Summary

County Code Sections 18.10.113 through 18.10.121 describe the required notice that must be given to the public for different types of discretionary applications. In addition to other notice requirements, the County requires the following types of public notice to be implemented by the applicant:

These notification requirements provide information to neighbors and other interested parties early in the development review process. The intent is to improve neighborhood awareness of potential or pending projects and facilitate neighborhood involvement in the planning process, producing better-designed projects and less controversy at public hearings. Ideally, issues of concern to neighbors and others will be expressed and possibly addressed before an applicant invests in detailed plans and before the application reaches the decision-making body. Both the project site sign and neighborhood meeting requirements are described below.

Project Site Sign

1. Provide Sign Placement
   1. Timing. Your project site sign installation is confirmed by submittal of a sign installation certificate (Attachment 1). The sign certificate must be received by the Planning Department at least 10 calendar days prior to the first public hearing on the project. If the project requires environmental review, the sign certificate must be received no later than the Notice of Intent to Issue a Negative Declaration is issued. If an EIR is required, the sign certification must be received no later than the Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Report is issued.
   2. Visibility. All required signs shall be placed on the property to be clearly seen and readily readable from each right-of-way providing primary vehicular access to the subject property. Corner lots should use one two-sided sign placed diagonally to the corner to be visible from both streets. Signs shall be located not to interfere with vehicular line of sight distance.
2. Project Site Sign Standards See the illustration of a sample sign below. Staff will provide you with the text to be used for your sign(s) and may require that you include additional specific information in order to provide a useful notice.
   1. Size, material, and height above grade. Each sign shall be no smaller than 2 feet (vertical) by 2 feet ( horizontal) and no larger than 2 feet (vertical) by 4 feet (horizontal). Signs shall be constructed of Coroplast material unless other weatherproof material is approved by the Planning Department. The information required shall be rendered weatherproof and shall be legible at all times. No sign shall exceed seven (7) feet above grade, except where necessary to be clearly seen and readily readable from each right-of-way providing primary vehicular access to the subject property.
   2. Information required. Each sign shall be printed with legible black lettering in Arial or similar standard typeface on a white background and shall include only the following factual information:
      1. Header "NOTICE OF PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT" (no less than 2-inch capital letters, bold)
      2. Application Number (1-inch figures, bold)
      3. Description of proposed development on the site, including type of project, proposed use, number of units/lots, types of applications being processed with a description of each (½-inch to 1-inch letters, bold).
      4. Footer with applicant's name, address, phone number, and e-mail address if applicable, on the left side and the project planner's name, address, phone number, and e-mail address on the right side (½ inch to 1 inch capital letters, bold).
      
   3. Sign manufacturer. Applicants are free to select any sign manufacturer to make the sign as long as all of the standards of (A) and (B) above are met.
   4. Modifications to your submitted application. The following modifications to the submitted application will require new notice including new sign / text.
      1. A change that results in an increase of 20% or more in height, floor area ratio, or lot coverage.
      2. A change that results in an increase in the number of lots or dwelling units.
      If the Planning Director finds that the modification is not significant per 18.10.113(C) or was modified to improve General Plan / LCP compliance, the second neighborhood meeting may be waived.
3. Sign Removal
   1. Timing. Each sign shall be removed within 10 calendar days after the expiration of the final appeal period or the date on which a final appeal decision is effective. You must provide the project planner a completed, signed affidavit attesting that the sign has been removed in the time period allowed (Attachment 2).
   2. Consequences for failure to remove sign. If you do not return the affidavit or if the sign is not removed within the time allowed, no inspection signoff of your project may occur nor any building permit be approved before removal of the sign and correction of the violation.

Neighborhood Meeting

Applicable to any discretionary permit or legislative action reviewed by the Planning Commission or Board of Supervisors

Holding your meeting. As indicated above, County Code Section 18.10.113 describes requirements for a neighborhood meeting that is conducted prior to application for any project acted upon by the Planning Commission or Board of Supervisors. The neighborhood meeting regulations are summarized below, along with information about who is notified of the meeting and how they are notified:

The neighborhood meeting can be held at any time before application submittal and after any Development Review Group meeting. Your meeting must be held at a time and location convenient for neighbors, at or near the site of the proposed development. A typically convenient time is on a weekday evening starting at 7:00 or 7:30 p.m.

Meeting Summary. The County Code requires that a summary of the neighborhood meeting(s) be submitted with the application. No application shall be deemed complete without the summary of the neighborhood meeting when one is required. The results of a required neighborhood meeting are for informational use only and do not govern action on the application.

1. Meeting notification materials
2. Mailing lists and any other outreach methods
3. Dates, times, and locations of all meetings
4. Attendance lists
5. Copies of all plans, mailings, handouts, letters, etc., used as part of the meeting notification or the meeting itself
   1. Describe the concerns, issues and problems raised by the neighbors during the meetings.
   2. Describe how you have addressed or intend to address the concerns, issues or problems raised by the neighbors.
      1. Address each concern, issue and problem.
      2. Include drawings, details or references to plans, as appropriate.
   3. Describe all concerns, issues, and problems that cannot be addressed, including irresolvable conflict.

Second Neighborhood Meeting. The following modifications to your application will require a second neighborhood meeting prior to scheduling a public hearing:

• An increase in the number of lots or dwelling units.
• An increase of 20% or more in height, floor area ratio or lot coverage.

Required Forms

• Sign Installation Certificate
• Sign Removal Affidavit