(a) Purpose. These requirements are designed to increase the quality of neighborhoods and commercial centers, to promote positive architectural appearance within the city, to encourage design flexibility and creativity, and to establish an interesting, aesthetically pleasing built environment. It is also the intent of this section to promote durable, quality materials that will allow neighborhoods and commercial centers to endure and mature for future generations in the City.
(b) Applicability.
(2) Any house, multi-unit dwelling, or non-residential structure constructed within a Planned Unit Development approved after the effective date of this section shall comply with these requirements. Substitute residential appearance requirements may be applied in lieu of these standards as approved in the Planned Unit Development Zoning text approved by Council.
(3) Exemptions: These regulations shall not apply to:
A. Any house, multi-unit dwelling or other structure proposed to be constructed on a lot that is a part of a PUD approved by City Council prior to the effective date of this section.
B. Any structure constructed prior to the effective date of this section.
C. The addition or modification to any structure existing prior to the effective date of this section.
D. Structures located within the Historic Overlay District.
E. Accessory structures.
(4) Infill Housing: The City acknowledges the importance of infill housing and aims for it to adhere to design standards, while also granting the city planner the authority to waive any such requirement in case where the proposed standard fails to harmonize with the prevailing character of the existing neighborhood. Any decision of the City Planner can be appealed to the Board of Zoning Appeals in accordance with Section 1157.07
of this Ordinance.
(c) Residential Architectural Requirements. For purposes of this section, one-unit dwellings, duplexes and triplexes will be referred to as a "house". Unless otherwise exempted in Section 1147.03
(b)(3), the following requirements apply to all new houses in any District:
(1) Building Materials. Street facing facades shall be comprised of a minimum of thirty-five percent (35%) of the following materials: brick, stone, cultured or cast stone, wood board and batten, wood shake, or fiber cement. Windows, doors and attached garage doors shall be excluded in the calculations for determining minimum natural materials percentages on front facades.
All vinyl material that is permitted on a house must have a minimum thickness of forty-four (44) mils and must be applied over minimum one-half (1/2) inch thick oriented strand board or plywood.
(2) Shutter and Trim. Shutters or trim shall be required on all the single and double-wide windows on all street facing facades. Shutters shall be full height and at least one-half the width of the single or one-quarter the width of the double window. When trim is utilized in lieu of shutters, the trim shall include either a top and bottom finish of soldier course, rowlock, lintel or sill; or a minimum three and one-half (3 ½)-inch board around all sides of the window.
(3) Roof Pitch.
Houses. The main architectural roof of a house must have a minimum 6:12 pitch. Flat roofs may be permitted, but not as the main architectural roof. Dormers, porches, and other similar secondary architectural features may have roofs with a minimum 4:12 pitch. The roof shall have a minimum eight (8) inch overhangs on all sides.
(4) Design Elements. Blank walls facing a public right-of-way shall be prohibited. All street facing facades must contain at least three design elements, in any combination. Design elements include any of the following:
• A door of at least seventeen (17) square feet in area
• A window of at least six (6) square feet in area. Windows with a horizontal separation of less than ten (10) feet shall be considered as one (1) design element. Sets of adjacent windows shall be considered as one (1) design element.
• A chimney
• A Portico
• Dormer
• A gable vent of at least four (4) square feet in area
• Porches, decks or similar structures
• Water table
Design elements do not include side of porches, rooflines, or interior chimneys.
(5) Garages. Garage door openings totaling eighteen (18) feet in width or less shall not make up more than forty-two percent (42%) of the linear distance of the front elevation nor project more than twelve (12) feet from the adjacent vertical wall plane. Garage door openings totaling more than eighteen (18) feet to thirty-six (36) feet in width shall not make up more than forty-five percent (45%) of the linear distance of the front elevation nor project more than ten (10) feet from the adjacent vertical wall plane. For purposes of this section, a covered porch shall be considered a vertical wall plane, whereas an open uncovered porches shall not be considered a vertical wall plane.
(d) Multi-Unit Dwellings, Mixed-Use Buildings and Non-Residential Structures. Unless otherwise exempted in Section 1147.03
(b)(3), the following requirements apply to all new multi-family dwellings, mixed-use buildings and non-residential structures located within any District, except the SI and AM Districts.
(1) Blank walls shall not be permitted. There shall be a minimum of three design elements for every one hundred (100) feet of elevation width for any street facing elevation and a minimum of two (2) design elements for every one hundred (100) feet of elevation for each side and rear elevation that does not face a public right-of-way.
(2) Typical design elements are as follows:
A door of at least twenty-eight (28) square feet in area with an awning, window, faux window or other feature subject to approval by the City Planner or designee, as applicable;
• A window of at least six (6) square feet in area. Windows closer than ten (10) feet shall be considered as one (1) element. A set of adjacent windows, such as double or bay windows, shall be considered one element;
• Portico;
• Dormers;
• Projecting canopy;
• Masonry water table;
• Trellis containing plantings;
• A gabled vent of at least four (4) square feet in area;
• Patio, deck, or similar feature; or
• A similar significant permanent architectural feature consistent with the style of the building upon approval of the City Planner or designee.
(3) All elevations shall have similar style, materials, colors and details.
(4) Façade Appearance. A building frontage that exceeds a width of fifty (50) feet shall incorporate sectioning and offset of the wall plane to inhibit a large expanse of blank wall and add interest to the façade. Such offsets may be met through the use of bay windows, porches, porticos, building extensions, gables, dormers, or other architectural treatments.
(5) Materials.
Predominant Materials. All exterior walls shall be comprised of eighty percent (80%) natural materials or of synthetic materials that the city has deemed to mimic the look of natural materials. This permitted list of materials includes only the following: brick, stone, cultured or cast stone, E.I.F.S., wood, or fiber cement. Foundations must be clad with the same natural material utilized on building to blend with the overall architecture of the structure. Exposed cement block or split face block foundations shall be prohibited.
As technology evolves, newer synthetic materials, that did not exist at the time of the adoption of this Article, may be created and may mimic the look of the natural materials required within this Section. The City Planner or designee may approve the use of a newer material under the following conditions:
• The manufacturing of said material did not exist at the time of adoption of this section; and
• The City Planner or designee determines that said material provides a substantially similar appearance to the natural materials required by this section.
Accent Materials. Fiber cement, E.I.F.S., and like materials may be used as accents provided the total square footage of accent material does not exceed twenty (20) percent of the gross exterior building wall square footage. Other natural materials may also be incorporated into the building's exterior design. Vinyl and/or aluminum shall be prohibited except when used for trim details such as downspouts, soffits, gutters, and shutters.
(6) Glass. The use of black, gold, green, silver, opaque or any other reflective or colored glass on a building is prohibited.
(7) Roofing. All single-story buildings shall have a pitched roof. Multi-story buildings may be permitted to have flat roofs. When pitched roofs are utilized, they shall be constructed of dimensional shingles, standing seam metal, slate, or simulated slate.
(8) In-Line Retail Exemption. Side or rear elevations of an in-line retail development may be exempt from the building design standards of these regulations if such elevations are not visible to customer traffic, a public right-of-way, or if a future phase of the in-line retail development is forthcoming adjacent to the elevation. Such exempt elevations shall use materials complimentary to the primary elevation and be screened by landscaping, mounding fencing, or a combination thereof, as deemed appropriate by the City Planner or designee.
(9) Drive Thru Features. When a drive thru is permitted, it shall be designed as an integral part of the structure it serves. Features incorporated with a drive thru including, but not limited to, canopies, awning, and support posts shall match the materials and color scheme of the building they are serving. Drive thru features shall not have any pickup windows, ordering areas, signage, or other related items located on the front elevation of a building or located between the building and a street right-of-way.
(e) Buildings Within The SI and AM Districts. Unless otherwise exempted in Section 1147.03
(b)(3), the following requirements apply to all new structures located within in the SI and AM District:
(1) Façade. Sides of building visible from a public right-of-way shall be broken up with architectural design elements, landscaping, or a combination thereof.
(2) Use of Color. Earth tones, muted hues, and natural tones are permitted as a structure's base color. Brighter hues are permitted only as an accent feature on building elements such as awnings, doors, and trim. A mixed color palette on a single building should be carefully selected so all colors harmonize with each other.
(3) Glass. The use of black, gold, green, silver, opaque or any other reflective or colored glass on a building is prohibited. Frosted glass may be permitted in some cases, subject to approval of the Planning Commission.
(Ord. 15-23. Passed 8-14-23.)