All projects in the Historic Downtown Design Review District shall address the following design elements:
(a) Streetscape.
(1) Coordinate streetscape elements of individual developments with adjacent developments. While they need not match, they should coordinate and not clash.
(2) Create appealing and comfortable outdoor spaces and orient buildings to form such areas using the open space as a focal point.
(3) Use trees, walls, topography, and other site features to further define the area and provide human scale.
(4) Provide shade with trees or overhangs from the buildings.
(5) Provide amenities as needed such as:
A. Street furniture, such as benches and picnic tables, lighting, and fountains;
B. Bike racks;
C. Outdoor cafes and seating areas;
D. Electrical service and lighting for public events.
(b) Parking.
(1) Reduce the scale of parking lots by breaking parking lots into modules or multiple smaller lots using techniques such as the natural topography, logically placed landscaped pedestrian paths to destinations, and by linear aisles of plantings. Avoid large expanses of asphalt.
(2) Reduce the amount of parking lots through such methods as providing on-street parking, using off-site parking such as municipal lots, and sharing parking among complementary uses.
(3) Include parking structures in high-density areas to reduce parking impacts.
(4) Site a portion of parking out of public view at the rear and sides of buildings.
(5) Provide clear pedestrian paths and crossings from parking spaces to main entrances and the street.
(c) Landscaping.
(1) Include trees, shrubs, and other landscaping to provide beauty as well as shade and screens for parking, pedestrian gathering places, and for screening utilities, and other service areas.
(2) In pedestrian zones, use street trees to provide shade and enclosure.
(3) When feasible, incorporate mature specimen trees into streetscape.
(4) Landscaping shall be maintained in good condition. Plant material shall be replaced when necessary to maintain the minimum requirements of the approved site plan.
(d) Utilities and Service Areas.
(1) Locate utilities underground or in a manner so that they have the least negative visual impact from the street and adjoining development.
(2) When multiple sides of a building have entrances or are highly visible, electrical transformers and utilities shall be screened.
(3) All service areas shall be screened from view from a public street or public parking area.
(4) A building mass, portion of a building mass, garden wall, landscaping, or an ornamental fence with landscaping are among the methods that can be used to screen a service area.
(5) Screening does not need to occur at the point of access to a service area.
(e) Exterior Lighting.
(1) Provide appropriate exterior lighting for the particular use and area.
(2) In high pedestrian use areas, provide lower, pedestrian level lighting.
(3) Coordinate the lighting plan with the landscaping plan to ensure pedestrian areas are well lit and that any conflict between trees and lighting is avoided.
(4) Light fixtures attached to the exterior of a building shall be architecturally compatible with the style, materials, colors, and details of the building.
(5) Facades shall be lit from the exterior, and, as a general rule, lights should be concealed through shielding or recesses behind architectural features.
(6) The use of low-pressure sodium, fluorescent, or mercury vapor lighting either attached to buildings or to light the exterior of buildings is highly discouraged.
(7) Mounting brackets and associated hardware should be inconspicuous.
(f) Signs.
(1) Coordinate the colors and styles of signs within each development area.
(2) Keep signs to the minimum number and size necessary for each development area.
(3) Landscape the base of freestanding signs with living plant material.
(4) Use materials and a color palette for signs to complement the materials and color palette of the main building.
(5) Place signs for both automobile traffic and pedestrians in areas that will not obstruct visibility.
(Ord. 16-19. Passed 9-16-19.)