(A) Applicability. The following standards apply to all building plans approved after June 30, 2024. For projects built under old standards but that have space for additional buildings, those new buildings would be expected to meet these standards unless it is determined:
(1) The location is not on an arterials and collector road or other highly visible location where strict compliance is crucial to meeting overall city aesthetic goals; and
(2) The likelihood is low of surrounding non-conforming buildings changing use, being redeveloped, or otherwise being brought into greater compliance with these design standards within the foreseeable future.
(B) Design intent. The following design standards are intended to create high quality, walkable urban environments based on time-tested urban design principles. These principles, along with the careful location of these buildings and communities in high-amenity, mixed-use locations, are intended to create long-term value that allows buildings to become even more coveted addresses over time. Architectural details, the design quality and functionality of open spaces, and the design and functional integration of these buildings and communities with their surrounding mixed-use environment are the important public interests that are reflected in these standards.
(C) Orientation of buildings to streets and open space.
(1) All multi-family dwellings must be oriented so that the primary entrance(s) and street-level unit entries face the street. In the case of corner lots, the primary entrance(s) must face the street from which the building derives its street address. It is acceptable to have two primary entrances, but no secondary entrance may face a street. A primary entrance is defined by the entrance's function, scale, and/or design detail.
(2) When a required open space area is included within the development, at least 10% of the dwelling units must front the open space area; this includes lots where a street is located between dwelling units and the open space. The percentage may be reduced if the open space is designed to preserve specific natural features, or extend existing open space or pedestrian corridors, or such a percentage cannot be reasonable met.
(3) Within the context of other design requirements, streets and buildings should be arranged to frame the open space to the maximum extent practicable (see picture below).
(D) Open space. Required open space must be functional and enhance the resident or visitor's experience. Amenities include special paving, enhanced landscaping, trellises, and other features that promote outdoor recreation, scenic amenity, and/or shared exterior space for people to gather. See examples below.
(E) Parking. Multi-family projects must comply with the following, in additional to any related standards elsewhere in this subchapter.
(1) Off-street parking lots associated with multi-family dwellings cannot be located between any structures and the street.
(2) Off-street parking lots located next to a building must not occupy more than 25% of the parcel's street frontage. Associated driving areas must be included as part of such off-street surface parking.
(3) Any podium parking or structured parking should be adequately screened and integrated into the overall design of the building through the use of metal screens, louvers, grilles, and/or green screens.
(F) Pedestrian walkways.
(1) Continuous internal pedestrian walkways must be provided to connect off-street parking areas with primary building entrances and the public sidewalk system.
(2) If a public sidewalk is adjacent to the project site, at lease one internal pedestrian walkway with a minimum width of five feet must be provided from the primary entrance to the public sidewalk at a major connection point. In the case of a corner lot, a connection must be made to the sidewalk of both streets.
(3) The crossings at major entrances, major internal routes, and major pedestrian walkways must be distinguished from driving surfaces through the use of durable, low-maintenance surface materials such as pavers, bricks, or scored/stamped concrete or asphalt to enhance pedestrian safety and comfort, as well as the attractiveness of the walkways.
(G) Building size. Individual building footprints are limited to 15,000 square feet, or in cases where at least 25% of the ground floor is reserved for neighborhood commercial uses served by their own exterior entrance, to 25,000 square feet. A larger building footprint may be approved by the Planning Commission for special purpose facilities or an established mixed-use area if compatible with the sale of the surrounding development.
(H) Building massing.
(1) All building façades of multi-family uses must include a distinguishable and distinct base, middle and top such that the base of the building relates to the pedestrian scale.
( 2) All buildin g elevatio ns must be treated in a consiste nt manner regardi ng the design, material s, color, and complex ity, unless the elevatio n exclusiv ely fronts a service area or alley, or is otherwise not visible from to the general public.
Base, middle and top examples
(I) Design of front façades.
(1) Façades must incorporate wall offsets in the form of projections and/or recesses in the façade plane at least every 30 feet of façade frontage.
(2) Wall offsets, resets, and projections must have a minimum depth of two feet.
(3) The building façade must express the module of the actual residential unit in order to scale to create a façade that has depth, visual interest, and rhythm.
(4) In additional to wall offsets, façades of multi-family buildings must provide a minimum of four of the following design features in a cohesive manner for each residential unit fronting onto a public street or public space unless there are unique and challenging circumstances that would otherwise make the implementation of these features not feasible (such as incompatibility with an established building aesthetic, lack of public visibility, or demonstrated physical constraints of the site):
(a) One or more dormer windows or cupolas above the corresponding residential unit.
(b) A projecting or recessed balcony for at least 50% of the units facing a public street or public space and a covered porch for each unit at ground-level facing a public street or public space.
(c) Ornamental pilasters, columns, or other similar architectural features integrated into the overall architectural design.
(d) One or more bay windows with a minimum 12-inch projection from the façade plane.
(e) Eaves with a minimum of six-inch projection from the façade plane.
(f) A parapet wall with an articulated design, which entails design variation rather than a simple rectilinear form.
(g) Multiple windows grouped together to establish a design feature that can be either recessed or projecting with a minimum four-inch wide trim.
(h) Windows that have dimensional window surrounds or trim.
(i) Windows that incorporate ornamental elements such as shutters, arched windows, transom windows, or any other design feature that would otherwise add ornamental characteristics to a window or group of windows.
(j) Other prominent design details that are consistent with the overall architectural character and scale of the building.
(5) Pitched roofs must have multiple planes and elements, including hips, gables and dormers reflecting required wall offsets or other architectural features of the building, with at least one additional roof plane or feature for every 60 feet of façade frontage.
(6) Flat roofs should include elements that act as a prominent visual termination for the building, such as projecting architectural features, cornices, and eaves. Where a flat roof is used, a parapet should extend beyond the roof plane and include an element that provides a visual termination of the façade. The parapet should extend far enough above the roof plane that any mechanical equipment is concealed from public view at street level.
(J) Consistency of façade design. Each façade must receive similar treatment to the façades that are oriented toward the street. They should have variation in massing, similar pattern of openings, at least one projection or recess, or one bay window or covered porch meeting the standards in division (I) above. This requirement may be waived by the Planning Commission for adjacent building sides or façades otherwise oriented with minimal public visibility.
(K) Design of building entries.
(1) At any entry, whether a common entry or access to an individual unit entry at ground level, a canopy, awning, balcony, or other significant architectural feature combined with the entry itself being either recessed or projecting from the primary façade must be provided to promote pedestrian safety and orientation to the building by creating a well-defined and welcoming building entry.
(2) Shared or common building entries should provide a transition from the street to the entries themselves to create a unique shared sense of entry that provides a defensible space, therefore generating a sense of pride and ownership. This can be accomplished by changes in grade, stairs, low masonry walls, ornamental railing, a change in paving materials and/ or landscaping.
(3) Exterior, open corridors (breezeways) designed to provide primary, street-side access to dwellings are prohibited, whether the breezeways are ground level or elevated.
(4) All residential units, other than units that are accessed individually directly from the exterior, should be accessed through enclosed, shared common access points that are monitored by a security system and/or on-site security/management staff and be accessible to emergency responders. Building access must be provided via a keypad entry, card access, or similar system equipped with the ability to provide on-demand access to emergency responders.
(L) Building foundations.
(1) A slab foundation is permitted, provided that the foundation supporting the floor framing is an average of at least 18 inches above grade on the front and side façades and is clad with brick, brick veneer, stone, stone veneer, stucco, or other masonry materials on the front and side façades.
(2) Buildings that are age-restricted to citizens ages 55 and older, and buildings that are designed or intended for occupation by persons with physical disabilities may use a slab-on-grade foundation or raised slab foundation, provided that an average of 18 inches from the ground levels is clad with brick, brick veneer, stone, stone veneer, stucco, or other masonry materials on the front and side façades.
(3) Foundations shall not be clad in finished or unfinished concrete block.
(M) Building materials.
(1) Buildings must have a minimum of 50% brick, stone or stucco on façades facing a public street or public open space, and 30% brick, stone or stucco on façades that front service areas or alleys, or are otherwise not visible to the general public. Stucco or synthetic stucco (EIFS) may only be placed above the first building level on all façades, except for detailed design elements that may extend to the ground level.
(2) The following materials are prohibited for all building elevations:
(a) Metal siding (unless architectural grade in limited application such as design accent or feature only).
(b) Vinyl siding.
(c) Plywood.
(d) Exposed smooth-finished concrete block.
(3) Changes in materials and color should correspond to the building modulation and other architectural features of the building. At a recess, projection or change in material, the materials should return to meet the primary façade.
(N) Windows, doors, balconies, patios and porches.
(1) Windows and doors should be recessed within the façade in which they are located or have dimensional surrounds/trim a minimum of four inches wide.
(2) False balconies (or Juliet balconies) should not be used unless the depth is at least 12 inches from the façade.
(O) Garages and carports.
(1) Garages/carports serving multi-family buildings must be located to the side or rear of the building.
(2) Garage doors are prohibited from facing a public street.
(3) Side-facing garages must not face existing single-family detached dwellings unless a perimeter buffer with a minimum width of 30 feet is provided between the garage and existing single-family detached dwellings.
(4) The exterior materials, design features, and roof form of garages and carports must be compatible with the building they serve.
(5) Garage doors facing a public street or public open space must be recessed within the façade and include detailing elements to create visual interest and add to the overall architectural character of the building. This does not apply to garage doors facing an alley, service area, or otherwise non-public area.
(P) Roof penetrations and equipment.
(1) To the degree practicable, all roof vents, pipes, antennas, satellite dishes, and other roof penetrations and equipment (except chimneys) must be located on the rear elevations or configured to have a minimal visual impact as seen from the street.
(2) Where wall-mounted equipment is visible from the street or any public area, it should be of similar color to the façade on which it is located and be integrated into the overall design.
(Q) Unique conditions and exceptions. In situations where the applicant can show that building orientation, building layout, adjacent land use, or other determining factors preclude adherence to the standards, the Planning and Development Director may reduce the applicable standards of this section after all reasonable efforts are made to incorporate them in their entirety.
(Ord. 2024-014, passed 6-25-24)