§ 27.05 DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS.

   Buildings and uses in the Mixed Use Overlay District, except for single-family detached dwellings , shall comply with the following requirements.

   A.   Building entrances. The main public entrance of the structure shall face Grand River Avenue. If the site is on a corner, it may have its main entrance oriented to either street . In no case shall the main public entrance open directly onto a parking lot. No overhead doors are permitted facing a street .

   B.   Façade design. All building facades that face a street shall conform with the following design criteria:

      1.   Windows. All building facades visible from the street shall have windows with transparent, non-reflective glass, with the following requirements:

         a.   First floor. Minimum 30% of facade, 70% maximum.

         b.   Second floor and above. Minimum 20% of facade, 60% maximum.

         c.   Butt-joint glazing is prohibited. A butt-joint is a joint formed by two pieces of glass united end to end without overlapping.

         d.   Windows on the first floor shall be a minimum of two feet above the finished floor level.

      2.   Exterior building materials. Traditional building materials, such as masonry, stone, brick, or wood, shall be used as the predominant exterior building materials for all new construction, renovations, and additions. Plain concrete block, plain concrete, corrugated metal, plywood, and vinyl siding and sheet pressboard may only be used as secondary exterior finish materials, provided they cover no more than 10% of the surface area. Foundation material may be plain concrete or plain concrete block when the foundation material does not extend more than two feet above grade . Cement-based finishes, cement plaster, and Exterior Insulation Finish System (E.I.F.S.) are permitted only if used a minimum of ten feet above grade , where they will be less susceptible to damage. The selection of exterior building materials shall contribute to the traditional design and character of the building .

      3.   Architectural guidelines. Traditional architecture is favored in the Mixed Use Overlay District, rather than radical design themes, structures and roof forms, which would draw unnecessary attention to the buildings . Building facades that incorporate canopies or walls with mock gables must provide a roof component to provide depth and give a more authentic appearance.

   C.   Side or rear facade design. Wherever a side or rear facade is visible from a public street , or if parking is located at the side or rear of a building , the facade shall be designed to create a pleasing appearance, in accordance with the following design criteria:

      1.   Materials and architectural features similar to those present on the front of the building shall be used on the side or rear facade.

      2.   Dumpster and service areas shall be completely screened with a landscape hedge, a fence , a wall, or a combination thereof.

      3.   Open areas shall be landscaped with lawn, ground cover, ornamental shrubs, and trees, provided that sufficient light penetrates into the space.

   D.   Awnings. Awnings shall be permitted on buildings as follows:

      1.   All awnings must be made from canvas fabric or similar water-proof material, rather than metal, aluminum, plastic, or rigid fiberglass. However, awnings that are a permanent part of the building architecture may be constructed of metal, wood, or other traditional building materials where they will add diversity and interest to the facade, and only if the design and materials are consistent with the overall design of the building .

      2.   All awnings shall be attached directly to the building , rather than supported by columns or poles.

   E.   Lighting. 

      Exterior lighting shall comply with the requirements in § 2.12. Lighting must be placed and shielded so as to direct the light onto the site and away from adjoining properties. The lighting source shall not be directly visible from adjoining properties. Floodlights, unshielded wall pack units, other types of unshielded lights, and lights where the lens is visible outside of the light fixture shall be prohibited. Traditional-style lighting fixtures may be used if such fixtures are similar in appearance to existing traditional-style fixtures in downtown Williamstown.

      Sidewalks and parking areas shall be properly lit to facilitate the safe movement of pedestrians and vehicles and provide a secure environment. In parking areas, the light intensity shall average a minimum of 1.0 foot candle, measured five feet above the surface. In pedestrian areas, the light intensity shall average a minimum of 2.0 foot candles, measured five feet above the surface. The maximum average light intensity shall be ten footcandles.

   F.   Parking. Parking and parking lot design shall comply with the following standards, in addition to the provisions of Article 4.00.

      1.   No new parking lot shall be created nor any existing parking lot expanded in front of a building unless the Planning Commission determines that parking in front of the building would be acceptable for either of the following reasons:

         a.   Front yard parking is required to maintain the continuity of building  setbacks in the block while making efficient use of the site; or

         b.   Front yard parking is required for the purposes of traffic safety and to minimize driveway  curb cuts where the new parking lot is proposed to connect with one or more parking lots on adjoining parcels .

         Unless the Planning Commission determines that parking in front is permissible, new or expanded parking lots on the interior of the lots shall be located to the rear or side of the buildings , accessed by means of common driveways , preferably from side streets or lanes. Parking lots shall be small in scale where possible, and connected with parking lots on adjacent properties. Cross-access easements for adjacent lots with connected parking lots shall be required. Common, shared parking facilities are encouraged. Required parking may be accommodated off-site in common, shared parking facilities.

      2.   In order to maximize the amount of land area left for landscaping and open space , paving shall be confined to the minimum area necessary to comply with the parking requirements of Article 4.00.

      3.   The parking lot layout shall take into consideration pedestrian circulation. Pedestrian crosswalks shall be provided, where necessary and appropriate, shall be distinguished by textured paving and shall be integrated into the pedestrian network system. Pavement textures shall be required on pedestrian access ways, and are strongly encouraged elsewhere in the parking lot, as surfacing materials, or when used as accents.

      4.   Surface parking lots shall be screened from the street with a three-foot high red or brown brick wall, with a continuous row of deciduous trees along the street , or a wrought iron fence with a hedge between the fence and the street .

   G.   Front building  setback and landscaping . The minimum front setback shall be five feet and the maximum front setback shall be 15 feet. Structures shall be provided with landscaping along their foundations. The landscaped area must be at least three feet in depth and must be planted with at least one shrub per three lineal feet of foundation. For each 100 square feet of hard-surfaced area between the building and the street lot line as least one of the following amenities must be provided: a bench or other seating, a tree, or a landscape planter.

   H.   Service access. A service alley or designated loading space shall be reserved at the rear of the building .

   I.   Signs . One wall sign shall be permitted per face of a building or storefront, plus each business shall be permitted one pedestrian-oriented blade sign (maximum of three square feet in area) that projects over the sidewalk. One wall or projecting sign is permitted, provided it does not exceed one and one-half square feet per lineal foot of building frontage, with a maximum of 48 square feet. Roof signs , plastic panel signs , box signs , pole signs , portable signs , fluorescent-colored signs , and billboards are not permitted. Outline tubing signs (neon signs ) shall be permitted as window signs only.

   J.   Sidewalks and sidewalk displays.

      1.   An eight-foot wide concrete sidewalk shall be required along the front of every parcel for all development that requires site plan review. The sidewalk shall be located in the road  right-of-way , abutting the right-of-way line.

      2.   Sidewalk displays shall be permitted directly in front of an establishment, provided at least five feet of clearance is maintained along pedestrian circulation routes.

         a.   Display cases shall be located against the building wall and shall not be more than two feet deep. Display cases shall not exceed more than two feet into the sidewalk. The display area shall not exceed 50% percent of the length of the store front.

         b.   Display cases shall be permitted only during normal business hours, and shall be removed at the end of the business day. Cardboard boxes shall not be used for sidewalk displays.

         c.   Sidewalk displays shall maintain a clean, litter-free and well-kept appearance at all times and shall be compatible with the colors and character of the storefront from which the business operates.

   K.   Courtyards and plazas. Exterior public and semi-public spaces, such as courtyards or plazas, shall be designed for function, to enhance surrounding buildings and provide amenities for users, in the form of textured paving, landscaping , lighting, street trees, benches, trash receptacles, and other items of street furniture, as appropriate. Courtyards shall have recognizable edges defined on at least three sides by buildings , walls, elements of landscaping , and elements of street furniture, in order to create a strong sense of enclosure.

   L.   Mechanical equipment. 

      All air conditioning units, HVAC systems, exhaust pipes or stacks, elevator housing and satellite dishes and other telecommunications receiving devices shall be thoroughly screened from view from the public right-of-way and from adjacent properties, by using walls, fences , roof elements, penthouse-type screening devices, or landscaping .

      Fire escapes shall not be permitted on a building ’s front facade. In buildings requiring a second means of egress pursuant to the local building codes, internal stairs or other routes of egress shall be used.

   M.   Security gates. Solid metal security gates or solid roll-down metal windows shall be prohibited. Link or grill type security devices shall be permitted only if installed from inside, within the window or door frames; or, if installed on the outside, if the coil box is recessed and concealed behind the building wall. Security grills shall be recessed and concealed during normal business hours. Models that provide a sense of transparency, in light colors, are encouraged. Other types of security devices fastened to the exterior walls are prohibited.

(Ord. passed 7-9-2013)