(A) No building shall be constructed, enlarged, or altered (including painted, landscaped, or trimmed) within the city unless the color, design, and materials are in conformity and harmony of external color, design and materials with the existing structures on the lot in which the work is located and on other lots in the surrounding area and is so located as not to adversely affect surrounding structures, uses, and operations.
(B) No trailer, basement, tent, shack, garage, barn or other outbuilding erected in the city shall at any time be used as a residence, temporarily or permanently.
(C) Exterior walls, planes, and masses shall be of a residential scale with sufficient openings for light, view, and air consistent with the residential scale of the surrounding area. The City Architect reserves the right to require that large planes be broken up with additional windows, or offsets to maintain appropriate scale.
(D) The City Architect reserves the right to reject highly stylized houses, additions, or remodels with overstated eclectic design elements, overly mixed styles, or with insufficient stylistic theme or treatment.
(E) All exterior finish materials and colors shall meet the requirements specified in § 150.032 of these standards. Use of a material that is not specified as either approved or not approved in § 150.032, must submit to the City Architect, sample, product literature, or any other supporting information which fully describes the material and its physical properties.
(F) All visible portions of exterior foundations shall be constructed of an approved foundation material.
(1) Only one material on the entire foundation unless otherwise approved by the City Architect.
(2) Foundation walls on houses with sloping grades shall not step down from the first floor level unless approved by the City Architect.
(3) The height of a foundation wall above grade shall be the minimum required to meet code and achieve a proper visual "base" for the house.
(4) Excessive foundation heights to permit the construction of a walk-out basement, or for other purposes, will not be approved.
(G) Fireplaces, chimneys and flues.
(1) Cantilevered frame chimneys will not be approved.
(2) The width and depth of chimneys shall be appropriately sized in proportion to the size and height of the house.
(3) For direct venting gas fireplace boxes which protrude beyond the exterior plane of the house, the frame structure must have a foundation to match the house foundation. All exterior materials and finishes used to enclose the fireplace boxes must match natural materials used on a conventional chimney.
(4) Unenclosed metal flues shall be located on the rear or side roof planes only, not including side roof planes that face the front yard. Metal flues shall be a minimum of eight inches in diameter and shall be painted black. Metal flues shall not extend higher than required by code.
(H) All exposed portions of a house above the foundation shall be of finished materials, painted, stained, or pre-finished, as specified in § 150.032. Exterior architectural detailing shall be consistent with the overall design theme of the house. Eaves, cornices, rakes, columns, pilasters, comer boards, vents, window and door trim shall be consistent with the style of the house or addition, and sized appropriately to the scale of the house or addition.
(I) All windows and doors shall be of a style and size that is appropriate to the design of the home. Aesthetic design consideration shall be given to the location of all windows and doors which face the front of the house, or any other street. The City Architect reserves the right to require different styles, sizes or location of windows when, in his or her opinion, these changes are necessary to maintain the aesthetic quality of the facade.
(J) Storm windows shall be compatible with the units that they cover and with the style and color of the house. Excess ornamentation not consistent with other ornamentation on the house is prohibited.
(K) Sun control devices such as awnings and trellises must be compatible with the architectural style, character, and color of the house. The use of such devices on the front of any home is prohibited.
(L) Where shutters are used, they shall be compatible with the style, materials, and colors of the house and should be of proper proportions to the windows they adjoin.
(M) Garage door design and detailing shall be consistent with the architectural style of the house.
(N) Roof and roof accessories.
(1) Gutters and downspouts shall be pre-finished to match the adjacent building material color.
(2) Highly visible roof flashing, shall be copper or pre-finished aluminum to match the adjacent building material color.
(3) Attic ventilators and other roof penetrations shall be low profile designs and shall be pre-finished to match the adjacent roof color.
(4) No roof penetrations, metal ridge vents, or accessories shall be visible above the ridge of the roof nor shall they be located on the front roof planes of the house. Fireplace chimneys are not regulated by this provision.
(5) Dormer windows and eyebrow windows are permitted as consistent with the style of the house.
(6) Skylights will not be approved for the front roof plane.
(O) All front entry stoops and extended front porches shall be constructed of finished materials to match the house.
(1) Band boards, handrails, and railings shall be painted wood, metal, or composite railing of a design to match the character and style of the house.
(2) Brick porches with concrete floors will be approved if the concrete is surrounded by brick.
(3) Wood steps to porches facing a street shall have closed and painted risers.
(4) Stoops and extended front porches shall be supported on either continuous foundations or on a minimum of 12-inch by 12-inch brick piers.
(5) Open areas under extended front porches of 12 inches or greater in height above grade shall be concealed with lattice.
(P) Open porches and screened porches are permitted within setbacks on the sides or rear of a home.
(Q) Patios and decks shall be located only in the rear of the house. Exceptions to this may be granted by the City Architect if the requested location is not highly visible from neighboring lots or the street. Decks shall be constructed of approved materials as specified in § 150.032.
(R) Where a ramp is required for accessibility in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the City Architect will approve ramps that are consistent with the design and materials of the adjacent porch or stoop. Like all exterior structures, these must be approved as to design and location by the City Architect. The city reserves the right to require removal of the ramp when the need no longer exists for that property.
(Ord. 90-09, passed 12-17-90; Am. Ord. 7, 2019, passed - - ) Penalty, see § 150.999