Santa Paula planning commission approves code corrections to performance standards and fences; parking and sign chapters deferred for more review

The Santa Paula Planning Commission on June 24 voted unanimously to recommend that the City Council adopt an ordinance amending two municipal code chapters that staff said were largely sequencing and editorial updates.

The commission approved Resolution 38-70, which recommends amendments to chapter 16.42 (performance standards) and chapter 16.44 (fences, walls and hedges) of the Santa Paula Municipal Code, and found the action exempt from CEQA under Public Resources Code section 15061(b)(3), as cited in the staff recommendation.

Henry, the city attorney participating by videoconference, and Tom, city planning staff, described the changes as renumbering and wording updates: 16.42 would be renumbered to 16.21, and 16.44 to 16.22, and instances of "planning director" were updated to "director." Staff told commissioners that two other chapters ' the off-street parking chapter (16.46) and the sign code chapter ' needed more substantive review and public input and were therefore not included in this update.

Commissioner Dunkel questioned a redline that listed a new maximum front-yard fence height as 21 inches. "Are there What was the thinking behind that change?" Dunkel asked. Henry responded, "I think that that's a clerical error, Commissioner Dunkel. So we'll go ahead and change that back. That's a great catch." Commissioners asked that the motion record the fence-height reversal in the amendments.

Chair Kelly moved to adopt Resolution 38-70 with the fence-height correction noted; the motion was seconded and approved by roll call vote.

Staff said the changes before the commission were limited to sequencing and clerical fixes and emphasized that more substantial changes ' notably parking and sign regulations ' will return after additional review, community outreach and workshops. Staff also said the inclusionary housing chapter will be brought back with revisions that reflect meetings between city staff, the city attorney's office and the Affordable Housing Task Force.

Tom and other staff noted the planning commission will not meet in July and that the next code update (number 6) is expected at the August meeting; staff warned commissioners the coming meetings will include large code packets and recommended community workshops to solicit public input. The department also introduced two new staff members at the meeting: Aileen Ramos, community development technician, and Monica Lopez, administrative analyst.

The commission closed the public hearing and proceeded to other business.