14.3.B.1 Design Standards for Non-Residential Uses

The following standards shall apply to all sites except single and two family dwellings:

a. The primary entrance for each business shall be oriented to the street. If residential dwellings are located above the ground floor, separate street level access is required for residential access.

b. The ground floor of newly constructed commercial buildings and commercial spaces within mixed-use buildings shall contain a minimum transparency of fifty percent (50%) on the primary street and windows shall be constructed of transparent glass. Opaque, highly tinted, or reflective glass is prohibited. Transparency into the building shall be maintained. Any window signs shall consist of individual letters and numerals without the use of any background.

c. The first floor of commercial buildings and commercial spaces of mixed use structures shall be designed with a minimum ceiling height of twelve (12) feet.

d. Plain mansard roofs are prohibited. Decorative mansard roofs are permitted on buildings with a minimum wall height of two (2) stories. (See Figure 15-2: Examples of Decorative Mansard Roofs).

e. Decorative elements having historically functional purposes, such as shutters, balconies, windows, and doors, shall be operational.

f. Security bars, if installed, shall be on the inside of windows. Roll-up or accordion security grilles are permitted on the ground floor when constructed of a see-through, non-solid material. The Casing shall be painted to match the building and shall not damage or obscure architectural detailing.

g.The following restrictions apply to building materials:

i. The following materials are prohibited as the predominant surface finish material on exterior elevations visible from the public right-of-way. However, such materials may be used as part of decorative or detail elements, or as part of the exterior construction that is not used as a predominant surface finish material.

(A)  Exterior insulating finish systems (EIFS, “Dryvit”)

(B) Stuccato Board

(C)  Vinyl

h.  In addition to the above design standards, multi-tenant shopping centers are subject to the following:

i.  The primary facade of the structure shall be oriented toward the street with entrances facing or clearly visible from the primary street. Main entrances shall be well defined.

ii.  The site shall be designed so that there is safe pedestrian access to the shopping center from the street and from the parking area. Within the development, safe pedestrian circulation is required.

iii.  A cohesive shopping center character is required through the use of coordinated hardscape treatment, such as special paving materials, lighting, and street furniture, coordinated signs, and landscape.

iv.  When a shopping center is situated behind a large parking lot, a street presence for the shopping center shall be created by locating part of the shopping center or an outlot building at the primary street corner or the shopping center entrance for at least twenty-five percent (25%) of the street frontage. Outlot buildings shall define the street frontage by placement near the street with showcase windows and entrances oriented toward the street, as well as to the interior parking lot.

v.  The roofline at the top of the structure shall not run in a continuous plane for more than seventy-five (75) feet without offset of the roof plane. Rooflines shall be broken up by providing articulations in the facade of structures, change in the height of portions of roofs, or change in color, material, forms, etc.

vi.  Structures shall use decorative roof elements, such as projecting cornices, to enhance roof edges and define public entrances, main pedestrian routes, and/or activity areas.

2.  The following standards shall apply to all sites that meet the applicability thresholds of Section 4.5 Development Plan and Design Review:

a. Where appropriate, buildings shall provide climate protection through the incorporation of overhangs, arcades, balconies, and galleries. Exterior facades shall respect and reflect a pedestrian scale.

b. A strong visual connection shall be made between the building's design and the existing character of the area. The overall building design, including its height and bulk, should be compatible with the surrounding neighborhood and provide a pedestrian environment through the use of visually active ground level treatments. The design and site development shall adhere to the character and scale of the surroundings.

c. Architectural details, material, colors, textures, and landscape treatments shall be coordinated to provide visual continuity, quality, and consistency.

Jan. 15, 2016, Zoning Docket 099-15, Ord. 26,756 MCS