CITY OF CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA

Planning Commission Report

November 8, 2017

To: Chair Goodhue and Planning Commissioners

From: Marc Wiener, AICP, Community Planning and Building Director

Submitted by: Marnie R. Waffle, Senior Planner

Subject: Consideration of a Story-Pole Policy for New Construction

RECOMMENDATION
Recommend that the City Council adopt the attached Story-Pole Policy.

BACKGROUND
The City does not currently have a written policy regarding the installation of story poles as part
of the design review process. Staff is recommending that the City adopt a Story-Pole policy that
formalizes current practice and provides clear direction on when and how story poles should be
installed. At the August 23, 2017 and September 13, 2017 Planning Commission meetings, Staff
solicited input from the Planning Commission on the development of a Story-Pole Policy. Based
on input from the Planning Commission, Staff has developed a draft Story-Pole Policy
(Attachment A). Staff is requesting that the Planning Commission review the draft policy and
develop a recommendation to the City Council.

STAFF ANALYSIS
At the September 13th Planning Commission meeting, staff presented two versions of the Story-
Pole Policy for the Commissions consideration (Attachment A). The main differences between
the two, draft policies were whether height certification should be required for both Track One
and Track Two Design Study/Review projects; whether story-poles should be required for small,
staff-approved projects (i.e. projects less than 40 square feet or 120 square feet); and, whether
the Director should have discretion to waive the requirement for story-poles for Track One
projects. The Planning Commission unanimously selected Version 2 of the draft policy and
provided the following additional direction:

1) Require height certification of story-poles for Track Two projects only. The Commission
clarified that only the highest point would need to be certified unless otherwise directed
by the Community Planning & Building Director.

2) Require the installation of story-poles for Track One projects only when they exceed a

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Story Pole Policy
November 8, 2017
Staff Report
Page 2 of 2

certain square footage threshold. The Commission recommended that the threshold be
set as low as 80 square feet or as high as 200 square feet. Staff is recommending a
threshold of 120 square feet.

3) Limit height certification to licensed surveyors or civil engineers.

The draft policy and affidavit of certification have been revised and are included as
Attachments B and C.

Environmental Review: Seeking direction from the Planning Commission on the creation of a
draft policy is not a project under CEQA pursuant to Section 15378(b)(2), general policy and
procedure making.

ATTACHMENTS

Attachment A Draft Story-Pole Policy

Attachment B Story-Pole Affidavit

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 Policy No. 2017-##
Approved: ___________
THE CITY OF
Carmel-by-the-Sea
COMMUNITY PLANNING & BUILDING DEPARTMENT
Administrative Policies & Procedures
Policy No. 2017-##
STORY-POLE POLICY

PURPOSE
To require the installation of story-poles and netting for Design Study/Review applications in order to
assist decision makers and the public in evaluating the height, location and extent of proposed
development for consistency with local regulations and ordinances.

APPLICABILITY AND TIMING OF INSTALLATION

The installation of story-poles and netting shall be required for residential and commercial design
study/review applications that increase floor area or structure height or may otherwise impact privacy or
views (i.e. decks and balconies) as outlined below. Installation of story-poles is optional for preliminary
project reviews.

Staff-Approved Projects (i.e. Design Study/Review, Track One)

Story-poles and netting shall be installed for all new structures, additions and second-story decks
exceeding 120 square feet in size. Story-poles shall be installed prior to the issuance of a Notice of
Approval and shall remain in place until the 10 calendar-day appeal period has ended. Height
certification is not required. The height of existing on-site structures may be used as a reference point
when installing story-poles and netting.

Public Hearing Projects (i.e. Design Study/Review, Track Two)

Story-poles and netting shall be installed at least 10 calendar days prior to the public hearing. The story-
poles and netting shall remain in place until final action has been taken on the project and the 10
working-day appeal period has ended. The highest point of the story poles and netting shall be certified
by a California licensed surveyor or civil engineer prior to distribution of a Public Notice. The Community
Planning & Building Director and/or Planning Commission may require other sections of the story poles
be certified as deemed necessary. An Affidavit of Story-Pole Certification shall be submitted to the
Community Planning & Building Department along with a photograph of the story-poles and netting.

Appeals
If an appeal is filed, the story-poles and netting shall remain in place until the project has been reviewed
by the appeal body and the appeal period for that review has ended.

Permit Expiration
If a Design Study/Review approval expires and an application to renew the approval is submitted, the
story-poles and netting shall be reinstalled in accordance with the Story-Pole Policy.

WAIVER OF REQUIREMENT
The Director of Community Planning & Building may waive the requirement for story-poles and netting
for staff-approved projects only, if it can be seen with certainty that the proposed site/building
modifications are not visible from the public way and/or will not have a negative impact on surrounding
properties.
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REQUIREMENTS
It is the applicants responsibility to ensure that story-poles and netting are installed consistent with this
policy and placed in a manner which accurately depicts project elements including but not limited to
height, location, mass, and bulk, and that all trees and/or branches proposed for removal are properly
identified.

Materials
Story-poles shall be constructed of metal poles or 2-inch by 4-inch (minimum) lumber. Story-poles shall
be braced at the base with supporting beams to ensure they will withstand weather and remain correctly
positioned. Netting shall be bright orange construction mesh at least 2-feet wide.

Identification
Story-poles shall be placed at all outside building corners and along the rooflines of the proposed
structure(s). Architectural elements such as chimneys, elevated decks and balconies that extend beyond
the footprint of the structure shall also be identified. If trees or branches are proposed for removal, they
shall have 1-inch minimum fluorescent pink or red flagging ribbon tied around their most visible portion.
If story-poles, netting and/or flagging ribbons are not installed accurately, staff or the decision-making
body may continue the project review until such time that placement has been corrected.

REMOVAL
All story-poles and netting shall be removed at the end of the appeal period following final action on a
project.

QUESTIONS
For questions, please contact the Community Planning & Building Department at (831) 620-2010.

Page 2 of 2
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 AFFIDAVIT OF
STORY POLE CERTIFICATION
(Must be completed by a California Licensed Surveyor
or Civil Engineer)

On _____________________, I surveyed the story poles and netting located at

Date

___________________________________, Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA related to plans

Property Address/Location

submitted as part of a design study/review application ______________________.

Application No.

I have determined that the story poles are in substantial compliance with the project

plans submitted to the Community Planning and Building Department and accurately

represent the proposed construction in terms of dimension, corner/wall locations, and

ridge heights/locations.

I DECLARE UNDER PENALTY OF PERJURY THAT THE FOREGOING IS TRUE AND

CORRECT.

Signature Executed on _______________

Date

Name Phone No. (____)____________

Print Legibly

State License No.

Company

Please attach a photograph(s) demonstrating installation of the story poles and netting.
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