North Plan - Attachment2

Santa Monica Mountains North Area Plan - Attachment 2

Figure 2

RESIDENTIAL DENSITY CALCULATION

1. Land Use Classification First, determine whether the parcel is in an urban or non-urban land use plan category.

Urban (more than one dwelling unit per acre): Density will be calculated using the net area of the parcel.

- net area as defined in the Zoning Ordinance (Sec.22.08.010) excludes dedicated streets and private easements (e.g. access, flood control) where the owner of the underlying fee does not have the right to use the entire surface.
Non-Urban (one dwelling unit or less per acre): Density will be calculated using the gross area of the parcel.

- gross area as defined in the Zoning Ordinance (Sec.22.08.010) includes dedicated streets and private easements.

2. Undersized Sections Second, determine if the parcel is the result of the normal division of an undersized section of land. (If the parcel is not within an undersized section, go to Step 3.)

A. An undersized section of land is one which contains less than 640 acres and includes a fractional section. A fractional section of land is an undersized section, often irregularly shaped, which has been divided into numbered lots by the original government survey of public lands.

B. The normal division of land is considered to be either:

i. A breakdown by quarters and/or halves, which results in parcels containing 320, 160, 80, 40, 20, or 10 acres, or

ii. A numbered lot created by the original government survey of a fractional section.

C. If the parcel complies with 2A and 2B and contains a gross area which is not less than 90% of the gross area of a similarly created parcel from a full sized section of land, for the purpose of residential density calculation the gross area of the parcel shall be considered the same as if it had been created from a full sized section.

Example: A nine acre parcel with 0.5 acres of dedicated street right-of-way, resulting from the normal division of an undersized section, would be given credit for a gross area of ten acres.

D. These provisions do not apply to parcels with a gross area of less than nine acres.

3. Residential Density Third, calculate the maximum potential density for a parcel based on the plan category and hillside management policy.

A. The density factors for each land use category, indicating the maximum number of dwelling units allowed per acre, are: N20=0.05; N10=0.1; N5=0.2; N2=0.5; N1=1.0; U2=2.0; U4=4.0; U8=8.0. These densities do not apply, however, to those portions of non-urban lands (categories with an "N" prefix) with natural slopes of 50% or greater. On these lands, the maximum number of units per acre is 0.05, regardless of land use category.

B. If the parcel is in a non-urban category, measure the number of acres-if any-- having a slope of 50% or greater; then measure the number of acres in each land use category with slopes less than 50%. Express the results to the nearest 1/10 of an acre. For any portions of the parcel with slopes of 50% or greater, multiply the area by a density factor of 0.05 units per acre. For the area of the parcel with slopes of less than 50%, multiply the area within each plan category by its density factor and express the product to the nearest 1/10 of a unit.

C. If the parcel is in an urban category ("U" prefix) measure the number of acres in each land use category and express the results to the nearest 1/10 of an acre. Multiply the area within each plan category by its density factor and express the product to the nearest 1/10 of a unit.

D. If more than one category applies to a given parcel, add the component products. Round down any fractional number to the next lower whole number. The result is the maximum potential number of dwelling units or new residential lots that may be possible to develop on the subject lot or parcel of land.

E. The calculation of the maximum potential residential density of a parcel is one of the initial steps in determining the magnitude of a proposed residential project. During the development review/approval process, all relevant policies of the Santa Monica Mountains North Area Plan will be identified and considered, and the number of dwelling units or new residential lots will be reduced as appropriate.