(a) In compliance with the principles set forth in Section 1281.13, the plan may include a variety of building arrangements i.e. bulk and shape of the buildings, open space and landscape features. The buildings may be arranged in various groups, courts or clusters with open spaces related to the buildings so as to provide privacy and form a unified composition of buildings and open spaces. While flexibility in design is encouraged, the following design guidelines shall be incorporated in the final development plans:
(1) The adjoining properties shall be protected from loss of light and air because of the proximity or location of buildings. Buffering shall have maximum opacity with a minimum height of six feet at the time of installation. Such buffer, approved as part of the development plan, may include: fencing, walls, mounds, vegetation (existing or new) or any of these combinations.
(2) Parking areas and spacing of garage doors shall be designed to lessen the visual impact and limit the concentration of blank walls, garage doors and large paved areas.
(3) Landscaped areas, screen walls, decorative fences, earthen mounds, hedges, mature trees and other landscape features shall be used throughout the district to separate uses and buildings within the district from areas outside the district. Existing wooded areas shall be preserved where possible and existing trees which cannot be preserved shall be relocated on the site where feasible.
(b) Mixed use development shall be pedestrian-oriented with first floor retail storefronts, curbside parking where appropriate, pedestrian plazas, and shall include other features such as decorative street furniture, landscaped streets and walks, weather-protected walkways, outdoor seating, bicycle facilities including paths and parking, decorative pavement to indicate pedestrian areas and crosswalks, traffic calming measures, transit accommodation and signage that is compatible with the building architecture and pedestrian scale.
(c) Walls of nonresidential buildings shall comply with the following:
(1) When the wall of a retail or mixed use building faces a public right-of-way, or parking area, or is within 45 degrees of facing a public right-of-way, a minimum of 50% of such wall area, on the ground floor, shall have display-type windows. The bottom edge of such window shall not be higher than three feet above grade. A maximum of 20% of such windows may be opaque.
(2) Walls shall have no more than 20 feet of contiguous wall length devoid of windows, on any ground floor, unless the wall includes architectural features such as piers, columns, defined bays or an undulation of the building, so that a pedestrian scale, rhythm and visual interest is created.
(3) Walls that meet the following criteria shall be exempt from the requirements of division (c)(2) of this section:
A. Two walls face one another, are separated by not more than 30 feet and the space between the two walls is used for servicing the buildings; or
B. The wall faces an area devoted solely to loading and delivery and the wall is screened from view from all public rights-of-way, parking areas and abutting residential areas.
(d) Canopies and/or awnings may project from a building face and may extend or be within one foot of the back of a curb. Open arcades providing cover over sidewalks in front of buildings may extend to within five feet of a street curb.
(e) Buildings in the district and those constructed in phases shall be harmonious in design, exterior materials and color so as to provide a coordinated architectural design for the development area.
(f) All enclosed parking spaces shall have a permanent roof, continuous foundation and concrete floor. The exterior wall shall be designed with finished exterior materials, decorative walls, landscaping, and minimum wall openings in order to be consistent with the objectives of this chapter and to adequately screen the view of parked cars within the garage from the adjacent properties and public areas within the development.
(g) Roofs at grade, with ground cover, landscaping, recreation facilities or landscaped patio for underground parking may count as part of the required open space.
(h) To avoid the appearance of an institutional use, nursing homes and assisted living facilities should be designed in a manner that breaks down the mass of building(s). Where this is not possible, facade treatment, exterior detailing and landscaping should be provided to relieve extensive blank surfaces.
(Ord. 04-169. Passed 10-13-04; Ord. 16-113. Passed 9-6-16.)