(a) Applicability. The standards of this subsection shall apply to all non-residential structures in the Residential and Business Zoning Districts.
(b) General Nonresidential Building Requirements.
(1) Building Orientation. Buildings shall be parallel to the street they front unless an alternate orientation is consistent with existing adjacent development.
(2) Primary Entrances. The primary entrances of buildings shall be oriented:
A. Towards a street along the perimeter of the development; or
B. Towards streets or roadways in the interior of the development if none of the building's facades has frontage on a public street; or
(3) General Building Façade Requirements. Building facades shall comply with the following standards.
A. Blank building walls facing streets are prohibited;
B. Rear and side facades, if visible from public streets, shall have a similar architectural treatment as utilized on the primary or front façade; and
C. These requirements shall not apply to those walls that are not visible from a street and only visible from an alley, or the rear yard of another nonresidential site.
(c) Unified Theme. Where there are multiple buildings within a single development, the architectural design of buildings, including freestanding outparcel structures, should be organized around a consistent architectural theme in terms of the character, materials, texture, color, and scale of buildings. Themed restaurants, retail chains, and other franchise-style structures should adjust some aspects of their standard architectural model to be consistent with a development's architectural character.
(d) Infill Development. All new development or redevelopment shall be compatible with the established architectural character of the surrounding area utilizing a building design and style that is complementary to the surrounding uses and structures. Compatibility may be achieved through the repetition of similar rooflines, similar proportions in relation to height, size, scale and mass, similar door and window patterns, building materials and color, and building orientation.
(e) Building Transparency. Building elevations that are visible from a public street should dedicate a minimum of twenty-five percent (25%) of the length of the front façade to windows or transparent entrances.
(f) Design of Façades.
(1) Offset Required. Front façades sixty (60) feet wide or wider shall incorporate wall offsets of at least two (2) feet in depth (projections or recesses) a minimum of every forty (40) feet. Each required offset shall have a minimum width of twenty (20) feet.
(2) Offset Alternatives. The following alternatives can be used in place of the required front façade offsets:
A. Façade color changes following the same dimensional standards as the offset requirements;
B. Pilasters having a minimum depth of one (1) foot, a minimum width of one (1) foot, and a minimum height of eighty percent (80%) of the façade's height; and/or
C. Roofline changes when coupled with correspondingly aligned façade material changes.
Figure 1135-A: Illustration of How the Facade Offset Provisions may be applied
(g) Roof Line Changes.
(1) Roofline changes shall include changes in roof planes or changes in the top of a parapet wall, such as extending the top of pilasters above the top of the parapet wall.
(2) When roofline changes are included on a façade that incorporates wall offsets or material or color changes, roof line changes shall be vertically aligned with the corresponding wall offset or material or color changes.
Figure 1135-B: Illustration of Roof Line Changes
(h) Building Design and Mass. All architectural elevations of principal buildings shall consist of a base, a body, and a cap.
(1) The base shall occupy the lowest portion of the elevation.
(2) The body shall occupy the middle portion of the elevation.
(3) The cap shall occupy the highest portion of the elevation and shall consist of at least one of the following architectural features: a cornice, parapet, awning, canopy, or eaves.
(4) The base and cap shall be clearly distinguishable from the body through changes in color, material, pattern, profile, or texture.
Figure 1135-C: Illustration Showing a Building Base and Cap
(i) Roofs.
(1) Roof Types. All roof types are permitted. When flat roofs are used a parapet wall having a three-dimensional cornice treatment shall conceal them.
(2) Roof Materials. Where any non-architectural roofing materials (e.g., tar and paper) are utilized, such roofing shall be concealed with parapet walls that have 3-dimensional cornice treatments or similar screening methods.
(3) Screening Rooftop Mounted Equipment. Roof-based mechanical equipment shall be screened from view of adjacent properties and public rights-of-way. The method of screening may include a parapet wall having a three-dimensional cornice treatment.
Figure 1135-D: Example of How to Screen Roof Mounted Mechanical Equipment
(j) Building Materials List.
(1) Combination of Materials. A combination of materials, textures, colors, and finishes shall be utilized to create visual interest.
(2) Primary Building Materials. Durable natural or natural-appearing building materials such as brick, stone, stucco, split face block, or other similar materials are preferred primary building materials. Durable synthetic building materials that convincingly match the appearance of natural building materials may be used as a primary building material. Non-durable building materials such as EIFS (Exterior Insulation and Finish System) may not be used within three feet of the finished grade or sidewalk.
(3) Accent Building Materials. In addition to the above materials, acceptable accent materials include decorative precast concrete block, metal, stone and glass block.
(4) Prohibited Primary Building Materials. The following are considered inappropriate primary building materials: aluminum or vinyl siding; exposed metal panels (such as corrugated metal); smooth-faced concrete blocks; smooth-faced tilt-up concrete panels, and wood sheet goods.
(Ord. 30-22. Passed 12-12-22.)