The intent of the following standards is to encourage creative and innovative design techniques that are harmonious with each other, to protect the value of buildings and property, and to preserve the image and character of a "unique" small town community. It is recognized that a community should be visually attractive as well as financially prosperous. The manner in which a use is accomplished is as important as the use. The quality of architecture and building construction is important to the preservation and enhancement of building and property values, prevention of the physical deterioration of buildings, and the promotion of the image of the community and the general welfare of its citizens.
(Ord. 33-2008. Passed 4-22-08.)
The following architectural review principles, criteria, and review guidelines are established:
(a) Appearance.
(1) Buildings shall be designed so as to be compatible with surrounding architectural styles and so as not to be unsightly or offensive to general accepted taste and community standards.
(2) Corporate stylized architectural elements (building features that are used for advertising or national image) shall be minimized to the extent that they are not the dominant architectural element and so that the building remains compatible with the surrounding architecture.
(b) Building Materials.
(1) Traditional Building materials such as Masonry (Natural Stone, Simulated Stone, Brick,), Wood, Glass (Tinted -Reflective or Block), shall be used on all exterior visible portions of structures.
(2) Other materials may be approved if their use is appropriate for the location and architectural style proposed and they are approved by the Architectural Review Board.
(c) Building Facade.
(1) Plain, monolithic structures with long walls and roof plane surfaces are discouraged.
(2) Each building facade shall incorporate design elements such as changes in color or texture; projections, recesses, and reveals; arcades or pergolas providing pedestrian interest; or equivalent elements that subdivide the wall into human scale proportions.
(3) Building facades shall have highly visible customer entrances that feature canopies, overhangs, arcades, distinctive roof forms, arches, display windows, or landscaped features. Primary entrances should face streets on which they are located.
(4) Buildings shall have well defined rooflines with attention to architectural detail. Consideration should be given to the prevailing pattern of roofs in the surrounding area. Building architecture shall promote consistent architectural character and detail on all sides of the structure, including the use of building materials.
(d) Building Scale.
(1) New, remodeled, or altered buildings must be in relative proportion to the original building elements and/or neighboring buildings.
(2) Wherever feasible, buildings shall be designed to provide massing configurations with a variety of different wall planes.
(3) Where applicable, building mass shall be broken by dividing it into smaller components and creating functional open space and pedestrian oriented areas between buildings.
(e) Color. Structure and building color shall be in harmony with the existing neighborhood buildings. Colors shall be architecturally and aesthetically pleasing.
(f) Screening.
(1) Site design and development should consider impacts of noise and light on adjacent properties.
(2) Using plants and fence materials; vegetative screens may be proposed.
(3) Where landscaping is used as screening it shall be opaque year round.
(4) Plant materials shall be chosen which are indigenous, moderately fast growing, and require minimal maintenance.
(5) The landscape design shall incorporate the entire site and consist of a palette of plants with year round appeal which might include annuals, perennials, shrubs and trees pursuant to Chapter 1172 of the Zoning Code.
(6) Landscape screening shall be of a height and density so that it provides the full desired effect within three (3) growing seasons.
(7) Where a Business abuts a Residential District, the Planning Commission shall require a fence or an earthen mound of a minimum of four (4) feet in height with a slope not to exceed three-to-one (3 to 1) and a planting plateau of up to five (5) feet in width.
(g) Service and Mechanical Equipment Areas.
(1) The location of service areas and mechanical equipment shall be considered as part of the overall site design.
(2) Service areas and mechanical equipment shall be screened from public view.
(3) Screening shall be architecturally integrated for all utilities service entrance equipment. All ground-mounted equipment shall be screened from public view by a wall of material similar to the buildings or landscaping, equal to or greater in height than the height of the mechanical equipment.
(4) All transformer boxes, meter panels and electric equipment, and any other utility equipment, not able to be screened by landscaping or walls, shall be painted to match the building color.
(5) Buildings shall not be designed or orientated to expose loading docks, service areas, HVAC elements, garbage dumpsters, or non-residential overhead doors to the public rights of way. Exceptions may be allowed if acceptable buffering is included.
(6) Buildings adjacent to residential areas shall not be designed or orientated to expose HVAC elements, garbage dumpsters, or non-residential overhead doors towards the adjacent residential areas. Exceptions may be allowed if acceptable buffering is included.
(7) All service station fuel tank vent piping shall be screened from arterial streets and public view.
(8) Screening of roof-mounted equipment. All roof-mounted equipment that rises above the roofline of any building or structure shall be screened from view of any public street or adjacent residential area with a building material consistent and compatible with the building.
(h) Driveup or Drive-through. Drive-through menu boards, automatic teller machines and similar facilities shall be screened from street view, and architecturally integrated with building design through the use of common materials and colors.
(i) Canopies. Design of service station canopies shall be integrated with adjacent building architecture through the use of similar materials, colors and roof forms.
(j) Signs. A master sign plan shall be prepared illustrating the location, type, size, and materials of all signage, pursuant to Chapter 1173 of the Zoning Code.
(k) Streetscape Improvements.
(1) A Streetscape Plan shall be submitted for the entire site. The Streetscape Plan shall address the relationship between vehicular and pedestrian traffic, pedestrian facilities, street and sidewalk lighting, landscaping, street furniture, trash receptacles, and transit stops.
(2) The design of streets, pedestrian ways, landscaping, lighting, and street furniture shall be coordinated and integrated throughout the site.
(3) Vehicular streets and driveways shall be designed to be compatible with pedestrian ways to encourage a pedestrian friendly environment. The width of streets shall be sensitive to pedestrian scale, and shall be minimized to avoid hazards and inconvenience to pedestrians while allowing for efficient vehicular traffic flow.
(4) Site furnishings such as benches, seating, trash receptacles, bike racks, lighting fixtures, and tree grates shall be addressed in the Streetscape Plan.
(l) Pedestrian Access and Circulation.
(1) The site shall be connected to adjacent properties and pedestrian facilities to the maximum extent feasible.
(2) Decorative sidewalks, such as brick pavers, are encouraged at key intersections or streets.
(3) Street furniture or other amenities are encouraged, such as plazas, benches, and decorative pedestrian light fixtures.
(4) Open and public areas should be provided as a mixture of green space landscaping and pedestrian areas.
(m) Vehicular Circulation and Access.
(1) Street designs are encouraged to incorporate traffic calming devices and techniques.
(2) Common or shared access points are encouraged.
(3) Circulation systems shall be designed to efficiently facilitate traffic flow, yet designed to discourage speeds and volumes that impede pedestrian activity and safety.
(4) To the maximum extent feasible, common or shared service and delivery access shall be provided between adjacent parcels or buildings, and provided to the rear of buildings.
(5) The developer as part of the site plan review process shall provide traffic impact studies when requested by Planning Commission.
(n) Parking.
(1) Parking should not be a Dominant Site Feature.
(2) Parking areas and driveways shall be landscaped in compliance with perimeter buffer and interior landscaping requirements of Chapter 1172. Where parking areas are situated adjacent to the sidewalks, street rights of way or adjacent properties with limited available landscape area or other site limitations, consideration may be given to use of decorative fences and/or masonry walls. The visual impact of parking shall be minimized through the use of interior landscaped islands and through dividing parking spaces into groupings.
(3) Adequate parking and unloading facilities shall be provided at the site or at designated loading zones so that no loaded vehicles at any time stand on a public right-of-way awaiting entrance to the site.
(4) Off-street parking lots shall be so arranged and marked with adequate drives and aisles for safe and convenient maneuvering giving access to parking spaces, and in no case shall a parking space be permitted which would necessitate the backing of a motor vehicle into a street or over a public walk.
(o) Lighting.
(1) Building and signage lighting must be indirect, with the light source(s) hidden from direct pedestrian and motorist view.
(2) Outdoor lighting of a building parking area, or signage, shall be directed so as not to directly shine on adjacent properties.
(3) Any lighting used to illuminate any off-street parking and loading area shall be arranged to direct light away from adjoining premises.
(4) Under canopy lighting (such as service station pump canopies) shall be flush mounted to provide down lit illumination and shall not be of such intensity as to cause interference with vision of persons on public streets or in residential districts.
(5) All lighting shall be shielded from adjacent residential districts.
(Ord. 33-2008. Passed 4-22-08.)
(p) C-5 Mixed Residence/Busienss District.
(1) Building Materials on exterior walls. In order to encourage that new buildings and additions are attractive and contribute to the City's broader goals for the central area, the following materials standards apply to building additions and new construction.
PRIMARY MATERIALS (Minimum 80% of all facades, 50% of side elevations, and 35% of rear elevations*) | ACCENT MATERIALS (Maximum 20% of any side or rear elevation*) | UNACCEPTABLE MATERIALS |
Kiln-fired clay brick | Stucco | Plywood |
Stone (natural - including field stone, river rock, cut and dimensioned stone) | Vinyl, steel, aluminum and fiber cement siding | Cinder block, smooth-faced block |
Cast stone | Architectural metals | EIFS (Exterior insulation and finish systems) |
Architectural/finish grade wood or timber | ||
Split-faced block | ||
Wood shingles | ||
*Excludes doorways and windows | ||
(2) Supplemental Architectural Review Submittal Requirements. For a new building or an addition to an existing building in the C-5 District, architectural drawings of all building elevations, and a detailed description of all exterior construction materials, including the percentage of the exterior walls covered by each material, must accompany your submittal to the Architectural Review Board. The following should also be provided to further clarify the design intent:
• Color renderings of all building elevations.
• Color photographs of similarly constructed buildings
(3) Exceptions. Strict adherence to these rules shall not be such as to prevent architectural creativity. Requests for exceptions based on architectural design and creativity, and compatibility with surrounding developed properties, may be considered by the Architectural Review Board. Exceptions will be considered for building additions or modifications which are designed to be compatible with the existing or adjacent structures.
(Ord. 132-2015. Passed 11-24-15.)