The following are applicable for all structures and sites proposed in all zoning districts other than individual single-family or two-family dwellings, which do not require approval of a site plan.
1. Review Process.
A. As part of the site plan review process, an applicant shall provide colored architectural elevation drawings for each elevation of the building or buildings proposed for new construction, addition, alteration, or the like.
B. The elevation drawings should be provided in 11 by 17-inch format and digital format unless otherwise approved by the administrative official.
C. Each elevation drawing should include massing dimensions and callouts of the proposed materials indicated on the elevation. A percentage breakdown of proposed materials shall be provided.
D. In the event that accessory structures are proposed as a part of the site plan review process, the administrative official shall have the ability to request elevation drawings or colored details of said accessory structures to ensure compliance with the provisions of this chapter.
E. At the time of site plan and elevation drawing presentation to the Planning and Zoning Commission, and/or City Council, the applicant may be required to provide material and color samples of all proposed exterior finishes.
2. Architectural and Site Design Characteristics – General Provisions for All Districts.
A. Connection and Circulation. Sites shall be designed with integrated sidewalks, walkways, and paths to provide continuous circulation throughout the site connecting principal structures, dwelling units, parking areas, parking garages, and other prominent features. Pedestrian connections shall be made between the internal circulation system and the adjacent public sidewalk or trail systems.
B. Screening. Ground mounted utility and mechanical units (condensers, cooling equipment, generators, meter clusters, transformers, ventilation units, etc.) shall be adequately screened from public view through the use of walls, hedges, or other landscape treatment that provide year-round screening. Walls shall be consistent in architectural style and material to the principal building. Roof mounted utility and mechanical units (condensers, cooling equipment, generators, ventilation units, antennas, satellite dishes, etc.) shall be screened from public view by the use of an opaque screening material compatible with and integrated into the overall design of the building. Architectural metal paneling, roof parapet or a combination of the two shall be considered. Garbage dumpsters and trash receptacles shall be screened through the use of an enclosure comprised of materials consistent with the principal building. Where possible an enclosure shall be integral with a building. An enclosure shall be placed outside of a front yard.
C. Outdoor Storage and Display.
(1) Outdoor storage and display areas shall be approved as a part of the site plan review process. In the event that a new or additional storage or display area is deemed necessary by a property owner for an existing site where a site plan has already been approved, a site plan meeting the criteria of this section shall be provided for review and approval by the administrative official.
(2) All outdoor storage and display areas shall be designed and placed so as not to impede or pose a threat to existing or planned pedestrian, automobile, and emergency access routes through a site.
(3) Outdoor storage and display areas shall not occupy any portion of required open space, buffers, off-street parking areas, or other such required site conditions.
(4) Outdoor storage areas shall be provided on a paved surface with perimeter fencing, landscaping, or related treatment necessary to secure and integrate the storage area with the remainder of the site. An opaque screen shall be provided to adequately screen the storage area from a public street right-of-way or an adjacent zoning district different from the site. Wood privacy fence or chain link fencing shall not be allowed for screening outdoor storage areas.
D. Exterior Color. The use of bright, bold, or vibrant colors shall be consistent with the City’s vision for the surrounding area and used primarily in accent materials or similar applications that are not determined to conflict with neighboring properties or circumvent the Sign Ordinance. This shall not restrict the use of such colors on multiple material applications if deemed to align with the City’s vision or plan for an area.
E. Conformance with City’s Intent for Design. All buildings, structures, and sites shall be designed in conformance with the City’s intent for the level of character and design desired for certain projects as illustrated in the adopted Architectural Design Example Book or Downtown Design Guidelines as applicable to the zoning district. It is not expected that all projects will be identical to the examples provided in the book, but shall provide for the same level of detail, interest, durability in materials, and scaling methods identified in the book. Where a question of interpretation arises between a proposed project in relation to the examples provided in the book, the administrative official shall provide for the determined interpretation.
F. 360 Architecture. All buildings shall be designed with a consistent level of detail and interest on all sides.
3. Architectural and Site Design Characteristics – Arterial Overlay District. The regulations specified under this district shall apply to all properties adjoining or integrated with a property adjoining a street classified by the adopted Major Streets Plan as an interstate, primary highway, major arterial, or minor arterial.
A. Used car facilities shall be permitted only in conjunction with a new car facility.
B. Drive-thru windows, menu boards, and related items shall be positioned or screened so as not to be visible from the corridor.
C. Overhead doors shall be designed with full glass giving the general appearance of a storefront window when closed.
D. Interior self-storage building shall be required to be placed a minimum of 400 feet from an interstate, primary highway, major arterial, or minor arterial.
4. Architectural and Site Design Characteristics – Neighborhood Residential Districts. The regulations specified under this district shall apply to townhome, row dwelling, and multi-family dwellings within an R-3 or R-4 District.
A. All townhome, row, and multi-family dwellings proposed within the same development shall have a unified architectural theme. Sites where four or more buildings are proposed shall provide slight differentiation in design amongst buildings of the same size or number of units to provide for a higher level of architectural design for the site as a whole.
B. Each townhome or row dwelling façade shall be divided into a maximum of 20-foot linear sections. Multi-family façades shall be divided into a maximum of 40-foot linear sections. This requirement may be accomplished by the use of:
(1) Window bays.
(2) Articulation in roof lines through the use of dormers or gables.
(3) Variation in building offsets.
(4) The division of continuous materials.
(5) The use of architectural accents such as chimneys, balconies, pediments, columns, cornice lines, or moldings.
C. Each building shall be designed with the same level of architectural style on all sides. For townhomes and row dwellings, a minimum of 20% of the front façade shall be comprised of brick and/or stone. For multi-family developments, a minimum of 35 percent of the total area of building elevations shall be comprised of brick and/or stone. In calculating wall surfaces, windows and doors shall not be considered within the calculation.
D. Exterior building materials along elevations which adjoin a public or private street shall employ a variety of textures and colors as well as window and door details.
E. Variation in building materials used shall take place with the change in building plane. However, the change in materials shall keep with the chosen architectural theme.
F. Any garage door proposed within a townhome, row dwelling, or multi-family structure shall be integrated into the façade so as not to become a prominent element of the dwelling. Garages proposed within a townhome, row dwelling or multi-family development shall be integrated into the design of the overall building and shall incorporate architectural details. This shall be accomplished with the use of windows, decorative hardware, recessed garage doors, roof canopies, trellises, columns, trim details, offsets between garages of adjacent units and paired, single-car garage doors.
G. Detached garages shall be designed with materials consistent with those used on the principal buildings within the development. Detached garages shall not be located along a public street frontage. Detached garages shall be discouraged within townhome developments.
5. Architectural and Site Design Characteristics – Neighborhood Commercial Districts. The regulations specified under this district shall apply to commercial property zoned C-1A and nonresidential uses as principally permitted within a residential district or agricultural district.
A. The architectural design of all buildings shall be similar in style and sense of scale to the residential neighborhood it serves or is in proximity to.
B. Buildings shall be predominately brick, stone, or similar material that provides for the appearance of permanency. The use of residential siding or similar materials consistent with the surrounding neighborhood may be used as a secondary material. Vinyl siding is prohibited.
C. The use of building materials shall follow principles of tripartite architecture where a defined base, middle, and top (roofline) are established.
6. Architectural and Site Design Characteristics – Community Commercial and Office Districts. The regulations specified under this district will apply specifically to the C-1, C-1B, and C-4 Districts.
A. Buildings constructed in a Community Commercial or Office District shall be designed to sustain interest throughout the entirety of the building’s exterior and reduce the appearance of a box or cube.
B. Individual buildings within a planned retail center, office park, or similar environment shall be designed with a compatible architectural style or theme.
C. In order to ensure the longevity and future usability of retail buildings in excess of 50,000 square feet (e.g., big box retailer, anchor of a strip mall, etc.) additional articulation and structural offsets shall be provided to ensure future reuse of the structure by smaller user groups. This shall be accomplished by visually separating the building into masses conducive to such reuse.
D. Buildings within the Community Commercial or Office District shall incorporate a blend of various Primary Materials including: (i) aluminum composite materials; (ii) brick; (iii) cast stone; (iv) cultured stone; (v) glass; (vi) plate cladding system; and (vii) precast concrete panels. The primary material shall be the dominant material of façades facing a public street right-of-way. Secondary materials shall include but not be limited to: (i) architectural metals (insulated metal panels, corrugated metal panels or other similar materials); (ii) copper flashing; (iii) EIFS; (iv) fiber cement siding; (v) glass block; (vi) structural composite sandwich paneling; (vii) tile; and (viii) those materials listed as primary materials. Secondary materials shall be used to further define and accent the architectural characteristics of a proposed structure and shall not comprise of more than 25 percent of the proposed structure. The City Council, after receiving a favorable recommendation from the Planning and Zoning Commission, may consider an alternative material not specifically listed above if the overall design is determined to provide a unique use of the material and meets the intent of this section in creating an appearance of permanency and sustained interest throughout the entirety of the building.
E. Common ribbed metal panels shall not be permitted as an allowed principle or secondary material within the Community Commercial and Office Districts.
F. Principal buildings shall be oriented and located in a manner which allows for shared access drives and/or parking with adjacent principal buildings.
G. Automobile and pedestrian corridors should be clearly defined throughout the proposed site. This should be accomplished through the use of:
(1) Landscaped medians and islands within proposed parking areas.
(2) Defined pedestrian corridors provided through or around parking areas between principal buildings.
(3) Brick, stone, or similar pavement accents at critical pedestrian and automobile crossings.
(4) Automobile and pedestrian lighting located along primary corridors within the site.
H. Interior self-storage buildings shall be designed and constructed so that they are compatible with adjoining commercial buildings. In addition, the following performance standards shall also apply to the design and development of interior self-storage units:
(1) All storage units shall gain access from the interior of the building, no individual unit doors may face the street or be visible from an adjoining property.
(2) One entrance and one exit overhead door shall be allowed. Whenever possible these features shall be located on facades, which face non-residentially zoned or developed property or the public street. In no case will these features appear on the front façade or public façade where other commercial business takes place.
(3) Commercial tenant space(s) shall be included in the first-floor design, which may include a retail space for the self-storage office. Tenant spaces shall extend at least 50 percent of the length of the façade which faces a main parking field or the public street where parking is available between the building and the public street. The intent is to emulate tenant and multi-tenant retail storefronts commonly associated with building within commercial zoning districts.
(4) Ground floor and upper floor facades shall be designed to be compatible with expected four-sided commercial design in the City’s commercial districts. Examples of such architectural and design features include varied massing, proportion, façade modulation, exterior building materials and detailing, varied roof line, pedestrian scale, windows, repetition, etc. Views of storage units through windows shall be mitigated. The building shall look like a retail or multi-tenant commercial space.
7. Architectural and Site Design Characteristics – Downtown Village District. The regulations specified under this district will apply specifically to the C-2 District and take precedence over any conflicting provisions of this chapter. All buildings and structures within the Downtown Village District shall be designed, oriented, and planned consistent with the adopted Downtown Design Guidelines.
8. Architectural and Site Design Characteristics – Industrial District. The regulations specified under this district will apply specifically to the M-1, M-1A, and M-2 districts.
A. Buildings shall be compatible in architectural style or theme with surrounding buildings.
B. Buildings shall be designed with emphasis placed upon promoting interest on those facades facing a public street right-of-way and breaking up long expanses of continuous walls with specific consideration given to the treatment of entrances, doors, and window areas.
C. Buildings within the Industrial District shall be designed utilizing primary materials on those elevations facing a public street right-of-way including: (i) aluminum composite materials; (ii) brick; (iii) cast stone; (iv) cultured stone; (v) glass; (vi) plate cladding system; (vii) precast concrete panels; and (viii) fiber cement siding. Secondary materials used on the remainder of the building and comprising not more than 40 percent of all elevations shall include but not be limited to: (i) architectural metals (insulated metal panels, corrugated metal panels or other similar materials); (ii) EIFS; (iii) split faced block; (iv) structural composite sandwich paneling; (v) tile; and (vi) those materials listed as primary materials. Other materials proposed as secondary materials not specifically described shall meet the intent of this section in promoting an appearance of permanency.
D. Mini-warehouse/self-storage developments shall comply with the following requirements:
Facades fronting the public right of way and adjoining residential districts shall be enhanced to add visual character and distinction different from the interior of the development. Materials on these facades shall consist entirely of those materials listed as primary materials in this section.
Views of exterior access doors shall be screened from the public right of way, adjacent residential development and adjacent non-industrial or non-warehouse retail development.