Saratoga is reevaluating its downtown development standards amid discussions about balancing historical charm with modern updates. A joint study session with the planning commission focused on creating objective design standards to support the 2023-31 Housing Element. Existing guidelines will remain as recommendations, but subjective aspects cannot enforce regulations. Consultants from Lisa Wise Consulting will assist in updating the Village Design Guidelines and amending zoning laws. The study session did not yield decisions, highlighting challenges in defining objective standards and articulating building elements that encourage community engagement.
The goal is to eventually update the Village Design Guidelines with new objective design standards, maintaining consistency with zoning laws to ensure effective project permitting.
Consultants will recommend amendments to the city's zoning laws to align with new design standards, as previous work focused on establishing objective measures for residential projects.
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