A. Purpose: The following site development standards help commercial and residential uses coexist in a mixed use zone by ensuring that buildings are similar in scale and are designed in a manner that will allow buildings to be used for a variety of land uses over time. These standards ensure that building sites are designed to be inviting for pedestrians by requiring buildings to be located close to and oriented toward streets or pedestrian plazas; requiring that buildings be constructed with street level storefront windows and clearly demarcated pedestrian entrances; and by requiring that parking be located away from the street and screened by landscaping.
B. Applicability And Procedure: The standards of this section apply to all development in the mixed use zone.
C. MU Zone Site Plan Review Procedure:
1. Prior to submitting a request for site plan review, the developer must participate in a preapplication conference with the director of planning and community development or designee to discuss the application of the MU site development standards to the subject property.
2. Review for compliance with the standards and requirements of this section will occur concurrently and as a part of the site plan review process.
3. Alternative design solutions may be approved if it is demonstrated that the alternatives meet the intent of this section.
D. Maximum Setback: For new multi-family, group living, commercial, and civic/institutional buildings, no portion of the first story of a principal building shall be set back more than fifteen feet (15') from the front lot line. Buildings constructed prior to December 28, 2005, are exempt from this maximum. The setback area must be used for one or more of the following purposes:
1. Building facades that are recessed in accordance with the building standard in subsection G of this section.
2. Building entrances, including stoops, stairways and ramps.
3. Trees and landscaping.
4. Pedestrian plazas.
5. Arcades.
6. Public art.
7. Sidewalk cafes.
E. Location And Design Standards For Surface Parking And Detached Garages For Multi-Family, Group Living, Commercial, And Civic/Institutional Uses:
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 2C.3 and 2C.4 below.)
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 E1 of this section, and the landscape buffering standard as stated in subsection E3 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 landscaping requirement any specific locations along a side or rear lot line where a parking area, aisle or drive is shared with an abutting lot.
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. Screening may be waived by the building official where the view is or will be blocked by a significant change in grade or by natural or humanmade features, such that screening is effectively provided and the intent of the standard is met, as determined by the building official.
F. Building Entrances For Multi-Family, Group Living, Commercial, And Civic/Institutional Buildings:
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 at least one of the following means:
a. Recesses.
b. Raised cornice or similar architectural features.
c. Covered porch, canopy, or awning.
d. Transom and sidelight windows.
e. Pilasters and pediment.
f. 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 floor of a building 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 upper level units. This provision does not preclude the use of fire egress structures.
7. 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.
G. Building Scale For Multi-Family, Group Living, Commercial, And Civic/Institutional Buildings: 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. Each module must meet the following standards:
1. 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').
2. Each module must have a corresponding change in the roofline.
3. Each module must be distinguished from the adjacent module by at least one of the following means:
a. Variation in material colors, types or textures;
b. Variation in the building and/or parapet height;
c. Variation in the architectural details such as decorative banding, reveals, stone, or tile accents;
d. Variation in window pattern;
e. Variation in the use of balconies and recesses.
H. Balconies And Exterior Stairways, Corridors And Lifts For Multi-Family, Group Living, Commercial, And Civic/Institutional Buildings: 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, with the following exceptions: The city will allow exterior lifts on existing buildings that cannot otherwise reasonably meet accessibility requirements, provided the lift is not located on a wall of a building that faces a street. 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.
2. Balconies 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.
3. The outer edge of a balcony shall not be closer than four feet (4') from a side lot line.
4. The design of any balcony 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. Unpainted and unstained lumber is not permitted.
I. Building Materials For Multi-Family, Group Living, Commercial, And Civic/Institutional Buildings:
1. 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.
2. Any portion of a building that is clearly visible from the street must be constructed using similar materials and design as the front facade.
3. Exposed, unpainted or unstained lumber may not be used along any facade that faces a street-side lot line.
4. Where an exterior wall material changes along the horizontal plane of a building, the change must occur on an inside corner of the building.
5. 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.
J. Mechanical Equipment/Utility Meters:
1. 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.
2. Dumpsters and recycling bins must be located in areas that are not visible from public streets and may not be located in a right of way.
K. Ground Floor Commercial Space: The following provisions apply to new buildings constructed for multi-family, group living, or commercial uses. These provisions provide the opportunity for ground level commercial uses by requiring buildings to be constructed in a way that is conducive for commercial uses. These provisions do not apply to buildings that are constructed for single-family and two-family uses and are not intended to prevent buildings constructed originally for single-family and two-family uses from being converted over time to other uses allowed in the MU zone.
1. On the ground level floor, the floor to ceiling height must be at least fourteen feet (14').
2. For the ground level floor of the building, construction must meet the building code specifications for commercial uses.
3. A minimum of fifty percent (50%) of the building facade between two (2) and ten feet (10') in height from the adjacent exterior grade must be comprised of clear and highly transparent windows and doors. Reflective (mirrored) or colored glass is not permitted. Such windows must allow views into the interior space or be storefront display windows that are set into the wall. Display cases attached to the outside building wall do not qualify. The bottom of such windows must be no more than four feet (4') above the level of the adjacent sidewalk (see section 14-2C-7, figure 2C.2 of this article).
4. To encourage commercial activity at the street level, entrances to the ground level floor of a building that fronts on a public street or pedestrian plaza should be no more than one foot (1') above the level of the abutting sidewalk or pedestrian plaza. In addition, the ground level floor height for buildings that front on a street should be no more than one foot (1') above the level of the abutting sidewalk or pedestrian plaza. On sloping building sites and for existing buildings, the city may adjust these requirements. However, on sloping sites at least a portion of the ground level floor height of any new building must be located no more than one foot (1') above the level of the abutting sidewalk or pedestrian plaza; and the floor height of the ground level floor of the building must be no more than three feet (3') above the level of the abutting public sidewalk or pedestrian plaza at any point along a street-facing building facade.
L. Drive-Through Facilities: Drive-through facilities are not permitted in the MU zone.
M. Outdoor Storage And Display:
1. Outdoor storage and display areas are not permitted in the MU zone, except for approved temporary uses. (See chapter 4, article D of this title.)
2. The storage of combustible or flammable materials or liquids is strictly regulated according to the provisions of chapter 5, article H, "Performance Standards", of this title, and according to the international fire code, as amended.
N. Single-Family And Two-Family Uses In MU Zone: The following provisions apply to single-family uses and two-family uses in the MU zone. Two-family uses and attached single-family dwellings are also subject to the applicable provisions contained in chapter 4, article B, "Minor Modifications, Variances, Special Exceptions, And Provisional Uses", of this title. If provisions of this subsection conflict with provisions in chapter 4, article B of this title, the provisions of this subsection will apply.
1. Garage entrances and/or off street parking must be oriented toward and accessed from a rear alley or private rear lane, if available. If an alley or private rear lane is not available, then driveway access is permitted from the street, provided the driveway does not exceed twelve feet (12') in width and any street-facing garage entrance is set back at least twenty feet (20') further than the street-facing facade of the dwelling. The length of any street-facing garage wall that is visible from the street may not exceed fifty percent (50%) of the length of the street-facing building facade, as measured along the same street frontage. On corner lots, only one street-facing garage wall must meet this standard. (See figure 2C.7 of this section for some examples of acceptable garage placement.)
2. Each dwelling unit must have a main entrance that is visible from and oriented toward the street. To meet this standard, the main entrance must face the street, be at an angle of up to forty five degrees (45°) from the street, or open onto a porch. The main entrance may not face an alley.
3. At least fifteen percent (15%) of any street-facing facade must be windows or pedestrian entryway doors. Windows in garage doors do not count toward meeting this standard, but windows in a garage wall do count toward meeting this standard. (Ord. 05-4186, 12-15-2005; Ord. 06-4220, 7-18-2006; Ord. 06-4245, 12-12-2006; Ord. 14-4586, 6-3-2014; Ord. 23-4914, 11-6-2023)