Development Review Committee

Development Review Committee Staff

Development Review Committee Process

The DRC review is a three-step process. The first step determines if your application is complete and ready for review, the second is the review of your project’s design, and the third is the review of recommended conditions of approval. This takes a minimum of three DRC meetings to complete.

Step Number 1: After your application is accepted it is distributed to the City’s Planning, Public Works, Building, Fire, and Police Departments. Each department reviews your submittal materials and at your first DRC meeting they identify any items that do not satisfy the requirements listed in the application packet.

If your application is determined to be complete, your item will be scheduled for the next available DRC meeting to review the project’s design issues (Step Number 2).

If your application is determined to be incomplete, your item will be tabled until such time all the required submittal materials are submitted, reviewed and accepted by staff as satisfying the requirements of the application packet.

Following the first DRC meeting, staff will mail a letter of either completeness or incompleteness to you based on the determination of the DRC. Consistent with the State’s Permit Streamlining Act, you’ll receive this letter within 30 days from the date your submittal was accepted.

Step Number 2: At the DRC meeting after your application is determined complete, staff will review your project’s design for compliance with the City’s various codes, regulations and guidelines. During this part of the review revisions to your project may be necessary and, if so, it will take more than one meeting to complete this step of the DRC review process.

It is during this step that, if your project has the potential to affect a significant number of residences, we encourage you to hold at least one neighborhood meeting to discuss your project with the residents in the area. While this meeting is not a requirement, such a meeting early in the process can provide valuable input which if addressed at this time can avoid potential delays at the time of the Planning Commission’s public meeting.

It is also at this step that any California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), Multi-Species Habitat Conservation Plan (MSHCP), Airport Land Use Commission (ALUC), Parks Commission, or Traffic Commission reviews along with any associated actions must be completed.

The purpose of this step is to assure that every aspect of the project complies with all applicable local, state and federal codes, regulations and guidelines. Detailed specifications as well as overall design issues are discussed and direction is given to you regarding revisions to the project and it’s technical drawings. After any necessary revisions are completed, the project is scheduled for the next available DRC meeting (Step Number 3).

Step Number 3: Prior to the final DRC meeting, you are provided the DRC’s draft recommended conditions of approval for the project. The conditions are discussed at the subsequent DRC meeting and you are asked whether or not you agree with the conditions. Any conditions that are not agreed upon and cannot be modified enough to reach an agreement are noted and are identified as issue points to be discussed at the time of the Community Development Director meeting or Planning Commission hearing.

While it is the goal of the DRC to reach consensus with you on the ultimate design of the project and it’s conditions of approval, if agreement cannot be reached, it is the responsibility of the DRC to recommend to the Planning Commission either approval of the project with conditions, including those not agreed to by the applicant, or denial of the project.