(A) Generally. These standards apply to any exterior wall of a nonresidential or mixed-use building in the UC, Urban Core or MU, Mixed Use zoning districts visible from a public or private street, a residential property, or public open space.
(B) Building form.
(1) Scale and orientation. Commercial and mixed-use buildings shall provide for pedestrians in both scale and structure orientation.
(2) Build-to line. Structures shall be built to within five feet of the property line to provide for an urban edge and maintain continuity in the improved street frontages.
(3) Public entrance. Each structure shall have a prominent identifiable public entrance from the primary street.
(4) Secondary entrances.
(a) Secondary and service entrances are allowable from secondary streets and off-street parking areas.
(b) Secondary entrances located on public alleyways shall be at-grade to prevent tripping hazards and prevent encroachments into the pedestrian traveled way.
(5) Height. See § 156.B.005, Nonresidential and Mixed-Use District Development Standards, for building height requirements in the UC and MU zoning districts.
(6) Building proportions. In the UC District buildings shall be proportioned to be prominent at the primary street facade.
(C) Placement.
(1) Principal structures. Principal structures shall be placed within the minimum and maximum setbacks established in § 156.B.005, Nonresidential and Mixed-Use District Development Standards, to create an urban edge and to define the pedestrian realm.
(2) Parking. Parking should be provided on the street as much as possible with parking lots or garages placed on the interior of the block with access from the side or the rear of the buildings or alleyways.
(3) Garages. All attached or detached garages shall be placed towards the rear of a building except on a corner, where a side entrance may also be allowed. These may be accessed via privately controlled lanes and alleyways.
(4) Accessory structures. Accessory structures shall not be placed in such a manner that they extend in front of the rear building line of the primary structure.
(D) Massing and scale.
(1) Facades. Building facades shall be architecturally differentiated with at least three of the following elements:
(a) Buildings shall utilize elements such as massing, windows, canopies, and articulated roof forms to create a visually distinct building base, middle, and top (see Figure 156.D.007-1, Horizontal Articulation);
(b) Variations in building heights;
(c) Building insets or projections of at least two feet that extend the full height of the building;
(d) Material changes for different building planes or elements;
(e) Accents through the use of moldings, sills, cornices, canopies, or spandrels; or
(f) Other facade features, such as an arcade, balcony, gallery, oriel or bay windows, pavilion, pergola, porches, porticos, terrace, tower, or vestibules.
(2) One-story buildings.
(a) UC district. One-story buildings shall be prohibited in the UC district.
(b) MU district. In the MU district, one-story commercial buildings shall be constructed to appear of greater height in relation to the street. This can be achieved through the use of pitched roofs with dormers or gables facing the street, a higher parapet, and/or the use of an intermediate cornice line to separate the ground floor and the upper level.
(E) Building design.
(1) Awnings and canopies.
(a) Awnings and canopies shall not extend more than five feet from the facade of the building.
(b) Awnings and canopies shall be attached to the building facade and shall not extend vertical support structures into the ground plane.
(c) Awnings and canopies shall maintain a minimum of eight feet of vertical clearance from the ground plane.
(2) Entryways.
(a) Each building shall have a clearly visible entrance with either an overhang, canopy or portico, recess or projection, arcade, raised corniced parapet over the door, peaked roof form, arch, patio, display windows, architectural detailing, or another design element approved by the Plan and Zoning Commission.
(b) Doorways adjacent to a public right-of-way shall be set back so that doors do not swing into a right-of-way.
(3) Required offsets.
(a) Fenestration and articulation. Buildings shall be vertically articulated with a width equal to 20% of the building height. Vertical articulation may include projections, recesses, arcades, porticos, or other features that provide for different wall planes.
(b) Transparency.
1. The front facade and side street facade of any new nonresidential building shall be comprised of at least 50% windows and doors at the ground level. Highly reflective glass, dark-tinted glass, or other types of glass that are intended to obscure the transparency shall be prohibited.
2. Accessory structures shall be comprised of at least 25% windows and doors at the
ground level. Accessory structures that are not open for business to the public are exempt from the transparency requirements of division (E)(3)(b)1., above, provided they are placed between the rear of the primary building and rear yard setback and are not visible from the public street.
(4) Materials. The allowable types and proportions of building materials on public-facing and non-public-facing elevations are set out in § 156.D.002, General Requirements, in addition to the following standards:
(a) The visible sides of buildings, from the street, shall be consistent in design and use of materials.
(b) All sides of buildings visible from the public right-of-way shall be architecturally treated to produce an aesthetically pleasing facade that is compatible with surrounding buildings and cohesive as a development block. Building design shall include at least two materials as identified in § 156.D.002.
(c) The front facade, or any facade that directly abuts a public right-of-way including a street-side yard of any building shall be at least 50% brick or masonry stone.
(d) Accessory structures shall be constructed of similar and/or complementary materials as the primary structure.
(e) No wood, masonite, visible asphaltic exterior wall or roofing material, metal siding, non-architectural sheet metal, concrete block or other similar materials shall constitute a portion of any building, except as trim material, unless the Zoning Administrator determines that the said material, when used as a primary element, enhances the physical appearance or provides continuity to unite all structures within the property together into one project concept.
(f) All material fasteners shall be concealed.
(g) All structures shall be constructed on permanent foundations and may not be placed in a temporary manner.
(5) Nonresidential and mixed-use buildings. Residential units in a mixed-use building shall not be on the ground/first level of any building also containing a commercial use listed in § 156.C.003, Use Table, except that a maximum of 40% of the ground floor area may be residential provided it is not adjacent to a front or street side yard.
(6) Rooftop mechanicals. All rooftop mechanical equipment shall be screened from view using materials consistent and compatible with the primary building materials.
(F) Pedestrian amenities.
(1) Street furniture. Public seating, trash receptacles, and directional kiosks shall be of uniform design and provided throughout district, approved by the Plan and Zoning Commission. Street trees, landscaping, weather protection, public art, street furniture, and other pedestrian amenities in public rights-of-way and plazas shall provide a minimum passable sidewalk width of five feet.
(2) Sidewalks. Sidewalks shall connect to existing perimeter sidewalks and to all building entrances; parking courts, garages, or structures; civic spaces; and any other pedestrian destinations.
(G) Open space.
(1) Amount required. See § 156.B.005, Nonresidential and Mixed-Use District Development Standards for the minimum required open space by building type and zoning district.
(2) Types of open space. See Table 156.B.007-1, Public Civic and Open Space Standards, for minimum standards for open space types within the UC and MU zoning districts.
(H) Signage.
(1) The location and size of signs shall be integrated into the design of the overall development and shall meet regulations outlined in Article G, Signs.
(2) Signage is considered as part of the architectural theme of the building and district and shall be reviewed in the site plan.
(3) Roof signs shall be prohibited.
(4) Directional signs limited to two per premise shall be permitted and shall be limited to six square feet each with a maximum height of four feet.
(5) Freestanding signs shall be limited to monument signs only with a permitted size that shall be no more than 48 square feet in area and ten feet in height.
(I) Service areas.
(1) Lighting.
(a) Lighting of outdoor service, loading, and storage areas shall be the minimum necessary for security purposes and shall be designed and directed so as not to create glare or lighting impacts at the street or on surrounding properties.
(b) Lighting of entryways is encouraged and to the extent practical should be attached to the building.
(c) Lighting shall be provided at secondary entryways located in pedestrian alleyways.
(2) Service area screening. Service areas, garbage receptacles, utility meters, and mechanical and electrical equipment shall be screened from public view and located for convenient access by service vehicles. Screening of these areas shall be integrated into the overall building and landscape design.
(3) Loading and unloading. On-site space for stacking vehicles that are waiting to load or unload may be provided as necessary. Otherwise, accommodation shall be provided on-street.
(J) Utilities. All utilities shall be placed underground, where feasible.
(K) Stormwater. All stormwater collected from the roofs of the buildings shall be diverted underground, where feasible.
(1) Whenever structures are erected or structurally altered, parking spaces shall be provided on the same zoning lot as the building in accordance with the requirements of Article E, Parking, Loading, and Stacking. Uses that predominately occur during different times may share parking if it can be demonstrated that collectively the minimum number of parking spaces is provided at all times.
(2) Parking lots shall be located in the rear of all commercial uses or on the side. Parking located on the side is allowable in accordance with the following:
(a) The parking shall not extend into the required front yard setback.
(b) Landscaping shall be placed between the parking spaces and the front property line in accordance with § 156.F.003, Development Landscaping.
(c) A single parking aisle with parking on one side, which is adjacent to the building, and meets the minimum dimension established in § 156.E.003, Parking Design, shall be permitted where appropriate.
(3) Parking areas shall be designed to minimize headlights shining into residential properties.
(4) Parking areas shall be set back five feet from the property line and shall be landscaped with vegetation and or turf. This requirement can be waived where parking lots adjoin and have cross-access agreements/easements.
(5) Off-street parking requirements shall be contained entirely outside of the public right-of-way.
(6) The maximum amount of surface parking shall not exceed the specified minimum by more than 25%. If additional parking is desired, it shall be placed underground, within an enclosed building, or in a tuck-under garage. The exception is shared parking when a zoning lot is developed/redeveloped with shared uses in mind.
(L) Vehicular access.
(1) Driveway locations shall be spaced such that they are at least five feet from any adjacent driveway.
(2) Shared driveways are allowed.
(3) Driveway location shall comply with the requirements of the visibility triangle as set forth in Subsection 156.B.008.a, Measurements.
(4) Two driveway approaches may be permitted on each street frontage, of each premise, excluding single-family attached, single-family detached and duplex properties. At locations where driveways are not shared with an adjoining property, each driveway shall be placed in such a way as to not impede the visual clearance to access the public street.
(5) Access to attached and detached garages shall be from the rear of a building only, except if the property is located on a corner lot and the side street may be used for access.
(Ord. 15039, passed 4-11-2022)