Objective Design & Development Standards

Objective Design Standards

Objective Design Standards provide applicants and developers with a clear understanding of the City’s expectations for mixed-use and multi-family residential project design. Objective design standards are written as requirements, rather than guidelines; therefore, all mixed-use and multi-family residential projects applying under Housing Accountability Act (HAA) protections shall comply with each standard. Importantly, objective design standards regulate site and structure design only. Projects must also comply with all applicable building permit requirements, zoning code requirements, and development standards such as height, setbacks, floor area ratio, etc. 

What are Objective Standards? State law defines objective standards as those that “involve no personal or subjective judgement by a public official and are uniformly verifiable by reference to an external and uniform benchmark or criterion available and knowable by both the development applicant and public official prior to submittal.” 

State Legislation: The State of California continues to enact new laws that require streamlined housing approval by establishing a streamlined approval process for multifamily residential development.  Many of the key legislative actions required the replacement of subjective design guidelines with objective standards. 

Applicable Projects:  All mixed-use and multi-family residential projects applying under Housing Accountability Act (HAA) protections must comply with the City's adopted Objective Design Standards.

Adopted Objective Design and Development Standards:  In September 2023, the City Council adopted Objective Design Standards for the Auburn Boulevard Corridor.  In February 2024, the City Council adopted Objective Design and Development Standards for City's remaining commercial corridors.  

For more information on Objective Design and Development Standards, contact the Planning Division at (916) 727-4740 or by email at planning@citrusheights.net