(a) Purpose. The Residential Development Building Design Standards and criteria are hereby established for the following purposes:
(1) To establish and enforce a set of criteria applicable to all residential developments that ensure that future residents of the City of Pickerington are provided a minimum level of quality for their respective neighborhoods.
(2) To provide clear policy direction and standards to the development community that ensures that the City improves its quality of life through a set of consistent standards for residential development.
(3) To enhance the value of private property and a sound investment climate through the establishment of consistent design criteria.
(4) To protect the public's health, safety, and general welfare through a set of City-wide design criteria that encourage a consistent quality in all neighborhoods and residential developments.
(5) To allow architectural creativity and compatibility with surrounding housing conditions is recognized and encouraged.
(6) Exceptions to the standards set forth in this section shall be considered by the Board of Zoning Appeals.
(b) Applicability. The following establishes the applicability of this section.
(1) Residential Building Design Standards shall apply to zoning certificates for single-family, two-family, and multi-family buildings. The Residential Building Design Standards shall be effective for all residential buildings at the earliest period authorized by law after City Council approval.
(2) This section shall not apply to residential buildings existing at the effective date of this section.
(3) The requirements of this section shall not apply to additions and modifications to residential buildings existing at the time of passage of this section.
(4) This section shall not apply to residential buildings existing at the effective date of this section damaged or destroyed by fire, explosion, flood, or other acts of God.
(c) Definitions. For the purpose of this section, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
(1) "Chimney." A primary vertical structure containing one or more flues, for the purpose of carrying gaseous products of combustion and air from a fuel-burning appliance to the outside atmosphere that extends above the roof line and is supported by an approved foundation.
(2) "Chimney, bay." A chimney with a cantilever base that does not extend above the roof line. Also known as shed house or dog house style chimney.
(3) "Composition board (hardboard)." A board made up of wood fibers and resins to form a sheet or simulated board to be used as an exterior siding.
(4) "Corbel." A course or unit of masonry that projects beyond the course below. A "corbel" may be used entirely for decoration or for a ledge to support a load from above.
(5) "Cornice."
A. An ornamental molding of wood or plaster that encircles a room just below the ceiling.
B. An ornamental topping that crowns a structure.
C. An exterior ornamental trim at the meeting of the roof and wall. This type of cornice usually includes a bed molding, a soffit, a fascia, and a crown molding.
(6) "Dentil work." Square tooth-like blocks used as ornamentals under a cornice.
(7) "Elevations." For the purposes of this section, "elevations" shall exclude all openings, such as windows, doors and garage doors in applying exterior materials.
(8) "Header."
A. A lintel.
B. A member extending horizontally between two supports.
C. A rectangular masonry unit laid across the thickness of a wall, so as to expose its ends.
(9) "Keystone." The usually wedge-shaped uppermost, hence last, set stone or similar member of an arch, whose placement not only completes the arch but also binds or locks its other members together. May be used above a door or window in a horizontal lintel for decoration.
(10) "Natural materials." For the purposes of this section, "natural materials" shall exclude vinyl and aluminum siding. "Natural materials" shall include wood, brick, stone and stucco, including synthetic products, EFS, and fiber cement lap siding (e.g. hardie plank siding, weather boards, etc.).
(11) "Residential developments." For the purposes of this section, "residential developments" shall include single-family and two-family subdivisions, multi-family developments whether rental or owner-occupied, and developments consisting of a mix of unit types.
(12) "Rowlock course." A course of brick units set on side with the short, narrow face vertical on the wall face.
(13) "Shingles, dimensional." Shingles cut to a uniform size, usually five inches or six inches wide, and used for special architectural effects.
(14) "Shingles, slate." A roof shingle made from a fine-grained metamorphic rock or composite shingle made from slate and resin.
(15) "Shingles, standard." A roof covering made from asphalt or asphalt/fiberglass, generally thirty-six-inches wide and consisting of three twelve-inch non-dimensional tabs.
(16) "Standing seam roof." A seam, in sheet metal and roofing, made by turning up two adjacent edges and folding the upstanding parts over themselves.
(17) "Soffit." The underside of a part or member of a structure, such as a beam, stairway, or arch.
(18) "Soffit board." A board that forms the soffit of a cornice.
(19) "Soldier course." A course of brick units set on end with the long, narrow face vertical on the wall face.
(20) "Trim." Trim materials are used to trim various components of a residential structure, such as windows and doors. They are not the dominant siding material on a building elevation.
(21) "Vinyl siding - contractor grade." PVC siding typically with a thickness of .040 inches or less.
(22) "Vinyl siding - higher end." PVC siding with a thickness of .044 or more.
(23) "Window, architectural." A window that by its design adds an ornamental feature to the home. These windows will be accented by such elements as an arch, circle, flex frame (angles), elliptical, stained or beveled glass, shutters, or grid work.
(24) "Window, standard." Square or rectangular frame with no features mentioned in the architectural window definition.
(25) "Wood fiber composites." See "composition board" as defined in this section.
(d) Residential Building Design.
(1) Residential exterior standards. Residential exterior standards establish minimum residential exterior standards by zoning district. These standards shall be enforced prior to the issuance of a zoning certificate and reviewed prior to final occupancy permit. The builder shall document compliance with these requirements for each individual structure on a building elevation, which shall be submitted with the zoning certificate. These standards are minimum appearance standards applicable to all houses in all districts, except as may be specifically approved as part of a planned unit overlay district or otherwise approved by the Board of Zoning Appeals.
A. Preferred natural materials:
1. Brick and stone veneer, including brand name synthetic stone, are preferred as natural materials on front elevations.
2. Changes in material should occur at interior corners and not at exterior corners.
B. Prohibited materials; this does not include hardie plank siding and similar products:
1. Composition board or primed hardboard, except as trim.
2. Wood fiber composites.
3. Plywood (except for soffits and porch ceilings).
C. Architectural features. The following architectural features are acceptable instead of windows on rear and side elevations to break up large wall expanses: fireplaces, chimneys, garages, doors, windows, faux windows, quoins, cornices, change in roof line, special brick coursing and other features deemed appropriate by City staff.
D. Shutter yaks. Must occur at least on all the single and double-wide windows of any vinyl-sided, wood or fibrous cement siding elevations facing public streets, where wall area permits them unless window trim is used. Shutters or window trim is not required on elevations comprised of brick or stone. Shutters shall be full height and at least one-half the width of the single or one-quarter the width of the double window. Shutters used to meet the normal window trim requirements may count towards these requirements, except in the case of operating shutters.
E. Garages. Detached accessory garages shall be of similar style, color, and material selection as the primary building. In meeting the standards for front elevation minimum materials, attached garage doors shall not be included in the calculations. Side or rear loaded garages are strongly encouraged.
F. Front elevation natural material calculations. Windows, doors and attached garage doors shall be excluded in the calculations for determining minimum natural materials percentages on front elevations.
Criteria | AGR | R-1 Through R-6 Districts (Single-family) | R-6 | R-10 |
Two-family | Multi-family (Zero Lot Line, Three-Family, Condominiums, Row Houses, Apartments) |
Criteria | AGR | R-1 Through R-6 Districts (Single-family) | R-6 | R-10 |
Two-family | Multi-family (Zero Lot Line, Three-Family, Condominiums, Row Houses, Apartments) | |||
(a) Front elevations (Variance allowed up to -5%) | ||||
(1) Minimum 100% all natural materials | ||||
(2) Minimum 75% all natural materials | ||||
(3) Minimum 50% all natural materials | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
(4) Minimum 35% all natural materials | ||||
(5) Minimum 25% all natural materials | ||||
(b) Side and rear elevations (Variance allowed up to -5%) | ||||
(1) Minimum 100% all natural materials | ||||
(2) Minimum 25% all natural materials | ||||
(3) Minimum 50% all natural materials | Yes | |||
(4) Minimum 15% all natural materials | ||||
(5) No minimum natural materials | ||||
(c) Vinyl siding | ||||
(1) Higher End (0.44 minimum thickness) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
(d) Windows – required on all elevations, with the possibility of substituting other Architectural features to break up large wall expanses | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
(1) Architectural windows: one such window on front elevation required | Optional | Yes | Optional | Yes |
(2) Standard windows | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
(e) Shingles | ||||
(1) Dimensional | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
(2) Slate | Optional | Optional | Optional | Optional |
(3) Standing Seam | Optional | Optional | Optional | Optional |
(f) Chimneys (does not include bay chimneys) | ||||
(1) Stone/masonry veneer including synthetic stone to grade | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
(g) Exterior trim | ||||
(1) Overhangs/soffits: minimum 8 inches wide – minimum 4 inches wide on dormers. | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
(2) Return soffits: To match overhang | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
(3) Window trim: minimum inches nominal or shutters pairs. Window trim not required on brick or stone elevation. | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
(h) Dormers | Optional | Optional | Optional | Optional |
(i) Main roof pitch minimum 6:12 (porches, garages, bay windows, etc. are not included) | ||||
(1) Minimum 6:12 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Yes = Required Optional = Recommended Blank = Not Required
(2) Scale of multi-family buildings. Multi-family buildings shall be designed to minimize the scale. This shall be accomplished in one of the following ways:
A. When facing single-family homes, each segment of the front facade shall be within ten percent of the average width of those structures.
B. The facade shall be articulated in different planes to reduce the apparent mass of the building.
C. A one-story porch or similar element can be provided to define the front door and entrance of the building and to break-up the front elevation.
D. Sloping roofs such as gable and hipped roofs shall be the primary roof form.
(3) Colors. The exterior finishes of residential buildings are encouraged to be muted warm earth tones. Complimentary trim colors are encouraged. Developments in which vinyl siding is to be used, developers/builders are encouraged to provide a broad range of siding colors to create an interesting and diverse streetscape.
(4) Landscaping.
A. Single-family dwellings. For on-site landscaping, the developer/builder shall install for each of the following:
1. Four trees with a minimum caliper of two and one-half inches (select from shade trees, ornamental trees and evergreens). Street trees are excluded for purposes of this section.
2. Eight shrubs.
a. Two large deciduous shrubs (thirty to thirty-six inches).
b. Two deciduous shrubs (eighteen to twenty-four inches).
c. Four evergreen shrubs (eighteen to twenty-four inches).
3. Minimum mulch bed square footage shall be 2.5 times the lot width. The mulch beds shall be located in the front yard and are permitted to extend around the corner of the house. Landscaping should include accent plants, and shrubs.
B. Two-family and multi-family buildings. For on-site landscaping, the developer/ builder shall install in clusters that break up the building facade. The following plant material for each fifty linear feet of building face: one deciduous tree, one evergreen tree, two ornamental trees, and ten shrubs (three five-gallon, three two-gallon, and four one-gallon) in bark mulch beds.
C. Yards. All yards shall be seeded or sodded in residential developments.
D. Ground-mounted private utility boxes. Ground-mounted private utility boxes (such as electrical, telephone, and cable services) that are permitted to be placed outside of the rear yard shall be placed in the side yard at a minimum of ten feet to the rear of the front elevation of the home. Such utility boxes shall be screened on all sides with evergreen shrubs planted at a minimum height of twenty-four inches and placed at appropriate location in relation to the utility box. If multiple boxes are required, they shall be placed in a cluster and screened to the same standard as noted above. The exterior of all utility boxes shall be neutral in color.
(Ord. 2014-27. Passed 8-5-14.)