The purpose of the following design guidelines is to further the goals of the City's Master Plan. These guidelines are meant to insure that development projects respect the existing built environment that was recognized and valued in the City's Master Plan.
The provisions of this Section shall apply to all residential development, except Cluster Development, within the R-1 and R-2 Districts. Any addition, remodeling, relocation, or construction requiring review by the Architectural Review Board shall adhere to the guidelines in this Section, where applicable. The Architectural Review Board may exempt applicants from these standards when the exterior building modifications are minor in nature, meaning the design modifications will have no discernable impact on neighboring properties, the public, the public right-of-way, or those intended to occupy or use the proposed development.
(a) Character of Dwellings. Principal dwellings are to be designed and located on the site and be of a scale to complement buildings in close proximity and enhance the character of the surrounding area by having features that are appropriate and compatible with existing buildings and structures. In making this determination, the following shall be considered:
(1) Building height, width, and general proportions;
(2) Architectural features, including patterns of windows and doors, roof pitch, balconies, porches, shutters, dormers, eaves and other decorative detail;
(3) Building materials.
(4) Explanation Of Terms. Certain terms and words shall be interpreted with regard to the following explanations:
A. Appropriateness. A proposal is judged to be appropriate when it respects the existing architectural style of a building or buildings and fits comfortably within its setting, neighborhood and overall community. This condition applies to landscaping and accessory structures, as well.
B. Compatibility. A design or a material selection is compatible when it does not strongly deviate from its parent building, or the overall character of the neighborhood. To be compatible does not require look alike designs, but rather designs that reflect some aspects of its parent building or buildings in the general vicinity, such as scale of windows, overhangs, building materials, patterns of siding, roof slope. Conversely, incompatibility occurs when an architectural design, landscape design or accessory building proposal is aesthetically harsh or overwhelming relative to its neighbors.
C. Proportion. The relationship of parts of a building, landscape, structures, or buildings to each other and to the whole balance.
D. Proximity. Proximity shall be considered in terms of the potential for one property, by virtue of its location, to materially affect other properties. In determining a property to be in proximity to another, the following factors shall be considered:
i. The visibility of both properties from a common point; or,
ii. The location of both properties within a relatively compact network of streets, walkways, or spaces.
(b) Façade Articulation. The articulation of facades and the massing of structures give them richness and scale. Long uninterrupted exterior walls should be avoided. All building walls should have relief to create interest and reduce bulk.
(c) Roof Articulation. For sloped roofs, both vertical and horizontal articulation is encouraged. Rooflines should be representative of the design and scale of surrounding dwellings. Roof articulation may be achieved by changes in plane and/or the use of traditional roof forms such as gables, hips, and dormers.
(d) Materials. Buildings should not have large expanses of a material on a single plane.