PJR-046 Taylor & Sonoma Mountain Development Guidelines

Brief introduction and summary to the Taylor Mountain/Sonoma Mountain Development Guidelines.

Taylor Mountain and Sonoma Mountain are both designated as Scenic Landscape Unit Areas in the Sonoma County General Plan, and are described as “highly valuable scenic lands, providing an important backdrop to the urban valley.” In 1998 the Board of Supervisors adopted special Development Guidelines for Taylor Mountain and Sonoma Mountain in recognition that “these landscapes have little capacity to absorb very much development without significant visual impact.” Proposed construction requires the submittal of an Administrative Design Review application which will be evaluated by Permit Sonoma Project Review staff to ensure compliance with the Development Guidelines. The application is also referred to applicable local citizen’s committees for review and comment.

As a property owner on Taylor and Sonoma Mountains, you have benefits and responsibilities as a result of these Development Guidelines. The Guidelines protect the scenic resources that surround you and they are intended to limit the visual impact of any development you plan on your property. If you are planning to build new structures on your property, or substantially alter existing structures, it is important that you become familiar with the Guidelines. This should be done as you start the design process so that your time and money will not be wasted on designs that do not meet the Guidelines. Please see a map of the Development Guideline area on the reverse of this page. 

Listed below is a summary of key elements of the Development Guidelines. The full text of the guidelines, including specific site planning, architectural and landscaping guidelines, is available at:Taylor and Sonoma Mountain Development Guidelines.

1. The Development Guidelines are intended to reduce the visual impact of residential and related development, as seen from the designated Scenic Corridor roadways (these roadways are highlighted on the map on the reverse of this page).
2. The Development Guidelines apply to single family dwelling units, appurtenant structures (garage, guest house, second dwelling unit, storage building, etc.), related roadways, grading sites and utilities.
3. The site planning guidelines state that proposed structures shall be sited so as to be substantially screened by existing vegetation or topographic features when viewed from any designated scenic corridor roadway. If structures cannot be substantially screened by existing vegetation or topographic features, then they are to be located in the least visible location on the parcel, and are subject to the architectural and landscaping guidelines.
4. The architectural guidelines state that exterior colors shall be earth tones that have low reflectivity value and blend with the surroundings, window glazing shall be non-reflective, and night lighting shall be designed to minimize visibility from the designated scenic corridor roadways.
5. The landscaping guidelines state that plant species used for screening and re-vegetation shall be indigenous, or of similar character, and of sufficient size and density to screen structures within ten years following installation.
6. The guidelines do not apply to nondiscretionary agricultural structures or uses, or to accessory structures that do not require a building permit.