Architectural guidelines help ensure that commercial development is in keeping with the high quality, traditional New England rural characteristics of Portsmouth, as well as in keeping with the characteristics of the area in which a proposed development is located. For example, architecture typical of the southwestern states is not appropriate in Portsmouth. Industrial style buildings are incompatible with commercial developments, especially where they are adjacent to residential neighborhoods. (Please see also the introductory statement: "Why Design Guidelines Are Needed."[1])
[1]
Editor's Note: The introductory statement is included as Attachment 1 to this chapter.
1. 
New architectural design should be compatible with the character of the neighboring area. Design compatibility includes complementary building style, form, size, color and materials.
2. 
Building architecture should be designed to provide an attractive appearance. Prefabricated buildings are highly discouraged. Franchise or corporate style architecture and/or highly contrasting color schemes are strongly discouraged. If used, such buildings should be substantially modified and embellished to create a project that meets the community standards. All architectural details should be related to an overall architectural design approach.
3. 
Historic structures of merit should be preserved and maintained. If the development requires relocation of an historic building, every effort should be made to preserve the building.
4. 
Diversity of architectural design is encouraged. Highly stylized buildings that are characteristic of a particular historic period other than their own are discouraged, unless a building or site is historically important to the district or necessary for architectural harmony.
5. 
Loud or gaudy colors, sharply contrasting colors and highly reflective materials are not compatible with the character of Portsmouth and should be avoided.
6. 
Efforts to coordinate the actual and apparent height of adjacent structures that are architecturally compatible with Portsmouth are encouraged, particularly where buildings are located close to one another. Aligning the height of a wall, cornice or parapet line to that of an adjacent building is encouraged. Similar design linkages can be achieved to adjust apparent height by placing window lines, belt courses, and other horizontal elements in a pattern that reflects the same elements on such adjacent structures.
7. 
Multiple buildings on the same site should be designed to create a cohesive visual relationship. Out buildings should be designed to complement the primary building on the site in style and material expression.
8. 
Building siting should take best advantage of solar orientation, climatic and other environmental conditions, should encourage safety and privacy of adjacent outdoor spaces, and should reduce the impact of noise upon (or from) the project.
9. 
Buildings that are stylized in an attempt to use the building itself as advertising are very strongly discouraged. This is particularly true where the proposed architecture is the result of a "corporate" or franchise style.
10. 
The visibility of roof-top equipment should be minimized by grouping all plumbing vents, ducts and roof-top mechanical equipment away, and screening from public view for a three-hundred-foot (300') radius from the building from ground level.
1. 
Building facades should be compatible in scale, mass, and form with adjacent structures and the pattern of the surrounding area (assuming the adjacent structures are generally in compliance with these design guidelines).
2. 
Exterior building design and detail on all elevations should be coordinated with regard to color, types of materials, number of materials, architectural form, and detailing to achieve harmony and continuity of design. No more than three (3) paint colors should be employed, excluding signage and awnings.
3. 
Rear and side facades, if visible from public streets or neighboring properties, should be carefully designed with similar detailing and materials and should be compatible with the principal facades of the building. All elevations of the building will be evaluated in Design Review process.
4. 
Long unbroken or unadorned wall planes are discouraged. Massing of a building should not extend beyond fifty feet (50') to seventy-five feet (75') without the facade being relieved with changes of wall plane that provide strong shadow or visual interest.
5. 
Exterior materials should be durable and of high quality. Highly reflective materials are discouraged. Non-durable materials such as thin layer synthetic stucco or EIFS products should not be used within ninety-six inches (96") of ground level unless specially reinforced or located away from pedestrian accessible areas.
6. 
Metal storefronts are very strongly discouraged, unless completely screened from view from the street, using landscaping, fencing or other materials that effectively hide the building from the street. Metal sides visible from the street should be similarly screened.
7. 
Pedestrian level storefronts should employ non-reflective glass or light gray tinted glass to enhance the visibility of the displayed merchandise from the outside.
8. 
Good design suggests that window and door openings on the front facade occupy a total of no less than ten percent (10%) and no more than sixty percent (60%) of the gross square footage of that facade. The size and placement of windows should be commensurate with adjacent historical models where they exist.
9. 
Shutters are encouraged.
10. 
True divided light windows are encouraged.
11. 
No new building or remodeling of any existing building should have mill-finish (non-colored) aluminum metal windows or door frames visible from the street unless specifically requested by the applicant and recommended by the Design Review Board. Aluminum windows should typically have a Kynar or similar finish to match the proposed trim color of the building.
12. 
For renovation projects, it is desirable that the historic storefront be repaired. Where the historic storefront is beyond repair, the new storefront should emulate in design, scale and material the old storefront as much as possible or practical.
13. 
Code required elements, such as parapet walls and screen walls should be treated as an integral part of the architecture and these elements should not visually weaken the design.
14. 
All vents, gutters, downspouts, flashing, electrical conduits, etc., should be painted to match the color of the adjacent surface, unless being used expressly as a trim or accent element.
15. 
Soffits and other architectural elements visible to the public but not detailed on the plans should be finished in a material compatible with other exterior materials.
16. 
Material or color changes generally should occur at a change of plane. Material or color changes at the outside corners of structures that give the impression of "thinness" and artificiality of the material are discouraged. Piecemeal embellishment and frequent changes in material should be avoided.
17. 
Approved address numbers (by the Fire Department) should be provided so that they are legible to the public from the street fronting the property. Commercial address signs in the downtown areas should be illuminated in a manner commensurate with lighting conditions.
The following building materials may be used and combined to create a consistent, attractive, interesting and long-lasting building design:
1. 
Brick. Painted brick is not recommended, as it tends to chip easily.
2. 
Stone. Natural stone such as, but not limited to, fieldstone, granite, limestone and marble are recommended materials. Terra Cotta and/or cast stone, which simulate natural stone, are also acceptable. Painted stone is strongly discouraged.
3. 
Split-face Block/Concrete Masonry Unit (CMU) on side and rear elevations.
4. 
Natural wood and/or cement-based artificial wood siding.
5. 
Glass.
6. 
Painted concrete block.
7. 
Non-decorative cinder block should be limited to walls not visible from a public street.
1. 
Sloped roofs are highly preferred. Gabled and hipped roofs should have a slope of greater than 4/12 (18°) but less than 14/12 (49°).
2. 
Gambrel roofs are also appropriate.
3. 
Mansard roofs are acceptable provided that the vertical rise is appropriate for the building size. A widow's walk or parapet element enhances such roofs.
4. 
Standing seam, cooper roofing, cedar and asphalt shingles are preferred. Roofing materials that imitate another material are generally discouraged. Metal roofs that face the street are discouraged, unless architecturally blended with the facade.
5. 
Flat roofs are strongly discouraged. Where used, they should have a parapet wall at the facade and [with cornice elements larger than three percent (3%), but less than ten percent (10%) of the total building height looks best].
1. 
Access for service vehicles, trash collection and storage areas should be located on interior service drives or alleys where they exist or are planned. When no such access exists, the access should be provided on the street with the least traffic volume, with sensitivity to adjacent residential areas.
2. 
When feasible in larger commercial developments, service and loading areas should be separated from main circulation and parking areas and away from public streets. Loading and unloading activities may not interfere with circulation on public streets.
3. 
Building equipment should be located, designed, and/or screened to minimize visual impact on public streets, large surface parking fields, and neighboring properties.
4. 
Trash containers and outdoor storage areas should be screened from public streets, pedestrian areas, and neighboring properties. The screen for the trash containers should be designed to be compatible with the architectural character of the development. It should be constructed of durable materials similar to those of the building and should have solid (opaque) walls and doors.
5. 
Utility meters should be located in screened areas, or away from public view.
(SECTIONS F, G, H, AND I BELOW ARE GUIDELINES FOR SPECIFIC TYPES OF USES. THEY ARE IN ADDITION TO, NOT A REPLACEMENT FOR, THE OTHER SECTIONS OF THESE GUIDELINES.)
1. 
Special attention should be directed toward the site landscaping which is visible from the street. Trees to provide both shade and visual relief should be located within the site as well as on the site perimeter. The vehicle display or storage parking areas may remain relatively open, if balanced by substantial landscaping and tree planting on other visually prominent areas of the site.
2. 
Landscaping, special paving treatments, setbacks, and building orientation should be used to provide an attractive appearance from the front property line.
3. 
The service area and service bays should be screened or sited so they are not visible from the street.
4. 
Vehicles under repair should be kept either inside a structure or in an area that is screened from the street.
5. 
Service areas should provide adequate queuing space that does not impede vehicle circulation through the site or result in vehicles stacking into the street.
6. 
Perimeter fencing, security fencing, or gateways should be constructed of attractive materials that are compatible with the design and materials used throughout the project. Razor wire or electric fencing is not allowed and chain link fencing is strongly discouraged.
7. 
Night lighting and security lighting should be sensitively designed to ensure that no off-site glare is directed to neighboring parcels and that the overall intensity of the site lighting is not excessive. The use of excessive nighttime security lighting is discouraged. Other security measures should be considered instead.
1. 
A new free-standing restaurant building should be sited and designed to be compatible with the character of the surrounding neighborhood. If the restaurant will occupy a pad within a shopping center, the building should be designed to be consistent with the overall "theme." (See I, Shopping Center Guidelines.)
2. 
Drive-through elements are generally discouraged. Where drive-through elements are required, they should be architecturally integrated into the building, rather than appearing to be "stuck-on" to the building. Drive through elements should not be located on the street side and should be heavily screened from view. (See also Article IX of the Zoning Ordinance.[1])
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 405, Zoning.
3. 
The site design should accommodate logical and safe vehicle and pedestrian circulation patterns through the site. Circulation should allow for adequate length of queuing lines for drive through elements which do not interfere with the on-site parking for patrons entering the restaurant, nor result in traffic queuing into the street.
4. 
Free-standing restaurant buildings should be designed and detailed consistently on all sides, including the rear and side elevations.
5. 
Outdoor seating areas, play equipment, and perimeter fencing should be integrated with the main building architecture so it is compatible and attractive.
6. 
Trash enclosures and other service spaces should be constructed of materials and finishes which are consistent with the main restaurant building.
7. 
Remodeling of existing structures for restaurant uses requires a review of the entire site and circulation plan to ensure that the project is updated to current design review standards of Portsmouth. This may include recommendations to improve and/or expand the existing landscaping, fencing, parking area or other site design issues.
1. 
Site development standards include: Maximizing landscaping along the street frontage; width of curb cuts limited to that necessary for safe access (including service vehicles); minimize size of canopy cover; canopy cover should contain no signage; at least two (2) vehicle stacking spaces behind the pumps closest to the entrance driveway. (See also Zoning Ordinance Article IX.[1])
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 405, Zoning.
2. 
The site design for projects located at street corners should provide some structural or strong design element to anchor the corner. This can be accomplished using a built element or with strong landscaping features.
3. 
The on-site circulation pattern should include adequate driving space to maneuver vehicles around cars parked at the pumps, with special attention to the circulation of vehicles not involved in the purchase of fuel.
4. 
The amount of unrelieved pavement or asphalt area on the site should be limited through the use of landscaping, contrasting colors and banding or pathways of alternate paver material.
5. 
Separate structures (canopy, carwash, cashiers booth, etc.) on the site should have consistent architectural detail and design elements to provide a cohesive project site.
6. 
Tall [over thirteen feet (13')] tank vents should be completely screened or incorporated into the building architecture.
7. 
A car wash that is incorporated into the project should be well integrated into the design. The car wash opening should be sited so that it is not directly visible as the primary view from the street into the project site.
8. 
All signs should have consistent character and design details (such as trellis, brick, river stone, etc.) that reflect the design of the project. The "amount of price" sign square footage required as the state regulated minimum size does not count towards the signage calculation. For signs larger than this minimum, the incremental square footage difference is counted as part of the total allowable signage for the station.
9. 
Signs on the sides or top of pump-area canopies are strongly discouraged.
10. 
Illumination should be concentrated on specific signage. Canopies should not be illuminated. Light fixtures should be recessed into the canopy and no glare should be visible from the fixture. Yard lights should be oriented downward.
11. 
Dumpsters and service areas should have wall materials and building styles that match those used for the station buildings.
12. 
The rooftop mechanical equipment screen should cover all rooftop equipment, including any satellite or other telecommunication equipment.
1. 
A unified architectural design should be incorporated into each commercial center. The architectural design of freestanding pad buildings should be consistent with the design of the remainder of the shopping center. Where centers are to be updated, pad buildings should be remodeled in conjunction with an upgrade of the entire shopping center.
2. 
It is preferable that a significant portion of the total building area should be located at or near the street perimeter in the Town Center area, preferably on a corner location. Such siting, together with substantial landscape treatment reinforces and strengthens the streetscape and helps to screen off-street parking areas.
3. 
The appearance of a "sea of asphalt" parking lot in front of the center should be avoided. Both perimeter and interior parking lot trees should be provided for shade and visual relief in the parking area while maintaining view corridors to the storefront areas. Liner buildings along the street are strongly encouraged.
4. 
Shopping center sign programs should be established and enforced for remodeling of the centers. Monument signs listing all tenant names (tenant identification signs) should be avoided.
5. 
Remodeling or comprehensive upgrades for centers should address all existing structures and not the only the new tenant space alone.
6. 
Truck delivery and circulation routes should be separated from customer circulation. Delivery and service activities should access the site from the least traveled street adjacent to the property.
7. 
All rooftop mechanical equipment, antennas, etc., should be screened from view. Rooftop lighting is strongly discouraged.
8. 
Textured or colored paving materials are encouraged to identify pedestrian circulation areas, especially within the parking lot.
9. 
Outdoor gathering areas and public eating areas are encouraged.