(A) The Planning Commission shall have the authority to develop and recommend for Council approval design guidelines and objective design standards to establish criteria for the review of those matters required to come before the Commission. The guidelines and standards may include criteria for site planning, landscape treatment, building design, and signs.
(B) The Citywide Design Guidelines, with the exception of Chapter 6, Residential Design Guidelines, prepared by Downtown Solutions and dated October 2009, are herein incorporated by reference.
(C) New construction and exterior remodels of residential uses are subject to the Single Family and Missing Middle Objective Design Standards and the Multi-Family Objective Design Standards, which may be adopted, amended, and repealed by City Council resolution.
(D) The Zoning Administrator, the Planning Commission and the City Council shall adhere to the adopted guidelines and standards, as amended, in site plan and design review as required in § 9-5.2607, and no such application shall be approved, unless it complies with the adopted guidelines and findings can be made pursuant to division (G) of this section. Findings are not required to be made for development applications deemed complete prior to the adoption of this section.
(E) Ministerial residential projects shall be subject to the adopted standards and shall be reviewed against the adopted standards at building permit submittal.
(F) In circumstances where conflicts arise between the design guidelines and standards and specific requirements of the zoning ordinance, then the zoning ordinance shall supersede the design guidelines and standards requirements.
(G) In order to grant a waiver from adopted design guidelines and objective standards for projects, except as pursuant to division (H), the Zoning Administrator, Planning Commission or the City Council shall find at least one of the following:
(1) That because of special circumstances applicable to the subject property, including, but not limited to, size, shape, topography, location or surroundings, the strict application of the design guidelines is not feasible; or
(2) That the overall project has a quality design, the majority of the project is consistent with the design guidelines and minor discrepancies with the design guidelines will not create a development that is undesirable or unsightly; or
(3) That the project features a unique theme or style that is not addressed in the design guidelines, but the overall project is of such extraordinary design quality that the project will not create a development that is undesirable or unsightly.
(H) In order to allow modifications to the adopted Multi-family Objective Design Standards, the Zoning Administrator, Planning Commission or City Council shall follow the procedure set forth in § 9-5.702.
(Ord. 897-C-S, passed 10-25-94; Am. Ord. 2023-C-S, passed 4-14-09; Am. Ord. 2035-C-S, passed 11-10-09; Am. Ord. 2224-C-S, passed 2-14-23; Am. Ord. 2231-C-S, passed 8-22-2023)