The standards in this section apply to all new commercial and mixed-use development and substantial remodels of, or additions to, existing buildings in the C, DC and MU Zones. For this section, a substantial remodel or addition is any expansion or alteration that impacts more than 50% of the street-facing facade of an existing building.
(A) Transparency standards.
(1) Ground floor entrances oriented to the street shall be at least 40% transparent. This standard may be met by providing a door with window(s), a transom window above the door, or sidelights beside the door. Windows used to meet this standard may count toward the storefront window percentage in division (A)(2) below. Transom windows above a door shall not be covered by an awning, canopy, or similar cover.
(2) Transparent windows shall cover at least 60% of the ground-floor, street-facing elevation of all buildings. For this standard, the ground-floor elevation is the area between the building base (or 30 inches above the sidewalk grade, whichever is less) and a plane 6 feet above the sidewalk grade.
(3) Upper floor, street-facing elevations may have less window coverage than ground-floor elevations. Orientation of upper floor windows shall have a width that is no greater than height.
(4) Side and rear ground-floor building elevations shall provide a minimum of 30% window transparency.
(5) All windows shall have trim, reveals, recesses or similar detailing of not less than 4 inches in width or depth, as applicable.
(6) Windows and display cases shall not break the front plane of the building (e.g., projecting display boxes are not permitted). For durability and aesthetic reasons, display cases, when provided, shall be flush with the building facade (not affixed to the exterior) and have trim that matches the window trim. Window flower boxes are allowed.
(B) Transparency guideline (for discretionary review). Ground floor building elevations should be pedestrian oriented and treated with windows, display areas or glass doorway openings to the extent possible and where appropriate to the design and use of the building. This guideline particularly applies to ground floor building elevations situated along Main Street in the DC Zone.
(C) Defined upper story standard. Building elevations shall contain detailing that visually defines street-level storefronts from upper stories. This standard may be met through any of the following elements:
(1) Awnings or canopies.
(2) Belt course (molding or projecting bricks or stones running horizontally along the face of a building to emphasize the junction between 2 floors).
(3) Similar detailing, materials, or fenestration.
(D) Defined upper story guideline. Building heights at or near the street should help form a sense of enclosure but should not create an undifferentiated high wall out of scale with pedestrians. Upper stories should be clearly differentiated from the ground floor.
(E) Building articulation standards. All building elevations that orient to a public street or civic space must have at least one break in the wall plane for every 25 feet of building length or width, as follows:
(1) A "break" for the purposes of this division is a change in wall plane of not less than 24 inches in depth. Breaks may include but are not limited to an offset, recess, window reveal, pilaster, frieze, pediment, cornice, parapet, gable, dormer, eave, coursing, canopy, awning, column, building base, balcony, permanent awning or canopy, marquee, or similar architectural feature.
(2) Changes in paint color and features that are not designed as permanent architectural elements, such as display cabinets, window boxes, retractable and similar mounted awnings or canopies, and other similar features, do not count toward meeting this break-in-wall-plane standard.
(3) See Figure 3.2-A for visual illustration of building articulation standards.
(F) Building articulation guideline. Building elevations should be varied and articulated to provide visual interest to pedestrians. Within larger projects, variations in architectural elements such as: building elevations, roof levels, architectural features, and exterior finishes should be provided. To balance horizontal features on longer building elevations, vertical building elements, such as building entries, should be emphasized.
Figure 3.2-A
(G) Pedestrian shelter standards.
(1) Permanent awnings, canopies, or recesses shall be provided along at least 60% of ground-floor elevation(s) that abut a public sidewalk or civic space. Pedestrian shelters used to meet this standard shall extend at least 5 feet over the pedestrian area.
(2) Pedestrian shelters shall comply with applicable building codes. If mezzanine or transom windows exist, the shelter shall be below such windows. Pedestrian shelters shall maintain required vertical clearance.
(H) Pedestrian shelter guideline. Ground floor elevations that are located on a sidewalk, or other space where pedestrians are allowed to walk should provide weather protection for pedestrians to the greatest extent possible.
(I) Screening of equipment standard. Rooftop mechanical equipment shall be setback or screened behind a parapet wall so it is not visible from any public right-of-way or civic space. Where such placement and screening is not practicable, the city may approve painting of mechanical units in lieu of screening.
(J) Screening of equipment guideline. All roof, surface, and wall-mounted mechanical, electrical, communications, and service equipment should be screened from view from adjacent public streets by the use of parapets, walls, fences, enclosures, dense evergreen foliage, or by other suitable means.
(K) Exterior building materials standard. This standard applies to the exterior wall(s) of buildings that face a public street or civic space. Table 3.2-1 lists building materials that are primary (P), secondary (S), accent (A), and not allowed (N).
(1) Buildings shall utilize primary materials (P) for at least 60% of the applicable building facades.
(2) Secondary materials (S) are permitted on no greater than 40% of applicable building facades.
(3) Accent materials (A) are permitted on no greater than 10% of applicable building facades as trim or accents only.
(4) Materials listed as N in Table 3.2-1 are prohibited on applicable building facades.
(L) Exterior building materials guideline. Exterior building materials and finishes should convey an impression of permanence and durability. Materials such as masonry, stone, wood, terra cotta, and tile are encouraged. Windows are also encouraged, where they allow views to interior activity areas or displays. Where masonry is used, decorative patterns (other than running bond pattern) should be provided, especially at entrances, building corners and at the pedestrian level. These decorative patterns may include multi-colored masonry units, such as brick, tile, stone, or cast stone, in a layered or geometric pattern, or multi-colored ceramic tile bands used in conjunction with materials such as concrete.
Building Material | Designation |
Brick | P |
Stucco | P |
Stone/masonry | P |
Glass | P |
Finished wood, wood veneers, wood siding | P |
Fiber reinforced cement siding and panels | P |
Vegetated wall panel or trellis | P |
Concrete (poured in place or precast) | S |
Concrete blocks with integral color (ground, polished or glazed finish) | S |
Finished metal panels (anodized aluminum, stainless steel, or copper) with polished, brushed or patina finish | S |
Ceramic tile | S |
Concrete blocks with integral color (split-face finish) | A |
Standing seam and corrugated metal | A |
Glass block | A |
Vinyl siding | N |
Plywood paneling | N |
(Ord. 2021-08-02, passed 10-12-2021)