§ 152.086 SITE ASPECTS.

   (A)   Relationship of a building to its site.

      (1)   Building design shall be fitted to the natural contours of the site. Natural features of the site, such as rock outcroppings or natural drainage ways shall be preserved.

      (2)   On wooded sites, buildings shall be carefully situated to take advantage of the shade and energy conservation provided by the trees.

      (3)   The impression of buildings tucked into, rather than superimposed on, the natural landscape shall be created.

      (4)   The view of the building from the street and surrounding areas shall be as important as the view available to the buildings occupants.

      (5)   Buildings shall be located according to the natural characteristics of the site. In hilly terrain, clustering of buildings is encouraged as a strategy to avoid destroying sensitive natural areas.

      (6)   Buildings shall be designed to harmonize with the existing topography, thereby minimizing land disruption.

      (7)   Grading shall be held to a minimum and should complement natural land forms (such as smooth gradations or terracing).

      (8)   Use of retaining walls over eight feet in height require design and certification by a state- registered engineer.

   (B)   Relationships of the project to adjoining area.

      (1)   Building projects shall not be designed as isolated units, but instead shall reflect the context of the adjoining properties.

      (2)   Grading shall blend gently with contours of adjacent properties.

      (3)   Buildings at the ends of streets, or at street corners, shall serve as visual “terminals”. Serving to both unify and conclude the architectural statement made on the street.

      (4)   Proposed recreation areas or uses shall complement nearby existing uses. The extension of existing parks or recreation areas into a proposed development is a highly desirable design feature.

      (5)   Buildings or projects located near or adjacent to a greenway shall provide safe and efficient pedestrian connection to that greenway, and also to adjacent properties that might include pedestrian systems in the future.

      (6)   Buffer zones shall separate and protect the greenway, while at the same time connect it to the building site.

      (7)   Natural drainage patterns shall be preserved where possible. Changing the natural drainage areas will affect the drainage onto adjoining areas.

      (8)   Innovative building and site design can capitalize on natural drainage ways and transform steep slopes into major site amenities.

      (9)   Design shall ensure that drainage occurs only in areas designed to serve a drainage function. Storm water should not flow over sidewalks, paths or streets.

   (C)   Streetscape.

      (1)   Scale is a major factor in creating a sense of community and a sense of place.

      (2)   The ratio between the width of the street corridor (as measured between opposing building facades) and the height of the “walls” of that corridor (the foundation-to-eaves dimension) plays an important role in creating a human scale in the streetscape. The most satisfactory ratio is generally a width that is two or three times the height of the defining walls or edges. If the width exceeds the height more than four times the sense of enclosure is diminished.

      (3)   The town shall be focused on people rather than on vehicles. Streets shall be connections not separations.

      (4)   Reference “zones” of § 6.3.1 of the Architectural Review Guidelines for explanation of zones and transition areas that shall be addressed in the design of new streets.

      

      (5)   Especially in the downtown area, and Heritage District Overlay, building faces shall have adequate setback from the street edge to allow for sidewalks where people may walk leisurely around meeting places. Public spaces between buildings (including room for planting and street furniture) provide places for the pedestrian to rest and relax.

      (6)   Between sidewalk and street, there shall be enough room to accommodate the planting of trees and shrubs (see §§ 152.130 through 152.137 and 152.150 through 152.170 of this chapter). The street will be enclosed, pedestrians will be separated from the cars and the view will be framed.

      (7)   Street furniture should complement the overall site and landscape design. It shall reflect the natural mountain character of the town, such as the use of wood and stone for benches, trash receptacles and the like.

   (D)   Streets.

      (1)   Difficult topography shall be avoided when locating and designing roads. For instance, roads are best placed along the contours of a site if the site is hilly or steep. This minimizes fuel consumption and noise in automobiles and provides a more comfortable access for pedestrians and bicycle riders. Consideration shall also be given to fire protection and emergency vehicles in order to facilitate access to any structure in case of any emergency.

      (2)   Roadways shall focus attention on interesting views and should not interfere with natural drainage patterns.

      (3)   The town uses the state’s Department of Transportation Subdivision Roads Minimum Construction Standards to suggest parameters for new streets. These standards may need to be adjusted, especially in areas of difficult topography with steep slopes.

      (4)   The site plan should incorporate a hierarchy of roadways and walkways that provide for safe, smooth and pleasant movement of people and vehicles. Special attention shall be paid to points at which pedestrian, bicycle and automobile movements are in conflict. Clearly marked crosswalks or routing of pedestrian paths away from main automobile traffic areas can reduce hazards in these areas.

      (5)   Whenever there is a design choice between access from the development to a street of a higher classification and access to a street of a lower classification, access should be to the street of lower classification.

      (6)   On large streets, landscaped median islands are encouraged and crosswalks shall be included.

      (7)   Trees, shrubs and other plants shall be planted along the streets in accordance with §§ 152.130 through 152.137 and 152.150 through 152.170 of this chapter.

   (E)   Sidewalks.

      (1)   Building sites shall accommodate pedestrians and shall be centered around pedestrian traffic rather than vehicular traffic.

      (2)   Access must be safe and convenient within a site. Sidewalks must be clearly separated from driving areas and must connect buildings to each other, to parking areas and to adjacent pedestrian paths.

      (3)   Handicapped accessibility along walkways at street/driveway intersections shall be provided whenever possible, per State Building Code specifications.

      (4)   Sidewalk construction standards (including curb and gutter) shall follow the state’s Department of Transportation Subdivision Roads Minimum Construction Standards.

      (5)   Walkways or sidewalks shall be provided along all public streets for commercial developments. Where intersections occur, pedestrian walkways shall be clearly marked with paint or contrasting surface material.

      (6)    Sidewalks shall be designed to match the Town of Banner Elk Pedestrian Plan. Should it prove impractical or infeasible to construct on the property in question, then an equitable fee in lieu shall be paid to the Town of Banner Elk to be used in other areas of the Town's Pedestrian Plan. The fee shall be calculated by the linear footage of road frontage where the sidewalk should have been placed and the current rate to construct that amount of sidewalk shall be determined adequate by the Board of Adjustment.

      (7)   The separation of sidewalks from the roadway for pedestrians safety will be achieved by:

         (a)   Curbside planting strips;

         (b)   Depressing or raising the walkway in relation to street level; and

         (c)   Providing parking adjacent to the walkway (on-street parking) as an additional barrier.

      (8)   Especially around areas with interesting natural features, sidewalks shall be curved, bending into adjoining lands, following the natural contours.

      (9)   Major commercial developments shall include a system for internal pedestrian movement. These internal walkways shall also be linked with town-wide systems, particularly to greenways and parks.

      (10)   Covered sidewalks are especially encouraged, as well as the development of public spaces with a pedestrian system like courts and gardens.

      (11)   Surfaces shall be constructed of brick when located within the Heritage District Overlay; other materials such as concrete may be permitted in the other zoning districts.

      (12)   Semi-pervious or pervious material as opposed to asphalt or concrete is especially desirable on sidewalks, to the extent they do not diminish the accessibility of the pathway. If concrete is used, it should be textured or patterned with sections that shall include a brick pattern that matches the Banner Elk Pedestrian Plan.

      

   (F)   Bicycles.

      (1)   Bike lanes or sufficient room on the streets for bicyclists are very desirable. However, bike lanes do not have to parallel the street. Like sidewalks or walkways they should follow natural patterns.

      (2)   Businesses and organizations should recognize the needs of cyclists who may bicycle to work. These cyclists need convenient use of a bicycle rack.

(Ord. passed 3-14-2005; Ord. passed 10-10-2016; Ord. passed 3-14-2019, § 500)