Objective Standards

The City of Campbell is undertaking a planning effort to create objective standards for all residential projects that respect and build upon Campbell’s unique character and distinctive neighborhoods. As part of this effort, the City is also clarifying procedures related to residential design review and permitting. The City is undertaking this project to conform with recent State law changes that require local jurisdictions to adopt objective standards and streamline the review and permitting processes for housing development.

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.” 

Examples of objective standards include: 1) Blank walls (without doors and windows) of more than 20 linear feet are prohibited along any street facing façade; and 2) A minimum one-foot offset is required for any wall plane that exceeds 30 feet in length.

Examples of subjective standards include: 1) Ensure new projects are compatible with the character of the neighborhood; and 2) Ensure new buildings are in harmony with the height and size of adjoining structures.

Which Documents are Being Updated?