An urban development unit project that creates two new dwelling units and the development of a lot created through an urban lot split for which two new dwelling units are proposed shall be subject to the following objective design standards.
(A) Site design.
(1) The unit located closest to the street shall have the front door oriented toward the street. On a corner lot, both units may be oriented toward the same street.
(2) On lots 50 feet or less in width, a common driveway shall be used to access both units. For urban lot splits, reciprocal access via the driveway shall be required and recorded via a deed for both properties. No parking shall be permitted on such common driveways.
(3) For any unit oriented toward an adjacent street, a pedestrian walkway separate from the driveway shall be provided to the primary entry. Such entries may also provide connection to any accessory dwelling unit, junior accessory dwelling unit, or other infill development unit located on the site.
(4) Driveway approaches (curb cuts) shall be permitted only to provide access to approved garages, carports, and parking spaces.
(5) All driveways that lead to a front-facing garage shall have a minimum five foot wide landscaped area between the driveway and the adjacent side property line. For lots less than 50 feet in width, the required landscaped area shall be a minimum of 10% of the lot width or three feet, whichever is greater.
(6) All garage faces shall be set back a minimum distance of 20 feet from the front lot line or, on a corner lot, from the side lot line.
(7) A detached garage or carport is permitted to have access to an abutting alley if:
(a) The garage or carport entrance is set back a minimum of four feet from the rear property line;
(b) A 45 degree visibility triangle is provided on either side of the garage or carport; and
(c) The garage door does not cross the property line when opened or closed.
(B) Building design. In addition to the architectural standards set forth in § 153.130.050, the following shall apply.
(1) Massing and articulation. The purposes of regulating building massing and articulation are to ensure a building fits well on a site, respects the scale of the neighborhood, and avoids bulky appearance. The following shall apply.
(a) Street-facing facades on every floor shall not run in a continuous plane of more than ten feet without one of the following treatments included on the façade at every building story:
1. Window;
2. Entry door (ground floor only);
3. Change in plane (recess or projection) of at least one (1) foot in depth;
4. Change in material;
5. Shutters.
(b) Side and rear facades shall not run in a continuous plane of more than 15 feet without one of the following:
1. Window;
2. Change in plane (recess or projection) of at least one foot in depth;
3. Change in material;
4. Shutters .
(2) Architectural style.
(a) For the purpose of defining architectural styles as set forth in this section, the reference guide shall be the most currently published version of A Field Guide to American Houses: The Definitive Guide to Identifying and Understanding America’s Domestic Architecture by Virginia Savage McAlester, or American House Styles: A Concise Guide by John Milnes Baker, AIA. The Community Development Director or designee may identify an alternative source or sources, provided such source is made publicly available.
(b) Using the building design reference document identified above, projects shall identify an architectural design style and include at least five features in their design consistent with the description of the selected style:
1. Roof type and characteristic pitch (required);
2. Roof rake, eave overhang, and cornice detail;
3. Wall façade symmetry or asymmetry and detail;
4. Wall material and arrangement relative to roof;
5. Window type, relative proportion, shape, and detail;
6. Door type, relative proportion, shape, and detail;
7. Porch type, relative proportion, shape, and detail.
(c) Both primary units on a lot or in the circumstance of an urban lot split, each newly created lot, shall be designed and constructed in the same architectural style.
(d) Every façade of each primary unit shall have architectural detailing as directed by the provisions of this division.
(3) Entries. The primary entry to each unit shall be defined by a porch, stoop, or recessed area consistent with the selected architectural style of the unit. Columns used to frame the entry shall not extend more than above 12 feet from the ground floor. Recessed areas shall have a minimum depth of three feet for up to 30 square feet.
(4) Garage doors.
(a) Blank, flat garage doors shall not be allowed. Garage doors shall match the selected architectural style of the structure.
(b) Garage doors visible from a street shall be recessed at least three feet from the garage wall.
(5) Garage frontage.
(a) Where a garage is located on the front half of the lot and the garage door faces a street and the lot width is 50 feet or less in width, the garage frontage including the door width shall not exceed 50% of the width of the front façade of the building. For lots wider than 50 feet, the garage façade including the door shall not exceed 40% of the front façade of the building.
(b) Side-loaded garages may be used to diminish the impact of garages along the street frontage. The use of at least two of the following design elements shall be used on the street-facing side of the garage:
1. Landscaping with a mature height of at least 24 inches.
2. Raised planters with a minimum height of 12 inches and landscaping with a mature height of at least 12 inches.
3. Windows.
4. Decorative trellis.
5. Change in materials consistent with exterior materials of proposed unit.
(6) Roof treatments.
(a) Rooflines greater than 30 linear feet along a street-facing property line shall be vertically articulated with at least one of the following techniques.
1. A change in height of a minimum of four feet;
2. A change in roof form;
3. Dormers with a minimum length of eight feet of façade, and a consistent roof form.
(b) Rooflines greater than 50 linear feet along a side or rear property line shall be vertically articulated with at least one of the following techniques.
1. A change in height of a minimum of four feet;
2. A change in roof form;
3. Dormers with a minimum length of eight feet of façade, and a consistent roof form.
(7) Windows.
(a) Window trim or recess. Trim at least one inch in depth must be provided around all windows, or the window must be recessed at least two inches from the plane of the surrounding exterior wall. For double-hung and horizontal sliding windows, at least one sash shall achieve a two inch recess.
(b) Raw or clear anodized aluminum window frames are prohibited.
(8) Materials and colors. At least three materials or colors shall be used consistently on all building façades for both primary units and shall be appropriate to the selected architectural style of the building style referenced above in division(B)(2). Roof and glazing material or color are excluded and do not count towards this requirement. The following building elements with materials and colors count towards this requirement:
(a) Main building;
(b) Wainscoting;
(c) Trim work;
(d) Exterior doors;
(e) Garage doors;
(f) Decorative elements, including trellis, iron work, planter boxes, etc. with a minimum of ten square feet in surface area.
(9) Vents, gutters, and downspouts. All vents, gutters and downspouts, louvers, and exposed flashing shall be concealed within the wall or roof construction or if exterior, shall consist of materials and a style characteristic of the selected architectural design style referenced above in division(B)(2). Plastic material shall be prohibited.
(C) Site details.
(2) Fences and walls. Fences and walls shall comply with the standards for the R-1 zone in § 153.130.060.
(3) Utilities. Ground-level utilities and mechanical equipment directly serving either or both primary units shall not be located within any front yard area.
(Ord. 1503, passed 7-5-23)