A. Existing Buildings - Town Square: Any modifications to an existing building in any part of the Town Square shall require a certificate of appropriateness issued in accordance with section 15.6.11 of this title, subject to the guidelines set forth in the "Carbondale Architectural Preservation Guidelines" as published by the city of Carbondale and the Carbondale preservation commission in 1996.
B. Existing Buildings - Other: Any exterior modifications to an existing building in any part of the BPR district that is not designated as a historic district shall conform generally to the "minimum standards" set out in subsection E of this section and shall require approval through the review process set forth in accordance with subsection F of this section. (Ord. 2013-20)
C. New Construction - Town Square: Any new construction within the Town Square shall conform to the minimum standards set below in subsection E of this section and will require a certificate of appropriateness issued in accordance with section 15.6.11 of this title, subject to the guidelines set forth in the "Carbondale Architectural Preservation Guidelines" as published by the city of Carbondale and the Carbondale preservation commission in 1996.
D. New Construction - Other: New buildings (including building additions that increase the size of the facade or the floor area of a building) within the BPR but not within the Town Square shall conform to the minimum standards set in subsection E of this section and shall require approval through the review process set forth in accordance with subsection F of this section.
E. Minimum Design Standards:
1. Building Placement And Orientation:
a. At least seventy percent (70%) of the front of the building shall be constructed to a point not to exceed five feet (5') from the front lot line. The front yard shall be limited to courtyard and/or pedestrian amenities including, but not limited to: benches, bike racks, outdoor cafes, decorative planters, public art, etc. Adequate site distance shall be provided at all points of ingress and egress.
b. The orientation of new buildings shall conform to the existing patterns in the BPR district. Buildings located on corner lots should address the corner. Please note that exceptions to this general principle may be considered for portions of a development that incorporate innovation in design.
2. Building Height, Width, And Massing:
a. All new construction within the BPR district shall be a minimum of two (2) stories or twenty five feet (25') in height. The upper stories of buildings exceeding five (5) stories shall be set back ten feet (10') for all additional stories.
b. New buildings and additions should maintain the major horizontal lines and pattern of building widths along the block where these features exist. When these contextual elements have not been established, or are no longer present, new construction should set the tone for subsequent developments.
c. Buildings should maintain a human scale. In addition, blank featureless walls shall be avoided. As such, facades greater than seventy five feet (75') must incorporate features designed to minimize the perceived size of the structure by breaking the facade into smaller bays or massing elements (not to exceed 50 feet). A minimum of two (2) of the following, or equivalent, techniques shall be employed:
(1) Distinct vertical articulation.
(2) Expression of building modules with changes in the roof form.
(3) Articulation of the facade through varied surface planes and/or materials.
(4) Utilization of an upper story setback.
(5) Expression of floor positions in the external design of the building.
3. Building Materials, Colors, And Details:
a. New buildings and additions must be designed such that the quality of their aesthetic character is apparent from all angles viewable from the public street. This includes, but is not limited to, materiality, color schemes, and architectural features.
b. All new construction shall incorporate a minimum of three (3) facade materials. Clay brick and/or natural stone should be incorporated into the building as a major design element comprising not less than twenty five percent (25%) of the exterior material scheme on elevations viewable from the public street.
c. Certain exterior materials are prohibited. The following table includes a list of required, permitted, and prohibited materials. If a request is made to utilize a material not on the list, it must first be approved in writing by the city's development services division.
Required | Permitted | Prohibited |
Adding detail through decorative masonry details, banding, metal ornaments/accents, changes in color/texture, etc. Clay brick and/or natural stone - 25% minimum | Cement board siding Concrete masonry units (CMUs) - color/texture must be integral to the product - 50% maximum on side or rear facades only Corrugated metal - permitted as a roofing material only with appropriate protection of public rights of way Exterior insulation and finish systems (EIFS) - 50% maximum Metal - anodized, painted, or powdercoated Natural stone Natural wood or wood- plastic composites - 25% maximum Precast concrete/cast stone - must mimic appearance of natural stone Structural glass | Aluminum siding Chainlink fencing Mirrored glass Plain concrete masonry units (CMUs) Vinyl siding |
d. Transitions in material should be made at a change in plane, for instance an inside corner, or should be mediated by some other architectural feature or detail such as stone banding.
e. Materials shall not transition at an outside corner edge, rather one material must turn the corner and carry along the adjacent elevation to a point where the corner appears solidly finished.
f. A minimum of seventy five percent (75%) of a structure's exterior surfaces shall have muted colors with a light reflectance value (LRV) of fifty percent (50%) or less. Bright, brilliant, intense, or saturated colors should be used as accents only and comprise not more than twenty five percent (25%) of the overarching color scheme. This should not be construed to limit the enhancement of facades with murals or other painted artwork.
g. Although architectural style is not restricted, in order to enhance the aesthetic quality of the BPR district, new buildings and additions must provide visual interest through the incorporation of three (3) of the following or equivalent architectural details:
(1) Decorative cornice (top of building/top of storefront).
(2) Window or wall opening treatments (e.g., sills, hoods, lintels).
(3) Clay brick/natural stone piers.
(4) Kickplates.
(5) Distinctive rooflines and/or parapets.
(6) Frieze boards.
(7) Porticos.
(8) Balconies.
4. Doors, Entrances, And Windows:
a. New buildings and additions shall contain square or vertical upper story windows. A minimum of thirty three percent (33%) of the facade at the second story and above should be comprised of glazing.
b. New buildings and additions must feature commercial storefront windows at the street level. A minimum of sixty percent (60%) of the facade must be transparent glazing on all major street frontages.
c. New buildings and additions must feature prominently articulated main entries that are visible from and/or face the street and are integrated into the architectural scheme/aesthetics.
5. Awnings And Canopies:
a. Awnings and canopies are encouraged and must be in keeping with the overall architectural aesthetic of the development with regard to material, form, color, etc.
b. Awnings and canopies may extend a maximum of six feet (6') from the building face when projecting over any public right of way. Any awning or canopy which is located entirely on private property shall not be subject to the six foot (6') maximum projection restriction. Any awning or canopy that projects or suspends over any sidewalk, public or private, or any public right of way shall have at least eight feet (8') of clearance between the bottom of the awning or canopy and the ground or sidewalk. The owner of any awning or canopy suspended over public right of way agrees to indemnify and hold the city harmless from any liability which may arise by reason of the awning or canopy being projected or suspended over the public rights of way. The owner shall submit an insurance certificate listing the city as additionally insured.
F. Design Review:
1. Application: The application for design review shall be filed with the planning services division and shall be accompanied by such information, plans, elevations, specifications and other documents as may be required.
2. Review And Determination:
a. The planning services division shall review the proposed design for compliance with the design standards outlined above. The review shall be within thirty (30) days of the date the application is filed. In reviewing the application, the planning services division shall determine whether the proposed work is in accordance with the design standards established by this section and is generally compatible with the character of the downtown. The director of development services shall approve the application as submitted, approve the application with modifications, or deny the application. If the applicant does not agree with the director of development services' decision to modify an application, the application shall be denied. (Ord. 2017-17)
b. The director of development services may delegate the review of applications within the Town Square to the preservation commission, which shall proceed in accordance with section 15.6.11 of this title.
c. Written notice of the director of development services' action shall be provided to the applicant. A denial of the application shall be accompanied by a statement of the reasons for denial that shall include recommendations concerning amendments to the application that would cause the director of development services to reconsider its denial.
3. Resubmission Of Application Or Appeal Of Decision:
a. An application that has been denied may be resubmitted with amendments for reconsideration by the planning services division.
b. An application that has been denied may be appealed to the zoning board of appeals in accordance with section 15.6.9 of this title. (Ord. 2013-20)