A. Any new development shall comply with the intent of the purpose statement of the zoning district and specific design regulations found within the zoning district in which the project is located as well as the city's adopted "urban design element" and adopted master plan policies and design guidelines governing the specific area of the proposed development.
B. Development shall be primarily oriented to the sidewalk, not an interior courtyard or parking lot.
1. Primary entrances shall face the public sidewalk (secondary entrances can face a parking lot).
2. Building(s) shall be sited close to the public sidewalk, following and responding to the desired development patterns of the neighborhood.
3. Parking shall be located within, behind, or to the side of buildings.
C. Building facades shall include detailing and glass in sufficient quantities to facilitate pedestrian interest and interaction.
1. Locate active ground floor uses at or near the public sidewalk.
2. Maximize transparency of the street facing facades by prohibiting covering the ground floor glass with reflective treatments, interior walls, and other similar features that prevent passers-by from seeing inside of the building for non-residential uses.
3. Use or reinterpret traditional storefront elements like sign bands, clerestory glazing, articulation, and architectural detail at window transitions.
4. Locate outdoor dining patios, courtyards, plazas, habitable landscaped yards, and open spaces so that they have a direct visual connection to the street and outdoor spaces.
D. Large building masses shall be divided into heights and sizes that relate to human scale.
1. Relate building scale and massing to the size and scale of existing and anticipated buildings, such as alignments with established cornice heights, building massing, step-backs and vertical emphasis.
2. Modulate the design of a larger building using a series of vertical or horizontal emphases to equate with the scale (heights and widths) of the buildings in the context and reduce the visual width or height.
3. Include secondary elements such as balconies, porches, vertical bays, belt courses, fenestration and window reveals.
4. Reflect the scale and solid-to-void ratio of windows and doors of the established character of the neighborhood or that which is desired in the master plan.
E. Building facades that exceed a combined contiguous building length of two hundred feet (200') shall include:
1. Changes in vertical plane (breaks in facade);
2. Material changes;
3. Massing changes;
4. A minimum of eighty percent (80%) of the ground floor must be used for active, publicly accessible uses. Active uses are those that promote an active pedestrian environment through inclusion of uses that capture the attention of a passer-by. This includes retail establishments, retail services, civic spaces (theaters, museums, etc), restaurants, bars, art and craft studios, and other uses determined to be substantially similar by the planning director and/or commission; and
5. Stepback must be a minimum of ten feet (10') from the base of the building. This allows the base to be the primary defining element for the site and the adjacent public realm, reducing wind impacts, and opening sky views.
The maximum height of the base of a proposed building should be equal to the width of the right of way if allowed in the zoning district to provide sufficient enclosure for the street without overwhelming the street. The minimum height of the base must be at least two stories.
A building over two hundred feet (200') in width shall include necessary separation from property lines to minimize the impact of shadows and development rights of adjacent properties.
F. If provided, privately-owned public spaces shall include at least three of the six following elements:
1. At least one sitting space for each two hundred fifty (250) square feet shall be included in the plaza. Seating shall be a minimum of sixteen inches (16") in height and thirty inches (30") in width. Ledge benches shall have a minimum depth of thirty inches (30");
2. A mixture of areas that provide seasonal shade;
3. Trees in proportion to the space at a minimum of one tree per eight hundred (800) square feet, at least two inches (2") caliper when planted;
4. Water features or public art;
5. Outdoor dining areas; and
6. Other amenities not listed above that provide a public benefit.
G. Building height shall be modified to relate to human scale and minimize negative impacts. In downtown and in the CSHBD Sugar House Business District, building height shall contribute to a distinctive city skyline.
1. Human scale:
a. Utilize stepbacks to design a building that relate to the height and scale of adjacent and nearby buildings, or where identified, goals for future scale defined in adopted master plans.
b. The minimum stepback for any building located in a zoning district that does not contain an upper level stepback provision shall be ten feet (10'). This stepback is only required for applications requesting additional height when authorized in the underlying zoning district. The stepback shall be applied to the first full floor of the building that is seeking the request for additional height.
c. For buildings more than three stories or buildings with vertical mixed use, compose the design of a building with distinct base, to reduce the sense of apparent height.
2. Negative impacts: All buildings seeking additional height as authorized in the underlying zoning district shall be subject to the following standards:
a. Modulate taller buildings vertically and horizontally so that it steps up or down to its neighbors.
b. Minimize shadow impacts of building height on the public realm and semi-public spaces by varying building massing. Demonstrate impact from shadows due to building height for the portions of the building that are subject to the request for additional height.
c. Modify tall buildings to minimize wind impacts on public and private spaces, such as the inclusion of a wind break above the first level of the building.
d. Design and orient to prevent snow, ice, or water from falling directly onto a public sidewalk, public space, neighboring property, or directly onto the walkway leading to the building entrance.
3. Cornices and rooflines:
a. Cohesiveness: Shape and define rooflines to be cohesive with the building's overall form and composition. The roofline and architectural detailing, including cornices, shall be complimentary to the structure's scale, material, color, and form and create a change in plane of at least six inches (6"), a change in material, utilizing at least one visible sloping plan along a minimum of fifty percent (50%) of the roofline on building elevations facing a street, or a change in material orientation to define the roof line of the building.
b. Green Roof and Roof Deck: Include a green roof and/or accessible roof deck to support a more visually compelling roof landscape and reduce solar gain, air pollution, and the amount of water entering the stormwater system.
H. Parking and on site circulation shall be provided with an emphasis on making safe pedestrian connections to the sidewalk, transit facilities, or midblock walkway. Parking is encouraged to be behind the principal building and away from pedestrian walkways.
Parking lots and structures shall be setback a minimum of twenty-five feet (25') from required midblock pedestrian access locations or as required in the underlying zoning district if the underlying zoning requires a larger setback.
I. Waste and recycling containers, mechanical equipment, storage areas, and loading facilities shall be fully screened from public view and, for buildings with only one street-facing frontage, are prohibited from being located along street-facing facades. They shall incorporate building materials and detailing compatible with the building being served and shall be co-located with driveways unless prohibited by the presence of a street tree, public infrastructure, or public facility within the right of way. Service uses may be located within the structure. (See Subsection 21A.37.050.K of this title.)
J. Signage shall emphasize the pedestrian/mass transit orientation.
1. Define specific spaces for signage that are integral to building design, such as commercial sign bands framed by a material change, columns for blade signs, or other clearly articulated band on the face of the building.
2. Coordinate signage locations with appropriate lighting, awnings, and other projections.
3. Coordinate sign location with landscaping to avoid conflicts.
K. Lighting shall support pedestrian comfort and safety, neighborhood image, and dark sky goals.
1. Provide street lights as indicated in the Salt Lake City Lighting Master Plan.
2. Outdoor lighting should be designed for low-level illumination and to minimize glare and light trespass onto adjacent properties and uplighting directly to the sky.
3. Coordinate lighting with architecture, signage, and pedestrian circulation to accentuate significant building features, improve sign legibility, and support pedestrian comfort and safety.
L. Streetscape improvements shall be provided as follows:
1. One street tree chosen from the street tree list consistent with the city's urban forestry guidelines and, with the approval of the city's urban forester, shall be placed for every thirty feet (30') of property frontage on a street. Existing street trees removed as the result of a development project shall be replaced by the developer with trees approved by the city's urban forester.
2. Hardscape (paving material) shall be utilized to differentiate privately-owned public spaces from public spaces. Hardscape for public sidewalks shall follow applicable design standards. Permitted materials for privately-owned public spaces shall meet the following standards:
a. Use materials that are durable (withstand wear, pressure, damage), require a minimum of maintenance, and are easily repairable or replaceable should damage or defacement occur.
b. Where practical, as in lower-traffic areas, use materials that allow rainwater to infiltrate into the ground and recharge the water table.
c. Limit contribution to urban heat island effect by limiting use of dark materials and incorporating materials with a high Solar-Reflective Index (SRI).
d. Utilize materials and designs that have an identifiable relationship to the character of the site, the neighborhood, or Salt Lake City.
e. Use materials (like textured ground surfaces) and features (like ramps and seating at key resting points) to support access and comfort for people of all abilities.
f. Asphalt shall be limited to vehicle drive aisles. (Ord. 70-24, 2024: Ord. 24B-23, 2023: Ord. 24-23, 2023: Ord. 14-19, 2019)