In order to encourage high quality development of commercial properties, nonresidential uses in the B-1 and B-2 Districts shall be required to meet the standards of any applicable Design Review District and shall also be required to meet the following design elements:
(a) Streetscape.
(1) Incorporate streetscape elements that are consistent with the 2010 Downtown Painesville Transportation and Streetscape Plan.
(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.
(6) Install walkways to connect the sidewalk to building entrances.
(b) Parking.
(1) Site a portion of parking out of public view at the rear and sides of buildings.
(2) Provide clear pedestrian paths and crossings from parking spaces to main entrances.
(3) Parking shall be screened along a sidewalk or public right-of-way through the layering of materials to create a vertical street edge. Materials may include a combination of grass, decorative fencing, trees, and base plantings that work in conjunction with light poles and other items within the right-of-way.
(c) Landscaping. The extensive use of landscaping shall be required to improve the site appearance. The following landscape design elements shall be required:
(1) The use of street trees shall be required at fifty-foot intervals.
(2) Trees shall be planted within ten feet of the public right-of-way.
(3) Trees shall be a minimum of two-inch caliper.
(4) Each site shall have a minimum of thirty percent of the plant material as an evergreen variety.
(5) For parking lots of twenty or more spaces, a minimum of ten percent of the interior of the parking lot shall be planted as landscape island areas distributed throughout the parking lot so as to provide visual and climatic relief from vast expanses of pavement.
(6) Landscaping shall be located adjacent to the building foundation whenever possible.
(7) 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) All service areas shall be screened from view from a public street or public parking area.
(3) 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.
(4) Screening does not need to occur at the point of access to a service area.
(e) Exterior Lighting.
(1) Lighting shall be part of the architectural concept. Fixtures, standards and all exposed accessories shall be harmonious with building design. Uplighting to enhance a building facade shall be included in the lighting plan.
(2) Coordinate the lighting plan with the landscaping plan to ensure areas are well lit and that any conflict between trees/landscaping and lighting is avoided.
(3) Coordinate updating street lighting with Painesville Municipal Electric.
(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.
(6) Comply with the requirements for signs as set forth in Chapter 1127.
(g) Style.
(1) Architectural style is not restricted. Evaluation of the appearance of a project shall be based on the quality of the design.
(2) A single architectural style for all buildings within a development shall be used. Planned shopping centers shall be encouraged.
(3) All new buildings shall include a durable finished facade material on at least seventy-five percent of the wall area on any side of the building visible from the public right-of-way. Appropriate primary materials include, brick, stone, glass, natural wood clapboard, architectural concrete composite panels, fiber cement panels, synthetic materials which simulate natural or traditional materials may be used for incidental architectural detailing. Concrete blocks, smooth-faced tilt up concrete panels and vinyl exterior building materials are not permitted.
(4) Glass block shall not be used to fill window or door openings.
(5) Pre-engineered metal buildings and industrial-type structures featuring corrugated metal are not permitted.
(6) Roof types shall be appropriate to the building's architecture. Architectural embellishments that add visual interest to roofs, such as dormers, belvederes, masonry chimneys, cupolas, clock towers and other similar elements are encouraged. Roofing material for sloped roofs shall be of traditional roof material such as wood, fiberglass, asphalt and metal.
(h) Colors.
(1) A coordinated palette of colors shall be used for each building or development.
(2) Use color variation to break up the mass of a building and provide visual interest.
(3) Facade colors shall be low-reflective, subtle, neutral or earth tone colors. Building trim and accent areas may feature brighter colors and may be used to express corporate identity.
(i) Exceptions. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent or delay the reconstruction, alteration or demolition of a structure or feature which has been ordered by the City upon certification of an unsafe condition constituting an emergency. Similarly, nothing in this section shall be construed to govern or restrict routine maintenance activities which do not represent alterations in exterior appearance.
(Ord. 11-20. Passed 9-17-20.)