(a) Purpose
To assist the developer in understanding the City's goals and objectives for high quality commercial development. The design review is provided to:
(1) Improve the site planning and appearance of commercial districts through the application of modern and creative solutions to common and repeated design problems found throughout the City.
(2) Provide a clear and consistent set of design standards to assist the development community in comprehending the City's intent in regulating design quality and ensuring that the long-term goals of the City are met.
(3) Create an identifiable community image through urban design and planning excellence that will create a visually unified and coherent community.
(4) Promote commercial development capable of strengthening the local economy and enhancing the quality of life for Adelanto residents.
(5) Protect the property values of existing business areas from inappropriately designed or scaled projects and enhance the investment of residents and business owners.
(6) Encourage and promote designs which relate to and are compatible with the region's desert environment.
(b) Site Planning
(1) Site Character
A. Natural amenities (views, mature trees, creeks, drainage channels, riparian corridors, and topographic features) unique to the site shall be preserved and incorporated into the project's design whenever possible.
B. Structures that are historic or are otherwise distinctive because of their ruralness, age, cultural significance, or unique architectural style shall be preserved and incorporated into development proposals.
C. Structures shall not face their back side or loading areas onto existing or planned amenities (parks, open space, and water features).
D. Frontage roads or drives shall be provided adjacent to open space areas unless the commercial project is designed to provide direct pedestrian access to the open space and the road or drive is not otherwise necessary.
(2) Land Use Buffering
A. Buffers such as landscaping, earth berms, and decorative architecturally treated walls, shall be used to define project boundaries and minimize impacts on adjacent properties.
B. Noise, traffic, or odor-generating activities shall be located adjacent to similar activities on adjacent properties whenever possible.
C. Loading areas, access and circulation driveways, trash, storage areas, and mechanical equipment related to commercial uses shall be located as far as possible from adjacent residences.
D. When adjoining residential and commercial uses can mutually benefit from connection rather than separation, appropriate connective elements (e.g., walkways, common landscape areas, building orientation, and unfenced property lines) shall be provided between the uses.
E. Window orientation in nonresidential buildings shall preclude a direct line of sight into adjacent residential units and private open spaces within one hundred feet (100') of the property line.
F. When commercial buildings back up to open space areas of multi-family residential projects, the rear setback area shall be landscaped and combined with the residential open space where feasible.
G. Landscaping shall be required to screen parking lots and large commercial building walls in order to provide a visual barrier between commercial and residential uses.
(3) Building Placement
A. On multi-tenant commercial sites, buildings shall be placed close to the street to create a more attractive streetscape and minimize the visual impact of large areas of pavement and parking from public streets.
B. Corner buildings shall provide a strong tie to the setback lines of each street. The primary mass of the building shall not be placed at an angle to the corner. This does not preclude angled or sculpted building corners, or an open plaza at the corner.
C. Multiple buildings in a single project shall provide a functional relationship with one another to achieve a "village" scale by use of at least two (2) of the following:
i. Cluster buildings around open plaza areas, not parking lots.
ii. Provide courtyards with landscaping and other pedestrian amenities.
iii. Provide convenient pedestrian circulation between buildings and between parking areas and building using enhanced paving materials (no more than one-fourth inch (1/4") deep).
iv. Link buildings together visually using trellis structures, arcades, and enhanced paving (no more than one-fourth inch (1/4") deep).
v. Avoid dated L-shaped shopping centers with parking located adjacent to the street.
D. Whenever possible, buildings shall have their entrances oriented towards transit stops for convenient access.
E. Arrangement of structures, landscaping, and hardscape shall create view corridors into projects while still establishing a sense of arrival and place.
F. Encroachment onto utility or other public or private easement is prohibited. Buildings shall be sited or arranged so as not to encroach on any utility, public, or private easements.
G. Coordinated site design (including shared parking, driveways and circulation, sign facilities, landscaped areas, and garbage collection areas) shall be encouraged on adjacent parcels with similar uses. Such coordination will typically involve mutual access agreements over both properties.
(4) Trash/Loading/Storage Areas
A. Solid waste and recyclable materials storage areas shall be enclosed and screened. Enclosures shall be constructed with masonry block and finished using materials compatible with the surrounding architecture. Gates shall be solid metal painted to match adjacent buildings.
B. All trash, loading, and service areas shall be screened from public rights-of-way and adjacent residential uses or districts through a combination of landscaping and walls.
C. Trash areas shall incorporate roof structures to screen the contents of the enclosure from view.
D. Loading facilities shall not be located at the front of buildings where it is difficult to adequately screen them from view. These facilities are more appropriate at the side or rear of the building.
E. Screening for outdoor storage shall be a minimum of six feet (6') and a maximum of eight feet (8') in height and shall consist of masonry block or vinyl compatible with the surrounding architecture. Chain link fencing with slats is not acceptable screening material.
(5) Utility and Mechanical Equipment
A. All mechanical equipment (e.g., compressors, air conditioners, heating and ventilating equipment, chillers, stand pipes, solar collectors, etc.) shall be concealed from view. Screening devices shall be compatible with the architecture and color of the adjacent buildings.
B. Mechanical equipment shall not be located on the roof of a structure unless the equipment can be screened by building elements that are designed for that purpose and that are an integral part of the building design. Otherwise, all mechanical equipment shall be located in equipment rooms within the structure.
C. Utility equipment (e.g., electric and gas meters, electrical panels, and junction boxes) shall be located in utility rooms within the structure.
(c) Parking and Circulation
(1) General
A. Parking lot spaces shall be designed with a clear hierarchy of circulation: major access drives with no parking; major circulation drives with little or no parking; and parking aisles for direct access to parking spaces.
B. Parking lots shall be separated from buildings by a raised walkway, landscape strip, or combination of the two (2) at least six feet (6') wide, with a minimum four-foot (4') wide walkway. Mow strips are not required in this situation. Situations where parking aisles or spaces directly abut the building are prohibited.
C. No more than five percent (5%) of the required parking shall be located in the rear service area of a project site.
D. Adequate visibility for vehicular and pedestrian traffic shall be provided by clear sight triangles (as approved by the City Engineer) at all ninety (90) degree and intersections of public rights-of-way and private driveways.
E. All driveways and drive aisles within the development are required by the San Bernardino County Fire Department to be a minimum of twenty-six (26') feet wide for two (2) way traffic.
F. One-way driveways are not allowed except as part of drive-thru facilities.
G. All parking spaces shall be clearly outlined on the surface of the parking facility with painted white lines, stone, brick, or textured or smooth concrete banding.
H. Parking within structures shall be considered whenever possible in order to minimize asphalt pavement and maximize open areas.
(2) Project Entry
A. Parking lots with over one-hundred (100) parking stalls shall provide a main entry drive from the public street for a minimum distance of forty feet (40') and shall include a minimum four-foot (4') wide sidewalk from the street to the first cross aisle on at least one (1) side, and at least one (1) of the following:
i. A minimum seven-foot (7') wide landscaped center median from the public street to the first cross aisle.
ii. Two (2) seven-foot (7') wide landscaped parkways flanking the main entry drive. The parkway that abuts the sidewalk may be reduced in width to four feet (4').
B. The first aisle juncture that intersects the main entry drive shall be placed at least forty feet (40') back from the public street right-of-way to provide adequate queuing distance off the street.
C. Entry drives shall be located a minimum of two hundred feet (200') apart and at least one hundred feet (100') from any street intersection property line to driveway centerline. Also, access drives shall be located a minimum of twenty feet (20') from side properly lines unless a shared drive is provided.
D. No entry points shall be located on a State Highway unless approved in writing by the California Department of Transportation.
E. No entry points shall be located within six-hundred sixty feet (660') of a State Highway, for any collector or arterial street that intersects the highway, unless approved in writing by the California Department of Transportation.
F. Bricks, pavers, or decorative stamped concrete (no more than one-fourth inch (1/4') deep) shall be used to accent and highlight street entries.
G. Project entry crosswalks shall be highlighted by bricks, pavers, or decorative stamped concrete (no more than one-fourth inch (1/4") deep) a minimum of fifteen feet (15') wide.
(3) Site Access
A. Developments with more than one hundred (100) parking stalls that are located on an arterial or larger road shall coordinate access points with median openings and/or existing driveways on the opposite side of the roadway. Final locations shall be subject to review and approval by the City.
B. Developments with more than two hundred (200) parking stalls that are located on an arterial or larger street shall provide deceleration lanes adjacent to their major entry per City standards.
C. Whenever possible, locate access drives on side streets to maintain efficient traffic flow on major roadways.
D. All driveway radii shall be per City standards.
(4) Pedestrian Access
A. Drop-off points (i.e., wider aisles) shall be located near major building entries and plaza areas for projects over fifty thousand (50,000) square feet of building area.
B. Parking areas shall be designed so that pedestrians walk parallel to moving cars in parking aisles. Minimize the need for the pedestrian to cross parking aisles and landscape islands to reach building entries.
C. Pedestrian walkways shall be delineated through the use of textured paving and or concrete pavers (no more than one-fourth inch (1/4") deep), landscaping, trellises, and other hardscape features.
D. Pedestrian circulation areas shall include architectural and hardscape treatments that are at human scale and which create a pleasant environment which invites people to linger in commercial areas.
E. Clearly defined pedestrian access shall be provided from transit/bus stops to primary building entrances. In projects with more than one hundred (100) parking stalls, pedestrian walkways shall be provided through parking areas from transit/bus stops.
F. All projects shall provide a connection of the on-site pedestrian circulation system to the off-site public sidewalk.
G. Meandering sidewalks shall be provided in all commercial zoning districts when required by the Community Development Director.
H. Parking lots with over one hundred (100) stalls shall provide a separate pedestrian walkway from the public sidewalk to the on-site walkways. At a minimum, this main entry sidewalk shall:
i. Be located on one side of the main entry drive aisle.
ii. Be a minimum of four feet (4') wide.
iii. Be raised and protected from the drive aisle by a six-inch (6") high curb.
iv. Be constructed of concrete or an interlocking paving system. Asphalt sidewalks are not allowed.
v. Emphasis at pedestrian crossings of driveways and major circulation aisles shall be accentuated at building entries by extending the sidewalk to the back edge of the parking spaces.
(5) Bus Turnouts
A. Recommendations of the local transit district shall be considered to ensure that provisions of adequate opportunities for transit services and facilities such as turnouts and bus shelters.
B. Bus turnouts shall be designed in accordance with the City Engineer's standards.
(d) Landscaping
(1) General
A. Landscaping, earth berms, decorative walls, and other buffers shall be used to define project boundaries and to reduce impacts on adjacent properties.
B. Landscaping shall be provided around the entire base of structures to soften the edge between the parking lot and the structure, except at entrances, exists, loading and service areas, and zero foot side or rear setbacks. Landscaping shall be accented at the building entrance.
C. Individual developments shall integrate on-site landscaping with the streetscape landscaping in the project vicinity. A continuation of streetscape grading, berms, and other landscape treatments used by adjacent development shall be provided by new development with similar site conditions.
D. Landscaping shall consist of native or drought-tolerant plants capable of surviving the desert environment and climate with a minimum of maintenance and supplemental watering. A list of plants determined capable of meeting this criterion is contained in Chapter 17.60 (Landscaping and Water Conservation) of this Code.
E. Landscaping shall be used to break up uninterrupted building mass, expanses of paved surfaces, frame views, and connect development on adjacent pads.
F. Landscaping shall be provided in sufficient size and quantity to adequately screen and soften the effect of new building planes within the first year (typically a mix of twenty-four inch (24") box and fifteen (15) gallon trees and five (5) gallon shrubs). Tree clusters shall be used to reduce the linear appearance of building planes and to soften the otherwise harsh appearance of the building height and mass.
G. A minimum of one (1) tree planting shall be provided for every thirty (30) linear feet of street and access drive frontage with trees informally clustered and grouped. Gaps between plantings should not exceed fifty feet (50').
(2) Parking Areas
A. The visual impact of parking areas shall be reduced by landscaping, hedges, berming, and/or planted islands and fingers.
B. Low walls, berms, or landscaping between thirty-six inches (36") and forty-two inches (42") in height shall be used to screen automobile headlights in parking areas along major roads and across from residential areas. Such landscape walls shall also be used as edge treatments to define private space and act as a border between the natural desert landscape or public domain and intense use areas.
C. Trees shall be distributed throughout parking areas in islands and fingers between parking spaces to shade parking areas and reduce the accumulation and radiation of heat from large paved areas. A minimum of one (1) landscape island or finger containing a tree or trees is required for every seven (7) parking spaces.
D. Concrete curbs shall be provided in parking areas to keep vehicles from disturbing landscape areas.
E. Driveways perpendicular to streets shall have triangular shaped extended landscape areas, with one (1) side running along the driveway and one side running along the street right-of-way corresponding with the required clear sight triangle discussed above.
(3) Hardscape Elements
A. Project entry statements consisting of hardscape elements shall be provided with all commercial developments. The entry statement may include but shall not be limited to:
i. Enhanced landscaping treatment.
ii. Enhanced monument signage.
iii. Boulder groupings.
iv. Decorative entryway.
v. Exposed aggregate or stamped concrete.
vi. Berm/low decorative wall.
B. Commercial projects larger than five (5) acres in size shall include a hardscape element which creates a focus for the development and creates a usable public open space amenity such as a plaza or arbor facility. Appropriate hardscape elements shall include but not be limited to plaza areas, arbor or patio facilities, courtyards, atriums, and outdoor gathering and eating areas.
C. Hardscape shall relate individual buildings to an overall theme or style. Materials used in the construction of street furniture shall complement architectural materials used on adjacent buildings and shall be of a common design. Trash receptacles and other minor details shall also relate to the architectural style of the buildings.
D. Enhanced paving treatments shall be used for major entries into the site and intersections to highlight key areas of the streetscape. Such treatments shall be located at building entryways, plaza areas and courtyards, pedestrian approaches to buildings, and on-site crosswalks, driveways, and passenger drop-off areas.
E. Water features, such as fountains, sculptures, or enhanced landscaping shall be used at plazas and courtyards to create focal points along pedestrian areas and to enhance views from building windows. All water features shall use recycled water and follow water conservation precautions.
F. Materials used in the construction of street furniture shall complement architectural materials used on adjacent buildings. Plastic and materials such as fiberglass are not allowed.
(4) Major Intersections
A. Special landscaping shall be required adjacent to intersections of designed major streets to reinforce the City image.
B. Accent vegetation shall be provided as identity plantings.
C. Native and desert appropriate trees shall be massed to enhance these landscaping areas.
(e) Walls and Fences
(1) All on-site parking areas shall be screened from street view by a landscape berm or decorative wall not less than three feet (3') in height. The required height of the berm or wall shall be measured from the highest finished grade of the adjacent on-site parking area or adjacent finished grade of the street, whichever is greater.
(2) Screen wall design shall be decorative and incorporate the same colors, materials, and/or accents as those used on project buildings. Plain concrete block or painted block is not acceptable.
(3) Walls along a street frontage shall be staggered so that no wall extends more than one-hundred feet (100') in a straight line. The change in wall plane shall be a minimum of two feet (2'). Other means of breaking up long, straight wall planes may be considered.
(f) Architectural Design
(1) Architectural Style - No specific architectural style or design theme shall be required. A variety of architectural characteristics shall be considered to add to the city's overall image. However, while variety in design is generally encouraged, compatibility of new projects with their surroundings shall also be a priority.
(2) Design Consistency
A. Designs shall demonstrate a consistent use of colors, materials, and detailing throughout all elevations of the building.
B. Elevations that do not directly face a street shall not be ignored or receive only minimal architectural treatment.
C. Each facade shall be designed for public view and shall be appropriately landscaped in compliance with the landscaping standards in Chapter 17.60 (Landscaping and Water Conservation).
(3) Form and Mass
A. Designs shall provide a sense of human scale and proportion. Structures shall be designed to avoid a "box-like," impersonal appearance by use of at least two (2) of the following design parameters:
i. Provide horizontal and vertical wall articulation through the use of arcades, towers, wall recesses and projections, and setting back upper floors. Facades should incorporate wall plane projections and recesses having a depth of at least three percent (3%) of the length of the facade and extending at least twenty percent (20%) of the length of the facade.
ii. Provide architectural detail through the use of columns, three-dimensional decorative cornice bands, recessed entries and windows, and awnings and canopies.
iii. Provide full roofs with substantial overhangs.
iv. Incorporate decorative parapets where roof overhangs are not provided.
v. Use different, but compatible, building materials with varying textures and colors.
B. Entries shall be protected from the elements and shall create a focus and sense of entry for the building by use of at least two (2) of the following design parameters:
i. Provide wall recesses.
ii. Use roof overhangs.
iii. Incorporate canopies and awnings.
iv. Include arcades.
v. Install pedestrian-oriented signs.
(4) Roofs
A. Variations in roof lines shall be used to add interest to, and reduce the massive scale of large commercial buildings. Roofs shall incorporate at least two (2) of the following:
i. Parapets concealing flat roofs and rooftop equipment. The average height of a parapet shall not exceed fifteen percent (15%) of the height of the supporting wall and parapets shall not at any point exceed one-third (1/3) of the height of the supporting wall. Parapets shall incorporate a three-dimensional cornice.
ii. Overhanging eaves, extending at least three feet (3') past the supporting walls.
iii. Sloping roofs that do not exceed the average height of the supporting walls, with an average slope greater than or equal to one foot (1') vertical rise for every three feet (3') of horizontal run and less than or equal to one foot (1') vertical rise for every one foot (1') of horizontal run.
iv. Three (3) or more roof slope planes.
B. Parapet walls shall be treated as an integral part of the structure design.
C. Parapet walls should receive architectural detailing consistent with the rest of the facade design and should not appear as unrelated elements intended only to screen the roof behind them.
D. Where a mansard roof is incorporated into the parapet design, views from above the structure should also be considered relative to any visible structural support elements.
(5) Building Materials
A. False or decorative facade treatments, wherein one (1) or more unrelated materials appear "stuck on" a building shall not be allowed.
B. Fake products that attempt to imitate real materials (e.g., wood, stone, brick, and etc.) are not allowed.
C. The composition of materials shall avoid giving the impression of thinness and artificiality.
D. Veneers shall turn corners, avoiding exposed edges.
E. Stock, off-the-shelf metal buildings are prohibited as primary structures.
(6) Colors
A. Facade colors shall be low reflectance, subtle, neutral, or earth tone colors. The use of high-intensity colors, metallic colors, black, or fluorescent colors is prohibited.
B. Building trim and accent areas may feature brighter colors, including primary colors, but neon tubing shall not be an acceptable feature for building trim or accent areas except for movie theaters.
C. The transition between base and accent colors shall relate to changes in building materials or the change of building surface planes. Colors should not meet or change without some physical change or definition to the surface plane.
(7) Additions to Existing Structures
A. The design of an addition to an existing structure shall follow the general scale, proportion, massing, and detailing of the original structure. The addition shall be harmonious with the original structure, not a stark contrast.
B. Additions shall be an interpretation of the existing building wherein the main characteristics of the existing structure are incorporated into the design of the addition by use of at least two (2) of the following:
i. Repeat window and door spacing.
ii. Use harmonizing colors and materials.
iii. Include similar, yet distinct, architectural details (e.g., window/door trim, lighting fixtures, tile/brick decoration, etc.).
[Ord. No. 515, Exhibit A, 5/22/13.]