A. General.
1. Purpose and Intent. The location of buildings/structures and off-street parking areas proposed for a development can directly impact the aesthetic fabric and quality of life for surrounding properties and the community as a whole. It is the purpose of this section to provide design standards that are tailored to distinct geographic areas of the City to ensure that the location and appearance of buildings/structures and off-street parking areas are appropriate with the type, intensity, scale, and location of redevelopment and new development. The intent of this section is to promote standards that are functional, practical, equitable, and creative.
2. Applicability. Unless otherwise specified, these standards shall apply to new projects and major modifications to existing developments located in the following:
a. All properties currently zoned:
(1) Central Business District (CBD); or
(2) Any "Mixed-Use (Urban)" district. For the purpose of this section, Mixed-Use (Urban) districts shall include the Mixed Use 1 (MU-1), Mixed Use 2 (MU-2), Mixed Use 3 (MU-3), and Mixed Use Core (MU-C) district.
b. Any commercially zoned property located:
(1) Along Boynton Beach Boulevard, east of Interstate 95 and west of the Florida East Coast (FEC) Railroad right-of-way;
(2) Within the Urban Commercial District Overlay Zone (UCDOZ); and
(3) Within the Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard Overlay Zone (MLKBOZ).
B. Building Location.
1. General. The revitalization of urban places depends on safety and security, with building/street design having a symbiotic relationship. The location of a building and its proximity/interaction with the public realm is paramount when trying to create urban areas that have a "sense of place" that is consistent with smart growth principles and neo-traditional planning efforts. Development must adequately accommodate automobiles, but in ways that respect pedestrians and the forms of public space and gathering areas.
2. Standards.
a. Each building shall meet the build-to line and reduced setback areas of the respective zoning district or Overlay Zone, whichever is applicable. The location of off-street parking areas is strongly discouraged between buildings and rights-of-way. However, in certain instances, this type of design may be impractical, and strict adherence may deter incremental improvements or upgrades to individual properties, which therefore, perpetuates the blighted conditions of the redevelopment areas. In these circumstances, deviations from the build-to line and reduced setback area requirements may be allowed, but only contingent the submittal of a Community Design Appeal application that satisfactorily addresses the evaluation criteria and when such application is approved by the City Commission.
b. Within mixed-use and non-residential developments, structures proposed along arterial roadways shall be required to occupy the entire length of the street frontage, notwithstanding adjustments for cross-visibility, and open areas devoted to public gathering or pedestrian circulation. This building location requirement along the arterial roadway only applies to new construction or major site plan modifications to existing developments. Also see Chapter 4, Article II, Section 4.B.5. for additional streetscape design requirements.
c. For properties fronting on arterial and collector roadways within Downtown Transit-Oriented Development District Overlay Zone (the Station Area), building location and design shall contribute to a "streetwall" of pedestrian scale, so as to prevent any interruptions to building massing, except in limited circumstances to promote project functionality as determined by the Director of Planning and Zoning. Interruptions in the streetwall shall be limited to those necessary to accommodate pedestrian pass-throughs, public plazas, entry forecourts, and permitted vehicular access driveways when access is not available from a local street.
C. Shade and Shelter Standards.
1. General. This region's climate requires shade and shelter amenities in order to accommodate and promote pedestrian activity. These amenities will provide greater connectivity between sites and allow for a more continuous and walkable network of buildings.
2. Standards. A shaded sidewalk shall be provided alongside at least fifty percent (50%) of all building frontages adjacent to or facing an arterial or collector roadway or adjacent off-street parking area. When abutting off-street parking areas, the shaded sidewalk shall be raised above the level of the parking by way of a defined edge. Ramps for wheelchairs alongside the building must also be shaded.
Building entrances shall be located under a shade device such as an awning or portico.
D. Standards for Windows. Windows shall be located at pedestrian scale. A minimum of seventy percent (70%) of windows on the front or side facades shall be transparent. The remaining thirty percent (30%) may be opaque, provided that the following conditions are met:
1. Window construction using opaque glass shall appear identical to the transparent windows;
2. Opaque windows shall not be superficially attached to the wall;
3. Opaque windows shall not be perceptibly different in texture, color, or reflectivity than the glass of the transparent windows.
E. Compatibility Standards. Proposed projects should compliment existing or approved adjacent mixed use projects in terms of height, color, style massing, and materials.
F. Off-Street Parking Area Standards.
1. Types of Off-Street Parking Facilities. The four (4) types of off-street parking facilities regulated herein are as follows: Surface parking, understory parking, freestanding parking garages, and integrated parking garages. They are generally described as follows:
a. Surface Parking. A parking area where there is no gross building area below or above the parking stalls, except for ancillary structures such as shade canopies or similar structures.
b. Understory Parking Garage. An off-street parking area located below gross building area. Parking stalls are typically located on or below ground level.
c. Freestanding Parking Garage. An off-street parking area located within a structure with two (2) or more levels, where the parking structure is the principal use of the building. Freestanding parking garages may include accessory habitable or non-habitable building areas located at ground level.
d. Integrated Parking Garage. An off-street parking area located within a structure with two (2) or more levels, where the parking structure is the accessory use of the premises. Integrated parking garages are located within mixed-use developments and habitable gross building area is wrapped around the facility on all levels.
2. Standards for Mixed Use (Urban) Districts and Central Business District (CBD). This subsection shall be applicable to all new projects and major modifications to existing developments. Within "Urban Mixed-Use" districts, off-street parking areas shall be located to the rear or side of the structure they are intended to serve and screened from view from public streets, notwithstanding other provisions of these regulations that require a specific setback for a garage for a residential dwelling unit. The intent of these regulations is to emphasize buildings and pedestrian features within the streetscape and minimize the visual impacts of parking facilities. Where possible, parking areas should be located to the rear of a project. Also where possible, access to parking areas shall be from side streets, in order to minimize driveways and vehicular/pedestrian conflicts. The following standards shall apply to all properties located within Urban Mixed-Use districts as described in Section 6.B.2.a.(2) above:
a. Surface Parking. Within the "Mixed-Use (Urban)" districts, surface parking should not be visible from an arterial or collector roadway. Structured parking is preferred for all mixed-use development.
b. Understory Parking Garage. Understory parking (on the first floor of a structure) is allowed throughout all "Mixed-Use (Urban)" districts.
c. Freestanding Parking Garages. Freestanding parking garages are allowed within the "Mixed-Use (Urban)" districts provided that they do not have frontage on any arterial or collector roadway. The height of the freestanding parking garage may not exceed 75 feet in the MU-H district.
All parking garages that front on arterial or collector roadways must be integrated into the development and designed as provided for in subparagraph "d" below.
d. Integrated Garages. Parking garages that are incorporated into the same structure as a principal building, including structures providing parking on lower floors and habitable space on upper floors are permitted within every "Mixed-Use (Urban)" district. Habitable floor area must wrap all upper-levels of the parking structure where the structure has frontage along a public right-of-way or is abutting a single-family residential zoning district. The intent of the integrated garage is to border or wrap the parking structure with permitted habitable floor area, such as storefronts, to a minimum depth of 20 feet, so as to disguise the garage and create continuity in street-level activity by maintaining interest for pedestrians and passing automobile traffic.
The remaining facade(s) of the integrated garage shall be constructed to appear as habitable floor area and designed compatible with the architecture of the adjacent structures within the subject development and abutting properties. Design elements used to disguise the garage may include features such as a living trellis (utilizing climbing vines), planter boxes, tall landscaping, shutters, and/or other architecturally articulated facade features in order to soften its impact.
3. Standards for the "Overlay Zones" and Boynton Beach Boulevard. The purpose and intent of this subsection is to prevent the placement of off-street parking areas between the front of the building and the rights-of-way, particularly in areas where build-to line and reduced setback areas are applicable. Within redevelopment areas, the location of off-street parking areas is strongly discouraged between building and rights-of-way. However, when a project is proposed in such a manner that building location(s) would deviate from respective build-to line and reduced setback area requirements, resulting in a design that is contrary to the purpose and intent of Section 6.B. above and this subsection, then that project shall be required to make upgrades to public realm and streetscape with simple but innovative urban design enhancements such as additional landscaping; pergolas/trellis-work/decorative structures;
4. Standards for the Suburban Mixed-Use (SMU) District.
a. Understory Garages. Understory parking (on the first floor of a structure) is allowed throughout the SMU district.
b. Freestanding Garages. Freestanding parking garages are not allowed within the SMU district. All parking structures, excluding understory garages, shall be designed as an integrated garage as provided for in subparagraph "c" below.
c. Integrated Garages. Parking garages that are incorporated into the same structure as a principal building, including structures providing parking on lower floors and habitable space on upper floors are permitted within the SMU district. Habitable floor area must wrap all upper-levels of the parking structure where the structure has frontage along an arterial roadway or is abutting a single-family residential zoning district. The intent of the integrated garage is to border or wrap the parking structure with permitted habitable floor area, such as storefronts, to a minimum depth of 20 feet, so as to disguise the garage and create continuity in street-level activity by maintaining interest for pedestrians and passing automobile traffic.
The remaining facade(s) of the integrated garage shall be constructed to appear as habitable floor area and designed compatible with the architecture of the adjacent structures within the subject development and abutting properties. Design elements used to disguise the garage may include features such as a living trellis (utilizing climbing vines), planter boxes, tall landscaping, shutters, and/or other architecturally articulated facade features in order to soften its impact.
5. Miscellaneous Standards.
a. Number of Required Parking Spaces. Required parking for all uses shall be as set forth by Chapter 4, Article V, Section 2.
b. Off-Site Parking. Off-street parking spaces may be allowed off-site but with a maximum distance in accordance with Chapter 4, Article VI, Section 4.D.2.
c. Interconnectivity. Interconnectivity between off-street parking areas, including drive aisles and pedestrian connections shall be planned for and designed in accordance with Chapter 4, Article VI, Section 4.D.3.
d. Off-Street Parking for Large Non-Residential Development (Big Box). See Section 7.J below for additional regulations regarding off-street parking lot locations for large non-residential (big box) developments.
e. Trash Collection Points.
(1) Screening. See Chapter 4, Article VI, Section 4.C. for additional regulations regarding the appropriate location and screening of trash collection areas.
(2) Landscaping. See Chapter 4, Article II, Section 6.G. for additional regulations regarding the landscaping of trash collection areas.
f. Off-Street Parking for Station Area. See Section 6.H. below for additional standards regarding off-street parking areas located within the Downtown Transit-Oriented Development District Overlay Zone (the Station Area).
G. Sidewalks. The following regulations shall apply to sidewalks:
1. "Urban Mixed Use" Districts. The following regulations shall apply to sidewalks in all Urban Mixed Use zoning districts as described in Section 6.A.2.a.(2) above:
a. Materials. Sidewalks shall, where practical, be Holland-Stone pavers, red/charcoal color mix 2 by Paver Systems, Inc., or equal, laid in a 4 S herringbone pattern to continue the consistent with the current design elements in place along Federal Highway.
b. Design. Pedestrian circulation should be carefully planned to prevent pedestrian use of vehicular ways and parking spaces.
In all cases, pedestrian access shall be provided to public walkways.
2. Mixed Use-Core (MU-C) District. Sidewalks constructed along arterial roadways shall be a minimum of ten (10) feet wide, measured from the back of the curb.
3. Mixed Use Developments. Sidewalk accents via pavers or stamped colored concrete shall be utilized in all central pedestrian ways of mixed-use development areas.
H. Design and Architectural Requirements for Mixed Use (Urban) and Central Business Districts.
1. Purpose and Intent. The purpose of this subsection is to encourage traditional building architecture and urban design through both standards and guidelines that are based on the principal that a building is composed of the following three distinct parts: the "base;" the "middle;" and the "top." The functional and visual values of a building are measured and achieved through proper design of each component through human scale and "friendliness," appropriate traditional materials, architectural rhythm, classical vertical proportions, appropriate "solid to void" ratio, and uniqueness.
2. Applicability. The standards of this subsection shall be applicable to properties located within the mixed use and central business districts as defined in Chapter 1, Article II, Definitions.
3. Generally.
a. Project design shall not be an independent component in the downtown, but instead designed as an integral component linking seamlessly pedestrian and vehicular circulation with other developments, adjacent neighborhoods, nearby amenities and infrastructure.
b. Appropriate transitions between new and existing buildings shall be provided.
c. Architectural design shall incorporate multiple architectural rhythms in the building facades, appropriate "traditional," "solid-void ratio," classical vertical proportions, and step-backs in tower components.
d. Projects shall contribute to "placemaking" with enhanced building corners, defining components to building tops, and diversity in the use of materials, building articulation, and building colors that contribute and accentuate the building hierarchy and different components.
4. Building Anatomy. Design buildings/projects based on traditional architecture, recognizing the "base/middle/top building hierarchy."
a. Base. The "base" is the most important part of the building design, which is that component that represents the streetscape or "streetwall."
(1) The base should be characterized by having all elements enhance the pedestrian environment to which it is exposed, with high transparency, including windows, entries, canopies, awnings, courtyards, and elements of pedestrian interest such as retail stores, storefront show windows and landscape elements.
(2) The height of the base is a factor of overall building height and scale of the streetscape environment. The base will vary between approximately thirty (30) feet and forty-five (45) feet depending on the zoning district, overall project height and scale of the abutting roadway.
b. Middle. The "middle" of the building should include the expression of the primary building uses. The "middle" of the building shall include multiple architectural rhythms derived through step-backs, changes in plane, changes in materials or colors, window types, window sizes, pairing or multiples of windows, oriel windows and by shutters and other detailing. Typically there should be more solid wall than window opening to maintain the traditional character. Mirrored and/or deeply colored glass should be avoided, as well as horizontal banding of windows and/or a regular horizontal expression of floor slabs.
c. Top. The "top" of a building tower terminates the building at the sky, and defines a skyline.
(1) Towers shall be placed to allow views between towers and allow natural light to penetrate the lower building levels and the street below. The building top achieves its character through the design of cornices, step-backs, and changes in scale, geometric elements and materials or textures.
(2) Projects with tower elements shall be designed to maximize separation between project towers and between towers on abutting projects to ensure protection of views and privacy, and minimize the negative effects of shadowing.
5. Public Pedestrian Entrances. The main public entrance into a building shall be located on facades that front on arterial and collector roadways. Vehicular driveways/openings and curb cuts shall be relegated to local streets.
6. Off-Street Parking. Except for on-street parking, off-street parking areas shall not be visible from abutting arterial or collector roadways.
(Ord. 12-013, passed 10-2-12; Am. Ord. 13-013, passed 6-4-13; Am. Ord. 15-006, passed 3-2-15; Am. Ord. 17-023, passed 9-19-17; Am. Ord. 22-018, passed 11-14-22)