1. Purpose. The purpose of these design standards for the City of Denison is to:
A. Encourage development design that reflects the physical character and image of the City of Denison.
B. Develop commercial projects that become valued places within the fabric of the city.
C. Set minimum requirements for site design and development, building design, landscaping, and signage without discouraging creativity and flexibility in design.
D. Permit safe and convenient transportation access and circulation for motorized and non-motorized vehicles, and for pedestrians.
E. Respect the relationship of commercial development to surrounding neighborhoods.
F. The proposed development shall not unduly increase the public danger of fire or diminish the public safety, and shall be designed to adequately safeguard the health, safety and general welfare of the public and of persons residing and working in the development and in the adjoining or surrounding property.
2. Boundaries. The Highway 30 Gateway Corridor Overlay District shall run from the intersection of Highway 30 and Highway 59 on the West side of Denison to the intersection of Highway 30 and Donna Reed Road on the East side of Denison. For purposes of this Chapter, whenever "Highway 30" is referenced, it shall mean Highway 30 and any other name by which that road is known, including, inter alia, 4th Avenue South and Old Lincoln Highway.
3. Application. All proposed developments for which site plans are required shall conform to these design standards. Certain standards, identified in this section as “commercial and office” design standards, shall apply to only commercial and office development within the Gateway Corridor Overlay District.
4. Site Design: Relationship to Landforms.
A. Buildings shall maintain a minimum buffer of 30 feet from the edge of any Special Flood Hazard Area on the most current Flood Insurance Rate Maps or from the edge of any wetlands identified by the National Wetlands Inventory or a site specific inventory of wetlands.
B. Site design shall minimize cut-and-fill and, to the maximum degree possible, follow the natural topography of the site.
C. The proposed development shall be designed with a proper regard to topography, surface drainage, natural drains and streams, wooded areas, and other natural features. The design of the proposed improvements shall make adequate provisions for surface and subsurface drainage, so as not to increase the danger of erosion, flooding, landslide, or other endangerment of adjoining or surrounding property. Appropriate construction site erosion and sediment control measures must be implemented. Post construction runoff control Best Management Practices (BMP’s) shall be utilized to the maximum extent practicable.
5. Infrastructure. The proposed development shall be designed with adequate water mains, provisions for sanitary sewage facilities, storm sewers (storm sewers to be designed for 5-year storm calculations) and drains and flood control, in accordance with the ordinances and regulations of the City, including adopted SUDAS construction design standards, statutes and regulations of the State, and good engineering practice to protect the public health and welfare and not overload any existing public utilities. Storm water drainage shall emphasize on-site storm water management with off-site runoff to be directed to storm sewers wherever possible, including the requirement to extend public storm sewer if deemed necessary.
6. Pedestrian Access.
A. Commercial and office developments shall provide a continuous walkway connection at least 5 feet in width from the public sidewalk or right-of-way to the customer entrances of all principal buildings on the site. All developments adjacent to multi-use trails shall provide a direct connection from the trail to the development’s internal pedestrian circulation system. For trails that are proposed in the city’s comprehensive plan but are not yet constructed, the development plan shall make provisions for a connection to the trail, and shall be responsible for constructing the connection when the trail becomes available.
B. Multi-building developments shall provide clear and safe walkways at least 5 feet in width that connect all buildings on the site. Buildings not intended for routine customer or pedestrian accesses, or intended solely for drive-up services, are excluded from this requirement.
C. Where the required walkways specified in this section cross drives, parking aisles, or other vehicular ways, the crosswalks shall be distinguished from driving surfaces by the use of durable, low-maintenance surface materials such as concrete or brick pavers; or scored, colored concrete. Painted concrete is not acceptable in this application.
D. In parking lots with over 200 stalls, the required walkways specified in this section shall be located in landscaped medians or corridors that include trees and groundcovers for at least 50% of their combined length.
E. Sidewalks no less than 5 feet in width and separated by curbs from adjacent vehicular circulation ways shall be provided along the full length of the building along any façade that either includes a customer entrance or adjoins a customer parking area.
F. Pedestrian connections to adjacent developments shall be provided. If adjacent properties are undeveloped, the development plan shall indicate how future connections will be provided.
Illustrations:
7. Vehicular Access.
A. The proposed development shall have such entrances and exits upon public streets as are necessary for safety and the general welfare of the public. The development shall have such interior drives as are necessary for free movement of emergency vehicles and shall have such pedestrian walkways as are necessary for safety and general welfare of the public. The proposed development shall have such entrances and exits upon adjacent streets and such internal traffic circulation pattern which will not unduly increase congestion on adjacent or surrounding public streets or create undue hazards to traffic safety.
B. Development plans shall minimize the number of access points to adjacent arterial streets. Access from arterial streets shall be controlled and will be limited to one point of access per 600 linear feet, or as otherwise determined by the City of Denison. Developments shall make maximum use of internal cross-easements and shared access points when possible. Cross accesses between adjacent properties shall use traffic calming techniques to reduce speeds.
C. Main driveways and drive aisles shall provide a continuous system that connects to the main site entrance.
D. Commercial developments are encouraged to provide means of access to residential areas that avoid requiring residents to use arterial streets for short-distance trips. Such connections must be designed to avoid channeling commercial traffic onto residential streets outside of comprehensively planned, mixed use projects.
E. When possible, shared service and delivery access should be provided between adjacent parcels and buildings.
8. Parking.
A. Parking shall be grouped into parking blocks that are defined by pedestrian paths, landscaping, and buildings.
B. A maximum of 100 parking stalls may be located in any one parking block.
C. To encourage a pedestrian friendly environment and to highlight the building façade we recommend all parking be in the side or rear yard areas.
Illustrations:
9. Signs.
A. Attached signs shall be designed as an integral part of the building elevation and integrated into the overall design of the building. Attached signs shall be located above the building entrance, storefront opening, or at other locations that are consistent with and emphasize the architectural features of a building.
B. A landscaped base area shall be provided for monument or ground signs appropriate to the mass and height of the sign. As a guideline, a base area of 1.5 square feet shall be provided for each square foot of sign area. The landscaped area may include trees, shrubs, flowering perennials, ornamental tall grass, fountains, water features, decorative stonework, planters, sculpture, and decorative paving. Turf grass, loose stone, or mulch does not satisfy this requirement.
C. Other sign regulations and requirements are set forth in Chapter 173, Sign Regulations.
Illustrations:
10. Screening.
A. The proposed development shall be designed and the buildings and improvements located in such a manner as not to unduly diminish or impair the use and enjoyment of adjoining or surrounding property and to such end shall have such buffers, screen fences and landscaping as may be proper and shall minimize the adverse effects on such adjoining property from automobile headlights, illuminations of required perimeter yards, refuse containers, and impairment of light and air. For the purpose of this section, the term "use and enjoyment of adjoining property" means the use and enjoyment presently being made of such adjoining property, unless such property is vacant. If vacant, the term "use and enjoyment of adjoining property" means those uses permitted under the zoning district in which such adjoining property is located.
B. Developments shall provide year-round screening of loading docks, truck parking, outdoor storage, utility meters, HVAC equipment, trash collection and processing, and other service functions. Screening shall be provided for 75% of the vertical plane of these features, up to a height of eight feet. Trash enclosure gates shall furnish a steel frame with decorative steel or wood covering, or another design acceptable to the Planning Director. Chain-link fencing with inlaid wood or metal slats shall not be considered acceptable. Screening shall be integrated into the overall design of buildings and landscaping and fully contain the visual impact of these service functions from adjacent public streets and neighboring properties.
C. Architectural elements, materials, colors, and design of screening walls, coverings, and fences shall be consistent with the predominant materials, colors, and elements of the primary building.
D. Other screening requirements are set forth in Chapter 170, Supplemental Development Regulations and in Chapter 171, Landscaping and Screening Standards.
11. Lighting.
A. All lighting used to illuminate an off-street parking area, sign or other structure shall be arranged so as to deflect light away from any adjoining property and from public streets through fixture type and location. When lighting is mounted to the underside of canopies, these lights shall be recessed so that the visible light source is no lower than the plane of the underside of the canopy.
B. The maximum height of lighting standards shall be 35 feet, unless the City grants a specific exception as part of the application approval process.
C. Exterior lighting of buildings shall be limited to low-level incandescent spotlights, floodlights, and similar illuminating devices hooded in such a manner that the direct beam of any light sources will not glare upon adjacent property or public streets. The City may approve exceptions to these requirements for sports and athletic field lighting, flagpole lighting, public street lighting, temporary lighting for seasonal/holiday or special events, and lighting used for public safety.
12. Architectural Guidelines (Commercial and Office Buildings).
A. Mass and Scale for Buildings over 40,000 Square Feet.
(1) Breaks shall be incorporated into the mass if the building at significant entrances or along walls that front plazas or other significant pedestrian features. Methods of breaks may include towers, pediments, or façade articulations or variations; changes in the horizontal plane; or enhancements in color and materials, consistent with the overall design of the building.
(2) Primary building facades shall meet one of the following guidelines:
a. Facades greater than 100 feet shall incorporate projections or recesses in the wall plane with a depth of at least 3% of the length of the façade and extending for at least 20% of the length of the façade. Maximum uninterrupted length of wall shall be 100 feet.
b. Facades shall display a repeating pattern of at least three cycles of either color change, texture change, material change, or expression of structural bays with an offset of at least 12 inches from the ruling plane of the façade.
c. The Planning Director may waive these guidelines if the applicant demonstrates an alternative building design that, in his/her opinion provides visual interest and scale to the building.
B. Mass and Scale for Buildings over Two Stories. Building mass and architectural elements shall differentiate between the first floor of the building and upper levels of the façade.
Illustrations:
13. Architectural Elements (Commercial and Office Buildings).
A. Front facades facing a primary street shall have visible, clearly defined customer entrances that include at least three of the following elements: canopies or porticos, overhangs, recesses or projections, arcades, raised cornice parapets over the entrance door, distinctive roof forms, arches, outdoor patios or plazas, display windows, or integral planters.
B. At least 20% of the surface area of front commercial facades up to a height of 16 feet shall be transparent.
C. Front facades shall utilize variations in color, horizontal planes, materials, patterns, height, and other techniques to provide visual interest and scale to buildings.
D. Other rear and side facades may use a simplified expression of the materials and design used on other building elevations.
Illustrations:
14. Building Materials (Commercial and Office Buildings).
A. Permitted exterior building materials shall be high quality, durable materials that include, but are not limited to, brick; native or manufactured stone (Renaissance stone or similar masonry materials); integrally colored, burnished, textured, or glazed concrete masonry units; pre-finished metal panel systems; quality metals such as copper; high quality pre-stressed concrete systems; and drainable (water managed) EIFS.
B. The following exterior materials are prohibited: split shakes, rough-sawn wood; painted concrete block; tilt-up concrete panels without an architectural finish; field-painted or pre-finished standard corrugated metal siding; standard single- or double-tee concrete systems; or barrier type EIFS.
C. Materials on all sides of the building shall be consistent with materials on the front façade.
D. These guidelines are not intended to inhibit creativity and innovation in building design. The Planning and Zoning Commission may permit the use of other materials or methods if the applicant demonstrates that the use of such materials or methods will result in a building or development project that provides an equal sense of quality and permanence and that meets or is consistent with the requirements otherwise stipulated within the Denison Zoning Ordinance.
Illustrations:
15. Roof Forms (Commercial and Office Buildings).
A. Buildings with flat or slightly sloped roofs to drain shall incorporate parapets on all facades that face a public street or residential district. Variations in parapet height and articulation of cornice lines may be used to add interest.
B. Roof forms shall be designed to express various building functions and features, such as entrances.
C. Visible roof materials shall include clay or concrete tile, tern metal, architectural grade asphalt shingles, architectural metals, copper, natural or synthetic slate, or similar durable materials.
D. Mansard or false roofs shall not be used.
Illustrations:
16. Site Plan Requirements. To accomplish the design standards of this section, a landscaping plan prepared by a registered landscape architect, nursery person or such other knowledgeable person shall be provided, along with plans which address erosion control and other applicable requirements of this chapter and other City regulations.
(Ord. 1504 - Sep. 19 Supp.)