Ā Ā Ā 1.Ā Ā Ā PURPOSE
The following design guidelines are intended as a reference framework to assist the designer in understanding the City's goals and objectives for high quality development within the industrial zones. The guidelines complement the mandatory site development regulations contained in this chapter by providing good examples of appropriate design solutions and by providing design interpretations of the various mandatory regulations.
The design guidelines are general and may be interpreted with some flexibility in their application to specific projects. The guidelines will be utilized during the City's design review process to encourage the highest level of design quality while at the same time providing the flexibility necessary to encourage creativity on the part of project designers.
Unless there is a compelling reasons, these design guidelines shall be followed. If a guideline is waived by the Development Review Committee, the Mayor and Common Council shall be notified. An appeal, which does not require a fee, may be filed by the Mayor or any Council person within 15 days of the waiver approval.
Ā Ā Ā 2.Ā Ā Ā APPLICABILITY
The provisions of this section shall apply to all industrial development within the City, unless otherwise specified herein. Any addition, remodeling, relocation, or construction requiring a building permit within any industrial zone subject to review by the Development Review Committee shall adhere to these guidelines where applicable.
Ā Ā Ā 3.Ā Ā Ā SITE PLANNING PRINCIPLES
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā A.Ā Ā Ā The main elements of sound industrial site design include the following:
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā 1.Ā Ā Ā Controlled site access
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā 2.Ā Ā Ā Service areas located at the sides and rear of buildings
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā 3.Ā Ā Ā Convenient access, visitor parking and on-site circulation
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā 4.Ā Ā Ā Screening of outdoor storage, work areas, and equipment
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā 5.Ā Ā Ā Emphasis on the main building entry and landscaping
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā 6.Ā Ā Ā Landscaped open space
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā B.Ā Ā Ā A variety of building and parking setbacks should be provided in order to avoid long monotonous building facades and to create diversity.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā C.Ā Ā Ā Structures should be located on "turf islands", where the office portion of the building does not directly abut paved parking areas. A minimum five- to seven- foot landscape strip should be provided between parking areas and the office portion of a structure.
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Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā D.Ā Ā Ā Building setbacks should be provided proportionate to the scale of the structure and in consideration of existing development adjacent to it. Larger structures require more setback area for a balance of scale and so as not to impose on neighboring uses.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā E.Ā Ā Ā Placement of structures which creates opportunities for plazas, courts, or gardens is encouraged. Setback areas can often be used to provide space for patio areas.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā F.Ā Ā Ā Where industrial uses are adjacent to non-industrial uses, appropriate buffering techniques such as setbacks, screening, and landscaping need to be provided to mitigate any negative effects of industrial operations.
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Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā G.Ā Ā Ā Proposed development should be designed to preserve existing stands of trees wherever possible. Contact the City's Park, Recreation and Community Services Department regarding requirements for certified arborist's report concerning existing vegetation.
Ā Ā Ā 4.Ā Ā Ā PARKING AND CIRCULATION
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā A.Ā Ā Ā The parking lot and cars should not be the dominant visual elements of the site. Large expansive paved areas located between the street and the building are to be avoided in favor of smaller multiple lots separated by landscaping and buildings. Angled parking is highly encouraged for larger parking lots which can accommodate one way aisles.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā B.Ā Ā Ā Site access and internal circulation should be designed in a straight forward manner which emphasizes safety and efficiency. The circulation system should be designed to reduce conflicts between vehicular and pedestrian traffic, combine circulation and access areas where possible, provide adequate maneuvering and stacking areas and consideration for emergency vehicle access. Circulation routes and parking areas should be separated.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā C.Ā Ā Ā Entrances and exits to and from parking and loading facilities should be clearly marked with appropriate directional signage where multiple access points are provided.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā D.Ā Ā Ā Vehicles should not be required to enter the street in order to move from 1 area to another on the same site.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā E.Ā Ā Ā Parking lots adjacent to and visible from public streets must be adequately screened from view through the use of rolling earth berms, low screen walls, changes in elevation, landscaping or combinations thereof whenever possible.
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Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā F.Ā Ā Ā The industrial site should be a self-contained development capable of accommodating its own parking needs. The use of the public street for parking and staging of trucks is not allowed.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā G.Ā Ā Ā All parking spaces should be visible from the interior of the structures, especially entrances.
Ā Ā Ā 5.Ā Ā Ā LOADING FACILITIES
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā A.Ā Ā Ā To alleviate the unsightly appearance of loading facilities for industrial uses, these areas should not be located at the front of buildings where it is difficult to adequately screen them from view. Such facilities are more appropriate at the rear of the site where special screening may not be required.
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Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā B.Ā Ā Ā When it is not possible to locate loading facilities at the rear of the building, loading docks and doors should not dominate the frontage and must be screened from the street. Loading facilities should be offset from driveway openings.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā C.Ā Ā Ā Backing from the public street onto the site for loading into front end docks causes unsafe truck maneuvering and should not be utilized except at the ends of industrial cul-de-sacs where each circumstance will be studied individually at the time of design review.
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Ā Ā Ā 6.Ā Ā Ā LANDSCAPING
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā A.Ā Ā Ā For industrial uses landscaping should be used to define areas by helping to focus on entrances to buildings, parking lots, loading areas, defining the edges of various land uses, providing transition between neighboring properties (buffering), and providing screening for outdoor storage, loading, and equipment areas.
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Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā B.Ā Ā Ā Landscaping should be in scale with adjacent buildings and be of appropriate size at maturity to accomplish its intended goals.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā C.Ā Ā Ā Use of vines on walls is appropriate in industrial areas because such walls often tend to be large and blank.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā D.Ā Ā Ā Landscaping around the entire base of buildings is recommended to soften the edge between the parking lot and the structure. This should be accented at entrances to provide focus.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā E.Ā Ā Ā Trees should be located throughout the parking lot and not simply at the ends of parking aisles. In order to be considered within the parking lots, trees should be located in planters that are bounded on at least three sides by parking area paving.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā F.Ā Ā Ā Landscaping should be protected from vehicular and pedestrian encroachment by raised planting surfaces, depressed walks, or the use of curbs. Concrete mow-strips are required per development regulations between turf and shrub areas.
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Ā Ā Ā 7.Ā Ā Ā WALLS AND FENCES
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā A.Ā Ā Ā Walls will serve a major function in the industrial landscape and will be used to screen automobiles, loading and storage areas, and utility structures. However, if not required for a specific screening or security purpose they should not be utilized. The intent is to keep the walls as low as possible while performing their screening and security functions.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā B.Ā Ā Ā Where walls are used at property frontages, or screenwalls are used to conceal storage and equipment areas, they should be designed to blend with the site's architecture. Both sides of all perimeter walls should be architecturally treated. Landscaping should be used in combination with such walls whenever possible.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā C.Ā Ā Ā When security fencing is required, it should be a combination of solid pillars or short solid wall segments and wrought iron grill work.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā D.Ā Ā Ā Long expanses of fence or wall surfaces should be offset and architecturally designed to prevent monotony. Landscape pockets should be provided.
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Ā Ā Ā 8.Ā Ā Ā SCREENING
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā A.Ā Ā Ā Screening for outdoor storage should be a minimum of eight feet and a maximum of 12 feet high. The height should be determined by the height of the material being screened. Chain link fencing with appropriate slatting is an acceptable screening material for areas of any lot not visible from the street. Exterior storage should be confined to portions of the site least visible to public view.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā B.Ā Ā Ā Where screening is required, a combination of elements should be used including solid masonry walls, berms, and landscaping. Chain link fencing with wood or metal slatting is an acceptable screening material only for areas of a lot not visible from a public street.
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Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā C.Ā Ā Ā Any equipment, whether on the roof, side of building, or ground, shall be screened. The method of screening shall be architecturally integrated in terms of materials, color, shape, and size. The screening design shall blend with the building design. Where individual equipment is provided, a continuous screen is desirable.
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Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā D.Ā Ā Ā The need to screen rooftop equipment should be taken into consideration during the initial design phase for the structure.
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Ā Ā Ā 9.Ā Ā Ā ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā A.Ā Ā Ā As a category of structure types, industrial structures often present unattractive and monotonous facades. There are, however, a variety of design techniques which can be utilized to help overcome this situation and to direct development into a cohesive design statement.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā 1.Ā Ā Ā Employ variety in structure forms, to create visual character and interest.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā 2.Ā Ā Ā Avoid long, "unarticulated" facades. Facades with varied front setbacks are strongly encouraged. Wall planes should not run in one continuous direction for more than 50 feet without an offset.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā 3.Ā Ā Ā Avoid blank front and side wall elevations on street frontages.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā 4.Ā Ā Ā Entries to industrial structures should portray a quality office appearance while being architecturally tied into the overall mass and building composition.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā 5.Ā Ā Ā All structure elevations should be architecturally treated.
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Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā 6.Ā Ā Ā Windows and doors are key elements of any structure's form, and should relate to the scale of the elevation on which they appear. Windows and doors can establish character by their rhythm and variety. Recessed openings help to provide depth and contrast on elevation planes.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā 7.Ā Ā Ā Sensitive alteration of colors and materials can produce diversity and enhance architectural forms.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā 8.Ā Ā Ā The staggering of planes along an exterior wall elevation creates pockets of light and shadow, providing relief from monotonous, uninterrupted expanses of wall.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā B.Ā Ā Ā Design elements which are undesirable and should be avoided include:
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā 1.Ā Ā Ā Highly reflective surfaces at the ground story
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā 2.Ā Ā Ā Large blank, unarticulated wall surfaces
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā 3.Ā Ā Ā Exposed, untreated precision block walls
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā 4.Ā Ā Ā Chain link fence, barbed wire
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā 5.Ā Ā Ā False fronts
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā 6.Ā Ā Ā "Stuck on" mansard roofs on small portion of the roofline
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā 7.Ā Ā Ā Unarticulated building facades
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā 8.Ā Ā Ā Materials with high maintenance such as stained wood, shingles or metal siding
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā C.Ā Ā Ā Choose wall materials that will withstand abuse by vandals or accidental damage from machinery.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā D.Ā Ā Ā All metal buildings should be architecturally designed providing variety and visual interest to the streetscape.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā E.Ā Ā Ā Berming in conjunction with landscaping can be used at the building edge to reduce structure mass and height along facades.
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Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā F.Ā Ā Ā Rolling shutter doors located on the inside of the building are the preferred method for providing large loading doors while keeping a clean, uncluttered appearance from the exterior.
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Ā Ā Ā 10.Ā Ā Ā ROOFS
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā A.Ā Ā Ā The roofline at the tope of the structure should not run in a continuous plane for more than 50 feet without offsetting or jogging the roof plane.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā B.Ā Ā Ā Nearly vertical roofs (A-frames) and piecemeal mansard roofs (used on a portion of the building perimeter only) should not be utilized. Mansard roofs should wrap around the entire perimeter of the structure.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā C.Ā Ā Ā All roof top equipment must be screened from public view by screening materials of the same nature as the building's basic materials. Mechanical equipment should be located below the highest vertical element of the building.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā D.Ā Ā Ā The following roof materials should not be used:
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā 1.Ā Ā Ā Corrugated metal (standing rib metal roofs are permitted)
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā 2.Ā Ā Ā Highly reflective surfaces
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā 3.Ā Ā Ā Illuminated roofing
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā E.Ā Ā Ā The roof design should be considered as a component of the overall architectural design theme.
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Ā Ā Ā 11.Ā Ā Ā SIGNS
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā A.Ā Ā Ā Every structure should be designed with a precise concept for adequate signing. Provisions for sign placement, sign scale in relationship with building and the readability of the sign should be considered in developing the overall signing concept. All signs should be highly compatible with the structure and site design relative to color, material, and placement.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā B.Ā Ā Ā Monument-type signs are the preferred alternative for business identification. Where several tenants occupy the same site individual wall mounted signs are appropriate in combination with a monument sign identifying the development and address.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā C.Ā Ā Ā The use of backlit individually cut letter signs is strongly encouraged.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā D.Ā Ā Ā The industrial site should be appropriately signed to give directions to loading and receiving areas, visitor parking and other special areas.
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Ā Ā Ā 12.Ā Ā Ā LIGHTING
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā A.Ā Ā Ā Lighting should be used to provide illumination for the security and safety of on-site areas such as parking, loading, shipping, and receiving, pathways, and working areas.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā B.Ā Ā Ā The design of light fixtures and their structural support shall be architecturally compatible with main buildings on-site. Illuminators should be integrated within the architectural design for the buildings.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā C.Ā Ā Ā As a security device, lighting should be adequate but not overly bright. All building entrances should be well lighted.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā D.Ā Ā Ā All lighting should be shielded to confine light spread within the site boundaries.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā E.Ā Ā Ā One footcandle evenly distributed across a parking lot is the required minimum.
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At entrances and loading areas, up to 2 footcandles may be appropriate.