A. Purpose: The multi-family site development standards promote safe, attractive, pedestrian friendly neighborhoods by preventing expanses of concrete, blank walls and parking lots along street frontages; controlling the building bulk; screening unsightly features; ensuring that pedestrian entrances are visible and clearly identifiable from the street; and minimizing potential conflicts between pedestrians and automobiles.
B. Applicability:
1. The standards of this section apply to all multi-family uses, group living uses, and institutional/civic uses located in residential zones and in the Central Planning District. (See Central Planning District map of this section.)
2. Single-family uses and two-family uses located in a multi- family zone must comply with the single-family site development standards specified in chapter 2, article A, "Single-Family Residential Zones", of this title. Two-family uses located in the Central Planning District must also comply with the provisions of subsection I, "Additional Standards In Central Planning District", of this section, which will be administered through the design review process, as set forth in chapter 8, article B, "Administrative Approval Procedures", of this title.
3. For properties subject to these standards located outside the Central Planning District, the standards in this section will be administered through the site plan review process, as set forth in title 18 of this Code. For properties located in the Central Planning District and the PRM Zone, the regulations of this section will be administered through the design review process as set forth in chapter 8, article B, “Administrative Approval Procedures”, of this title.
4. For properties located in a Historic or Conservation District Overlay Zone, the standards of this section will be administered concurrently with review of the proposed development by the Historic Preservation Commission. If the provisions of the Historic or Conservation District Overlay Zone conflict with the provisions of this section, the provisions of the Historic or Conservation District Overlay Zone will supersede the provisions of this section.
Map 2B.1
C. Location And Design Standards For Surface Parking And Detached Garages:
1. Location: Surface parking, parking within accessory structures, and loading areas must be located behind principal building(s) and concealed from view of fronting streets. Parking and loading areas may not be located directly between a principal building and the street or within the required side setback area. Any portion of a parking or loading area that is not completely concealed from view of a fronting street must be screened to the S2 standard. (See figures 2B.4 and 2B.5 below.) (Ord. 05-4186, 12-15-2005)
2. Aisles And Drives: Drives that are internal to a parking area, including drives that provide circulation around the perimeter of the parking area are considered part of the parking area and must meet the location standards for parking areas as stated in subsection C1 of this section, and the landscape buffering standard as stated in subsection C3 of this section. A nonhard surfaced drive or aisle that is external to a parking area may not be located closer than three feet (3') to a lot line, except at the point of access with a street, alley, or private rear lane. Hard surfaced drives that are external to a parking area must be set back at least three feet (3') from any side or rear lot line, except under the following circumstances:
a. The drives and aisles are pitched or curbed and drained to prevent the flow of water onto adjoining property; or
b. A drainage course has been established along lot lines to handle storm water runoff; or
c. Any specific location along a side or rear lot line where a drive is shared with an abutting lot; or
d. At the point of access with an alley or private rear lane.
3. Landscape Buffering:
a. A buffer area at least ten feet (10') in width and landscaped to at least the S2 standard must be provided between any parking area and adjacent properties and between any parking area and street rights of way. (See chapter 5, article F, "Screening And Buffering Standards", of this title.) The city may exempt from this requirement any specific location along a side or rear lot line where a parking area, aisle or drive is shared with an abutting lot. The city may also waive the landscape screening requirement where the view from adjacent properties is or will be blocked by a significant change in grade or by natural or humanmade features, such that the screening is effectively provided and the intent of the standard is met, as determined by the building official.
b. A buffer area at least five feet (5') in width and landscaped to the S1 standard must be provided between any parking area containing more than eight (8) parking spaces and an adjacent alley.
c. No parking area or drive shall be closer than ten feet (10') to any portion of a building other than a garage entrance or loading area apron. This ten foot (10') area must be used for walkways and landscaping consisting of at least fifty percent (50%) vegetative coverage. If parking spaces are located where headlights of vehicles shine onto a wall containing ground level windows, said parking spaces must be screened from view of the windows to at least the S2 standard.
D. Building Entrances For Multi-Family And Group Living Uses:
1. For residential uses, buildings must have at least one door on the exterior of the building that provides pedestrian access to dwelling units within the building. Access to dwelling units must not be solely through a parking garage.
2. When a lot contains one principal building, the building must be oriented such that at least one facade faces a public or private street. The street facing facade must have at least one main entrance to the building, or may contain separate main entrances to ground level dwelling units. If the building is located on a corner lot, only one wall must meet this requirement.
3. When a lot contains two (2) or more principal buildings, the buildings must be oriented towards a public street, private street, or interior courtyard. Any building with a street facing facade must have at least one main entrance oriented toward the street. Buildings located interior to a lot must have main entrances that are clearly visible from interior private streets/drives or surface parking areas.
4. Main entrances to a building, including main entrances to ground level individual dwelling units, must be clearly demarcated by one of the following means: (See figure 2B.6, located at the end of this subsection D4.)
a. Covered porch or canopy.
b. Transom and sidelight windows.
c. Pilasters and pediment.
d. Other significant architectural treatment that emphasizes main entrances. Simple trim around the doorway does not meet this standard.
5. Patio style doors, such as sliding glass doors, may not be used for main entrance doors.
6. To provide for the safety of residents, access to entrance doors of any individual dwelling units located above the ground level must be provided from an enclosed lobby or corridor and stairway. Unenclosed or partially enclosed exterior stairways may not be used as the primary means of access to dwelling units located above the ground level floor of the building. This provision does not preclude the use of fire egress structures.
7. (Rep. by Ord. 14-4586, 6-3-2014)
8. A pedestrian circulation system must be provided that connects residential entrances to adjacent public rights of way, and to parking areas and other on site facilities.
E. Building Scale:
1. Outside the Central Planning District: Street-facing walls that are greater than fifty feet (50') in length must be articulated with bays, projections, or recesses (see figure 2B.7 of this section) according to the following standards:
a. Bays and projections must be at least six feet (6') in width and at least sixteen inches (16") but not more than six feet (6') in depth. Recesses must be at least six feet (6') in width and have a depth of at least sixteen inches (16").
b. The bays, projections, and recesses must have corresponding changes in the roofline or, alternatively, must be distinguished by a corresponding change in some other architectural element(s) of the building, such as a change in exterior wall materials, a change in window pattern, the addition of balconies, variation in the building and/or parapet height; or variation in architectural details, such as decorative banding, reveals, stone or tile accents.
2. Central Planning District: The width of the front facade of new buildings must be no more than forty feet (40'). Buildings may exceed this limitation if the horizontal plane of any street- facing facade of the building is broken into modules that give the appearance of smaller, individual buildings. (See figure 2B.8 of this section.) Each module must meet the following standards:
a. Each module must be no greater than thirty feet (30') and no less than ten feet (10') in width and must be distinguished from adjacent modules by a variation in the wall plane of at least sixteen inches (16") in depth. For buildings that are three (3) or more stories in height, the width of the module may be increased to forty feet (40').
b. Each module must have a corresponding change in the roofline.
c. Each module must be distinguished from the adjacent module by at least one of the following means:
(1) Variation in material colors, types or textures;
(2) Variation in the building and/or parapet height;
(3) Variation in the architectural details such as decorative banding, reveals, stone, or tile accents;
(4) Variation in window pattern;
(5) Variation in the use of balconies and recesses.
F. Balconies And Exterior Stairways, Corridors, And Lifts: For purposes of this subsection the term, "exterior stairways", refers to stairways that lead to floors of a building that are above the first or ground level floor of a building. "Exterior corridors" refers to unenclosed corridors located above the first or ground level floor of a building. Balconies and exterior stairways, exterior corridors and exterior lifts must comply with the following standards:
1. Exterior stairways, exterior corridors, and exterior lifts are prohibited in the PRM zone; however, the city may allow exterior fire egress structures on existing buildings that cannot otherwise reasonably meet code requirements, provided the fire egress structure is not located on a wall of a building that faces a street. In other zones, exterior stairways, exterior corridors, and exterior lifts must be covered with a roof similar in design and materials to the roof over the rest of the structure. Said roof should be incorporated into the overall roof plan of the structure. Alternatively, such features may be recessed into the facade of the building. Exterior corridors may not be located on a street facing wall of the building or within twenty feet (20') of a street facing wall.
2. Unenclosed or partially enclosed stairways may not be used as the primary means of access to dwelling units located above the ground level floor of the building (see subsection 14-2B-6D6 of this section).
3. Balconies, exterior stairways, exterior lifts and exterior corridors may not be located on any side of a building that is adjacent to a property that is zoned single-family residential or that contains an existing single-family use. Buildings that are set back at least forty feet (40') from any such property are exempt from this standard.
4. The design of any balcony, exterior stairway, exterior lift and exterior corridor must utilize columns, piers, supports, walls, and railings that are designed and constructed of materials that are similar or complementary to the design and materials used for the rest of the building.
G. Building Materials:
1. In the central planning district, the exterior wall material of a building must consist of clapboard style siding, wall shingles, brick, stone, or stucco.
2. In the PRM zone, the exterior walls of the ground level floor of a building must be constructed with a masonry finish, such as fired brick, stone, or similar material, not including concrete blocks and undressed poured concrete. Masonry may include stucco or like material when used in combination with other masonry finish.
3. In the central planning district and in the PRM zone, buildings not constructed of masonry or stucco must have the following trim elements incorporated into the exterior design and construction of the building:
a. Window and door trim that is not less than three inches (3") wide.
b. Corner boards that are not less than three inches (3") wide, unless wood clapboards are used and mitered at the corners.
c. Frieze boards, not less than five inches (5") wide, located below the eaves.
4. Any portion of a building that is clearly visible from the street must be constructed using similar materials and design as the front facade.
5. Exposed, unpainted or unstained lumber may not be used along any facade that faces a street side lot line.
6. Where an exterior wall material changes along the horizontal plane of a building, the change must occur on an inside corner of the building.
7. Where an exterior wall material changes along the vertical plane of the building, the materials must be separated by a horizontal band, such as a belt course, soldier course, band board or other trim to provide a transition from one material to the other.
H. Mechanical Equipment/Utility Meters: In no case shall mechanical equipment or utility meters be located along the street side of a building. Mechanical structures must be set back and screened according to the applicable provisions set forth in chapter 4, article C, "Accessory Uses And Buildings", of this title.
I. Additional Standards In Central Planning District:
1. Front Setbacks: The front setback for new buildings must not deviate more than five feet (5') from the average setback of existing principal buildings along the same frontage. Alternatively, for frontages that contain more than six (6) lots, the average may be calculated based on the principal building setbacks on the four (4) closest lots along the same frontage to the lot containing the new building. However, a new building shall not be located closer to the street than the existing principal building that is closest to the street along the same frontage. This setback standard supersedes the setback standards of the base zone. Frontages that contain three (3) or fewer lots are exempt from the provisions of this paragraph.
2. Windows And Fenestration: Individual window units that are visible from a public or private street and that are located in primary living spaces, such as living rooms, dining areas, and bedrooms, must have a height that is at least one and one-half (1.5) times greater than the width of the window unit. Individual window units may be located side by side in a wider window opening. Bathroom, kitchen, skylights, and decorative windows, such as stained glass and ocular windows, are not required to meet this standard.
3. Architectural Style: The purpose of requiring an architectural style is to ensure that the mass, roof form, window style and configuration, and the basic architectural details of a building are generally compatible with the historic character of the central planning district. New buildings should appear similar to a large house or a small historic apartment building.
a. Any building elevation that is within public view (see definition of "public view, within" in section 14-9A-1 of this title), must be designed in a manner that is consistent with a historic architectural style typical of residential buildings in the central planning district. However, building facades that are visible only from public alleys are not subject to these standards. The applicable architectural styles are as follows: Italianate; Queen Anne; colonial revival; craftsman; craftsman bungalow; American foursquare; prairie school; period revival; and eclectic. The applicant must indicate in detail how each of the following architectural elements in the proposed building are consistent with one of these architectural styles as described in the "Iowa City Historic Preservation Handbook", as amended:
(1) Form and mass of the building;
(2) Roof configuration and pitch;
(3) Style and placement of windows and doors;
(4) Window and door trim, eave boards, frieze boards, and other trim;
(5) Porch and entrance features;
(6) Building details and ornamentation.
b. Detailed information regarding historic residential building styles is available in the "Iowa City Historic Preservation Handbook". The design review committee and the historic preservation commission will use this information as a means to evaluate new buildings in the central planning district.
c. Alternative designs that have been prepared by a licensed architect may be acceptable and will be reviewed on a case by case basis.
J. Minor Modifications: A minor modification to adjust specific provisions of this section may be requested in either of the qualifying situations listed below. Such requests will be reviewed by the design review committee, the director of planning and community development, and the building official according to the procedures for minor modifications as set forth in chapter 8, article B of this title and must meet the following approval criteria. The following approval criteria are to be applied in lieu of the general approval criteria listed in section 14-4B-1, "Minor Modifications", of this title:
1. Qualifying Situation: The configuration of the lot or other existing physical condition of the lot makes the application of a specific standard impractical. In such a case, the applicant must demonstrate that the following approval criteria are met:
a. The applicant must provide evidence that the configuration of the lot, the topography, or other physical characteristic of the property makes the application of a specific standard of this section impractical. Examples of situations that may qualify include double fronting lots, triangular shaped lots, and steeply sloping lots.
b. The applicant must demonstrate that the proposed alternative design is not contrary to the intent of the multi-family site development standards.
c. The applicant must propose an alternative site or building design that best meets the intent of the specific standard being modified.
d. The requested modification will not be detrimental to the public health, safety, or welfare or be injurious to other property or improvements in the vicinity and in the zone in which the property is located.
e. The requested modification does not allow a use or activity not otherwise expressly authorized by the regulations governing the subject property.
f. The requested modification complies with other applicable statutes, ordinances, laws and regulations.
2. Qualifying Situation: The proposed site or building is uniquely designed to fit the site and the surrounding neighborhood. In such a situation, the applicant must demonstrate that the following approval criteria are met:
a. The applicant proposes an alternative design solution that equally or better meets the intent of the specific standard being modified.
b. The proposed site or building design is uniquely designed to fit the characteristics of the site and the surrounding neighborhood such that it equally or better meets the purpose of the multi-family site development standards.
c. The requested modification will not be detrimental to the public health, safety, or welfare or be injurious to other property or improvements in the vicinity and in the zone in which the property is located.
d. The requested modification does not allow a use or activity not otherwise expressly authorized by the regulations governing the subject property.
e. The requested modification complies with other applicable statutes, ordinances, laws and regulations.
K. Exceptions and Minor Adjustments: A special exception to waive or modify specific provisions of this section may be requested through the historic preservation exception as outlined in section 14-2B-8, “Special Provisions”, of this article. A minor adjustment to modify specific provisions of this section may be requested as specified in Minor Adjustments in PRM Zones” as found in section 14-2B-7, “PRM Zone Bonus and Minor Adjustment Provisions”. (Ord. 05-4186, 12-15-2005; amd. Ord. 06-4220, 7-18-2006; Ord. 06-4245, 12-12-2006; Ord. 12-4483, 5-15-2012; Ord. 12-4488, 8-21-2012; Ord. 13-4534, 6-4-2013; Ord. 21-4844, 1-19-2021; Ord. 23-4914, 11-6-2023)