Objective Design Standards for Multi-Unit Housing

Objective Design Standards (ODS) are an effort to streamline housing development approvals and align County practice with State housing law by creating fixed, measurable, and clear design standards. Design standards pertain to the form and finish of structures, screening, landscaping, lighting, site access, and more. Setting known and stable standards removes the unpredictability of discretion by individual public servants. This allows developers and designers to know what to expect and budget for, improving permitting timelines and project feasibility by decreasing the time and cost associated with revising plans.

More Info:

• Objective Design Standards: Sonoma County Code Chapter 26, Article 83 (Coming Soon!)
• Ordinance No. 6545 Adopting ODS (PDF)
• ODS Handbook
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Newly adopted ODS apply to most multi-unit “housing development projects” as defined by the California Housing Accountability Act (HAA, Government Code Section 65589.5).

ODS apply to the following project types:

• Duplexes, triplexes, and other multifamily housing
• Mixed-use developments that meet the definition of a housing development project under Government Code Section 65589.5 (h)(2)(B)
• Townhomes
• Condominiums
• Subdivisions
• Multi-unit farmworker housing
• Multi-unit transitional or supportive housing

ODS do not yet apply to:

• Projects including just one dwelling unit
• Projects consisting of a single-family dwelling proposed at the same time as an ADU/JADU
• Projects consisting solely of ADUs/JADUs

For information on design standards for ADUs and JADUs, see Permit Sonoma’s ADU webpage and Sonoma County Zoning Code Section 26-24-020, Section 26-24-190, adopted with Ordinance No. 6544 (PDF).

ODS do not change the applicability of design review permit and hearing requirements. However, ODS will be central to the review of multi-unit housing project designs rather than the historically discretionary general development standards. Other objective standards relevant to the specific project type (i.e. multifamily, mixed-use projects, etc.) as well as any objective standards established by the applicable base zoning district, combining districts, Local Guidelines, and area and specific plans will continue to apply in addition to ODS. Design review applications must also demonstrate consistency with the policies of the General Plan and any relevant area or specific plans.

If any conflict arises between implementation of ODS and an existing objective standard specific to the project type or project site, the latter will prevail over ODS. Projects may be encouraged to align with subjective design standards during design review, but compliance with design standards will ultimately be evaluated based on ODS and other relevant objective standards.

Objective Design Standards for multi-unit housing development projects are included in a new Article 83  of Sonoma County’s Zoning Code but are not yet reflected in the online municipal code. Please refer to Ordinance No. 6545  (PDF) for current provisions until updates to the online code are complete. Supplemental guidance and visual examples of these standards are included in Permit Sonoma’s ODS Handbook.

Discretionary Offramp

Developers may elect application of discretionary design standards to more elegantly address unique site characteristics and community needs. This is referred to as the “discretionary offramp”. Application of subjective standards will be limited to proposed deviations from ODS and affected ODS that are no longer feasible or reasonable due to the proposed deviations. For example, if subjective application of standards pertaining to parking location prevents compliance with landscape requirements, subjective leeway may be provided for landscaping as well.

Density Bonus Programs and Affordable Housing Incentives

Developers may request relief from standards by providing eligible quantities of affordable housing through the County or State Density Bonus Programs. See Article 89 of the Zoning Code and Government Code Section 65915 for more information.

Requests for Reasonable Accommodations

A request for reasonable accommodations may include a modification or exception to the rules, standards and practices for the siting, development and use of housing or housing-related facilities that would eliminate regulatory barriers and provide a person with a disability with equal opportunity to housing of their choice. See Article 93 of the Zoning Code for more information.

Initial ODS were adopted to establish basic requirements universally applicable to most multi-unit housing development projects without inhibiting design characteristics unique to individual communities. These standards were informed by the County’s existing design guidelines, the approaches of other jurisdictions, and consultations with members of the design and development community. 

Future efforts may create standards addressing the many distinct communities and geographies that make up Sonoma County as well as standards applicable to single-family dwellings located in combining districts where design review is required.

Why ODS?

State Housing Law
Due to the ongoing housing crisis facing California, updates to State housing law continue to reduce or eliminate local government discretion on housing development projects in order to streamline development approvals and increase housing supply. The California Housing Accountability Act (HAA), Housing Crisis Act, and various other State housing laws restrict local jurisdictions’ ability to apply discretionary standards or otherwise deny, reduce the density of, or render infeasible housing development projects that comply with local objective standards, including those for design. 

Housing Directives
In 2023, Sonoma County’s Housing Element of the General Plan was adopted and received certification by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). Subprogram 12b and Policy HE-2c of the Housing Element commit the County to adopt objective design standards for multifamily and mixed-use housing projects. Implementation of this program benefits the County in the following ways:

Public Meetings

September 19, 2024 – Planning Commission workshop introducing ODS
Planning Commission Meeting Materials

November 6, 2025 – Planning Commission hearing to make a recommendation to the Board of Supervisors
The Commission unanimously voted to recommend Board adoption of the Ordinance.
Planning Commission Meeting Materials

December 9, 2025 – Board of Supervisors hearing to consider adoption of ODS
The Board unanimously voted to adopt the Ordinance establishing ODS.
Board of Supervisors Meeting Materials

Permit Sonoma welcomes feedback on the newly adopted ODS or anticipated future ODS efforts by emailing the project planner at Isabella.Wotring@sonomacounty.gov or calling (707) 565-2618.