Residential Design Standards
City of Millbrae
Millbrae, CA
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The City of Millbrae invites qualified planning, architecture, and urban design firms to respond to a Request for Proposals (RFP) to develop new citywide objective residential design and landscaping standards and related implementation of zoning code amendments. The design standards will apply to all residential development, including single-family, multi-family, accessory dwelling units, as well as renovations and additions to existing structures. The successful firm will prepare two separate detailed design standards guidebooks: (1) for single-family, duplex, and triplex homes which will include providing design standards for accessory dwelling units and junior accessory dwelling units and (2) for large multifamily dwelling projects - residential development with four or more units.
Once the residential objective design standards are developed in two separate graphic guidebooks or reference format for residents and contractors, the City seeks to then update the zoning ordinance to reflect the newly established objective design standards along with updated design review entitlement procedures to accommodate them.
The City envisions the standards would include, but not be limited to: (1) criteria to be used in design review, including objective and contextual criteria (neighborhood compatibility); (2) criteria for possible exceptions to standards; and (3) requirements for high quality and sustainable design and materials. The design standards are expected to be based on the established character of the City of Millbrae's residential neighborhoods. The standards should provide ample illustrations and written detailed descriptions to provide clear direction and guidance to both the layperson and the design professional, including, but not limited to residents, architects, contractors, City staff, Planning Commissioners, and City Councilmembers.
The City expects the design standards to address the following, at minimum:
- Design standards that reflect the character and period when neighborhoods were developed
- Architectural details
- Addition and remodel design
- Exterior materials and colors
- Window material, trim, and recesses
- Roof design
- Garage design
- Building articulation
- Massing and façade orientation
- Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) design, consistent with primary unit
- Privacy and view of neighbors
- Balcony/deck and window placements and orientation
- Landscaping criteria, particularly for single family front yards
- Reasonable Accommodation criteria (ADA)
The design standards and related zoning code amendments should achieve three goals:
- Establish objective design standards for single-family, duplex, and triplex residential homes;
- Establish objective design standards for multi-family and mixed-use residential development;
- Update Millbrae's Zoning Ordinance to reflect the new objective residential design review standards and to bring it into compliance with related changes in State law.
These three parts may be completed in separate phases and the selected firm may partner with another firm or utilize sub-contractors to complete the tasks or phases for the project as needed.
Single-family residential design standards need to reflect the unique architectural qualities of Millbrae's different neighborhoods and the periods when they were developed. Multi-family and mixed-use residential design standards should reflect high quality design and include criteria that reflects the desired outcome identified in the City's established long-range plans. The Community Development Department (CDD) is responsible for the orderly and harmonious development of an evolving City and expects to use these design standards as a way to manage the renovations of the existing housing stock and the creation of new housing units while maintaining the desirable characteristics of our existing neighborhoods.