The following development standards are established for all applications in the Village Mixed Use (VMU) Zone. Residential uses are allowed only in projects with associated commercial components as required herein. The intent of the VMU Zone is to allow residential uses as additions to otherwise commercial properties which currently serve local residential areas, and to thereby foster the development of a commercial node or village. The master site plan should reflect this intent visually and functionally.
A. Residential Density: Projects for development or redevelopment of property in the VMU Zone are allowed a residential density of twenty-five (25) units per acre. Density per acre is calculated by the total project area. The Planning Commission may allow an increase in residential density where projects will provide additional open space and project amenities or affordable housing according to the requirements of Table C, below.
Table C: Residential Density Increase in the VMU Zone | ||
Additional Maximum Residential Density | Open Space & Amenities | Affordable Housing |
30 units per acre: meet the requirements for one of the two categories | 2 additional outdoor amenities/ 10% increase in total open space | 10% of units reserved for household incomes no more than 80% of AMI |
35 units per acre: meet the requirements for one of the two categories | 4 additional outdoor amenities/ 15% increase in total area; or 10% increase with public accessibility of at least 25% of the open space | 15% of units reserved for household incomes no more than 80% of AMI |
B. VMU Commercial Requirements: Commercial uses are required for all development and redevelopment projects approved under this section. In the VMU, commercial uses are required along a project's frontage on principal streets. Principal streets are public rights-of-way identified as collectors and arterials in the VMU Zone. Where possible, existing commercial buildings should be maintained, enhanced, or rehabilitated to provide or contribute to the required commercial. Minimum commercial requirements under this section may be met by any combination of new and existing commercial buildings and uses.
1. Vertical Mixed-Use Projects: In vertical mixed-use buildings, commercial and retail uses are required on the ground floor of buildings located along the principal streets. Commercial uses shall occupy a minimum of seventy percent (70%) of the width of the ground floor of buildings adjacent to a principal street for an extended depth of forty feet (40'). The balance of the ground floor may be occupied by residential uses, project amenities, and parking.
2. Horizontal Mixed-Use Project: Horizontal mixed-use projects shall provide a minimum commercial square footage component equal to an area calculated as seventy percent (70%) of the project frontage on a principal street and forty feet (40') in depth. For projects which comprise multiple parcels, square footage shall be calculated based on total project frontage on principal streets.
3. Reduction Of Required Commercial: The Planning Commission may allow a reduction in the required commercial space where projects will provide additional open space and project amenities or affordable housing according to the requirements of Table D, below.
Table D: Allowance for the Reduction of Required Commercial in the VMU Zone | ||
Reduction of Required Commercial | Open Space & Amenities | Affordable Housing |
80% of required | 1 additional outdoor amenity/ 5% increase in total open space | 10% of units reserved for household incomes no more than 80% of AMI |
65% of required | 2 additional outdoor amenities/ 10% increase in total open space | 15% of units reserved for household incomes no more than 80% of AMI |
50% of required | 3 additional outdoor amenities/ 15% increase in total open space - or 10% increase with public availability to 25% or more of the open space | 10% of units reserved for household incomes no more than 80% of AMI, 10% of units reserved for household incomes no more than 60% of AMI |
40% of required | 4 additional outdoor amenities/ 20% increase in total open space - or 15% with public availability to 25% or more of the open space | 15% of units reserved for household incomes no more than 80% of AMI, 10% of units reserved for household incomes no more than 60% of AMI |
4. Live/Work Units: The inclusion of live/work units may be used to meet the requirement for commercial uses in mixed-use development subject to the following considerations:
a. Excluding private garage space, the entire ground floor of the live/work unit must be designed, constructed, and used as commercial space.
b. Commercial spaces within the live/work unit that are used to satisfy the minimum commercial square footage or frontage requirements of this chapter may not be used for residential parking or storage.
c. The live/work unit's first story height must be a minimum of twelve feet (12').
d. Parking provided for the live/work unit(s) must meet both the residential and commercial requirements of this chapter.
e. Live/work units may provide no more than twenty percent (20%) of the commercial space required under this section.
C. Buffering Required: Buffering measures are required for projects directly abutting single-family residential zones, including the following:
1. Building Separation And Landscaped Buffer: Buildings must be separated from property lines adjacent to single-family zoning by amenities, interior accesses, surface parking, or open space in addition to a landscaped buffer of not less than ten feet (10') in width and a solid screening fence or wall of not less than six feet (6') in height. The landscape buffer shall include trees planted at no less than two-inch (2") caliper and not less than thirty feet (30') on center. Where the landscape buffer is located between the adjacent residential zone and an interior access or surface parking, the buffer may be reduced to five feet (5').
2. Gradation Of Density: No individual residential building located directly adjacent to the required buffer may contain more than eight (8) attached units. Buildings located directly adjacent to the required buffer shall represent the lowest residential density units in the project.
D. Height: New buildings in mixed-use projects developed or redeveloped in the VMU Zone shall conform to the height regulations established herein.
1. The height of a structure located within one hundred feet (100') of the nearest boundary of a single-family residential zone may not exceed thirty-five feet (35').
2. Number Of Stories: No building within one hundred feet (100') of a single-family residential zone boundary may consist of more than two (2) stories.
3. The inclusion of rooftop gardens and rooftop patios located above the highest occupied floor of any residential or mixed-use building is prohibited within one hundred feet (100') of a single-family zone boundary.
4. Live/work units without rooftop decks and located at least fifty feet (50') from an adjacent single-family zone boundary may consist of no more than three (3) stories or forty feet (40') in height, whichever is less.
5. Commercial Buildings: New commercial mixed-use buildings shall be erected to a minimum height of two (2) stories.
E. Block Length: To facilitate and promote human scale and pedestrian connectivity in development and redevelopment in the VMU Zone, clock lengths should not exceed three hundred feet (300'). In no case should a single building font, regardless of block length, exceed three hundred feet (300') with no physical break to allow either vehicular of pedestrian access through the building. Block length may be broken under this section by:
1. Intersection with an alley or pedestrian path. Only pedestrian paths with a minimum width of fifteen feet (15') may be considered to limit block length under this section.
2. Intersection with another interior access or public street.
3. The installation of midblock pedestrian crossing on interior accesses or public streets. Such crossings should be signalized where possible. Where signalized crossings are not possible the crossing should be signed, striped, or delineated with different colors or paving materials.
F. Building Requirements: To promote human scale and pedestrian activity, the Planning Commission shall consider the following when reviewing new and redeveloping buildings and structures in the VMU Zone:
1. Walls, partitions, and floor/ceiling assemblies separating dwelling units from each other or from public or service areas shall have a sound transmission class (STC) of not less than fifty (50) for airborne noise.
2. Blank walls shall not occupy over fifty percent (50%) of a principal frontage. Non-residential buildings and structures shall not have a section of blank wall exceeding thirty (30) linear feet without being interrupted by a window, entry, pilaster, or similar element. All development shall provide ground floor windows on the building facade and adjacent to a public or private street, including private pedestrian only streets, parks, paths, or courts. Darkly tinted windows and mirrored windows which block two-way visibility are prohibited as ground floor windows.
3. All buildings fronting on a public street shall have at least one public entrance per use or business which fronts on the street.
4. Water conserving plumbing fixtures shall be used. Such fixtures shall include but are not limited to dual flush toilets and low volume showers and lavatories which cannot be adjusted or modified.
5. All buildings and structures shall be maintained in good condition.
6. Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the authority of the Planning Commission or Community and Economic Development staff to review building materials, design elements, and aesthetic considerations as it deems proper to mitigate or modify the visual impact of the height of buildings upon surrounding land uses. (Ord. 21-21)