§ 27-575. Site character.

(a)

Intent. To encourage on-site and off-site compatibility of development while considering the relationship between site design and the existing environment. Site character includes consideration of: physical and natural features of land; building placement; vehicular access; circulation and parking; pedestrian access; preservation and buffering of views; surrounding development; and community character.

(1)

Development should be sited in a manner consistent with, and be appropriate for, many of the existing conditions of the site.

(2)

Parking and circulation should account for pedestrians bicycles and vehicles.

(3)

Building and street layout should define a cohesive development.

(b)

General layout.

(1)

Multilot or multibuilding developments shall be designed as unified projects with a sense of place reflected through development layout and architectural design.

(2)

Linear or strip development is discouraged, including linear open air centers or strip centers, either of which front parking lots.

(3)

Large retail establishments (big box) are subject to these guidelines with the following specific requirements:

a.

All big box developments shall include at least three retail establishments located in a complex that is planned and managed as a single unit.

b.

No more than 80 percent of the off-street parking may be located in the front of the development if more than 80 percent is in front then the number of landscape islands will be increased by 50 percent.

c.

At least two sides (the two sides that are projected to have the highest level of pedestrian activity) of a big box store (of more than 120,000 square feet) shall include customer entryways. Additional stores located within the development shall also have clearly marked entryways. The entryways shall be defined with at least three of the following features:

1.

Canopy or portico;

2.

Overhangs;

3.

Recesses/projections;

4.

Raised cornice parapets over doors;

5.

Peaked roof forms;

6.

Arches;

7.

Outdoor patios;

8.

Display windows;

9.

Architectural details such as tile work or moldings that are integrated into the building or structure;

10.

Integral planters or wing walls that incorporate landscaped areas and/or places for seating.

(c)

Grading and drainage.

(1)

Where possible, new development should maintain the natural topography of the existing site. Extensive grading (more than 70 percent of the site) or unusual site improvements are strongly discouraged.

(2)

Site drainage patterns shall be designed to prevent surface drainage from collecting on and/or flowing across pedestrian areas.

(3)

Use of stepped retaining walls is where necessary along public streets and other visible areas of the site to reduce the steepness of manmade slopes and to provide pockets or terraces for revegetation and landscaping. Every wall over six feet in height must be "stepped." Four feet of terrace is required for every eight feet of wall.

(4)

Detention ponds should not be contained within a lot or parcel that contains a building site. One detention area may be required to serve multiple lots.

(5)

Detention ponds should be designed as a project amenity.

(d)

Circulation.

(1)

Projects must be designed to minimize any increased traffic use of neighborhood streets.

(2)

Curb-cuts should be minimized and concentrated at mid-block.

(3)

A sense of entry or arrival shall be created at primary entryways into the development. Building placement, landscaping, gates, entry monuments, specialty lighting, and other design elements can be used to create this design effect.

(4)

Driveway configuration and design should be determined based on the size of development and capacity of streets. For example, a large, traffic-generating development with a multi-neighborhood drawing radius should provide significantly more driveway space for ingress and egress with turn lanes than a smaller, neighborhood-oriented development.

(5)

The number of external entrances should be consistent with existing or anticipated design of adjacent streets.

(6)

To reduce the need for multiple street access points and to allow for the potential future reduction of driveways consistent with access management principles, access points and driveways must be planned and shared between properties, with access easements noted on plats or other recorded document.

(7)

There shall be a hierarchy of internal circulation beginning with site access from the public street.

a.

Access driveways shall feed into driving lanes which shall divide into parking lanes and parking areas.

b.

There shall be limited access to driveways, which shall be provided from driving lanes, not parking areas, wherever possible.

c.

Circulation patterns within parking areas shall be defined by curbs and landscaped islands.

d.

Where possible, groups of buildings should be serviced by dedicated service access lanes.

(8)

Internal vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian circulation must connect in a manner obvious to users.

(9)

To the maximum extent possible, there shall be pedestrian circulation from the perimeter of the site to the principal customer entrance to all buildings. Within the site, there shall be pedestrian connections provided to all pedestrian activities, including transit stops, street crossings, open space, building and store entry points, and adjacent pedestrian systems.

(10)

Sidewalks in front of buildings must be designed to accommodate pedestrian activity both for that use and for movement between uses. This may include cafe seating and outdoor sales pursuant to the chapter 32, article III.

(11)

Internal pedestrian walkways within parking lot or drive area must be distinguished from other surfaces.

(12)

Pedestrian connections must be clearly defined in a combination of two or more of the following ways:

a.

Six-inch vertical curb.

b.

Trellis.

c.

Special railing.

d.

Bollards.

e.

Special paving.

f.

Low seat wall or other architectural features.

g.

Pedestrian scale lighting.

h.

Traffic calming devices.

(13)

Site design should integrate and facilitate access to public transit.

(14)

Sidewalks that are within reasonable proximity to an identified trail system should connect to that system and accommodate the uses anticipated on the trail (e.g., pedestrian, bicycle).

(e)

Parking.

(1)

The majority of all surface parking and all drive through facilities should be located to the maximum extent possible behind buildings or in the interior of a block.

(2)

Pedestrian walkways through the parking area to building entrances should be clearly marked pursuant to this subdivision.

(3)

Parking located between front of building and street right-of-way must provide an additional 20 feet of landscaped area in addition to the required setback.

(4)

Parking must be screened from adjacent streets by walls, shrubs, trees, or other design elements.

(5)

Parking lot curb cuts must be designed and minimized to reduce conflicts between pedestrians and automobiles.

(6)

Accessible parking must be provided according to unified government requirements.

(7)

Dead-end parking without a designated turn-around area should be avoided and shall not be permitted on any new projects that are not infill or redevelopment.

(8)

Parking should be divided into blocks of 40 to 50 spaces. Where this is not easily defined, groups of 20 spaces should be divided by a landscape island at least the size of one stall.

(9)

Structured parking, as follows:

a.

Structured parking adjacent to a street shall provide an active front with pedestrian-oriented uses.

b.

Structured parking shall integrate with adjacent buildings using similar materials, alignments, and architectural finishes.

(10)

Cart corrals should be low-profile, created with pavement (e.g., curbs), may include a bollard to deflect parking, and should have low-profile identification signs, no taller than four feet.

(f)

Building elements.

(1)

There should be a designated walkway or clear pathway to the main entrance of a building so that pedestrians are not required to walk through parking lots.

(2)

Buildings should be located in such a manner as to minimize conflicts between pedestrians and automobiles.

(3)

Buildings should be oriented primarily to the street.

(4)

Retail shops at street level should have direct access to and from the sidewalk.

(5)

Entrances should be easily identifiable as primary points of access to buildings.

(6)

Corner buildings at gateways or prominent intersections shall be designed to emphasize the gateway or intersection location. This may include major architectural expression in the facade roof form and/or massing, such as:

a.

Larger bulk;

b.

Tower forms;

c.

Peaked roofs; and/or

d.

Over-sized windows.

(7)

Pad sites shall be clustered together to define street edges and entry points or to enclose and create interesting places between buildings, such as public outdoor seating, landscaped areas, or other focal points.

(8)

Buildings, walls, trees, topography, and other site features shall be oriented and arranged to define circulation areas and lend a human scale to the development.

(9)

Shared parking between adjacent or closely related developments is strongly encouraged, provided each development complies with unified government parking requirements.

(g)

Outdoor storage areas/mechanical equipment.

(1)

Masonry screen walls are required to provide 100 percent opaque screening to public views of loading and service areas from other properties or public streets.

(2)

Service areas and docking facilities should be located to the side or rear of the building away from public streets and main circulation and drives when possible.

(3)

All trash receptacles shall be enclosed with a screening wall or fence constructed of the same materials as the primary structure. The screen must be a minimum of six feet in height on all sides and designed with the gate facing away from streets or adjacent land uses. All screening materials must be well maintained at all times.

(Ord. No. O-50-06, § 1, 5-25-2006)