(a) Exemption. The building design standards in this section shall apply to new development and redevelopment projects except when located within the Historic Preservation District.
(b) Building Design Elements.
(1) Building Design Compatibility. Any building elevation of any structure facing a public roadway shall be considered a front side of façade for design purposes, and types and patterns of the development and/or buildings, signage, and accessory structures shall be compatible with the character of the area or within the same development through compliance with the following design standards:
A. All buildings and accessory structures shall utilize a consistent architectural style, distinguished by variations within the selected style;
B. The side and rear portions of buildings shall be as visually attractive as the front through the design of roof lines, architectural and accent features.
(2) Architectural Features. Overall building design shall incorporate recesses, offsets, arches, colonnades, columns, pilasters, detailed trim, brick bands, and contrasting courses of material, cornices or porches to vary facades.
(3) Facade Elements.
A. Minimum Wall Articulation. Bays shall be visually established architectural features such as columns, ribs, or pilasters, piers and fenestration patterns. In order to add architectural interest and variety, and avoid a single long massive wall with no relation to human scale, the following standards shall apply:
1. No wall that faces a street or connecting walkway shall have a blank uninterrupted length exceeding thirty (30) feet without including at least two (2) of the following: change in plane, change in texture or masonry pattern, windows or equivalent elements that subdivide the wall into human-scale proportions. All elements must repeat at intervals less than or equal to thirty (30) feet.
2. Side or rear walls that face walkways shall include false windows and door openings defined by frames, sills or lintels, or similarly proportioned modulations of the wall, only when actual doors and windows are not feasible because of the nature of the use of the building.
3. All sides of buildings and accessory buildings shall include design characteristics that are consistent with those used on the facade.
B. Facade Base Treatment. The façade must have a recognizable base using design patterns similar, but not limited to:
1. Thicker walls, ledges or sills.
2. Integrally textured elements such as stone, stucco or other masonry feature.
3. Integrally colored and patterned elements such as smooth finished stone.
4. Lighter or darker colored elements, mullions or panels.
(4) Side and Rear Walls. In addition to the other requirements, building design shall incorporate four-sided wall architecture with the intent of providing a continuous building pattern on all sides of the development regardless of orientation or development. As such, the side and rear building walls shall incorporate the same building materials, proportionality and texture as the front façade.
(5) Long Walls. Walls exceeding 100 feet in length as measured and visible from a road right-of-way should include at least one change in wall plane, such as projections or recesses extending at least twenty percent (20%) of the entire length of the façade, in one design element or a combination of elements, projections or recessions.
(6) Building Entrance. Primary building entrances shall be clearly defined and recessed or framed by a sheltering element such as an awning, arcade or portico to provide shelter from weather elements. Entrances shall combine different colors, textures and architectural elements to emphasize entrance points and break the monotony of large vertical surfaces.
(7) Building Roofs. The continuous plane of a roofline shall be no greater than 100 feet. Rooflines can be varied with cantilevers, gables, parapets, and/or cornice lines. Building walls, parapets, and/or roof systems shall be designed to conceal all roof-mounted mechanical equipment from view to adjacent properties and public rights-of-way. Mechanical equipment screening techniques shall incorporate the same design standards, proportionality and texture as the front façade.
(8) Colors. Building colors must be low-reflecting, muted and earth-toned. Roof colors must be muted and compatible with dominant building color.
(9) Windows. The use of black or reflective glass on any side of the building shall be limited and subject to the approval of the Planning Commission.
(c) Additional Design Standards for R-B, D-B and L-G Districts. In addition to the requirements of subsection (a) hereof, and in order to achieve a small scale pedestrian environment and the appearance of smaller tenants, all uses in the R-B Retail, Downtown Business and Lakeshore Gateway District shall comply with the following building design elements for that portion of a building facing onto a public street, pedestrian way, plaza, parking lot or sidewalk:
(1) A minimum of sixty percent (60%) of the wall shall have display-type windows. The bottom edge of such windows shall not be higher than three feet above grade.
(2) There shall be no more than twenty (20) feet of the contiguous wall length devoid of windows unless the wall includes architectural features such as piers, columns, bays or undulation of the building so that a pedestrian scale and rhythm is created.
(3) Supplemental architectural features, such as pedestrian colonnades, columns and varying roof lines and roof heights, shall be included over the entire length of the building.
(4) Height. Buildings shall have the appearance of being at least two (2) stories in height. This can be accomplished through the use of pitched roofs, dormer windows or other architectural elements.
(Ord. 2020-21. Passed 2-18-20.)