§ 26-82-050. Design review requirement.

(a)

No permit shall be issued for any project requiring design review approval unless and until drawings and plans have been approved by the design review committee or other applicable decision making body as the case may be. All buildings, structures and grounds shall be developed in accordance with the approved drawings and plans.

(b)

The design review committee, composed of three (3) members appointed by the planning director, shall be responsible for and shall have the authority to approve drawings and plans within the meaning of this section. The committee, or other applicable decision-making body as the case may be, shall endeavor to provide that the architectural and general appearance of buildings or structures and grounds are in keeping with the character of the neighborhood and are not detrimental to the orderly and harmonious development of the county and do not impair the desirability of investment or occupation in the neighborhood.

(c)

The planning director may waive the above requirement for design review committee approval of a project in the following instances. In such cases, administrative design review approval shall be required as described in (d) below.

(1)

New commercial, institutional or industrial uses permitted by zoning in existing buildings or uses that have been previously authorized by use permit or design review approval. Approval shall be based on a review of the property to assure compliance with the terms and conditions of the original authorization of the use. Additional conditions may be required to implement the objectives of the Sonoma County general plan, applicable specific or area plans, any local area development guidelines and the Sonoma County Code;

(2)

Signs for residential, commercial, industrial and institutional uses permitted by this chapter, for which a sign program has been approved, or for appurtenant signs less than thirty-two (32) square feet, which are not located along a designated scenic corridor;

(3)

Minor facade changes or building additions for residential, institutional, commercial and industrial uses not requiring use permit approval or for such uses for which a use permit has been granted, if such changes or additions involve less than twenty percent (20%) of the existing floor area, do not exceed five thousand (5,000) square feet and are exempt from the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act;

(4)

Fruit and produce stands (if exempt from CEQA);

(5)

Bed and breakfast inns (subsequent to use permit approval);

(6)

Any other project requiring design review approval as specified in this chapter which in the opinion of the planning director based on the small scale and the nature of the development should qualify for administrative design review.

(d)

Administrative design review approval shall consist of a formal written waiver specifying conditions, if any. Copies of the written waiver will be distributed to the applicant and any interested persons. The administrative determination is appealable to the design review committee within ten (10) calendar days following the mailing date of the report. An appeal is made by filing the appropriate application and required fees with the county planning department.

(e)

Any interested person may appeal any decision made by the design review committee pursuant to this chapter to the planning commission. An appeal shall be filed in writing with the planning director within ten (10) days after the decision that is the subject of the appeal. The appeal shall specifically state the basis for the appeal and shall be accompanied by the required filing fee.

(f)

The design review committee may, if it deems it advisable, refer any application for design review approval to the planning commission for its decision.

(Ord. No. 5537 § 2 (b), (c), 2004; Ord. No. 4643, 1993.)