(a) Design Standards. The following design standards are applicable to development within any commercial zoning district other than in the "C-1"/Central Business District as defined in Section 1349.01
(d) of the Code.
ln all cases, proposed developments will be required to comply with the application and review requirements mandated for all developments in the City. The Planning Commission will utilize the standards found in Chapter 1357 of the Zoning Code for site plan and design review in addition to the special design standards established herein. Where the term "approved” is used herein, it means as approved by the Planning Commission in site plan and design review.
(Ord. 17-17 AC CMS. Passed 3-20-17.)
(b) Exceptions. The Planning Commission is authorized to grant exceptions to the design guidelines. Exceptions must be supported by findings of fact which demonstrate that the exception meets the purpose and intent of these guidelines.
(c) Design Standards for Commercial Areas. The following design standards will apply to all commercial developments other than in the “downtown business district” as defined above:
(1) Buildings and outdoor uses.
Building Facades:
A. General Design: All facades of a building shall be designed with consistent architectural treatment of style, detail, trim features, and roof treatments.
B. Materials: Only high quality, durable building materials shall be used, including such materials as brick, wood, sandstone, other native stone, tinted/textured concrete masonry units. Smooth faced block, concrete panels, pre-fab metal panels are prohibited as predominant building materials.
C. Colors: Façade colors shall be subtle, neutral or earth tone, and of low reflectance. Brighter colors may be used on building trim. High intensity colors, metallic colors, black, or fluorescent colors are prohibited on facades. Repeating patterns of color, texture, and materials should be encouraged.
D. Windows:
1. Facades facing lot lines collinear with public or private streets shall contain not less than 25% transparent glass windows.
2. Required window areas shall not be obstructed by shelves or displays or otherwise covered over from the inside or outside, except by approved window treatments.
3. The lowest part of windows shall be not more than 3 feet above grade.
E. Facades greater than 100 feet in horizontal length shall incorporate wall plane projections or recesses having a depth equal to at least 3% of the length of the facade and extending at least 20% of the length of the facade. No part of a facade shall extend unbroken by such projection or recess for a distance of more than 100 feet.
F. Flat roofs shall only be permitted for structures 2 stories or greater, except that a flat roof may be permitted on a structure containing 10,000 square feet or more on a single floor and if the roof is concealed by a parapet extending at least 3 but not more than 10 feet above the roof, capped with a three dimensional cornice treatment.
G. Service docks and loading areas shall not be located on facades facing or otherwise visible from public roads, except where approved with screening using materials consistent with and integral to the architecture of the building.
H. Mechanical equipment shall be screened from view from the public streets. Any material used to screen equipment, whether roof-mounted or ground-mounted, shall be designed to be compatible with the design of the building.
I. Outdoor display, sales, or storage, including waste storage, shall only be permitted in locations approved in the site plan. Such outdoor uses must be screened from view by a solid wall or fence which shall be a minimum five (5) feet in height and designed integral with the architecture and materials of the main building.
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(2) Public street system. Where proposed public streets are indicated on any thoroughfare plan adopted by the Planning Commission, or any comprehensive or land use plan adopted by City Council, or otherwise indicated by the Planning Commission to be in the public interest for the purposes of creating a safe, complete and functional public street system, property owners shall be required to dedicate and develop public rights-of- way. The Planning Commission may approve alternative means for satisfying the public interest.
(3) Parking and access.
A. General provisions.
1. Parking shall not exceed 5 spaces per 1000 square feet of net floor area. Joint use of parking lots shall be encouraged.
2. In all areas, the Planning Commission has the authority to permit the construction of less parking than required, by Section 1349.03 Table 4 provided that the applicant demonstrates that parking demand is less than required, that space is available and reserved on the site to permit construction of parking in compliance with the requirement, and that the applicant commits to constructing such parking when required by the Planning Commission. This authority would be exercised consistent with the provisions of Section 1349.01(e) of the Zoning Code.
3. Any request by a property owner for construction of more parking spaces than specified under Section 1349.03 Table 4 of the Code requires the submission of an application to the Planning Commission for approval. Such an application is to include documentation supporting the request based on industry standards, practices and experience. In any event, surface parking areas shall not exceed one hundred and twenty-five percent (125%) of the Code's required minimum number of off-street parking spaces.
(Ord. 04-72 AC CMS. Passed 11-15-04; Ord. 14-65 AC CMS. Passed 12-15-14.)
4. Parking areas are encouraged to be designed in other than just a rectilinear manner.
5. Fifty percent (50%) of all handicap accessible parking should be located so that users do not have to cross lanes of traffic on-site. The remaining fifty percent (50%) of handicap accessible parking should be located in close proximity to the entrance of the structure.
B. Parking lot access.
1. Parking lots shall only be accessed from approved public or private streets.
2. All parking lots shall be established with approved easements providing for cross traffic from abutting properties.
3. Joint curb cuts shall be strongly encouraged to reduce points of traffic conflict on public and private streets. Alternatively a developer must demonstrate why they cannot do this.
4. Where access to a major thoroughfare or high traffic street or roadway is the only feasible access at the time of construction, such access may be approved as temporary access provided that the parking and drives are designed for adaptation to a planned future street or common drive, and that the property is deed restricted (or guaranteed by bond) to require that the temporary access will be removed when the planned access becomes available.
5. Access drives and service drives may be located in the front setbacks, provided they do not exceed 16 feet in width and are not closer than 20 feet to the right-of-way. Any access or service drive located in the front setback shall be screened with a continuous double hedge (shrubs arranged in triangular spacing) maintained at a height of 3-4 feet. Loading areas, storage areas, service windows, and similar facilities must be located on the side or rear of the building.
6. All paved vehicular areas, including but not limited to access drives and parking areas, shall be edged with concrete curbs.
C. Parking lot landscaping.
1. Parking lot visible to the public street: 1 tree per 30 feet of exposed side; 1 evergreen shrub (minimum 3 feet in height at time of planting) per 3 feet of exposed side. The Planning Commission may approve an alternative perimeter landscape plan which incorporates a combination of trees, shrubs, earth mounds, fences, or walls.
2. Interior parking lot landscaping shall be required as follows:
3. Minimum 1 tree per 10 parking space. (This does not include the trees required for the landscape strips below)
4. A landscaped strip not less than 30 feet in width (which may include required bike routes or sidewalks) shall separate each 4 bays (rows) of parking and drives. The landscape strip may include required pedestrian/bike facilities eight (8) feet wide if required by the Planning Commission and shall include a minimum of 1 shade tree per 1500 square feet.
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(4) Pedestrian facilities.
A. On-site pedestrian facilities shall be provided as approved in the site plan, designed with the purpose of encouraging pedestrian access between the main use and the highways and between sites.
B. Sidewalks shall be constructed along all public street frontages as required by City ordinance.
C. On each lot, a sidewalk shall be constructed from every street frontage to the main entrance of the building. Where the street frontage of a lot exceeds 400 feet, one additional sidewalk shall be provided for each additional 200 feet of frontage or part thereof.
D. There shall be a sidewalk along the full length of each façade at least eight (8) feet wide having a customer entrance or along which customers must walk to access the entrance from a parking area.
E. A pedestrian walkway shall be provided from any area of parking located further than 200 feet from the main entry of the building it serves.
F. A landscaped seating area shall be provided for each sidewalk (outside of the public right-of-way) having a length of 200 feet or more.
G. As directed by the Planning Commission, where a pedestrian walkway crosses a main drive or private road, pedestrian crossing signs shall be installed and the walkway shall be raised and paved in a manner which clearly distinguishes the walkway from the vehicle way.
H. All sidewalks shall be a minimum 5 feet in width.
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(5) Bicycle facilities.
A. Sites shall be designed to encourage bicycle access and connection to nearby bicycle facilities.
(Ord. 04-72 AC CMS. Passed 11-15-04.)
B. A minimum of one bicycle space is required for every 2,500 sq. ft. of gross floor area for retail and restaurant use; one bicycle space is required for every 5,000 sq. ft. of gross floor area for office space over 10,000 sq. ft. of gross floor area; one bicycle space is required for every 5,000 sq. ft. of gross floor area for places of entertainment, places of worship, hospitals, community facilities and institutional uses including colleges; and one bicycle space is required for 4 dormitory beds at a college.
(Ord. 14-65 AC CMS. Passed 12-15-14.)
C. Bike route signs shall be installed as directed by the Planning Commission.
D. All storm water inlet grates shall be of approved bike-safe design (example below).
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E. Location of Bicycle Parking shall be:
* convenient, near entrances to the building, have street access, and not interfere with normal pedestrian and motor vehicle traffic;
* reasonably illuminated and clearly visible from the street;
* designed so that bicyclists do not need to travel over stairs or other obstacles to access bicycle parking;
* on the same lot as the use or within fifty (50) feet of the lot as the use or within fifty (50) feet of the lot if on other private property;
* a minimum width of two (2) feet, length, of six (6) feet, and a minimum overhead clearance of seven (7) feet. An aisle width of five (5) feet between each row of bicycle parking is required. Each space is to be accessible without moving another bicycle.
(Ord. 14-65 AC CMS. Passed 12-15-14.)
(6) Special requirements for large buildings. Structures exceeding 100,000 square feet in floor area shall provide the following:
A. Bicycle Access: A bikeway or bike lanes must be installed connecting the main entrance of the building to the public street frontage(s) of the lot.
B. Public Transit: A public transit access route and transit shelter shall be provided near the main entrance when required by Lorain County Transit System.
(7) Storm water management.
A. Each development shall provide on-site or off-site storm water management facilities as required by City ordinance.
B. Underground storage, and the use of “best management practices” such as rain gardens, infiltration trenches, and similar methods are preferred.
C. Dry basins are prohibited. Wet basins shall be professionally designed and landscaped to provide an attractive appearance and shall be aerated as necessary to prevent stagnation.
(8) Utilities. All utilities shall be installed below ground.
(9) Lighting.
A. Lighting shall be limited to the amount necessary to support the uses on the site and to promote safety and security.
B. Only approved down lights and cutoff fixtures shall be permitted.
C. All lighting under canopies shall be designed as full cut off or down lights designed to light the canopy area only and to prevent external glare.
D. No light fixture shall be installed at a height exceeding 16 feet if located nearer than 200 feet to a state highway. In other areas, light fixtures shall not exceed a height of 25 feet.
E. All exterior lighting shall be indicated on a site lighting plan submitted for approval. The site lighting plan shall indicate the location of each fixture, the fixture type, the height of the fixture, and a numeric grid of lighting levels, in footcandles, that the fixtures will produce on the ground (photometric report). The lighting plan shall indicate those fixtures which will be operated for security purposes during non-business hours and shall indicate the non-business hours.
F. Exterior lighting (except public street lighting) shall comply with the following standards:
1. Parking areas: max. 2.0 footcandles
2. All other areas: max 1.0 footcandles
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(10) Landscaping.
A. Landscape trees shall only be those listed on the City of Oberlin street tree list or approved alternatives. Trees shall be minimum 2” caliper and 8 feet in height at time of planting.
B. Evergreen shrubs shall be minimum 24” in height at time of planting.
C. Earth berms shall be varied in setback, height, width, and depth. Unless supported by a wall, rocks, or other approved support, slopes shall not exceed 3:1
D. Landscaped areas wider than 10 feet shall be cut or filled to provide variations in topography.
E. Foundation landscaping shall be required for at least fifty percent (50%) of the façade length having customer entry and 30% of all other facades.
F. Foundation landscaping shall be installed in planter beds extending a minimum of six (6) feet from the wall.
G. Screened equipment and storage areas shall be landscaped as approved by the Planning Commission.
(11) Buffers for abutting residential areas.
A. Buffers shall be provided to mitigate the impacts of non- residential districts upon abutting residential districts.
B. No building, parking, or other outdoor use shall be permitted in the buffer yard. A minimum of 1 tree shall be planted for every 50 feet of the side or rear yard line abutting the residential district.
C. A buffer shall be one of the following yards arranged and landscaped as approved by the Planning Commission. Buffer #1, #2, or #3 shall be provided on commercial properties.
1. Buffer #1: A yard, at least 100 feet in width to include approved landscape materials.
2. Buffer #2: A yard, at least 50 feet in width, with a solid fence, 6 feet in height, installed abutting the property line or within the yard, and including approved landscape materials.
3. Buffer #3: A yard, at least 25 feet in width, with a solid masonry wall, 6 feet in height, installed abutting the property line or within the yard, and including approved landscape materials.
(Ord. 04-72AC CMS. Passed 11-15-04.)
(Ord. 04-72AC CMS. Passed 11-15-04.)
(12) Signs.
A. EDITOR’S NOTE: Former subsection (c)(12)A. was deleted by Ordinance 21-72AC CMS, passed November 15, 2021.
B. EDITOR’S NOTE: Former subsection (c)(12)B. was deleted by Ordinance 12-68 AC CMS, passed October 15, 2012.
C. EDITOR’S NOTE: Former subsection (c)(12)C. was deleted by Ordinance 12-68 AC CMS, passed October 15, 2012.
D. EDITOR’S NOTE: Former subsection (c)(12)D. was deleted by Ordinance 21-72AC CMS, passed November 15, 2021.
(13) Special standards for filling stations, canopies.
A. Gas stations shall only be approved subject to a conditional use permit.
B. A canopy shall comply with the following standards:
1. Must have a pitched roof compatible in design with the roof of the building to which it is accessory.
2. Shall not exceed 25 feet in height.
3. Must be set back at least 60 feet from the right-of-way
4. EDITOR’S NOTE: Former subsection (c)(13)B.4.. was deleted by Ordinance 21-72AC CMS, passed November 15, 2021.
5. Canopy lighting shall be designed and installed in a manner which provides illumination for the area under the canopy and which prevents glare outside of the canopy.
6. Fuel pumps and the fueling area shall be screened from view of the public right-of-way by construction of brick or stone walls not less than 5 feet in height and landscape material is to be installed to soften the appearance of the wall.
(Ord. 04-72AC. Passed 11-15-04.)