18.24.D.3 Design Standards

The following design standards only apply to development within the area denoted in Article18.24.A.2, as illustrated in Figure 18-6. The design standards in this section shall take the place of the building design standards under Article 15.3.B. All other parcels within the CCN Overlay District shall be governed by the base underlying zoning design standards and applicable overlay district standards.

a.         Pedestrian and main entrances shall be located on the public right-of-way. Public entrances shall be articulated and distinct from the structures primary massing. Unless deemed and ruled as unfeasible, curb cuts shall be located on the secondary streets.

b.         Ventilation grates, emergency exit doors, and similar functional elements shall be designed as decorative elements and integrated into the overall building design.

c.         Security bars are prohibited. 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.

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.         Buildings shall be designed with galleries, awnings, canopies, and other weather protection devices.

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

g.         Any structure designed for a ground floor non-residential use shall be designed with a minimum ceiling height of twelve (12) feet, except for parking areas.

h.         Loading areas for retail anchor stores of twelve thousand (12,000) square feet in gross floor area or more are required to be located in the rear. Where possible, loading and service areas shall be internal to the development block and accessed through service corridors and not through pedestrian-oriented streets.

i.          Outlot buildings shall be designed with showcase windows and entrances oriented to the street.

j.          Secondary access points are encouraged from rear parking lots. Facades that abut parking areas and contain a public entrance shall include pedestrian walkways.

k.         When a shopping center is located behind a parking lot, a street presence for the shopping center shall be created by locating part of the center and/or outlot buildings near the lot line at the primary street corner or the shopping center entrance. When the center’s frontage on the primary street exceeds two-hundred fifty (250) feet in width, part of the center and/or outlot buildings shall hold at least fifty percent (50%) of the front lot line. (See Figure 15-3: Building Siting).

l.          The following building materials are prohibited 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 surface finish material.

1.         Exterior insulating finish systems (EIFS)

2.         Stuccato Board

3.         Vinyl Siding

m.        The site shall be designed to ensure safe pedestrian access to the building from the street and from any parking areas. Safe pedestrian access to and from adjacent buildings is also required. Sidewalks shall extend to the lot line and connect to existing sidewalks on abutting properties.

n.         Within any yards of the development and the public right-of-way adjacent to the development, special finishes shall be included as part of a cohesive streetscape design. These include coordinated paving, design treatments for the pedestrian level, street lighting, and street furniture. The streetscape design shall be coordinated with the building design.

o.         Off-street vehicle parking shall be set behind structures whenever possible.

p.         Curb cuts shall be limited along transit lines to greatest extent feasible.

q.         View corridors from streets that are generally perpendicular to the River shall be maintained.