9.3.1 General purpose and intent.
A. The purpose of this Article is to supplement development standards elsewhere in these zoning regulations with specific criteria that apply to the design of commercial buildings and projects which are 200,000 gross square feet or greater in area.
B. The town’s goal is to create and maintain a positive ambiance and community image and identity by providing for architectural and site design treatments that will enhance the visual appearance of the applicable commercial development and the quality of life.
C. The applicable commercial development depends on high visibility from public streets. In turn, design of certain commercial buildings and sites determines much of the image and attractiveness of the streetscapes and character of the community. Massive, duplicative, or generic projects that do not contribute to, or integrate with, the community in a positive manner can be detrimental to a community’s image and sense of place.
D. This Article incorporates a basic level of architectural design which, in conjunction with site design, landscaping, lighting, and sign treatments located elsewhere in this ordinance, is intended to result in a comprehensive scheme for building design and site development. However, this Article is not intended to require any specific style of architecture.
E. This Article is also intended to:
1. Promote high standards in architectural design and the construction of creative, innovative, aesthetically pleasing structures;
2. Encourage landowners, designers, and developers to look closely at local conditions and the development site, and produce new development that enhances and complements both the built and natural environment; and
3. Ensure that development and building design is sensitive to the specific site, consistent with the existing and proposed character of the area, including residential and nonresidential uses in the surrounding area, and does not detract from the positive elements of the community and existing neighborhood characteristics.
9.3.2 Standards. The standards found in this Article shall be in addition to all other applicable standards found in this ordinance.
A. Building materials. Predominant exterior building materials shall be high quality material. These include, without limitation: brick, natural decay-resistant quality exterior wood siding, rock, stone or tinted and textured concrete masonry units, and transparent glass windows and doors. Facade colors shall be neutral or earth tone colors. Building trim and accent areas may feature brighter colors, including primary colors, but these colors may not comprise more than 15% of any building facade.
B. Requirements for building mass and articulation. The design shall help integrate the development with its surroundings by breaking down the apparent mass and scale of the building on all sides.
1. The first floor should be taller than upper floors. Lower floors should be differentiated architecturally to create a sense of human scale.
2. Buildings shall avoid long, monotonous, uninterrupted walls or roof planes on their visible facades. Building wall offsets, including projections, recesses, and changes in floor level, shall be used in order to add architectural interest and variety; relieve the visual effect of a single, long wall; and subdivide the wall into human scale proportions. No more than 60,000 gross square feet of the structure shall be designed as a distinct mass.
3. All facades visible from a public roadway shall be given equal design significance. There shall be no blank, featureless walls, including rear walls. The design shall present a continuity of style on all facades visible from the public roadway, except where separated by a party wall located on a lot line. The primary facade shall be designed to comply with the requirements of Article 9.4 (Building Facade Design).
4. Similarly, roofline offsets shall be provided to lend architectural interest and variety to the massing of a building and to relieve the effect of a single, long roof.
5. Outparcels shall be designed and integrated with the main project.
6. Internal and new streets shall be constructed in accordance with the regulations set forth in Article 9.2 (Commercial Access).
(Ord. passed 2-3-2021)