The following design criteria and standards apply to all construction subject to Site Plan Review pursuant to this chapter. In addition, this Zoning Ordinance includes an Overlay Zoning District(s) which includes specific and unique design standards described or referenced therein. All construction subject to Site Plan Review shall meet and any special requirements or standards described in an applicable Overlay Zone, and/or the following general requirements:
(a) The Site Plan shall show that a proper relationship will exist between thoroughfares, service roads, driveways, sidewalks, bike lanes and parking areas to encourage pedestrian, bicyclist and vehicular traffic safety on both public and private lands.
(b) All development features, including the principal buildings, open spaces, service roads, driveways and parking areas, shall be so located to minimize the possibility of adverse effects upon adjacent development.
(c) Building location and placement shall be selected with appropriate consideration given to minimizing the removal of large trees (in accordance with change of topography).
(d) Visual and auditory privacy for surrounding properties and occupants should be achieved with a suitable relationship among buildings, fences and walls, landscaping, topography, and open space.
(e) Parking area landscaping and screening shall channel traffic flow in a safe manner, and on-site traffic circulation shall be designed to provide adequate access for fire and police protection, and minimize interference with the traffic carrying capacity of adjacent streets.
(f) Refuse storage and pick-up facilities shall be indicated on the Site Plan and shall be fenced, screened, or landscaped to prevent blowing or scattering of refuse, and to provide an adequate visual barrier from locations both on- and off-site.
(g) All utilities on-site shall be located underground.
(h) Grading and surface drainage provisions shall be designed to minimize adverse effects on abutting properties, streams, and public streets, and to minimize the possibility of erosion in a manner consistent with the requirements of a Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWP3).
(i) All private streets, driveways, and parking areas are to be of a useable shape and designed so that lighting from fixed sources and vehicles does not adversely impact surrounding property.
(j) The design of the site and physical structures advances applicable community planning principles expressed in the Comprehensive Plan and any related or area-specific planning documents.
(k) All principal and accessory buildings shall be designed with quality architectural elements with contextual scale, color and materials that will allow a project to blend into its setting and build upon the existing aesthetic identity of an area. Large building mass and long wall planes should be broken up with features such as windows, doors, colors, material variations/patterns and articulation to help provide a sense of human scale.
(l) Main entrances of buildings should connect to a walkway to the street sidewalk. Connecting walkways may cross parking aisles or driveways if distinguished from driving surfaces through the use of durable, low maintenance surface materials such as pavers, bricks, scored concrete or scored and painted asphalt to enhance pedestrian safety and comfort.
(m) Where possible, parking areas shall be distributed around large buildings on not less than two sides in order to shorten the distance to other buildings and public sidewalks and to reduce the perceived scale of paved surfaces.
(Ord. K-5-94-2. Passed 5-9-94.)