Planning and Community Services

The following are application materials for review prior to meeting with the City to discuss a proposed construction project. that explain many of the City's zoning and building requirements, guidelines and processes. 

• 2024 Planning Commission Calendar
• Online Application
• Fee Schedule
• Over the Counter Application (Minor Projects: reroof, interior remodel, solar panel (minor), same to same replacement (no expansion or relocation), and facade improvements)
• Administrative Approval Application
• Instructions on Calculating Lot Coverage
  
• Conditional Use Permit Application
• Geological Exploration Application
• Lot Line Adjustment Application
• Lot Line Adjustment General Information and Filing Instructions
• Silhouette Guidelines
• Site Plan Review Application
• Variance Application
• Utility Pole Undergrounding Application

Planning Commission
The Planning Commission is scheduled to meet the 3rd Tuesday of the month, unless a special meeting or adjourned meeting is scheduled.

• Information on Commissioners
• 2024 Planning Commission Calendar
• Agendas & Packets

Planning Project Reports Archive
This link above helps you access archive Planning and Development records. All Planning records have been digitized and made readily available for easy access by the public. Access to architectural plans, if available, requires permission from the owner and plan preparer who signed the original document. In accordance with Section 19850 of the State of California’s Health and Safety Code, please submit the required authorization form to the Planning and Community Services Department to receive copies of plans.

Shen Residence (77 Portuguese Bend Road)
A Notice of Intent (NOI) was released to inform the public that an Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) was prepared in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines. The public review period is from December 15, 2022 to January 31, 2023. Comments on the IS/MND will be received during this period and a public hearing will be scheduled at a later date.

• Notice of Intent
• Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) Draft
  • Appendix A-1 - AQ Background
  • Appendix A-2 - AQGHG Emissions Data
  • Appendix B - Bio Resources Assessment
  • Appendix C-1 - Cultural Resources Analysis
  • Appendix C-2 - Paleontological Analysis
  • Appendix D - Geotech Assessments
  • Appendix E - Hydro Study and Water Quality Plan
  • Appendix F-1 - Noise Background
  • Appendix F-2 - Noise Assessment
  • Appendix G - Will Serve Letters
  • Appendix H - Project Plan Set
  • Appendix I - Native American Consultation Letters

Arvidson Residence (4 Poppy Trail)
On March 23, 2023, the driveway apron and widening were recommended for approval by the Traffic Commission. On September 12, 2023, the Planning Commission approved a proposal to construct a new 7,290-square-foot (SF) single-family residence with a 7,290 SF basement, 1,100 SF attached garage, 1,135 square feet of attached covered porches, 195 SF attached trellis, 540 SF swimming pool/spa, pool equipment, service yard, lightwells, maximum five-foot-high retaining walls, driveway, walkways, landscaping, and other improvements. The approval follows a series of public hearings on March 21, July 18, and August 15, 2023. The approved project had been revised during the process to eliminate an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) and reduce the amount of grading. On October 23, 2023, City Council considered the Planning Commission's action and Traffic Commission's recommendation and decided to take the project under their jurisdiction. On November 7, 2023, City Council held a field trip at the site. A public hearing will be held in the Council Chambers of City Hall at 7:00 PM on November 13, 2023.

• Agendas for City Council, Planning Commission, and Traffic Commission
• Planning Commission Report (September 12, 2023)
  • Resolution No. 2023-11
• Traffic Commission Report (March 23, 2023)
• GMU Geotechnical Investigation for 4 Poppy Trail
  • Section
  • Plate 1 Geo Map

Safety Element

The City of Rolling Hills began the process of updating the Safety Element in mid-2020 after being awarded funding from Cal-OES. The update will address a variety of natural and human-related hazards, and contains goals and policies aimed at reducing risks associated with these hazards. The Draft Safety Element was sent for review to the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection who did not have any recommendations. In addition to the Safety Element, a Negative Declaration has been prepared pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines, which covers updates to the Housing Element and Safety Element. The Safety Element and Negative Declaration were adopted by the City Council on March 28, 2022.

The following is information pertaining to utility undergrounding and formation of assessment districts.

• Guide
• Utility Underground Requirements

SB 35
Enacted in 2017, SB 35 added Government Code §65913.4 to the Housing Development Approvals provisions (Government Code §§65913 - 65914.5) 
to require streamlining of affordable housing development approvals in cities and counties that have insufficient progress toward their Regional  Housing Need Allocation (RHNA) goal and/or have not submitted the latest Housing Element Annual Progress Report (APR). The City of Rolling Hills has submitted its APR. Since its passing, several other bills have made amendments to clarify certain provisions of this code section.

SB 35 requires local entities to streamline the approval by providing a ministerial process through which a project is only reviewed against objective standards. 
Qualifying projects are considered ministerial and are not subject to a conditional use permit (CUP). This is a voluntary program that a project sponsor may elect to 
pursue, provided that certain eligibility criteria are met. These provisions sunset on January 1, 2026. For more information, the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) has prepared a handout on SB 35.