Town of Chili, NY Chapter 12 Architectural Advisory Committee

[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Chili 3-19-2008 by L.L. No. 1-2008. Amendments noted where applicable.]

GENERAL REFERENCES

Conservation Board — See Ch. 19.

Historic preservation — See Ch. 304.

Subdivision of land — See Ch. 439.

Zoning — See Ch. 500.

§ 12-1 Findings and purpose.

The Town Board of the Town of Chili, in order to preserve the thoughtful and orderly development of the Town, determines that the health, welfare and interests of Chili residents will be served by the establishment of an Advisory Committee to aid and assist the Town's Planning and Zoning Boards in their consideration of applications raising architectural concerns or issues. The Town Board further determines that said Committee, once established, should have no independent review authority, but shall be providing only recommendations and advice to the Planning and Zoning Boards.

§ 12-2 Establishment.

The Town Board of the Town of Chili hereby establishes, pursuant to the Municipal Home Rule Law, an advisory committee to be known as the "Chili Architectural Advisory Committee."

§ 12-3 Membership.

[Amended 3-18-2015 by L.L. No. 3-2015]

A. The Committee shall consist of three members who shall be appointed by the Chili Town Board and serve at the pleasure of the Town Board. Only persons who reside within the Town of Chili shall be eligible for appointment as members of the Committee.

B. Membership shall consist of at least one member of the Town of Chili Planning Board who shall also serve as the Planning Board liaison to the Architectural Advisory Committee.

C. Any Planning Board member may serve in the absence of the designated Planning Board member, at any time, in order to meet quorum requirements.

D. The Town Board shall appoint one of its members to serve as a liaison to the Committee.

E. The Town Board shall designate a member of the Committee to act as Chairman thereof. At the first meeting of the Committee, its members shall elect from among themselves a recording secretary, who shall keep an accurate record of its meetings and activities and who shall file an annual report as set forth below.

§ 12-4 Powers and duties.

A. The Architectural Advisory Committee shall advise the Town of Chili's Planning Board and its Zoning Board of Appeals, when its advice is requested, concerning the architectural aspects of applications submitted to the Planning Board and/or the Zoning Board of Appeals.

B. The advice of the Architectural Advisory Committee on an application that has been received by the Building Department shall automatically be deemed to be requested by the Planning Board and/or Zoning Board of Appeals when said application involves new construction, the adaptive reuse, alteration, expansion or modification of existing buildings in the following districts (or in visual proximity to the following districts) defined by the Town of Chili Zoning Codes:[1] Neighborhood Business; Restricted Business; General Business; Planned Residential Development District; Planned Neighborhood Overlay District; and Planned Unit Development District.

[1] Editor's Note: See Ch. 500, Zoning.

C. In addition to applications submitted on which said advice is deemed to be requested, either the Planning Board or the Zoning Board of Appeals may, through its Chairperson, request the advice of the Architectural Advisory Committee on a pending application. The Architectural Advisory Committee, once its advice is requested, shall review a pending application and render its advice and/or recommendation to the Planning Board and/or Zoning Board of Appeals regarding the architectural aspects of said application. It shall, in reviewing any application and rendering its advice, apply the guidelines and/or criteria outlined in § 12-5 below.

§ 12-5 Historical information.

A. The Town of Chili was founded in 1827. Like the Town of Clarkson, New York, Chili is considered to be a "Crossroads" town. Its growth and prosperity was due to overland routes converging at its center versus the Town of Spencerport, New York, whose growth was the result of the Erie Canal. Chili's historical architecture was influenced by the Federal Architecture of Clarkson and the Greek Revival Architecture of Scottsville, New York. The purpose of this code is to give development a sense of direction in preserving and restoring Chili's "rural town" character and feel.

(1) Examples:

(a) 1000 Chili Scottsville Road.

(b) 594 Paul Road.

(2) Federalism. Identifying features: Fan light over door (almost always rounded, rarely squared), sidelights, Classical/Greek detailing of entryway, Palladian windows, balustrades, oval/circular rooms in some high-style examples. Symmetrical as Georgian style. Windows: double-hung sash windows for first time.

Old Scottsville Chili Road

(3) Greek Revival. Identifying features: Gable or hipped, low-pitch roof; dentil cornice emphasized with wide band of trim — cornice represents classical entablature (includes cornice, frieze, architrave); porches: square or rounded columns (usually Doric), first style to use gable-front floor plan (gable end facing the street, representing Greek temple), temple-front entryway with entry door surrounded by rectangular transom and sidelights (never rounded like Federal).

Rochester Street — Scottsville

B. Design elements which follow this history (and are consistent with the recommendations below) should be given favorable consideration.

§ 12-6 Guidelines.

A. New construction.

(1) Architectural style and design quality; form and mass.

(a) Recommended:

[1] Classic designs with enduring architectural character.

[2] Contemporary designs which respect, reflect and reference the preferred architectural styles and design themes found in Chili and surrounding areas.

[3] Design details which are consistent with the overall style and proportion of the building design.

[4] Variety of architectural details consistent with the examples illustrated below.

[5] Mass which does not overwhelm existing buildings in the area.

Roberts Wesleyan College — North Chili

(b) Not recommended:

[1] Designs which are inappropriate in relation to the local architectural character in terms of size, scale, design motifs, and relationships between buildings, and landscape features.

[Amended 12-3-2008 by L.L. No. 4-2008]

[2] Those standard stock plan franchise buildings which are not consistent with these standards.

[3] Excessive sameness; buildings identical in style to surrounding buildings.

[Amended 12-3-2008 by L.L. No. 4-2008]

(2) Building orientation and placement on site.

(a) Recommended:

[1] Buildings oriented to the street and to pedestrian vs. automobile traffic.

[2] Buildings which respect and relate to the site placement of adjacent structures.

[3] Parking areas at the rear of buildings.

(b) Not recommended:

[1] Parking areas between the building and the street. On-site vehicular traffic patterns which conflict with pedestrian traffic patterns.

[2] Buildings sited without regard to the site placement of neighboring buildings.

(3) Rooflines and height.

(a) Recommended:

[1] Pitched roofs which overhang the wall plane, unless inconsistent with the historic design upon which the building is based.

[2] Articulation at roof edge: cornices, overhangs, balustrades, bracketed eaves, parapet walls.

(b) Not recommended:

[1] Flat roofs left unscreened.

(4) Impact on public views; natural features of the site; surrounding environment.

(a) Recommended:

[1] Service entrances, loading docks, dumpsters and ground-level mechanical equipment located away from public entrances and screened from public views.

[2] Rooftop mechanical equipment and structures screened and disguised by roof features, and set back from roof edges.

[3] Generous and appropriate landscaping as reviewed by and accepted by the Conservation Board.

(b) Not recommended:

[1] Building placement that obstructs scenic views from the site or adjacent sites or public places.

[2] "Rooftop clutter": HVAC units, satellite dishes and antennas, and other rooftop structures which are visible from the street or other public places.

(5) Line, configuration, and arrangement; rhythm and proportion.

(a) Fenestration, size and arrangement of windows, doors, porticos and other openings.

[1] Recommended:

[a] Building elements are in balanced proportion to the building as a whole.

[b] Interruptions and variety in wall plane; offsets, recessed entrances, arcades, covered walkways, awnings and canopies, multiple entrances, roof overhangs, shadow lines, courtyards, balconies, etc.

[c] Vertical emphasis in window openings.

[d] A rhythm of door and window openings, which reflects the integrity of the architectural design of the building.

[2] Not recommended:

[a] One element or design feature dominates the building design.

[b] Large, uninterrupted expanses of wall surface; long areas of unrelieved, monotonous wall surface adjacent to the street. Flat wall planes, especially for front facade.

[c] Irregularly spaced or randomly placed openings which are primarily related to internal functions rather than exterior design considerations.

[d] Horizontal windows on upper stories.

(b) Building facades.

[1] Street level storefront design.

[a] Recommended:

[i] First floor facade is differentiated from upper stories and oriented toward pedestrians, with large window areas facing the sidewalk.

[b] Not recommended:

[i] First floor undifferentiated from upper stories in terms of window size, etc.

(c) Windows and doors.

[1] Recommended:

[a] Windows and door detailing which reflects the form and function of meaningful architectural design.

Roberts Wesleyan College — North Chili

[b] Projecting sills, lintels and/or crowns which define window openings.

[c] Individual window openings, separated by areas of building wall.

[d] Any large areas of glass are broken up by vertical design elements such as mullions, columns, framing members.

[2] Not recommended:

[a] Strip windows on upper stories.

[b] Tinted or reflective (mirrored) glass.

(d) Decks, balconies, porches.

[1] Recommended:

[a] Balconies, decks, and front porches oriented toward the street.

[b] Railings made of turned spindles, posts and rails, consistent with the design of the building.

Wilcox House — Honeoye Falls

[2] Not recommended:

[a] Railing elements (other than square spindles) made of stock dimensional lumber.

B. Alterations to existing structures.

(1) Recommended:

(a) Updating, renovation, and expansion of existing buildings in a manner compatible with the design standards for new buildings and consistent with the subject building's architectural style.

(b) Where existing structures are proposed to be demolished, the replacement structure shall be consistent with current, preferred district architecture and the guidelines referenced above.

(2) Not recommended:

(a) Alterations to an existing structure which are inappropriate to the age and style of the building, or incompatible with the designs of surrounding buildings.

(b) Replacement of an existing building with a new building which is inconsistent and incompatible with these standards.

C. New construction or alterations to existing structures.

(1) Materials: kind, texture.

(a) Recommended:

[1] Brick, native stone, and other masonry veneers are preferred for exterior walls and should be the dominant materials used on facades with traditional window openings.

[2] Building materials differentiating design elements, consistent with the rhythm and proportion of the building design.

[3] Roofing materials: architectural composition shingles, wood shingles and slate.

(b) Not recommended:

[1] Metal sheathing, concrete/stucco, block and synthetic materials that are obvious imitations of natural materials. Rustic or crude siding materials such as logs, bark, rough-sawn wood planks, coarse-textured stucco, unfinished or split-face concrete blocks, etc.

[2] Inappropriate mixing of materials for the sake of variety alone; or monotonous use of a single building material.

[3] Clay tile roofs.

[4] Corrugated/industrial or vertically ribbed metal siding materials, or metal roofing installed with exposed fasteners.

[5] Glass walls; shiny, mirrored or reflective wall surfaces, polished stone.

(2) Colors.

(a) Recommended:

[1] Colors which are complementary in range and intensity, with attendant trim colors and accents.

[2] Colors which are reflective of the guidelines and standards stated previously.

(b) Not recommended:

[1] Colors which call attention to themselves by their color alone (hue, intensity, tone, contrast), whether used as base color, trim, or accent stripes.

[2] Garish, fluorescent or iridescent colors.

(3) Awnings and canopies.

(a) Recommended:

[1] Fabric awnings scaled and proportioned with building facade elements.

[2] Awnings over individual windows and as door canopies.

[3] No signage on awnings.

[4] Functional use of awnings to provide shade.

(b) Not recommended:

[1] Shiny or plastic fabric awnings.

[2] Awnings that are a dominating feature of the building facade.

[3] Arched awnings with a long vertical surface (waterfall) spanning the facade.

[4] Awnings used as primary signs.

[5] Backlit (internally illuminated) awnings.

(4) Signage.

(a) Recommended:

[1] Signs that are integrated with the architecture of the building and site on which they are displayed.

[2] Monument style design.

(b) Not recommended:

[1] Internally illuminated signs, neon signs, lighted window signs, reader boards, marquee signs, temporary portable signs, pylon style, elevated stacked signs and window signage.

(5) Lighting.

(a) Recommended:

[1] Lighting, attached or detached, soffit, up light or down light, including tree lighting, selected for appropriate lumens or footcandles, and complementary to the architecture through shadowing, highlight and flooding. Parking area lighting directed downward. Illumination from multiple light sources.

[2] Light fixtures that are compatible with the architectural style and other features of the building.

(b) Not recommended:

[1] Harsh or excessively bright lighting, inconsistent with surrounding light levels; or site or building lights that spill light onto adjacent sites; spotlighting, hot or dark spots in site lighting.

[2] Strip accent lighting or fluorescent tubes used as decorative elements on external building walls; portions of facade that are continuously internally illuminated.

§ 12-7 Reports.

The Architectural Advisory Committee shall, from time to time, submit such reports and recommendations as may be necessary to fulfill the purposes of this chapter.

§ 12-8 Compensation.

The members of the Committee shall be entitled to be compensated for the service on said Committee at an amount to be determined by Town Board resolution. The Town Board shall appropriate funds for said compensation and for any necessary expenses incurred by the Board in the performance of its duties.