In order to achieve the purpose and intent of this chapter, the following standards apply to CC Zoning Districts:
A. General Standards:
1. Common Ownership: For all multiple use developments, the tract or tracts of land included in such developments must be under one ownership or control or be the subject of a joint application by the owners of all property included. Unless otherwise provided as a condition for approval, the applicant may transfer units of any development for which approval has been granted; provided, that the transferee shall complete, use, and maintain each such unit, in strict conformance with the approved development plan.
2. Appropriate Mix Of Uses; Careful Location Of Nonresidential Uses: CC Zones shall demonstrate an appropriate mix of land uses such as different types of residential uses, residential with commercial, or some other mix. Appropriateness shall be judged on the tract's location in relation to infrastructure, topography, and current and projected market demand.
a. Dense Land Use Areas: To maximize economic synergy and prevent commercial sprawl, more intensive and dense land use areas, such as the village and town land use areas, shall be located towards the center of the development or, if the development will be located next to an existing or planned similar intensive and dense area, near said areas, unless otherwise demonstrated to be unfeasible or undesirable by the developer, City staff, or the City Council through the approval process.
b. Village And Town Siting Determination: The location of each village and town land use area shall be carefully selected to be located at a walkable distance from planned or existing predominantly residential developments.
3. Bicycle And Pedestrian Pathways And Trails: The CC zoned development shall demonstrate an excellent system of pathways, trails, and sidewalks which are demonstrated to be useful, safe, comfortable, and interesting, and which provide connectivity within the development and to adjacent properties.
a. Internal Connectivity: Pathways within a development shall connect residential areas to other residential neighborhoods and to nonresidential areas, to open space common lots, recreational facilities, and to school bus pick up locations. Width and materials of pathways shall be designed in accordance with their anticipated use and volume; as a guideline, major two-way shared use paths should be at least ten feet (10') wide and no path should be smaller than five feet (5') wide. Design of these pathways shall minimize street crossings to reduce conflict points.
b. Street Furniture: Within areas of intense commercial use, street furniture which is related to the overall design theme of the development may be required which may include benches, trash receptacles, artwork, bike racks and facilities, etc.
c. Transit: Upon recommendations from PRT and/or BTPO, bus turnouts, shelters, stops, and other transit options may be required.
d. Bike Lanes: Extensive use of bike lanes and other facilities and of curb extensions/bulb-outs at intersections is encouraged and may be required.
4. Peripheral Location Of Collectors And Arterials: To facilitate enhanced mobility for people who walk and bike, required collectors and arterials shall be located on the periphery of the development unless otherwise demonstrated to be unfeasible or undesirable by the developer, City staff, or the City Council through the approval process.
5. Ownership And Maintenance Of Open Space And Common Property: Whenever private common open space, improvements, or other property are provided, the City will require that an association of owners or tenants be created and incorporated for the purpose of maintaining such commonly held property or improvement. The association shall be created in such a manner that owners of property shall automatically be members and shall be subject to assessments levied to maintain said open space and/or common property for the purposes intended. The period of existence of such association shall be perpetual unless a majority vote of the members and consent of the City Council shall terminate it.
6. Gated Communities Prohibited: Gated communities are prohibited with the CC Zone.
B. Building And Architectural Design And Standards:
1. Building Areas To Be Unencumbered: Buildable areas must be unencumbered by setbacks, public easements, and other physical constraints (such as topography or similar features).
2. Clustering: Buildings shall be clustered to preserve scenic or environmentally sensitive areas in the natural state, or to consolidate small open spaces into larger, more usable areas for common use and enjoyment. Clustered areas shall be carefully designed to abut upon common open space or recreational amenities. When CC zoned developments include commercial uses, commercial buildings and establishments, the development shall be planned as groups having common parking areas and common ingress and egress points in order to reduce the number of vehicle and bike/pedestrian conflict point locations.
3. Like Uses To Face Like Uses: Where possible, "like land uses" shall face "like land uses" or open space, i.e., retail across the street from retail, townhomes from townhomes, etc.
4. Landscaping: All areas not covered by buildings, or by off- street car parking areas or driveways, shall be planted in lawn, trees and shrubs, or otherwise landscaped and maintained in accordance with an approved landscape plan; the use of extensive xeriscaping is strongly encouraged. All required front yard and side yard areas which are adjacent to a public street shall not be used for automobile parking areas, except for permitted driveways, but shall be landscaped and maintained with lawns, trees and shrubs, or other landscape materials. Landscaped park strips with street trees, in accordance with this Code, are required along local and functionally classified streets; portions of park strips may be paved to accommodate street furniture, leaving appropriately sized tree wells for street trees.
5. Fencing Along Sidewalks And Streets Discouraged; Standards For When Used: To facilitate a visually open public realm, unless otherwise required by this chapter, fencing along sidewalks or streets, excluding alley ways, is strongly discouraged. Where such fencing is used however, fencing plans which include heights, materials, and designs, shall be reviewed as part of the design book review process and the City may impose necessary conditions of approval in order to satisfy the intent and purpose of this chapter and section.
6. Buffering Of Nonresidential Uses From Residential Uses: Where separation is desirable between uses, landscaped buffers are preferred over fences and walls in order to create a more visually open look. When fences are used between uses or properties within the development, fencing shall be compatible in color, texture, and design in relationship to building materials. Buffering may be required by the Land Use and Development Commission, the City Council, or Design Review Committee between uses deemed incompatible.
7. Utilities: Underground utilities, including telephone, fiber, and electrical systems, are required within the limits of all CC Zones. Appurtenances to these systems which can be effectively screened may be exempted from this requirement if the Council finds that such exemption will not violate the intent or character of the proposed development. However, the developer shall make efforts to group appurtenances together so as to minimize their distribution.
8. Storage Of Recreational Vehicles, Watercraft, Trailers, Campers, Motorhomes, And Other Utility Vehicles To Be Screened: Watercraft, trailers, campers, motor homes and other utility or recreational vehicles shall be stored within completely enclosed, lawfully constructed buildings or within fenced enclosures at least six feet (6') behind the front line and the street side line of the main building on the lot or parcel in a CC Zone, except that said vehicles may be parked temporarily in front or side yards for no longer than twenty four (24) hours.
9. Architectural Control Committee Required: Each development shall provide for, and maintain, an Architectural Control Committee to ensure that the treatment of building mass, materials, and exterior appurtenances create aesthetically pleasing structures and a site that is in character with, and in proportion to, other surrounding buildings, while still providing diversity in design and neighborhood identity. The committee shall review and approve all themes and colors prior to design review and building permit application submittals to the City and to significant exterior modifications to ensure compliance with the approved Master Development Plan and Design Book.
10. Product Mix: Each project shall provide a variety of home styles to ensure a diverse and interesting street scene. Neighborhoods that have nearly identical homes and streets without variation in product placement and form are not allowed. In order to ensure that the neighborhood is non-repetitive, homes with the same color scheme shall not be built on adjacent lots on the same street or on lots directly or diagonally across the street from one another.
11. Corner Lots: Special attention should be paid to corner lots. At least one home plan per neighborhood shall be designed specifically for corner home sites. This home plan is required to include wrap-around architecture to provide visual interest on both the front and corner side yard of the home, and the ability to turn the garage for side entry. An example would be continuing a full-wrap of material accent onto the side facade, adding a wraparound porch, or facing the home on a diagonal towards the intersection. Corner lot development shall conform to product mix requirements of the previous section.
12. Entry Sidewalks And Front Porch: Single-family residences shall have building entry sidewalks that connect directly to a street sidewalk or pathway. Except where sloped topography may justify, the distance between the front door and edge of the sidewalk shall not exceed twenty five feet (25'). To encourage increased community interactions and feeling, residences are encouraged to have covered, open-front porches that are at least six feet (6') in width.
13. Garages: The home and front yard rather than the garage shall be the primary emphasis of the front elevation. The City encourages the use of side load/swing-in type garages and rear- loaded garages. Where front-loaded garages are to be used, they shall be subservient to the dwelling and shall be set back at least fifteen feet (15') from the front line of the dwelling.
14. Multi-Family Housing: Multi-family dwellings, including apartments, duplexes, 3-plexes, 4-plexes, etc., shall be designed to have an outward appearance of a single-family dwelling unless a design deviation is granted as part of the design book approval process.
15. Ground Level Aesthetics: Buildings shall be designed to relate to grade conditions with a minimum of grading and exposed foundation walls, creating easy pedestrian access from sidewalks, parking areas, etc. Commercial or mixed use buildings shall be designed with contrasting ground floor architectural articulation in order to enhance street activity and walkability. Windows, display windows, doors, and arcades must make up at least fifty percent (50%) of street facing facades on the first story of commercial developments. Window shapes and sizes shall be so designed to be compatible from building to building. Tinted windows or windows with reflective film or glass are discouraged at street level.
16. Access: All lots developed for residential purposes shall have frontage along a public roadway, or be rear-loaded with alley access, or front upon a "green court". All retail, civic, and office buildings shall front onto streets.
17. Building Height: Buildings shall have a minimum and maximum number of stories as indicated by the land use areas in the table below, with height measured according to the City's adopted ordinances and standards. The City Council may approve greater building heights than shown in the table below if it identifies site or design characteristics that are unique to the development such as size, scale, topography, or development amenities (e.g., rooftop gardens), that justify allowing greater building heights. Approved structures with additional height may be required to employ suitable "step back" architecture and other architectural features that create a development that is built at the human scale, and is pedestrian friendly and architecturally diverse.
Residential | Village | Town | Business And Research Park | ||||
Minimum | Maximum | Minimum | Maximum | Minimum | Maximum | Minimum | Maximum |
1 story | 2 stories | 1 story1 | 3 stories2 | 1 story1 | 4 stories2 | 1 story1 | 4 stories2 |
Notes:
1. Vertical architectural elements that make the buildings appear greater than 1 story.
2. "Step back" architecture may be required so that building heights adjacent to public streets are limited to enhance pedestrian design.
18. Lighting: Streetlights shall conform to an approved theme and shall exhibit pedestrian-scaled design and enhance walking safety. For purposes of this section, pedestrian-scaled design means using lighting that is lower in height and more closely spaced than standard street lighting, with heights between twelve feet to sixteen feet (12' - 16'). Additional lighting at crosswalks and crosswalk approaches may be required.
19. Parking: Parking lots between buildings and functionally classified collector and arterial streets are prohibited unless justified through the applicable review approval process on a case-by-case basis.
20. Signage: Proper design and placement of signs and their lighting shall be compatible with structures and uses. Mixed use developments shall have a sign theme which promotes mixed use compatibility. Wall signs, blade signs, and window signs, approved as part of an overall sign theme, are encouraged.
21. Open Space: Significant usable and functionally connected open space shall be provided within the mixed use development, depending upon size, scale, nature, and proximity of other accessible open space amenities in the area of the development. It is the intent of this section that as residential lots decrease in usable private yard areas, that increased community open space be provided to compensate. Approved open space may include, but is not limited to: commons, pocket parks, plazas, outdoor dining, courtyards, natural or manmade landscape features or focal points, fountains, waterfalls, other water features, greenbelts, trail connections, playgrounds, pavilions, and picnic areas. A "village green", as a commons area, may be required adjacent to mass transit connections or other significant activity. Stormwater drainage areas may be incorporated into open space designs, provided that open space amenities are provided for within.
Construction materials used within open space areas shall be related to the materials of adjacent buildings. Design and texture shall encourage comfortable and safe pedestrian use, including landscaping, seating areas, and lighting as appropriate.
Areas of environmental concern or interest may be required to be preserved, i.e., drainages, steep slopes, connections to trail systems, and water features. Unless otherwise specified through special agreement or understanding with the City, all open space areas shall be commonly owned maintained by property owners or property associations. (Ord. 778, 2018)