(A) Purpose: The purpose of this overlay district is to establish design standards pertaining to the commercial and residential uses in the Spruce Street area west of downtown Farmington and the Vermillion River. The design standards are intended to do the following:
1. Encourage integrated site planning to create a cohesive, sustainable built environment.
2. Provide design elements and building and site relationships that emulate traditional main street form.
3. Encourage an active, walkable, pedestrian environment,
4. Place a strong visual emphasis on streetscapes.
5. Encourage the development of pocket parks, gardens, plazas, and courtyards for public use.
6. Provide for the compatible integration of commercial and residential uses within a mixed use area.
7. Establish architectural reguirements for commercial and multi-family residential uses.
8. Require new construction to be compatible with existing buildings.
(B) Overlay District Boundary: The Spruce Street Overlay (SS-O) district shall be defined with a northern limit of Hwy 50. a southern limit of Spruce Street (including mixed use zoning districts south of Spruce Street), an eastern limit of the Vermilion River corridor, and a western limit of Pilot Knob Road.
(D) Applicability: All new construction and renovations or additions of existing commercial, residential, and mixed use buildings in the SS-Q overlay district will be required to meet the standards in this chapter, unless otherwise provided. Projects exempt from meeting the standards are those buildings that are comprised of any of the following project types:
1. Interior remodels;
2. Townhouses;
3. Normal or routine maintenance and repair of existing structures;
4. Construction that does not require a building permit.
(E) Site Design Standards:
1. Sidewalks: Sidewalks shall be provided on both sides of all streets. Trails may be required instead of sidewalks as provided in the city's trail master plan.
(a) All pedestrian walkways shall have and maintain a minimum unobstructed pathway width of fifteen (15) feet along the north/south corridor (i.e.. the first roadway constructed between CSAH 50 and Spruce Street, west of Denmark Avenue) and within the mixed use districts. Pedestrian walkways bordering off street parking areas shall be at least eight (8) feet wide. Pedestrian and bicycle pathways connecting to greenways or trail systems are subject to standards in the city trail master plan.
(b) Walkways shall be designed to create a safe and uninterrupted pedestrianway and to avoid frequent crossings by driveways and streets.
(c) Pedestrian walkways shall be designed as amenity areas with approved landscaping, benches, lighting, signage, and street furniture.
(d) Pavers shall be required within the sidewalk design and within the crosswalk areas. Installation of the pavers shall comply with city standards.
(e) Electrical and water services shall be required within the sidewalk areas to prepare for amenities including (but not limited to) water fountains, clocks, kiosks and seasonal lighting, and shall be master planned during the design phase of the project.
2. Lighting: At the time of site plan review for the development, a detailed lighting plan shall be submitted.
(a) The lighting in the Spruce Street area shall be designed to create a well-balanced, integrated lighting plan for public and private locations that enhances vehicular and pedestrian visibility while minimizing glare and contrast.
(b) Light fixtures shall be oriented to pedestrian circulation so that pedestrian walkways are emphasized and safety is enhanced.
(c) Any lighting reguired on the perimeter of parking lots or along streets shall consist of fixtures illustrated in the city's standard detail plate as "streetlight - downtown district".
(d) The interior portions of parking lots may be lit with cobra lights.
3. Required Amenities: For each development, one of the following amenities per ten (10) acres of net developable land area shall be reguired and installed at the time of construction of the project. The amenities shall be highly visible, easily accessible outdoor focal points or gathering places for residents, employees, and visitors to the development site.
(a) Patio and/or plaza with permanent seating areas: provided such patio or plaza has a minimum depth of fifteen (15) feet and a minimum total area of three hundred (300) square feet. Patios and plazas shall include pedestrian amenities intended to support these places as gathering areas such as benches, water features, kiosks, etc.
(b) Landscaped mini-park, sguare. or green, provided such amenity has a minimum depth and width of fifteen (15) feet and a minimum total area of six hundred fifty (650) sguare feet, and includes pedestrian amenities intended to support these places as gathering areas. The landscaped mini-parks, sguares or greens do not count toward the park dedication requirements.
(c) Protected customer walkway, arcade, or easily identifiable building pass through containing window displays and intended for general public access.
(d) Water feature, such as a pond or fountain, provided the feature is easily accessed by pedestrians and includes or integrates permanent seating areas for pedestrians.
(e) Any other well designed area and/or focal feature that the city finds consistent with the intent of these design standards, and that substantially enhances such development and serves as a gathering place for residents, visitors, customers, and employees.
(F) Building Architectural Standards:
1. Fronts of Buildings: Any building face and yard that abuts CSAH 50, Spruce Street, or Pilot Knob shall be considered a front and shall reflect a level of aesthetic treatment egual to or greater than that of building faces and yards that abut the north-south corridor and the major roads in the mixed use districts.
2. Unifying Design Theme: Buildings and/or streetscapes in the Spruce Street area shall reflect a unifying design theme that incorporates features found along the north/south corridor and within the mixed use districts. City staff and the planning commission shall determine whether development proposals satisfy this requirement.
3. Exterior Surfaces: Major exterior surfaces of all walls shall be face brick, stone, glass, stucco, architecturally treated concrete, cast in place or precast panels, decorative block, or approved eguivalent. as determined by the city. The following may not be used in any visible exterior application except when specifically permitted by the city in areas with limited public view: exposed cement ("cinder") blocks: fabricated metal or pole construction structures, including sheds, warehouses, and industrial buildings constructed either on or off site of corrugated metal panels: exterior brick that is painted over: or experimental materials with no proven record of durability or ease of maintenance in the intended application.
4. Facade Design: Unless otherwise agreed to in writing by the community development department, developers of buildings located along the north/south corridor and within the mixed use districts shall use facade variations to differentiate separately leased commercial spaces. Facade variations shall incorporate modulated and articulated building wall planes and rooflines through use of:
(a) Projections, recesses, and reveals expressing structural bays or other aspects of the facade, with a minimum change of plane of six (6) inches.
(b) Changes in color or graphical patterns, changes in texture, or changes in building material.
(c) Varying parapet heights and designs that demonstrate that the buildings are different from each other and that add interest to the streetscape.
(d) Recessed entrances.
(e) Building entrances that incorporate elements providing shade from the sun and weather protection for pedestrians.
(f) Corners which are distinguishable from the remainder of the building through the use of towers, architectural treatments, arches, roof forms, or size and mass.
5. Building Facade Height: All buildings along the north/south corridor and within the mixed use districts shall be constructed with at least one functional or decorative (false facade) upper story. To the extent practical or feasible, variations in rooflines or heights shall be used to differentiate separately leased commercial spaces within buildings.
6. Windows: Windows shall be provided on walls that are adjacent to public or private rights of way, parking lots and sidewalks. False windows are allowed.
7. Awnings/Canopies: Buildings may have awnings/canopies that project over the first floor windows and along the frontage of all building entrances.
(a) Projection: Awnings and canopies shall not project more than five (5) feet into the public right of way, except where located above an entrance, in which case the maximum projection shall not exceed eight (8) feet. In no event should an awning or canopy be supported by poles or other structural elements located in the public right of way.
(b) Length: Awnings and canopies should emphasize the rhythm of the facade bays, windows and entrances, and shall not continue uninterrupted along the building facade.
(c) Height: The bottom of awnings and canopies should be at least eight (8) feet above sidewalk grade.
(d) Illumination: Backlit awnings and canopies are not permitted.
(e) Inscription: Lettering on awnings and canopies shall comply with subsection 10-6-3(B)1(k) of this chapter.
(f) Materials: Awning and canopy materials should be limited to cotton, acrylic or vinyl coated cotton, copper or bronze coated metal, or clear glass. Other materials may be used if approved by the community development department-Awnings shall be designed with a slope. No horizontal awnings are allowed. Structural supports shall be constructed of steel and/or aluminum and shall (if or where visible) incorporate ornamental features.
8. Public Entrances: For commercial buildings located along the north/south corridor, each separate ground level tenant space shall have at least one public entrance that faces the north/south corridor. For buildings located within the mixed use districts, each separate ground level commercial tenant space shall have at least one public entrance that faces the nearest major public or private street. Developers shall be encouraged to also provide public entrances adjacent to off street parking areas. (Ord. 021-761, 8-16-2021)