(A) Purpose. Medium and high density housing is an important element in the overall housing choice in the City of Brooklyn Park. These types of developments are varied and can include small lot single-family, attached townhome and stacked multi-family. To ensure high quality development, buildings and internal community areas minimum design and site requirements have been prepared and shall apply to all new developments in the R-4, R-4A, R-5, R-6, R-7 residential districts and the Village Zoning District. Specific site design, landscaping and pedestrian amenities will help to create an active, comfortable, livable community and a shared sense of ownership among residents.
(B) It is the intent with these standards to provide requirements to help developers achieve high quality residential construction. It is not intended to dictate designs that may not be appealing because they are forced to meet a certain mix of materials. Distinctive architecture with unique design style is encouraged and will be considered if shown to meet the intent of the ordinance. While the requirements stated in this section shall apply to all new construction, in the districts listed above, additional policies shall also be considered including the following:
(1) Homes (as related to single-family, twin homes, and townhomes), in proximity to each other shall not look alike in terms of color, siding, accent and roofing materials. To maintain variety in colors and materials the home under consideration should be compared to the two homes on the two lots on either side of it and to the three homes directly facing it.
(2) Home design should minimize the use of elevations that have a garage forward design ("snout houses").
(3) New multi-family development shall be amenity rich catered to the targeted population of the development.
(4) Neighborhoods shall be designed to be connected and accessible to promote active living.
(C) Neighborhood outreach shall be provided per the adopted Multi-Family Housing Community Outreach Policy.
(D) Minimum building design standards for small lot detached single-family or two-family homes (as part of an association) in the R-4 district, shall be constructed with the following design elements:
(1) Front elevation:
(a) Each front elevation shall have a minimum of 30% comprised of natural material consisting of brick, stone, stucco, hardi-board, redwood, cedar or other similar materials.
(b) Homes on corner lots must relate to both streets with windows, accent and building articulation.
(c) Prominent front entry, including but not limited to, covered entry, front porch or similar accent shall be incorporated into the overall front elevation.
(d) Design of front exterior elevations shall be varied within the development with a minimum of five different styles provided.
(e) Two-family attached buildings shall be articulated to break up the building faced on all elevations. Rooflines and building elevations shall be articulated to break up the mass of buildings.
(2) Garages:
(a) Single-family and two-family homes shall include a garage that is a minimum of 480 square feet in size.
(b) Side entry garages are encouraged where feasible.
(c) Garage shall not comprise more than 55% of the viewable ground floor street-facing linear building frontage. This standard is based on the measurement of the entire garage structure and not on a measurement of the garage door or doors only. Corner lots are exempt from this requirement.
(d) Garage doors shall be architectural styled to match the exterior design of the home.
(3) Roof:
(a) Architectural design roofing materials including composition, wood shingles (including shake), architectural asphalt shingles, concrete, clay or ceramic tile roofs are required on all roofs.
(b) Overhangs must be a minimum of 12 inches.
(c) No bright or garish shingles are allowed.
(4) Side and rear facades:
(a) Each side elevation that faces an interior lot shall have at least one window or door opening which cannot be garage. Where a side elevation faces a street or is visible from a public street, at least two windows or door openings, which cannot be a garage, shall be provided. Alternatives may be considered for LEED or other efficiency standards.
(b) A maximum of 18 inches of the foundation wall may be exposed on any elevation.
(5) Setbacks: front yard: The front yard setback for a single-family or townhome shall meet the requirements in § 152.222. The setback may be reduced down to a minimum of 20 feet if the following conditions are met:
(a) The setback reduction is for an attached living area or porch to the front entry of the principal structure, not including the garage, which does not exceed a total of 240 square feet of above grade finished livable space.
(b) The exterior materials of the proposed living area or porch are consistent or complementary in color, texture and quality with those visible at the front of the dwelling.
(c) The roof of the proposed living area or porch is properly proportioned to and integrated with the roof of the dwelling.
(6) Subdivision requests: Building elevations and floor plans shall be furnished with subdivision requests illustrating exterior building material and colors to demonstrate compliance of this section.
(E) Minimum design standards for townhomes structures including row style, back to back, multi-story (not stacked) or one level attached.
(1) Design character: A high quality of building design is an important way to bring larger buildings into a traditional neighborhood scale.
(2) Subdivision requests: Building elevations and floor plans shall be furnished with subdivision requests illustrating exterior building material and colors to demonstrate compliance of this section. Building floor plans shall identify the interior storage space within each unit.
(3) Decks or porches: Provision shall be made for possible decks, porches or additions as part of the initial dwelling unit building plans. The unit lot shall be configured and sized to include decks or porches.
(4) Minimum overhang: In case of a gable roof, a minimum 12-inch soffit shall be required.
(5) Exterior building finish: The exterior of attached townhome dwelling units shall include a variation in building materials which are to be distributed throughout the building facades and coordinated into the architectural design of the structure to create an architecturally balanced appearance. In addition, attached townhome dwelling structures shall comply with the following requirements:
(a) A minimum of 30% of the combined area of all building facades of a structure shall have an exterior finish of brick, natural or artificial stone.
(b) Except for brick, natural or artificial stone, no townhome dwelling structure shall have more than 60% of all building facades of one type of exterior finish. Other acceptable materials includes maintenance free metal or vinyl siding, glass, stucco, and cement fiber siding.
(c) For the purpose of this section and material calculations:
1. The area of the building facade shall not include area devoted to windows, entrance doors, garage doors, or roof areas.
2. Variations in texture or style (i.e., lap siding versus shake shingle siding) shall be considered as different materials meeting the requirements of this section.
3. Integral colored split face (rock face) concrete block shall not qualify for meeting the brick, stucco and/or natural or artificial stone material requirements.
4. Multiple unit buildings in proximity to each other shall not look alike in terms of color of siding, accent and roofing materials. The building under consideration will be compared to two homes on two lots on either side of it and to the three homes directly facing it.
(6) Facades and walls: Each attached townhome dwelling unit shall be articulated with projections, recesses, covered doorways, balconies, covered box or bay windows or other similar features, dividing large facades and walls into human scaled proportions similar to adjacent single-family dwellings.
(7) Garages: Each dwelling unit shall include an attached garage.
(a) Garages shall comply with the following minimum size standards:
1. For dwellings with basements: 480 square feet.
2. For dwellings without basements: 480 square feet with an additional 120 square feet for storage.
(8) Roofs: Each attached townhome building shall feature a combination of primary and secondary roofs. Primary roofs shall be articulated by at least one of the following elements:
(a) Changes in place and elevation.
(b) Dormers or gables.
(c) Transitions to secondary roofs over entrances, garages, porches, bay windows.
(d) Architectural design roofing materials including composition, wood shingles (including shake), architectural asphalt shingles, concrete, clay or ceramic tile roofs are required on all roofs.
(e) Overhangs must be a minimum of 12 inches.
(f) No bright or garish shingles are allowed.
(9) Side and rear facades:
(a) Four sided architecture shall be used for all new townhome construction when located on or visible from an arterial roadway or public park. Accenting materials and design elements shall be uses on all facades.
(b) Each side elevation shall have at least one window or door opening which cannot be garage. Alternatives may be considered for LEED or other efficiency standards.
(c) A maximum of 18 inches of the foundation wall may be exposed on any elevation.
(a) For townhomes, approved as part of a master site plan, using build-to-lines, the front yard build-to-line shall be established as part of the master site plan and may be reduced to zero feet.
(b) Residential uses on first floor: Whenever residential uses are included on the first floor, the first floor elevation shall be a minimum of two feet six inches above the sidewalk elevation immediately adjacent to the front of the residential unit. In addition, each first floor unit must have an individual private entrance at street level.
(F) Minimum design standards for multi-family (stacked units) residential units.
(1) Design character: Minimum design standards in this section pertain to multi-family stacked units including condominiums and apartments. The scale of these building types makes them highly visible thus it is critical to incorporate high quality architecture. Building materials shall be attractive in appearance, durable, and of a quality which is both compatible with adjacent structures. All buildings shall be of good aesthetic and architectural quality, as demonstrated by the inclusion of elements such as accent materials, entrance and window treatments, contrasting colors, irregular building shapes and rooflines, or other architectural features in the overall architectural concept.
(2) Subdivision requests: Building elevations and floor plans shall be furnished with subdivision requests illustrating exterior building material and colors to demonstrate compliance of this section. Building floor plans shall identify the interior storage space within each unit.
(3) Exterior building finish:
(a) Major exterior surfaces on all walls shall include a minimum of 60%, of the combined area of all building facades of a structure, shall contain the following permitted major exterior materials: face brick (glazed or unglazed), clay faced tile, stone masonry (granite, limestone, marble, slate, sandstone, or quartzite) and other comparable materials as approved by the city.
(b) Accent materials may include: finished texture stucco (cement or synthetic), exterior finished wood siding (painted, stained, or weather sealed), exterior finished metal siding (not including sheet metal of any kind), exterior finished vinyl siding or fiber cement siding in lap or panel design (color impregnated or painted). Panel seam lines shall be architecturally integrated into the building design so that they are not visible. Seam lines can either be filled, covered with accent material or some other method to make seam lines invisible. Accenting materials and design shall be included on all facades.
(c) All building and roofing materials shall meet current accepted industry standards, and tolerances, and shall be subject to review and approval by the city for quality, durability, and aesthetic appeal. The applicant shall submit to the city product samples, color building elevations, and associated drawings which illustrate the construction techniques to be used in the installation of such materials.
(d) If complementary building styles, materials, and color schemes are proposed for a development, the developer shall submit to the city a plan showing the distribution of the styles, materials, and colors throughout the development.
(e) Building elevations shall be articulated to reduce the mass of the building. Large blank exterior walls shall be prohibited. Variation in elevations can be accomplished with projections, recesses, covered doorways, balconies, covered box or bay windows or other similar features, dividing large facades and walls into human scaled proportions.
(f) There shall be no height maximum for stacked multi-family; however, the proposed height and building design will be reviewed through the site plan review process and shall be compatible in scale and design with other buildings in the surrounding area.
(4) Garages: A minimum of one-half of the number of required parking spaces must be within attached garages or an underground parking facility.
(G) Maintenance. A property maintenance agreement must be arranged by the applicant and submitted to the City Attorney for review and comment. The agreement shall ensure the maintenance and upkeep of the structure and lots to meet minimum city standards. The agreement is to be filed with the Hennepin County Recorder's office as a deed restriction against the title of each unit lot.
(H) Energy efficiency. All buildings and sites are to be sited and developed in such a way to maximize the benefits of the site for solar heating and passive cooling, and provide other amenities aimed at promoting energy efficiency and sustainability. Each new building or development shall incorporate a minimum of three elements:
(1) Buildings are to be oriented on the site to optimize passive solar heating and cooling opportunities.
(2) Buildings are to be oriented so as to minimize wind loads on the structure.
(3) Windows are to be placed, and appropriately shaded, to maximize solar penetration during the winter months and minimize solar penetration during the summer months.
(4) Use of white membrane roofing material.
(5) Installation of a green roof occupying a minimum of 30% of the total roof area.
(6) Install solar panels in conformance to § 152.187 to provide at least 10% of the project's estimate electricity demand.
(7) A minimum of 50% of all exterior light fixture used within the development shall be powered by solar panel energy.
(8) All lighting shall use LED fixtures.
(9) Daylight sensors or times shall be installed and used on all exterior lighting.
(10) Electric vehicle stalls/plug-in's.
(11) Indoor bicycle parking.
(12) On-site recycling and organic waste disposal.
(13) Community garage space available to all residents.
(14) Other such sustainable elements and amenities as proposed by the applicant to meet desired objectives.
(I) Unit mix. In order to retain a balance of housing choice in all new multi-family residential developments a range of unit mix is required. Apartment and condominium buildings, not including age restricted, shall include a mix of unit types with no more than 40% of the units constructed as one-bedroom units and no more than 60% of any other bedroom type.
(J) Site design. The character of the site, in addition to the buildings, is an important element in creating an aesthetic pleasing residential community.
(1) Orient and consolidate structure to complement exiting, adjacent development to create a coordinated and visually attractive residential setting.
(2) Buildings with frontage on a primary street shall orient front facades parallel to the street.
(3) Buildings shall have a clearly defined primary pedestrian entrance at the street level.
(4) Wherever a surface parking lot for an apartment building, condominium or parking lot of four or more spaces faces a street frontage, such frontage shall be screened with a decorative wall, railing, hedge or a combination of these elements to a minimum height of three feet and a maximum of three and one-half feet.
(K) Pedestrian environment.
(1) Pedestrian connections to the surrounding neighborhood shall be provided as feasible.
(2) Sidewalks and trails shall be included that provides connections to all areas of the development including community facilities, as well as to public sidewalks, adjacent city park and/ or facilities and transit. Detailed site plans shall be provided that demonstrates these connections.
(L) Crime prevention. Building access and internal hallways shall be so designed that any one single point of building entry cannot provide full access to the floor in which the access is located or the entire building.
(M) Community and recreational facilities. On site amenities and recreational facilities shall be provided in all multi-family developments. Minimum amenities in all developments 50 units or greater shall include outdoor common landscape areas and indoor/outdoor facilities that meet the needs of the intended population including such things as a community/party room, theatre, indoor/outdoor recreation areas such as swimming pools, indoor fitness centers, tennis courts, play equipment, walking trails, community gardens, and basketball courts. Details as to the proposed community and recreational facilities shall be provided during site plan review.
(N) Roadway and driveway design. All private roadways in multi-family developments shall have a design speed of 25 miles per hour, and shall have a maximum grade of 7%. All private driveways for garages in townhouse developments shall have a maximum grade of 11%.
(O) Common areas. The following minimum requirements shall be observed governing common areas:
(1) Ownership: All common areas within a multi-family development (attached or detached) not dedicated to the public including, but not limited to, open space, driveways, private drives, parking areas, play areas, recreational facilities, etc., shall be owned in one of the following manners:
(a) Condominium ownership pursuant to M.S. 515A.1-106.
(b) Single-family, twin-home, townhome subdivision common areas shall be owned by the owners of each unit lot, with each owner of a unit having an equal and undivided interest in the common area.
(2) Homeowners' association (HOA): A homeowners' association shall be established for all townhome developments intended for individual ownership, subject to review and approval of the City Attorney. The HOA shall be responsible for all exterior building maintenance, approval of any exterior architectural modifications, landscaping, snow clearing and regular maintenance of private driveways and other areas owned in common.
(P) Lighting. New multi-family developments shall utilize decorative lighting for all required lighting areas.
(1) Decorative style lighting a maximum of 15 feet in height shall be used to illuminate all common areas.
(2) Decorative pedestrian scaled lighting shall be used for all trails and pathways.
(3) Shoe box style lighting shall only be permitted in parking areas of four or more vehicles.
(4) Wall-mounted lighting shall be used to illuminate entry points and highlight architectural features.
(5) All lighting shall use downcast or shielded light source fixtures.
(Q) Signs. Development signage shall be submitted with the initial city application and shall be considered as part of the site review process.
(Ord. 2013-1158, passed 7-15-13)