19.19.220 - General development standards and design guidelines.

The following general development standards and design guidelines shall be applied to all new construction, renovation, and alteration of existing uses or structures in all zone districts and land uses. A.

Site Planning and Contextual Design.

1.

Building siting shall maximize privacy through placement of windows, balconies, landscaping, and design of outdoor spaces. Building siting should be related to nearby structures as well as adjacent parcels.

2.

Primary structures should be oriented to face the street, avoiding views from the street of parking garages and alleys. Garages, parking, and loading areas shall not be the dominant element in the overall design of a project and should be designed to minimize visual disruption.

3.

All building entrances shall be well articulated and project a formal entrance statement through variations in architectural planes, pavement surface treatment, and landscape plazas, as well as relate to pedestrians.

4.

Building design and siting shall minimize negative impact on views from adjacent properties.

5.

Buildings shall be oriented to encourage use of outdoor spaces. Outdoor spaces between buildings shall have clear, recognizable shapes that reflect careful planning and must be compatible with adjoining building orientation.

6.

The scale of architectural details (doors, windows, porches, chimneys, etc.) shall be appropriate to the size and proportion of the building and relate to the scale and style of the building.

7.

Building forms and details should be in keeping with adjacent neighborhood character where appropriate.

8.

The mass and height of a new building shall not be disproportionate in size or designed to overwhelm neighboring structures. Upper stories should be stepped back from the ground level facade whenever possible to avoid overwhelming neighboring structures.

9.

A building front should provide visual interest and a sense of human scale. Freestanding, singular buildings shall be oriented with their major facade and entry toward the street.

10.

Building scale shall be reduced through window patterns, structural bays, roof overhangs, siding, awnings, moldings, fixtures and other details.

B.

Grading: Alterations to natural grade, except for minor grading for landscaping purposes, is discouraged and building designs should follow the natural contours of the property.

C.

Landscaping and Paving.

1.

Tree preservation and landscaping with specimen trees is encouraged.

2.

Landscaping shall be designed to minimize the impacts of development on surrounding properties and be used to provide privacy.

3.

A combination of water-conserving landscape and irrigation techniques is required, such as the use of drought tolerant plant species.

4.

Landscaping shall be used to define specific areas such as entrances to buildings and parking areas or transitions between land uses.

5.

Landscaping shall be provided around the base of buildings to reduce building mass and height.

6.

Use of quality materials, such as brick and exposed aggregate concrete, and use of porous materials is required.

7.

Driveways and service areas shall be subordinate to and blend well with adjacent buildings.

D.

Preservation.

1.

Existing structures of historical character or of quality design shall be preserved and renovated where appropriate.

2.

Where existing structures are preserved and incorporated into a development, the design of the development shall respect the character and siting of the existing structure to minimize impact on the neighborhood.

E.

Architectural Treatments.

1.

Exterior architectural treatments shall be of high quality and complement the overall design scheme. When appropriate, exterior architectural treatments shall complement existing structures in the immediate vicinity.

2.

Accent treatment, such as changes in exterior materials and texture is required and a minimum of two primary building materials shall be

3.

All exterior wall elevations of buildings shall have architectural treatment.

4.

At ground level, expanses of blank building walls shall be minimized with creative use of materials, textures, color and/or building form.

F.

Access and Circulation.

1.

The access and circulation of a development shall be designed to provide a safe and efficient system, both on and off-site.

2.

The circulation system shall be designed to reduce conflicts between vehicular and pedestrian traffic, minimize impacts on adjacent properties, combine circulation and access areas where possible, and provide adequate maneuvering areas.

G.

Roofs.

1.

Roofs shall be designed as an integral component of the overall form of a building and the design of roofs and rooflines should provide visual interest from the street and should complement overall facade composition.

2.

Roof lines of new structures shall be compatible with the character of roofs seen in the surrounding neighborhood where appropriate.

H.

Green Design. Design and construction techniques that are responsive to the environment and environmental resources are encouraged. Development strategies should consider sustainable site planning, water efficiency, energy efficiency and the conservation of materials and resources.

I.

Signage. On-site signs shall serve their primary purpose of identifying the business or activity of the site on which they are located and shall not present traffic or other public safety hazards, while complimenting the buildings and site design of the site on which they are located.

(Ord. No. 612, § 5, 10-7-2008)