Objective Design and Development Standards (ODDS)

About Objective Design and Development Standards

The City of Belvedere is preparing Objective Design and Development Standards (ODDS). This effort will result in a toolkit of standards that, when adopted, do not require interpretation and provide a clear review and approval process for multi-family and mixed-use development projects. This allows the City of Belvedere to specify the design aesthetics of development that address topics such as architectural style while accommodating current and future legislation requirements. 

The Objective Design & Development Standards team is taking precautions to ensure the health and safety of residents in light of Covid-19. All in person meetings have been postponed. Join us to learn about the Objective Design & Development Standards effort on-line through an informational video (below). If you have any questions or need assistance accessing the video, please use the project contacts listed at the bottom of this page.


Frequently Asked Questions

What are Objective Standards?  Housing legislation defines an "objective" standard as one that involves no personal or subjective judgment by a public official and uniformly verifiable by reference to an external and uniform benchmark or criterion available and knowable by both the development applicant and the public official prior to submittal.

Examples 
“Structured parking shall not be visible from the street. The public-facing elevations of parking structures shall be lined with residential or commercial uses on all levels.”
“For each personal outdoor space provided, a minimum dimension of 5 feet is required in any one direction.”

What are Non-Objective Standards? A standard that cannot be measured or requires interpretation. 

Examples:
“Produce high quality design.”
“Use high quality, durable materials that age well.”
“Consistent with the character of neighborhood.” 

Why does Belvedere need to adopt Objective Design & Development Standards? Increasingly State laws are aimed at reducing the extent of discretionary review for multi-family housing projects. The last several legislative sessions have included an abundance of bills aimed at increasing the supply of housing in the State. It is anticipated that future housing bills will continue this trend of increasing “by-right” housing. The City is undertaking this process to develop standards that encourage well designed multi-family housing while accommodating current and future legislation requirements.  


More Information

Contact Irene Borba, Director of Planning and Building, at Iborba@cityofbelvedere.org with questions on the Objective Design and Development Standards project.