A. Purpose
These residential compatibility standards are used to provide a proper transition and compatibility between single-family residential development and more intense multifamily residential, nonresidential, and mixed-use development. More specifically, it is the intent of these standards to:
1. Provide effective transitions between single-family residential uses and more intense uses;
2. Protect the character of existing single-family residential development from negative impacts resulting from more intense adjacent forms of development;
3. Limit the excessive consumption of available land though the utilization of large vegetated buffers in favor of development form and design treatments;
4. Limit interruptions in vehicular and pedestrian connections created by efforts to segregate uses; and
5. Establish or maintain vibrant pedestrian-oriented areas where differing uses can operate in close proximity to one another.
B. Applicability
1. General
Unless exempted in accordance with subsection 2. below, these residential compatibility standards shall apply to the following:
a. New multifamily residential, commercial, institutional, industrial, and mixed-use development located on land abutting or across a local street or alley from existing single-family residential development.
b. Commercial, institutional, industrial, and mixed-use development located on land abutting or across a local street or alley from existing single-family residential development which is required to obtain Major Building Design approval.
c. Multifamily residential development located on land abutting or across a local street or alley from existing single-family residential development which is required to obtain a Minor or Major Building Design approval.
2. Conflict
In the case of conflict between these standards and other design standards in this article, the residential compatibility standards in this section shall control.
C. Compatibility Standards
All multifamily residential, nonresidential, and mixed-use development subject to this section shall comply with the following standards:
1. Use Intensity
For multi-building development that includes varying use and/or development intensities in different buildings, the development shall locate buildings with the least intense use and/or development nearest to the abutting single-family residential development.
2. Building Height/Setbacks
Any portion of a structure greater than 40 feet in height that is contiguous to the existing single-family residential development shall be set back one foot for each foot of height over 40 feet, up to a maximum distance of one-half the height of the structure in addition to the setback required for the structure by district regulations.
3. Retail commercial building facades that face single-family development shall be designed to appear as a series of discrete storefronts, with no single storefront occupying more than 50 percent of the total facade width.
(See Figure 155.5604.C.1: Compatible building design.)
4. Off-Street Parking Areas
a. Off-street parking on lots adjacent to a single-family dwelling shall be located as follows (listed in priority order):
i. Adjacent to off-street parking lots serving nonresidential uses on abutting lots;
ii. Adjacent to lot lines abutting nonresidential development;
iii. Adjacent to lot lines abutting mixed-use development;
iv. Within a lot's corner side yard;
v. Behind the building;
vi. In front of the building; or
vii. Adjacent to lot lines for the abutting single-family dwelling.
b. Off-street surface parking areas located adjacent to single-family residential development shall be screened by a type C
perimeter buffer
in accordance with Section 155.5203.F, Perimeter Buffers.
c. The facade of any parking structure facing adjacent single-family residential development shall be designed to appear as an articulated building wall to soften its visual impact.
5. Loading, Service, and Refuse Areas
Loading, service, and refuse areas shall be:
a. Located at least 12 feet from a lot containing an existing single-family dwelling;
b. Screened from view of abutting single-family dwellings using materials that are the same as, or of equal quality to, the materials used for the principal building; and
c. Incorporated into the overall design of the building and landscape so that the visual and acoustic impacts of these functions are fully contained and out of view from adjacent lots containing single-family dwellings.
(Ord. 2012-64, passed 9-11-12; Am. Ord. 2013-73, passed 7-23-13)