Study session: Objective design standards for 1-4 unit properties
Posted on 08/07/2025

Planning Commission study session on design standards for new housing in Piedmont

Published August 7, 2025

The Planning Commission will hold a study session to discuss a preliminary draft of “objective design standards” for new housing in Piedmont on Monday, August 11.

Planning Commission Study Session: Objective Design Standards
Monday, August 11, 5:30 pm | Piedmont City Hall, 120 Vista Avenue
Zoom: piedmont-ca-gov.zoom.us/j/81755778036
Agenda | Staff Report

State law now requires cities to approve certain new housing proposals, including accessory dwelling units and SB9 applications, based on “objective” standards – those that require no subjective judgement or interpretation by public officials.

The Objective Design Standards initiative aims to create clear, measurable, and enforceable rules governing design elements like articulation and massing, providing residents, property owners, and developers clear and consistent expectations for what new housing in Piedmont will look like.

Commission discussion will inform draft standards, expected to be released for public review and comment in fall 2025

At the meeting, the Planning Commission will discuss an in-progress draft of proposed standards for residential buildings up to 4 units, providing high-level feedback on the overall approach and content. The draft standards address both:

  • overall layout and how a project integrates with the surrounding neighborhood (spacing between homes, window placement, pedestrian and vehicle circulation)
  • architectural details of the building itself (massing, façade articulation, and architectural details that create visual interest)

As drafted, the standards are intentionally flexible to accommodate a wide range of architectural styles without favoring any one style in particular.

The draft standards were informed by the work of a Planning Commission subcommittee, as well as community input received during community events, at an “Objective Design Standards Open House” held in February, and a recent community survey. A final draft of the proposed new standards is expected to be released for public review and comment later this fall.

In Piedmont, objective design standards already exist for accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and multi-family and mixed-use developments. This initiative will develop new objective standards for one-to-four-unit residential development and update the existing standards for other housing types.

A video introduction to Objective Design Standards is available at piedmont.ca.gov/ODSBasics. For more information, visit the project website at piedmont.ca.gov/ODS or contact Senior Planner Gopika Nair at [email protected].