa: 6.03 acres
• Belmont Trailer Park: 3.19 acres
• Pillar Ridge: 19.33 acres
• Redwood Trailer Village: 1.53 acres
• Sequoia Trailer Park: 4.61 acres
Existing Zoning: MH
General Plan Designation:
• Bayshore Villa Manufactured Housing Community: High Density Residential
• Trailer Villa: High Density Residential
• Belmont Trailer Park: Medium Density Residential
• Pillar Ridge: Medium High Density Residential
• Redwood Trailer Village: Medium Density Residential
• Sequoia Trailer Park: Medium Density Residential
Sphere-of-Influence: Half Moon Bay; Belmont; Redwood City
Existing Land Use: Fully developed mobilehome parks with a variety of mobilehomes and other temporary, semi-temporary, and permanent residential structures and ancillary uses.
Water Supply: N/A
Sewage Disposal: N/A
Flood Zone: N/A
Environmental Evaluation: The proposed modifications are within the scope of the Initial Study and Negative Declaration prepared for the adoption of the MH Zoning Regulations and application of those regulations to various mobilehome parks in the unincorporated county, as approved by the Board of Supervisors on September 26, 2017. The proposed amendment also constitutes a reduction in the development intensity allowed by that prior adoption. The Initial Study and Negative Declaration for the MH Zoning adoption were circulated beginning on July 26, 2017.
Setting: N/A
DISCUSSION:
A. KEY ISSUES
1. Project Description
The project is a proposed zoning text amendment to the County’s MH Zoning District (Zoning Regulations Chapter 26, Section 6535 et. seq.) to adopt a uniform 28-foot height limit for all structures on mobilehome parks in the County’s Coastal Zone, and to apply a uniform method of measuring structure height in MH-zoned areas that measures height from the lower of finished or natural grade to the topmost point.
Only MH-zoned areas in the County’s Coastal Zone would be affected by the proposed change in maximum height. The only MH-zoned area currently in the Coastal Zone is the Pillar Ridge Mobilehome Park, at 164 Culebra Road, Moss Beach.
Currently, the MH Zoning District allows heights of up to 28 feet for mobilehomes, and 36 feet for conditionally permitted affordable housing uses, and measures height from the average (grade), rather than the lower of natural or finished grade. The proposed amendment would apply the 28-foot height limit to all structures in MH-zoned areas in the County’s Coastal Zone, and would implement height measurement from the lower of natural or finished grade to the topmost point of the structure immediately above. All MH-zoned areas would be affected by the proposed change in measurement of height, although the potential impacts of such a change are negligible.
2. MH (Mobilehome) Zoning District
On September 26, 2017, the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors adopted a new MH Zoning District, as Chapter 26 of the County Zoning Regulation. This chapter replaced the County’s Trailer Camp regulations, previously codified in Ordinance Code Chapter 5.92. The new MH zoning regulations establish land use regulations, performance standards, and permitting requirements for mobilehome parks, including height limitations for mobilehomes, ancillary uses, and conditionally permitted affordable housing uses in mobilehome parks.
3. Board of Supervisors Action and Direction
The Board of Supervisors, when adopting the new regulations, directed Planning and Building Department staff to prepare and submit the modifications included in the proposed amendment: a 28-foot uniform height limit for structures on MH-zoned mobilehome parks in the County’s Coastal Zone, and a method of measuring structure height from the lower of natural or finished grade. The proposed amendments specifically respond to the Board’s direction.
4. Summary
The proposed amendments to the MH Zoning District follow the direction of the County Board of Supervisors, and establish a uniform 28-foot height for all structures in MH-zoned areas of the County’s Coastal Zone, with height measured from the lower of natural or finished grade in all MH-zoned areas.
B. ALTERNATIVES
The alternative to adoption of the proposed zoning text amendments is to forgo any or all of these amendments, maintaining the currently allowed height and/or height measurement methodology as-is.
C. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The County prepared an Initial Study and Negative Declaration for the prior adoption of the MH Zoning District, and that District’s application to various mobilehome parks in the unincorporated County, including Pillar Ridge, the only park in the County’s Coastal Zone currently zoned MH. That environmental review determined that there are no potentially significant impacts from adoption of the proposed amendments. As the proposed amendments constitute a reduction in the development intensity allowed by the MH Zoning District, there is no potential for additional environmental impact. That prior Initial Study and Negative Declaration were posted on July 26, 2017, and no comments were received.
D. REVIEWING AGENCIES
County Counsel
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact to the County from adoption of the ordinance.
ATTACHMENTS
A. Ordinance amending MH Zoning Regulations