(a) Residential Design Standards for residential projects within the jurisdiction of the Architectural Review Board.
(1) Materials for new construction and additions shall have architectural character and should be selected for harmony within a building and within adjoining buildings.
(2) The scale and proportions of an addition shall be compatible with the principal structure and with the surrounding structures and context. Whenever possible, architectural elements on an addition shall align with similar elements on the existing building. The addition shall be respectful of and sensitive to existing architecture. Additions shall be sided and roofed with materials that match the existing structure in terms of scale, texture and color. Additions and bay windows shall fit into the existing architecture of a structure, both physically and visually. Window replacements and new windows shall correspond to existing window styles and fit into the structure’s established pattern of fenestration. Garages and other auxiliary buildings shall be roofed and sided to match the principal structure whenever possible. The pitch and orientation of a garage roof shall relate to the roof on the principal structure. High grades of lumber such as cedar, redwood or cypress shall be used for all finished elements, utilizing wood products, including posts, railings, fascia and trim, stair risers and treads, and other visible features. Pressure treated wood is acceptable for structural members and decks.
(b) Commercial – Industrial Design Guidelines.
(1) New buildings should reflect the scale, orientation and character of the neighborhood in which they are to be located.
(2) Store front alterations should respect the architectural character of the existing building in terms of materials, scale, proportion, and fenestration. Alterations to store fronts which are part of a shopping center shall be reviewed within the context of the plan for the shopping center as a whole.
(3) Where two or more storefronts or commercial establishments occupy a single building, the base and the header heights, and style of the street level windows should match. For buildings greater than one story in height, the style, orientation, materials and placement pattern of upper- story windows should also match. The headers of windows should be bordered by stone, concrete or patterned brick lintel to enhance the architectural detail of a commercial structure. Aluminum awnings are discouraged in the Commercial and Industrial Districts. Awnings should be installed to fit the existing framing of windows and entrances, and should be hung no higher than the top of the display window. At street level, the awning should be no lower than seven (7) feet above the finished grade. It should also be no higher than one (1) foot below the building cap on a one (1) story building or the sill of the upper story windows on a building of two (2) or more stories. Backlit awnings are strongly discouraged. The scale of light fixtures should fit the scale and style of the building, in the function to which the particular fixtures are applied. Lighting for parking areas shall be designed so that it does not glare into adjacent properties or into the right-of-way. It shall be related to the parking lot’s design and circulation, and should be compatible with the scale of adjacent buildings. Landscaping of commercial and industrial properties shall be required for alterations and new construction. The type of species, and size of the plant materials shall be shown on the plans submitted to the Architectural Review Board. Plant materials shall be in scale to the amount of available area, and to the building to which they correspond. Landscaping shall provide a visual screen of at least fifty percent (50%) opacity, up to a height of two and one-half (2 ½) feet throughout the year in commercial and industrial parking lots. Opacity is defined herein as a degree of obscuration of light. Landscaping shall partially screen and beautify but not completely block out and visually isolate commercial and industrial properties. Plant diversification is encouraged to accomplish the partial screen and beautification policy.
(4) Mechanical equipment shall be screened in a manner that is compatible with the architectural character of the building. Appropriate screening for rooftop equipment may include parapet walls or fabricated panels. The Architectural Review Board shall be provided with site line studies for proposed screening of rooftop mechanical equipment. Mechanical equipment on the ground shall be screened with landscaping, fences in compliance with the Planning and Zoning Code or auxiliary structures that are compatible with the surrounding buildings.
(5) Access and traffic patterns shall be optimized on the site. Trash management and accommodation of delivery trucks shall be designed into the site plan.
(6) Signs. All signs shall have good scale and proportion in their design and in their visual relationship to buildings and surroundings. Signage should be designed for the pedestrian scale. A sign shall be designed as an integral architectural element of a building and site to which it relates. Full illumination of signs is discouraged if it will have a negative effect on the surrounding neighborhood. Illuminated letters on an opaque background or individual, back lit letters are preferable. The colors, materials and illumination of a sign should be restrained and harmonious with the building and the site to which it relates. Text should be arranged on a sign in a balanced way. Individual items of information should be minimized in order to improve readability and reduce the appearance of clutter. A sign shall be compatible with signs on adjoining premises and should not compete for attention.
(c) Rights Reserved to the Architectural Board of Review. The Architectural Board of Review is granted the right to deviate from the standards and guidelines set forth in this chapter in cases of unusual circumstances and complex projects. The goal of the Architectural Board of Review shall be the maintenance, alteration and new construction that promote high quality design in the City. Each structure shall be reviewed on a case by case basis. The Architectural Board of Review encourages the use of traditional size brick as the façade on commercial and industrial buildings as the predominant exterior material. Use of tiles, stone, or pre-cast concrete to create decorative patterns throughout the building’s façade is also to be encouraged. The use of jumbo size bricks, split-faced concrete, or excessive amounts of glass as exterior material is strongly discouraged.