(1) Purpose. The purpose of these regulations are to further the goals and implement policies in the Long Range Land Use Plan by:
(A) Encouraging visual design interest and a pedestrian site design for large-scale buildings;
(B) Reducing the massive scale and uniform, monolithic appearances of large structures;
(C) Promoting a safe and comfortable pedestrian oriented site with a mixture of uses and sizes of structures;
(D) Demonstrating careful attention to local community design issues will also ensure a greater likelihood of reuse of the structure for subsequent tenants;
(E) Furthering the design excellence and architectural creativity that typifies development in the city; and
(F) Encouraging designs tailored to the community.
(2) Applicability. Unless otherwise noted, the provisions of this section shall apply to all development within the city.
(3) General review guidelines.
(A) Applicability. The provisions of this division shall apply to all development subject to site plan review.
(B) Architectural style.
1.) Sites and structures shall be designed using architectural styles or variations of styles and elements which contribute to a high quality of design in the city, and which are compatible and complementary with nearby high quality structures.
2.) Nothing in this Code shall be interpreted as a prohibition against the use of any style of design; provided that the style is executed in a manner conforming with all provisions of this Code, and unless such style is specifically prohibited in a special design district.
(C) Height, width, scale and proportion.
1.) Structures shall be designed with a height, width, scale and proportion which is consistent and compatible with existing structures on the same, abutting and nearby properties when such structures are determined by the PZC to be appropriate for their location and in conformance with this Code.
2.) No structure shall be constructed with a width that unduly limits accessibility to the rear of the structure or to other areas of the site that may be subject to future development.
(D) Orientation.
1.) The orientation of structures and uses shall be designed to promote efficient use of the site and appropriate relationships with abutting sites and improvements in the district.
2.) Alternative orientations shall be permitted where necessary to minimize disruption of natural grades, to promote positive site drainage or to preserve natural vegetation.
3.) Entries for customers, employees and service activities shall be appropriately located and sized relative to parking, walkways and loading areas on site, and to the public street and circulation patterns of abutting sites.
4.) Design elements and materials shall be consistently applied to facades facing public streets. Lesser amounts of detailing, fewer windows and other variations from the main facades may be approved for rear or side facades not visible from the public street.
(E) Building materials.
1.) Materials specified for exterior surfaces of structures (including buildings, walls, fences and signs) and for landscape features, such as pavements and retaining walls, shall be good quality, durable, low maintenance and appropriate for the exposure, local weather conditions and application.
2.) Buildings shall be comprised of materials that provide for minimal maintenance, provide a high quality of craftsmanship and aesthetics, and are compatible with adjacent properties. Primary materials shall consist of brick, stone and other decorative masonry products (i.e., no standard concrete masonry units).
a.) The following shall be utilized by the DRB and PZC when reviewing building materials as they apply discretion to the design of the building, taking into account the scale and use of the building, and design of the facades (i.e., windows, doors and other design features) to achieve aesthetically-complete principal and nonprincipal facades.
i.) Single-story multi-family buildings shall average a minimum of 60% primary materials on all principal facades and a minimum of 50% on all nonprincipal facades, exclusive of glass, windows and doors.
ii.) Multiple story multi-family buildings shall average a minimum of 65% primary materials on all principal facades and a minimum of 50% on all nonprincipal facades, exclusive of glass, windows and doors.
iii.) Commercial buildings shall average a minimum of 70% primary materials on all principal and a minimum of 60% nonprincipal facades, exclusive of glass, windows and doors.
iv.) Industrial buildings shall average a minimum of 60% primary materials on all principal and nonprincipal facades, exclusive of glass, windows and doors.
v.) Mixed-use buildings shall average a minimum of 70% primary materials on all principal facades and a minimum of 60% on all nonprincipal facades, exclusive of glass, windows and doors.
vi.) Nonmasonry materials, such as stucco, exterior insulation and finish system (EIFS), decorative wood/vinyl sidings, and architectural metals, may be permitted but shall be secondary, exclusive of gable areas.
b.) The DRB and PZC may allow other alternative material(s) as a primary material if it is the basis of an acceptable facade and/or qualifies as a material that meets the intent of this section.
c.) The DRB shall review and make a recommendation to the PZC. The PZC shall consider the DRB’s recommendation but retain discretion to determine the final use of primary and secondary materials as they apply to the various uses. The PZC shall also take into account the exposure to adjacent developed properties and/or land for future development. The DRB and PZC may apply discretion to the percentages noted by either requiring a greater percentage or permitting a lesser percentage of primary materials.
3.) Use of materials which have colors, tones and textures which are compatible with or complementary to the predominant colors, tones and textures of existing buildings and other features on abutting and nearby properties shall be encouraged when such existing structures are determined by the PZC to be appropriate for their location and in conformance with this Code. Creative use of diverse materials or diverse colors of the same materials (such as bands of contrasting brick within a wall or column) shall be encouraged.
(F) Roofs.
1.) Roofs shall be designed to provide adequate, low maintenance protection for structures in a manner compatible with and complementary to the roofs of existing structures on the same, abutting and nearby properties, where such existing structures are determined by the PZC to be appropriate for their location and in conformance with this Code.
2.) Pitched roofs with articulated roof lines (including the introduction of dormers and other roof features appropriate to the building design) and textured surface materials shall be encouraged.
3.) Construction of a low slope roof shall be discouraged where visible from any property having a natural grade higher than the roof.
(G) Entrances and windows.
1.) The locations of entrances and windows shall be functionally related to other site elements, including walkways, parking areas, and landscaped areas and to other built elements on the same and abutting sites.
2.) The main customer entrance shall be located on the main wall of the building and oriented toward the public street, except where an alternative orientation is justified by site characteristics and is approved by the PZC.
3.) All doors shall open directly onto paved walkways. All vehicle doors shall open onto paved drives.
4.) Entries and windows shall be emphasized and articulated with decorative elements, such as trim, architectural detailing, building forms, canopies and covered entries as appropriate for their uses and positions within the site and building design. The design of entries and windows shall be coordinated with other elements of the building facade.
(H) Architectural details.
1.) Architectural details and features shall be appropriate for the design or style of the building. The use of unrelated elements, excessive details or poorly scaled or poorly positioned elements shall be prohibited.
2.) Unadorned or undifferentiated walls shall be prohibited, except where designed as a decorative feature integral to the overall design of the site and building.
(I) Building-mounted utilities/mechanical.
1.) The locations, dimensions and colors of proposed roof-mounted equipment, ducts and other roof-mounted elements not related to the roof structure, shall be designed to minimize their visibility from the ground on or off-site or from abutting properties. Screening shall be installed where necessary to accomplish this objective.
2.) Utility service connections shall be installed underground. Locations where utilities and metering are exposed on exterior walls shall be located out of public view or substantially screened with fences or walls designed to match or complement the design of the building.
(J) Accessory structures. With the exception of two-family dwellings, all accessory structures shall be designed in a manner compatible with the design of the main structure.
(4) Residential design standards.
(A) Applicability.
1.) The anti-monotony standards of division (4)(B) of this section shall apply to new two-family dwelling developments where more than ten residential structures are to be developed.
2.) The multi-family design standards of division (4)(C) of this section shall apply to all multi-family dwellings containing five or more units.
(B) Anti-monotony standards.
1.) Single-family or two-family dwellings in proximity to each other on the street shall not look alike. For the purposes of this requirement, dwellings in proximity shall mean the lot on either side of the subject property and the lots direct across the street from those three lots.
2.) Residential dwellings shall differ from one another in two of the following:
a.) Wall or siding materials;
b.) Architectural style;
c.) Major addition features such as porches or turrets;
d.) Roof type or shape;
e.) Building footprint; or
f.) Window and door orientation.
3.) No requirement of these standards shall be interpreted to require a particular architectural style for any building.
(C) Multi-family design standards.
1.) Each multi-family building shall be articulated by at least two of the following features within each 36-foot length of the facade:
a.) Recesses, projections or offsets of at least two feet in the wall plane;
b.) Distinct individual entrances with functional porches or patios;
c.) Chimneys that project from the wall plane;
d.) Balconies; or
e.) Covered box or bay windows.
2.) No individual building footprint shall be larger than 10,000 square feet.
3.) Buildings shall have one of the roof types described below. The minimum pitch of any sloped roof shall be 6:12. Buildings shall have at least three roof planes that are directly related to building facade articulations.
a.) Sloped roofs;
b.) Combined flat and sloped roofs; provided that the sloped portion(s) forms a substantial part of the building and is related to the integral structure, entries and activity areas; or
c.) Flat roofs with building massing stepped or terraced back to form usable roof terrace area(s).
(5) Architectural standards for large nonresidential buildings.
(A) Applicability. The regulations of this section shall apply to the following development in the nonresidential districts and planned development districts:
1.) New construction equal to or exceeding 50,000 gross square feet;
2.) Additions of 15,000 square feet to an existing building with 50,000 square feet or more of gross floor area. Additionally, these requirements shall apply to the structure portion of the addition and to any portion of the site that is developed as a direct result of increased parking requirements; or
3.) Any addition to a structure or development that has previously been approved under this section.
(B) Design standards.
1.) Prefabricated metal building facades are prohibited, including, but not limited to, corrugated metal, unfinished smooth face concrete block, tilt-up concrete panels, prefabricated steel panels and vinyl siding. Such materials may be used for trim or in areas where it can be demonstrated that the use of other materials is not effective only if authorized by the PZC.
2.) All other general development regulations, including, but not limited to, parking and loading, landscaping, signs, and the site development standards of the subject zoning district shall apply.
3.) Facades or wall planes greater than 100 feet in linear length shall be articulated with recesses or projections, which total at least 25% of that facade. Each recess or projection shall be a minimum of 2% of the length of that facade. No uninterrupted length of any facade shall exceed 75 horizontal feet. Walls may be articulated with doors, windows or other treatments as authorized by the PZC.
4.) Ground floor facades that face public streets or public ways shall have arcades, display windows, entry areas, awnings and other such design features along no less than 60% of that facade. This requirement includes the facade of the building that functions as the rear, yet faces a street.
5.) If the development of the site requires the relocation of existing overhead utilities, all existing utility and electrical lines located along a public right-of-way and/or along the site’s frontage shall be placed underground. The PZC may waive this requirement if the power company determines that placing the utilities underground will pose a threat to safety or the reliability of the overall circuit.
6.) Flat roof designs shall be constructed with parapets to screen HVAC and other roof mounted mechanical equipment from public view. Such parapets shall not exceed 30% of the height of the supporting wall.
7.) Each building facade visible from a public street or oriented to an adjoining residential district shall be a finished facade. All roof- or ground-mounted mechanical equipment shall be enclosed or screened from view.
8.) Strip commercial centers or developments with multiple large structures shall have a unified architectural design, a unified lighting scheme, a unified landscape design and a unified sign plan.
9.) Canopies used for gas stations, car washes, drive-through establishments and other uses shall be constructed of the same materials as the structures in the overall development.
10.) Parking and circulation.
a.) No more than 60% of the overall proposed parking shall be located between the front facade and the abutting street.
b.) There shall be one internal continuous sidewalk of at least five feet in width that provides a direct connection from the public street to the entrance.
c.) All internal pedestrian walkways shall be physically separated from the drive lanes. Additionally, all sidewalks and crosswalks shall be constructed of an impervious surface and shall be visually distinct from the driving surface by use of pavers, bricks or scored concrete.
d.) Sidewalks, at least eight feet in width, shall be provided along any facade featuring a customer entrance, and along any facade abutting public parking areas. At all times, such sidewalks shall maintain a clear pedestrian passage equal to the width of the sidewalk. Additionally, such sidewalks shall connect all customer entrances and to other internal sidewalks.
e.) Overnight parking of RVs, mobile homes and other vehicles providing transient residency is prohibited.
f.) Loading spaces or loading docks shall not be permitted to face a public street.
g.) Loading spaces or loading docks facing or adjoining a residential district shall be screened from view of such residential district.
11.) Pedestrian entrances. Each establishment shall have a clearly defined and highly visible customer entrance or portal as follows.
a.) Single tenants occupying more than 50,000 square feet shall provide for a plaza area of at least 20 feet in depth immediately in front of their entrance(s). It is encouraged that this area be large enough to plant shade trees.
b.) Single tenants occupying more than 20,000 square feet shall provide for a plaza area of at least ten feet in depth immediately in front of their entrance(s).
c.) Single tenants of less than 20,000 square feet shall provide a plaza area of at least eight feet in depth immediately in front of their entrance(s).
d.) With the exception of interior malls, multiple and separate stores located in the same structure shall have at least one exterior customer entrance.
e.) Plaza areas shall incorporate no less than three of the following:
i.) Canopies or porticos;
ii.) Overhangs;
iii.) Recesses/projections;
iv.) Arcades;
v.) Raised corniced parapets over the door;
vi.) Peaked roof forms;
vii.) Arches;
viii.) Outdoor patios;
ix.) Display windows;
x.) Architectural details, such as tile work and moldings which are integrated into the building structure and design; and/or
xi.) Integral planters or wing walls that incorporate landscaped areas and/or places for sitting.
(C) Modifications.
1.) The Zoning Division may allow minor modifications in the design standards listed in this section if the spirit and intent of this section continues to be adhered to in the overall development design.
2.) Major modifications shall be submitted to the PZC through the site plan review process. The Zoning Division may opt to forward the modifications on to the PZC for review where it is unclear if a modification is a minor change from the approved site plan.
(Prior Code, § 1229.10) (Ord. 2009-21, passed 10-27-2009; Ord. 2016-01, passed 4-26-2016)