A. Design buildings so they solidly meet the ground plane. (See figures.)
+ 1. Building designs requiring a strong structural statement such as extensive cantilevers or cuts and fills on sensitive hillsides shall be prohibited.
+ 2. To the maximum extent feasible, placing buildings on piers such that exterior walls do not continue down to the ground shall be prohibited because of aesthetic and energy efficiency concerns.
o 3. Buildings that firmly meet the ground convey an appearance of greater permanence, and shall be strongly encouraged.
B. Design buildings on hillsides to follow the natural terrain. (See figure.)
+ 1. Buildings shall be located to minimize earthwork and land disturbance.
+ 2. To the maximum extent feasible, buildings shall be sited in locations that are sympathetic to existing contours rather than those that require a building solution that would dominate the site. Buildings shall be designed to follow natural contours rather than modifying the land to accept a building design not tailored to the site. (See section 13.73.070, "Grading", of this chapter and subsection 13.72.030C, "Grading Standards", of this title.)
C. Design buildings to minimize mass and scale. (See figures.)
+ 1. To the maximum extent feasible, building design shall incorporate changes in the planes of walls and changes in the slope and height of rooflines to add variety, create visual interest, and minimize scale.
o 2. Buildings can be made to seem larger or smaller depending on the proportional relationship of separate building elements. Human scale buildings create a comfortable and friendly atmosphere. Building scale should complement rather than dominate the landscape.
+ 3. To the maximum extent feasible, the massing of buildings shall be scaled to harmonize and balance with the specific site and its natural features, especially when buildings are located at tree or landmass edges or in the open, by incorporating the following design principles:
o a. Rooflines and building mass should echo the angles and shapes repeated in the natural landscape, and shift or bend to change directions; and
+ b. Building mass and wall lines shall be broken up to conform to existing slope and avoid unbroken expanses of building mass and walls that can intrude into the natural canyon setting and dominate a site. (Ord. 2012-15, 9-20-2012)