Ordinance 2006-22ORDINANCE NO. 2006 -22
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF GILROY AMENDING
THE GILROY ZONING ORDINANCE BY ADDING NEW
SECTIONS REGARDING PARKING REDUCTIONS AND
CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT REQUIREMENTS FOR
UNREINFORCED MASONRY ( "URM ") BUILDINGS,
AMENDING GILROY CITY CODE BY ADDING A NEW
SECTION 7.4.2 PROVIDING THAT BUILDINGS COMPLYING
WITH THE MANDATORY URM RETROFIT PROGRAM
ASSISTANCE ARE SET AT ZERO (0) PERCENT OF COST
REASONABLY BORNE BY THE CITY, AND AMENDING
SECTION 106.4.3 OF THE CALIFORNIA BUILDING CODE
CONCERNING VALIDITY OF BUILDING PERMITS
WHEREAS, pursuant to the "Unreinforced Masonry Law," California Government Code
sections 8875 et seq. the City implemented a seismic hazard program that identified unreinforced
masonry buildings that may be hazardous to their occupants, pedestrians and adjacent structures
and their occupants in the event of an earthquake; and
WHEREAS, it is the desire and intent of the City Council to provide Gilroy citizens with
the greatest degree of protection from the hazards of unreinforced masonry buildings in the most
effective manner; and
WHEREAS, there exist within the City certain buildings constructed of unreinforced
masonry, and the City; and
WHEREAS, State law allows cities to charge fees for the filing, accepting, reviewing,
approving or issuing of an application, permit or entitlement, so long as the amount of those fees
and charges do not exceed the estimated amount required to provide the service for which the
fees or charges are levied; and
WHEREAS, on October 16, 2006, the City adopted Ordinance 2006 -19 ( "URM
Ordinance "), effective November 15, 2006, which added a new Article VI, entitled "Seismic
Safety" regarding a mitigation program for unreinforced masonry buildings ( "URM Program ");
and _
WHEREAS, Section 7.4 establishes the percentage of the cost reasonably borne by the
City that will be charged to applicants seeking development permit approval and for
development impact fees; and
WHEREAS, the City desires to eliminate development impact fees and charges to
applicants for processing of development applications and building permits for development
projects involving the URM Program; and
WHEREAS, the City desires to eliminate a specified percentage of parking and
conditional use permit requirements to applicants for processing of development applications and
building permits for development projects involving URM Program; and
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WHEREAS, the City further desires to grants extensions to validly issued building
permits to applicants processing development projects involving the URM Program;
WHEREAS, the City finds that these temporary changes to the City's local planning and
building requirements are necessary to facilitate the retrofit of those building to protect the health
and safety of the City's residents and visitors.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GILROY DOES
HEREBY ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION I
Chapter 7 of the Gilroy City Code is hereby amended to add a new section 7.4 -2 to read
as follows:
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Sec. 7.4 -2 Elimination of development impact fees and the charging of costs
reasonably borne to development projects involving the retrofit of
unreinforced masonry buildings.
(a) For the purposes of Section 7.4 -2, "development project" shall mean any
project that requires a permit granting approval for construction from the
City.
(b) For the purposes of this Section, the Financial Incentive Program for the
URM Mandatory Retrofit Program ( "URM Financial Incentive Program ")
shall mean the program adopted by the City to implement the URM
Ordinance 2006 -19 ( "URM Program ").
(c) First year of the URM Financial Incentive Program (from January 1, 2007 to
December 31, 2007). Costs reasonably borne, as set forth in the table in
Section 7.4, shall be set at zero (0) percent and development impact fees set
at zero (0) for development projects involving retrofit of buildings
constructed of unreinforced masonry, except direct costs shall be borne by
said projects for all costs, fees and charges incurred in city review and
processing that must be paid to outside consultants, city- contracted entities,
and other agencies.
(d) Second year of the URM Financial Incentive Program (from January 1, 2008
to December 31, 2008). Costs reasonably borne, as set forth in the table in
Section 7.4, shall be set at fifty percent (50 %) and development impact fees
set at fifty percent (50 %) for development projects involving retrofit of
buildings constructed of unreinforced masonry, except direct costs shall be
borne by said projects for all costs, fees and charges incurred in city review
and processing that must be paid to outside consultants, city - contracted
entities, and other agencies.
(e) Section 7.4 -2, in its entirety, shall become null and void, and have no force
and effect thereafter, on December 31, 2008.
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Ordinance No. 2006 -22
SECTION II
Section 31 of the City Zoning Ordinance is hereby amended by adding new Sections
31.100 through 31.103 entitled "Interim Off - Street Parking Reductions for Development Projects
Involving the Retrofit of Unreinforced Masonry Buildings" to read as follows:
Section 31.100 Interim Off - Street Parking Reductions for Development Projects
Involving the Retrofit of Unreinforced Masonry Buildings
For the purposes of this Section, the Financial Incentive Program for the URM
Mandatory Retrofit Program ( "URM Financial Incentive Program ") shall mean the
program adopted by the City to implement the URM Ordinance 2006 -19 ( "URM
Program ").
Section 31.101 Development Projects
For the purposes of Section 31.100, "development project" shall mean any project that
requires a permit granting approval for construction from the City.
Section 31.102 Parking Reductions Up to and Including 20%
(a) Development projects involving the URM Financial Incentive Program shall be
allowed up to a ten percent (10 %) reduction in required off - street parking below
what is required under the general requirements of Section 31, or up to ten percent
(10 %) of the parking in -lieu fee, if applicable.
(b) Adjacent development projects involving the URM Financial Incentive Program
are concurrently retrofitting their buildings shall be allowed up to a twenty
percent (20 %) reduction in required off - street parking below what is required
under the general requirements of Zoning Ordinance Section 31, or up to twenty
(20 %) percent of the parking in -lieu fee, if applicable.
Section 31.103 Sunset Date
Section 31.100, in its entirety, shall_ become null and void, and have no force and effect _
thereafter, on December 31, 2007.
SECTION III
Section 19.13(b) of the City of Gilroy Zoning Ordinance entitled "Commercial Use Table
(Specific Plan Districts)" "Footnotes to Permitted Uses," footnote 4 (hereinafter "Footnote 4 "), is
hereby amended to read as follows:
4. The uses are unconditionally permitted on the second story and above. Anytime
these uses are proposed for the first floor (sidewalk level), a conditional use
permit is required. Zoning code review and approval process requiring a
conditional use permit specifically for first story office uses for development
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projects involving the retrofit of unreinforced masonry buildings shall be
suspended as provided for below.
For the purposes of this Footnote 4, the Financial Incentive Program for the URM
Mandatory Retrofit Program ( "URM Financial Incentive Program ") shall mean
the program adopted by the City to implement the URM Ordinance 2006 -19
( "URM Program ").
Footnote 4, as amended, shall apply to all development projects involving the
URM Financial Incentive Program and only for a time period up to five (5) years
from the issuance of the building permit for the development project.
For the purposes of Footnote 4, "development project" shall mean any project that
requires a permit granting approval for construction from the City.
Footnote 4, as amended, shall become null and void, and have no force and effect
thereafter, on December 31, 2008.
SECTION IV
Section 50.31 of the City of Gilroy Zoning Ordinance entitled "Issuance" is hereby
amended to read as follows:
Section 50.31 Issuance
(a) The term conditional use shall include every use or occupancy of a structure, or a
use of land, listed in this Ordinance as permitted upon issuance of a use permit
and not otherwise. No use permit for a use in any district which is listed in the
district regulations as a conditional use for that class of district shall be authorized
except in accordance with the following regulations. Every such use is declared to
possess characteristics such as to require, in pursuit of the general intent of this
Ordinance, special review and appraisal in each instance.
(b) For the purposes of this Section, the Financial Incentive Program for the URM
Mandatory Retrofit Program ( "URM-Financial Incentive Program ") shall mean
the program adopted by the City to implement the URM Ordinance 2006 -19
( "URM Program ").
(c) Zoning code review and approval process requiring a conditional use permit
specifically for first story office uses for development projects involving the
URM Financial Incentive Program shall be suspended as provided for below.
(d) The provisions of Section 50.3 1, as amended, shall apply to all development
projects involving the URM Financial Incentive Program and only for a time
period up to five (5) years from the issuance of the building permit for the
development project. For the purposes of this Section, "development project"
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shall mean any project that requires a permit granting approval for construction
from the City.
(e) Section 50.3 1, as amended, shall become null and void, and have no force and
effect thereafter, on December 31, 2008.
SECTION V
Section 106.4.3 of the 2001 California Building Code City entitled "Validity of permit"
as adopted and amended by the of Gilroy City Code, Article I, entitled "Uniform Construction
Codes" Section 6.1, entitled "Construction codes adopted" is hereby amended to add the
following section to read as follows:
For the purposes of this Section, the Financial Incentive Program for the URM
Mandatory Retrofit Program ( "URM Financial Incentive Program ") shall mean the
program adopted by the City to implement the URM Ordinance 2006 -19 ( "URM
Program ").
The City will grant one (1) 180 -day extension; one (1) 90 -day extension; and one (1) 60-
day extension to a validly issued building permit for development projects involving the
URM Financial Incentive Program. The granting of any extension as provided for in this
Section shall be based on the criteria adopted by the City.
The provisions of Section 106.4.3, as amended by Ordinance 2006 -_, shall apply to all
development projects involving the URM Financial Incentive Program. For the purposes
of this Section, "development project" shall mean any project that requires a permit
granting approval for construction from the City.
Section 106.4.3, as amended, is adopted and supported by the following findings based
on local climatic, geological or topographical conditions, which are fully set forth below:
-Geological I. The City of Gilroy is located in an area of high seismic activities as
indicated by the United State Geological Survey and California Division of Mines and
Geology. During moderate to strong seismic events, URM buildings that have not been
retrofitted have been widely recognized to be the most dangerous buildings in CA and
pose the greatest life safety hazard due to their potential to partially or totally collapse in
a seismic event.
Geological II. The City of Gilroy is located in an area of high seismic activities as
indicated by the United State Geological Survey and California Division of Mines and
Geology. Recent earthquake activities have indicated that URM buildings have
inadequate connections and roof and floor diaphragms to withstand moderate to strong
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earthquake loads. Consequently, URM buildings pose the greatest life safety hazard to
building occupants and pedestrians adjacent to these buildings during a seismic event.
Section 106.4.3, as amended, shall become null and void, and have no force and effect
thereafter, on December 31, 2009.
SECTION VI
If any section, subsection, subdivision, sentence, clause or phrase of this Ordinance is for
any reason held to be unconstitutional or otherwise void or invalid by any court of competent
jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this
Ordinance. The City Council hereby declares that it would have passed this Ordinance and each
section, subsection, subdivision, sentence, clause or phrase thereof, irrespective of the fact that
any one or more sections, subsections, subdivisions, sentences, clauses or phrases be declared
unconstitutional.
PASSED AND ADOPTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GILROY this
6th day of November, 2006, by the following vote:
AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: ARELLANO, BRACCO, CORREA,
GARTMAN, VALIQUETTE, VELASCO,
and PINHEIRO
NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: NONE
ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: NONE
ATTES
Rhonda Pellin, City Clerk
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APPROVED
4 ?inheliro, Mayor
In
Ordinance No. 2006 -22
I, RHONDA PELLIN, City Clerk of the City of Gilroy, do hereby certify that the attached
Ordinance No. 2006 -22 is an original ordinance, or a true and correct copy of a city ordinance,
duly adopted by the Council of the City of Gilroy at a regular meeting of said Council held on the
6th day of November, 2006, at which meeting a quorum was present, and has been published or
posted pursuant to law.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Official Seal of
the City of Gilroy this 14th day of November, 2006.
City Jerk of the City of Gilroy
(Seal)