Solano County Municipal Code § 26-73 Hillside and visually-sensitive areas

In areas where General Plan policies, Specific Plan policies or action of the Board of Supervisors provide that ridge lines, natural land formations, stands of native vegetation, open space and view shed corridors, or other visually-sensitive site characteristics should be maintained while integrating residential development, and in hillside areas having such characteristics, subdivision applications shall include and conform to the following provisions:

(a) The designation of building areas shall be shown on the tentative map;

(b) The designation of areas subject to grading, including the amount of excavation, fill, and/or export or import material shall be shown on the tentative map;

(c) The identification of all trees exceeding six inches in diameter measured three feet above the ground shall be shown on the tentative map for buildable area, road easements, driveway access and cut and fill areas;

(d) Elevation drawings, photographs, or other graphic illustration method showing each building area in the project setting as viewed from adjacent primary roads in the area, shall be provided.

(Ord. No. 1608, §2)

The design of proposed subdivisions shall be evaluated under this section relative to the following guidelines:

(a) SITE GRADING

(1) Building pads should not be situated on slopes exceeding 25% grade.

(2) Stepped building pads should be utilized to reduce the grading of hillside areas and to reduce the mass and bulk of structures to be built thereon.

(3) Bare, exposed soils should be avoided and graded areas should be reseeded with natural grasses or should be planted, subject to a comprehensive landscaping plan which includes predominately native, drought tolerant and fire resistant species.

(4) Building pads atop ridge lines and knolls should be avoided.

(5) Grading to achieve flat areas atop ridge lines and knolls or other alteration of the existing topography including removal of native landscaping should be avoided.

(6) Retaining walls should be faced with materials and color compatible with the natural setting of the site such as natural stone or wood. Where it is physically feasible, retaining walls should be stepped to reduce the visual bulk and mass of such structures. Further, landscaping should be incorporated to minimize visual impacts of the walls, including plantings in front of or within the stepped structures.

(7) Contouring of graded areas to provide visual compatibility with existing terrain characteristics should be encouraged.

(b) DESIGN ELEMENTS

(1) The configuration of proposed parcels should be sensitive to existing landform and characteristics, particularly regarding building pad and access locations.

(2) Parcels should be designed and building pads and access driveways sited to allow, to the maximum extent feasible, the retention of open space and view corridors without intrusion.

(Ord. No. 1608, §2)