(a) Purpose. The Urban Core Overlay (UC) District is established to foster the development of dense, vibrant, mixed-use neighborhoods that encourage a quality pedestrian experience. The UC achieves this goal for urban cores by setting forth requirements for consistent street walls, pedestrian-oriented building features, minimizing conflicts between vehicles and pedestrians, and screening of off-street parking and service areas.
(b) Mapping. The UC District may be overlayed on any zoning district where authorized by ordinance of Council. Areas designated as UC Districts are planned to be developed in accordance with the purpose set forth herein.
(c) Use Regulations. All uses permitted in the underlying zoning district shall be permitted in the UC District, except that the following uses as regulated below:
(1) Open sales lots are prohibited;
(2) Any establishment served by a drive-through lane providing access to windows or other facilities at which food or merchandise can be ordered or picked up, or business can be transacted by a person in a motor vehicle is prohibited when accessed from a principal or secondary street frontage.
(d) New Construction and Additions.
(1) Block Length. | ||||
A. Block length | 500 ft. max.; No development shall cause a net increase in existing block length. | |||
B. Block perimeter | 1,400 ft. max. | |||
C. Mid-block pedestrian connection or public alley | Block lengths over 400 ft. | |||
(2) Setbacks. | ||||
A. Front yard depth; principal street frontage | Single-family, two-family, townhouse: 0 ft. min., 10 ft. max. | All other building types above the ground floor: 80% of frontage build-out: 0 ft. to 3 ft. max., or equivalent ground plane area 20% of frontage build-out: 12 ft. max., or equivalent ground plane area | ||
B. Front yard depth; secondary street frontage | Single-family, two-family, townhouse: 0 ft. min., 6 ft. max. | All other building types above the ground floor: 80% of frontage build-out: 0 ft. to 3 ft. max., or equivalent ground plane area 20% of frontage build-out: 12 ft. max., or equivalent ground plane area | ||
C. Interior side yard depth | 0 ft. min. | |||
D. Rear yard depth | 0 ft. min. | |||
(3) Building Configuration. | ||||
A. Frontage build-out, principal and secondary street frontage | 90% min.; the frontage build-out requirement may be met with a streetscreen, plaza, or square for up to 10% of the street frontage. Streetscreens shall be 3.5' in height min. Streetscreens screening non-active uses shall be 6' in height min. and shall have 50% opacity min. | |||
B. Active use; first-story | Required on 70% of each of the principal and secondary street frontages | |||
C. Building height | Minimum building height at actual setback shall be 1/2 the width of the street ROW on which the building fronts. (ex. where a building fronts a 60' right of way ROW, minimum building height shall be 30') Maximum height shall be as regulated by the underlying Height District. | |||
D. Floor area ratio | No max. | |||
E. Entrances | Single-family, two- family, townhouse: Each first-story unit fronting a principal or secondary street shall provide a main pedestrian entrance to that principal or secondary street frontage. | Multi-family residential: Required: At least one main pedestrian entrance from a principal or secondary street frontage. | All other building types: Required: Each use fronting a principal or secondary street frontage shall provide a main pedestrian entrance to that frontage. Such entrance shall be recessed to prevent doors swinging over the ROW, including patio space in the ROW, under Section 3109.03. | |
F. Height of finished first floor above grade | First-story residential: 18 in. min., 5.5 ft. max, subject to increase of up to 3 ft. to accommodate slope across site. building lobby may be at 0 ft. | First-story non-residential: 0 ft. min. | ||
G. First-story height; non-residential, principal and secondary street frontages | 11 ft. min. finished floor to finished ceiling | |||
(4) Building Design Features. | ||||
A. First-story glazing, non-residential | 60% min. of each of the principal and secondary street frontages between 3' and 8' above grade shall be transparent windows and doors | |||
B. First-story glazing, residential | 30% min. of each of the principal and secondary street frontages between 3' and 8' above grade shall be transparent windows and doors | |||
C. First-story articulation; frontage build-out | One vertical break required at intervals not to exceed 60 ft. (ex. piers, columns, and/or 3" min. change in facade plane) | |||
D. Architectural articulation required: Balconies, bays, awnings, sunshades, planter boxes, or similar | Single-family, two-family, townhouse: Required on 50% min. of all units facing each of the principal and secondary street frontages; Balconies, if used, shall be 1 ft. min. depth, and railings shall have minimum 30% transparency. | All other building types: Not required. | ||
E. Materials; principal and secondary street frontage | Single-family, two-family, townhouse: Glass in any dimension is permitted. All other materials shall be human-scaled, except materials used on building bases (up to 4 ft. above grade) may be larger in size. Prohibited: plain and split-face concrete masonry units, synthetic stucco, vinyl siding | All other building types: Prohibited: plain and split-face concrete masonry units, synthetic stucco, vinyl siding | ||
(5) Parking, Loading and Garages. | ||||
A. Required parking | None | |||
B. Screening of surface parking, structured parking, and enclosed parking | Liner building or facade along principal and secondary street frontages that does not appear as a parking structure required. Height of liner building or facade shall be equal to or greater than the height of the parking structure, and no less than required by division (f)(3)C. building height. Frontage build-out of liner building or facade shall be equal to or greater than the width of the surface parking, structured parking, or enclosed parking it screens, less permitted access openings. Liner building shall meet all the requirements of any Overlay District in which it is located. | |||
C. Parking access, drives, garages, and service access Where a secondary street frontage or alley abuts the property, no access is permitted on a principal street frontage | Single-family, two-family: 10 ft. max. width/lot | Townhouse: Two-way traffic: 18 ft. width max. One-way traffic: 10 ft. width max.; 20 ft. max. aggregate width per frontage | All other building types: Max. single opening width: 24 ft. Max. opening height for service access: 14ft. Max. opening height for parking entrance: 10 ft. Aggregate width of openings per development phase shall not exceed the number of street frontages of the development phase multiplied by 24 ft. | |
Prohibited: Garage doors facing a principal street frontage | ||||
Alley: Unlimited | ||||
D. Valet Zones | Shall not reduce existing sidewalk width, or shall maintain 8' min. through pedestrian sidewalk zone. | |||
(e) For purposes of this section, "principal street frontage" means the street line where the principal building entrance and address are located.
(f) The Commission may approve an application under this section with design and dimensional elements that are in accordance with the following standards when the site plans, color elevations, or other drawings demonstrate the proposed building configuration, design, or garage better meet the purpose of the Urban Core Overlay:
(1) Frontage build-out should not be less than sixty percent (60%) on each of the principal and secondary street frontages;
(2) Active use on the first-story should not be less than fifty percent (50%) on each of the principal and secondary street frontages;
(3) First-story non-residential glazing should not be less than fifty percent (50%) on each of the principal and secondary street frontages;
(4) Garage doors facing a principal or secondary street frontage for single-family, two-family and townhouse units should be no wider than ten (10) feet.
(Ord. No. 364-16. Passed 5-2-16, eff. 5-4-16)