§ 27-576. Architectural design.

(a)

Intent. It is the intent of this section to create and enhance community image through thoughtful design development. This section is intended to ensure that:

(1)

Design relates buildings to each other and to the community.

(2)

Good design incorporates and combines design theme, building facade materials, colors, roof, and equipment.

(3)

Similar to site design, building design at street level must be oriented to people and cars.

(b)

Overall design.

(1)

Architectural design shall create or contribute to uniqueness or sense of a specific place.

(2)

Building elevation design determinations must consider the character of the surrounding architecture and neighborhood and incorporated design elements that further reflect or enhance community character. Where community character is difficult to determine, planning staff will work with the applicant to identify any relevant features.

(c)

Building facade.

(1)

Commercial development should take into account the architectural design of all building elevations, 360 degrees. Quality design should be expressed on all elevations of a building.

(2)

In order to break up the monotonous appearance of long facades, a building wall no more than 45 feet in length should be divided into increments of no more than 45 feet through articulation of the facade. This can be achieved through combinations of at least three of the following techniques:

a.

Divisions or breaks in materials;

b.

Building offsets (projections, recesses, niches);

c.

Window bays;

d.

Separate entrances and entry treatment; or

e.

Variation in rooflines.

(3)

The scale of individual building facade components should relate to one another and the human scale, particularly at street level.

(d)

Design theme.

(1)

A single building development with multiple buildings must maintain a consistent style/architectural theme. Architectural design building materials, colors, forms, roof style and detailing should all work together to express consistent design. This includes all pads within a retail development, as well as gasoline pump canopies or other accessory structures.

(2)

Large buildings adjacent to small buildings should consider and incorporate architectural design elements and details such that the scale of the larger building appears compatible with that of the smaller building.

(3)

The composition of a building more than three stories tall shall include a clearly recognizable base, middle, and top. The base of a building should be weightier in appearance than the rest of the building. This can be accomplished with use of heavier, larger, or darker building materials. The top of the building may include, among other things, cornice treatments, sloping roof, or stepped parapets.

(4)

Buildings in a grouped development should approximately align horizontally in their main architectural elements, windows, sills, cornices, banding, etc., although these lines may be carried from building to building by different elements.

(5)

A single, large dominant building mass shall be avoided. Changes in mass should be related to entrances, the integral structure, and/or the organization of spaces and activities.

(6)

Building elements must not function as signage. The appearance of "franchise architecture" where buildings function as signage is discouraged. Incorporation of franchise or business design elements unique or symbolic or a particular business must be unobtrusive and secondary to the overall architectural design.

(7)

New primary structures that express a standardized corporate identity shall incorporate at least three of the following elements to create a facade and building design similar to those on an existing primary structure visible from the new primary structure and located within 500 feet of the new primary structure. Significant departures from "off-the-shelf" buildings, either locally or by national chains, may be required to meet this standard.

a.

A similar roofline or roof material.

b.

Similar facade colors and materials.

c.

Similar pedestrian entry locations and entryway architecture.

d.

Similar amounts of glazing on facades visible from the public street.

(8)

Accessory structures must incorporate matching design and materials of the primary building.

(e)

Building materials.

(1)

Building materials must be durable, economically maintained, and of a quality that will retain its appearance over time, including but not limited to: natural or synthetic stone, brick, stucco, integrally-colored, textured, or glazed concrete masonry units, high quality prestressed concrete systems, cementious siding (hardy board), or glass. The director may approve other high-quality materials.

a.

Building design should avoid large expanses of highly reflective surfaces and mirror glass exterior walls.

b.

Highly tinted glass or glass tinted in unnatural colors should be avoided.

(2)

Exterior building materials shall not include the following:

a.

Split shakes, rough sawn, or board and batten wood;

b.

Vinyl siding;

c.

Smooth-faced grey concrete block, painted or stained concrete block, tilt-up concrete panels;

d.

Field painted or prefinished corrugated metal siding;

e.

Standard single-tee or double-tee concrete systems; or

f.

EIFS at the ground level or comprising more than 15 percent of any facade.

(3)

Exterior building material must be continued down to within nine inches of finished grade on any elevation. Exterior masonry materials must be continued to the top of grade.

(4)

All building facades shall be at least 50 percent masonry. Cementious siding may be used to meet 50 percent of the total masonry requirement.

(f)

Building color.

(1)

Color should be used to tie building elements together.

(2)

All building projections shall match or complement in color the permanent color of the surface from which they project.

(3)

Intense, bright, black, or fluorescent colors shall be used sparingly and only as accents.

(g)

Building roof.

(1)

Buildings should have a defined top. This can be accomplished with cornices, caps, parapets, or roofs.

(2)

Three-dimensional rooftops are encouraged. Variation in roofline is suggested to reduce the scale of large buildings.

(3)

Sloped roofs or canopies shall be covered with high quality roofing material such as approved by the director. Metal roofing is preferred, especially for small articulations. Asphalt is discouraged and wood roofing materials are prohibited.

(h)

Windows.

(1)

For new construction, windows, windows with awnings, and covered pedestrian walkways should total at least 60 percent of the building frontage along public streets or parking lots. Windows should be for display purposes or to allow viewing both into and out of the interior. Exceptions may be made for individual tenants in excess of 20,000 square feet gross floor area or the rear elevation of a building that backs up to a public street, where the window percentage should be 25 percent of the linear building frontage.

(2)

Reflective or mirrored glass for use as windows is prohibited, unless determined otherwise by the director. Clear glass shall be used for storefronts, windows, and doors. Window painting, signage, or view blocking techniques are not permitted.

(i)

Auto-oriented uses. Drive-up and drive-through facilities, order stations, pick-up windows, bank teller windows, money machines, etc., shall be located on the side or rear of primary structures to minimize views from public streets. Drive-up and drive-through lanes should be not located between the front of the primary structure and the adjacent streets or sidewalks. Drive up facilities including drive lanes shall not be located within 150 feet of an existing residential structure, all means available should be taken to minimize the impact on adjacent residential structures.

(j)

Phasing of improvements. If a center is to be built in phases, each phase shall include an appropriate share of the proposed streets and circulation system, landscaping and outdoor spaces, screening, and other site and architectural amenities of the entire project. The extent of these improvements shall be determined for each phase of a specific project at the time of project development approval, and may not be based solely upon a proportional or equal share of the entire site. Requirements for a phased project may include off-site improvements to accommodate the necessary public infrastructure to adequately screen the site.

(Ord. No. O-50-06, § 1, 5-25-2006)