2011 Bishop Rd, Belmont, CA 94002

Hillside Residential and Open Space Districts

The City Council finds and declares that certain areas of the City provide unique terrain features and add substantially to the character of the area, that the location and visibility of development therein will affect the visual quality of the environment, and that hillside development should preserve the natural terrain while providing a density of residential development compatible with the limitations of slope on the development site. The Council further finds that there are geologic and soils hazards in the area, steep slopes, and inadequate roadways making it necessary to reduce density in portions of the San Juan Hills Area to protect the public safety and to reduce significant and cumulative traffic impacts to the Ralston Avenue corridor. The objectives of this chapter's regulations are to encourage minimal grading and to reduce citizens' exposure to hazardous slopes by decreasing residential density as slope increases, to encourage clustering of homes and density transfer to reduce roadway and driveway grading, to regulate home size, and to encourage the voluntary merger of lots.