HomeMy WebLinkAboutORD 04 (2026)ORDINANCE NO. 04 (2026)
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF DIAMOND BAR AMENDING
TITLE 22 OF THE DIAMOND BAR MUNICIPAL CODE ("DEVELOPMENT
CODE"), ADDING CHAPTER 22.19 TO ESTABLISH MULTIFAMILY AND
MIXED -USE RESIDENTIAL OBJECTIVE DESIGN STANDARDS ("ODS")
IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATE HOUSING LAW we PLANNING CASE
NO. PL2024-51.
WHEREAS, Title 22 (Development Code) of the Diamond Bar City Code (DBCC)
establishes allowable uses of property and related development standards within all
zoning districts in the City; and
WHEREAS, several provisions of State law, including, but not limited to, Senate
Bill 35 and Senate Bill 330, established mandates for cities and counties to streamline the
review process for multifamily housing, including mixed -use residential developments,
and require local agencies to limit their review of qualifying housing projects to objective
standards; and
WHEREAS, implementation of Program H-8 of Diamond Bar's certified 6th Cycle
(2021-2029) Housing Element commits the City to update the Development Code to
include objective standards as part of its broader obligation to minimize constraints on
housing supply and affordability; and
WHEREAS, the City desires to establish ODS applicable to multifamily housing
and mixed -use residential development projects in the City in order to implement the
Housing Element and to appropriately regulate development in a manner consistent with
State law and which facilitates a fair and efficient review process that results in high quality
development and buildings that are appropriate for their context and environment; and
WHEREAS, on February 24, 2026, the Planning Commission held a duly noticed
public hearing regarding proposed amendments to Title 22 ("Development Code") of the
Diamond Bar City Code, Planning Case No. PL2024-51, and adopted Resolution No.
2026-03 recommending City Council approval of said Development Code Amendment;
and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Government Code Section 65090, a notice of at least 1/8
page display was published in the San Gabriel Valley Tribune newspaper on March 6,
2026, and a copy of the public notice was posted at the City's designated community
posting sites; and
WHEREAS, on March 17, 2026, the City Council held a duly noticed public hearing
regarding the proposed Development Code Amendment; and
WHEREAS, the City Council finds that this Ordinance is subject to the California
Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA"). Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15164, the
City has prepared Addendum No. 2 to the General Plan EIR (No. SCH 2O18051066),
Ordinance No. 04 (2026)
which demonstrates that adoption of the ODS would not result in new or substantially
more severe impacts beyond those that were evaluated in the EIR for the City General
Plan 2040; therefore, no subsequent environmental document is required; and
WHEREAS, the documents and materials constituting the administrative record of
the proceedings upon which the City's decision is based are located at the City of
Diamond Bar, Community Development Department, Planning Division, 21810 Copley
Drive, Diamond Bar, CA 91765; and
WHEREAS, the City Council hereby adopts the facts and reasons stated in
Planning Commission Resolution No. 2026-03 recommending City Council approval of
the said Development Code Amendments, a copy of which is on file with the City Clerk
and which is incorporated herein by reference with the same force and effect as if set
forth in full.
NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Diamond Bar does hereby find,
determine and ordains as follows:
SECTION 1: Chapter 22.19 (Objective Design Standards for Multifamily
and Mixed -Use Development) of Title 22 of the Diamond Bar City Code is hereby added
as follows:
Sec. 22.19.010. —Purpose.
The purpose of this chapter is to establish citywide objective design standards (ODS) to
ensure consistent, transparent, and measurable review of multifamily and mixed -use
residential development projects in accordance with State law. The ODS is intended to
streamline project approvals by providing clear verifiable criteria for design that do not
require subjective interpretation.
Sec. 22.19.020. —Applicability.
The objective design standards will apply to construction projects located anywhere in the
City involving the development or substantial improvement of any of the following:
1. Multifamily residential projects, including duplexes, townhouses, or multifamily
dwellings.
2. Mixed -use projects featuring a combination of multifamily residential or other uses.
All such development shall be subject to the Diamond Bar Objective Design Standards
forMultifamilyand Mixed -Use Development, which is on file with the City Clerk, and which
is incorporated by reference into this Section 22.19,020 as if fully set forth herein.
SECTION 2: Subsection (m) of Section 22.80.020 (Definitions of
specialized terms and phrases) of Title 22, Chapter 22.80 of the Diamond Bar City Code
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Ordinance No. 04 (2026)
is amended to add a new definition for "mixed -use" as follows:
(m) Definitions, M. The following definitions are in alphabetical order:
Mixed -use. The combination of nonresidential and residential uses located on the same
property as part of a unified development. Mixed -use development may consist of
commercial and residential uses integrated either vertically (vertical mixed -use) in the
same structure or group of structures, or horizontally on the same development site
(horizontal mixed -use) where parking, open spaces, and other development features are
shared. In a residential/commercial mixed -use development, both uses are considered
primary uses of the land.
SECTION 3: The City Council hereby adopts the Diamond Bar Objective
Design Standards forMultifamilyand Mixed -Use Development, incorporated by reference
in DBCC Chapter 22.19 (Objective Design Standards for Multifamily and Mixed -Use
)evelopment) and attached to this Ordinance as Exhibit 1. The City Council further directs
the City Clerk to maintain a copy of said manual on file in Office of the City Clerk, make it
freely accessible to the public, and to cause a copy of the manual to be posted on the
official City of Diamond Bar website.
SECTION 4: If any section, subdivision, paragraph, sentence, clause or
phrase of this Ordinance is for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional, 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,
subdivision, paragraph, sentence, clause and phrase thereof, irrespective of the fact that
any one (or more) section, subdivision, paragraph, sentence, clause or phrase had been
declared invalid or unconstitutional.
SECTION 5: The City Clerk shall attest and certify to the passage and
adoption of this Ordinance within 15 days after adoption, cause it to be published or
posted in accordance with California law, and it shall be effective 30 days after adoption
pursuant to Government Code Section 36937.
APPROVED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City
of Diamond Baron the 7t" day of April, 2026.
CITY OF DIAMOND BAR
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Ordinance No. 04 (2026)
ATTEST:
I, Kristina Santana, City Clerk of the City of Diamond Bar, do hereby certify that the
foregoing Ordinance was duly introduced at a regular meeting of the City Council of the
City of Diamond Bar held on the 17t" day of March, 2026, and was finally passed at a
regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Diamond Bar held on the 7t" day of April,
2026, by the following vote:
AYES: Councilmembers: Liu, Teng, MPT/Low, M/Tye
NOES: Councilmembers: None
ABSENT: Councilmembers: Chou
ABSTAIN: Councilmembers: None
Kristina Santana, City Clerk