(a) The architectural design standards are intended to ensure that the size, proportions and design of new or substantially improved buildings create a pedestrian-friendly environment, that is highly articulated as described herein.
(b) The visual mass of all buildings shall be de-emphasized through the use of architectural elements including building form, architectural features and materials, in order to reduce their apparent bulk and volume, to enhance visual quality and contribute to human scale development in accordance with the following.
(1) Unified and coordinated architectural theme. All structures proposed under the same land development application shall consist of a unified and coordinated architectural theme.
(2) Exterior building materials.
A. The predominant material of all facades facing public streets shall be brick, stone, highly textured masonry block, curtain wall, metal panel systems with concealed fasteners, glazed panels, cement-board siding or wood. Stucco or dryvit may be utilized provided it is no more than 20% of non-window facades at the street floor level and no more than 50% of non-window facades above the street floor level.
B. All sides of a building shall be architecturally designed to be consistent with regard to style, materials, colors and details. The architectural treatment of the front facade shall be continuous in its major features around all visibly exposed sides of a building with the exception of parking structures or that portion of a building containing a parking structure. Blank walls or service area treatment of side and/or rear elevations visible from public view shall be prohibited.
(3) Vertical articulation. Buildings are required to provide articulation on the exterior of any wall surface in order to provide architectural interest and variety to the massing of a building and to relieve the effect of a single, long monotonous wall or roof. Blank facades, without windows or architectural elements to create interest, are prohibited.
A. The massing of any one building wall shall not exceed 50 feet (horizontal dimension) without a vertical articulation along its entire height. Vertical articulation may include a change of building facade plane or material. The depth of change in facade plane for vertical wall articulation shall be a minimum of two feet. Such articulation may consist of building wall offsets, recesses and projections such as bays, balconies, canopies, awnings, pilasters, columns and other similar features.
B. Building corners located at the intersections of public streets shall incorporate the following. Building corners shall be chamfered at least ten feet from the corner setback. The chamfer shall extend from the ground to the top of the building unless the following features are incorporated. Building corner chamfers may be limited to the street level story only if the portion of building corners above the street level story is visually emphasized through design features, such as step backs, fenestration patterns, balconies, towers, building entries, bays or similar features.
(4) Horizontal articulation. Horizontal articulation of the building facade, including changes to the horizontal building plane and/or materials, shall be used to break up the scale of the building facade. Such horizontal articulation may be provided by roof terraces, setbacks or other devices. Horizontal articulation shall emphasize the building base, body and roof/parapet edge.
A. Buildings greater than 40 feet in height shall be designed utilizing a definition of the base, body and roof or parapet edge (or similar designations) as the primary method of defining and relating buildings to one another.
B. The base shall generally be considered the first story of the facade facing a public street, but can vary depending on the overall building height and range from ground plane to the floor line of the third floor in buildings of at least four stories in height. The design of the base should be emphasized through the design, quality and durability of its materials to create visual interest. The transition from the base of a building to the body may be expressed either horizontally, through a shift in the horizontal plane and/or through a change in building materials.
C. The top of a building greater than 40 feet in height shall be architecturally distinguished by providing a visual termination to the facade and interest at the skyline by incorporation of highly detailed architectural elements that are visible from street level.
D. Any building measuring taller than 40 feet in height shall provide an expression line on the wall plane, continuing around all sides of a building above the first or second floor. The expression line may consist of a projecting element, a minimum four inches in depth, such as a belt course or cornice as well as a terrace that sets back the walls of the building above the expression line.
(5) Roofs.
A. Rooflines shall be articulated vertically with a change in roof line every 50 feet. This requirement does not apply to flat roofs.
B. On buildings with flat roofs, all visibly exposed walls shall have an articulated cornice that projects a minimum of four inches horizontally from the top of the vertical building wall.
C. Fixed or retractable canvas/fabric awnings are permitted at street floor level and on upper levels where appropriate, if they complement a building’s architectural features. On buildings with multiple storefronts, or on adjacent buildings on the same lot, compatible awnings shall be used as a means of unifying the structures. Metal or internally lit non-fabric awnings are prohibited.
D. All roof-top mechanical equipment, including antennas, shall be visually and acoustically screened from view of both the public right-of-way and adjacent properties. Screening may be accomplished by using parapets, walls or roof elements. Such screening shall be integral to the architectural design of the building.
E. Vegetated roofs are encouraged and may be used for stormwater mitigation based on conformance with applicable stormwater regulations.
(6) Proportions of walls to openings for street level facades.
A. A
STREET LEVEL FACADE is the building wall or walls where there are primary and secondary customer entrances and where they are the prominent facades as viewed from streets or parking areas.
B. A wall to clear window/door ratio of between two to one and four to one is required. For street floor level commercial and retail uses, a wall to clear window ratio between one to one and two to one is required.
C. The maximum length of a blank wall between clear window/door openings shall be 16 feet.
D. Elements such as pent eaves, pediments, or sills and lintels above and below windows and doors are required.
(7) Windows.
A. For retail and commercial uses, smoked, reflective, tinted or black glass in windows at street level is prohibited. Glazing shall have a minimum visible transmittance of 0.75 and also meet energy code compliance.
B. Any street level facades with less than 50% of clear windows shall be articulated by two or more of the following:
1. Articulation of building facade plane and/or changes in materials; and/or
2. If the building is occupied by a commercial use at street level, recessed or projecting display window cases or simulated windows.
(8) Outdoor trash storage area screening. Outdoor trash storage area screening shall be provided as required by the MU Mixed Use Zoning Overlay regulations. Screen design shall consist of a unified and coordinated architectural theme and durable materials that are compatible with the design of the buildings that they serve.
(9) Parking structures. The following shall apply to parking structures.
A. Architectural elevations shall be provided to demonstrate that front facades of parking structures sufficiently screen vehicles in the parking garage from view of the street and shall demonstrate that parking structures are architecturally compatible with the character of surrounding buildings and meet the architectural design guidelines for mixed use districts.
B. If the front facade of the parking structure is within the minimum or maximum front yard setback, at least 75% of first (ground) floor of the structure shall contain other permitted uses.
C. Other architectural design standards for parking structures are as follows.
1. Horizontal facade articulation of the parking structure, including changes in building plane and materials, shall be used. The depth of such articulation shall be a minimum of two feet, and occur at a maximum horizontal 50-foot interval.
2. Vertical architectural features of the parking structure facade, including changes in building materials, shall be used. The change in architectural articulation shall occur at a maximum of every 20 feet of height.
3. The primary front facade of a parking structure shall be pedestrian oriented and scaled.
(Ord. 951, passed 9-21-2016)