The design standards in this division are intended to implement the City's vision for commercial, multifamily residential, institutional and industrial developments. The intent of these standards is to improve the overall quality of commercial, multifamily residential, institutional and industrial developments with surrounding land uses and enhance pedestrian safety and walkability.
The provisions of this division shall apply to all developments requiring large-scale development approval, small site plan approval, and multifamily development, including duplex, triplex, and quadplex units. Properties shall only be required to meet the standards for the side(s) facing a street frontage, when visible from a public right-of-way, when impacting a marginally compatible use, or when impacting a residential use/residential zoning category.
(Reserved)
A. 
These standards shall be applied in the normal review process for large-scale developments and shall be approved by the Planning Commission.
B. 
Design standards for projects exempt from large-scale development standards, but requiring review by this division, shall be reviewed at the time a building permit is submitted and approved by the Planning Commission Chairperson or Administrative Official.
A. 
Building design.
(1) 
For all duplex, triplex, and quadplex units, the garage shall be placed behind the front facade.
(2) 
Each entry, whether combined or individual entries, shall be clearly visible on each building.
(3) 
Each building facade shall have articulation. No blank facades are to be accepted.
B. 
Site planning.
(1) 
Trash areas shall be screened. For individual trash service, the duplex, triplex, or quadplex shall be designed in a manner that provides access to store trash receptacles out of sight.
(2) 
Duplex, triplex, and quadplex building designs shall be varied. There shall be a minimum of three alternative building designs before a repeat design may be utilized. In no case shall two identical building designs be placed adjacent to one another. The level of variation in building design shall be approved by the Planning Commission Chairperson.
A. 
Building design.
(1) 
Material.
(a) 
The primary material shall constitute at least 75% of the wall area, excluding glass.
(b) 
The primary exterior material shall consist of a combination of brick, textured concrete block, stucco, wood, synthetic stone or natural stone. The remaining exterior material shall be considered building trim.
(c) 
"Trim" is defined as an ornamental design feature that when removed does not significantly alter the appearance of the building. This commonly consists of moldings, cornices, parapet, frieze, sills, lintels, stringcourse, quoining, and ledgement.
(d) 
No masonite, asphaltic exterior wall or roof material, aluminum or steel siding (other than approved architectural metal), nontextured concrete block (ground-faced is allowed), vinyl or other similar materials shall constitute a portion of any building except trim.
(2) 
Color.
(a) 
The building's exterior color scheme shall utilize primarily muted, neutral, or earth-tone-type colors.
(b) 
The primary use of bright, intense, or extreme colors not consistent with the adjoining developments shall not be permitted.
(c) 
This regulation is not intended to prohibit the use of these colors for specifically approved architectural detailing.
(3) 
Compatibility.
(a) 
All commercial and multifamily structures shall be designed in a manner compatible with other structures in the surrounding vicinity.
(b) 
The exterior building design, including roof style, color, materials, architectural form and detailing, shall be consistent among all buildings in a common commercial development and on all elevations of each building to achieve design harmony and continuity within itself.
(4) 
Scale and bulk.
(a) 
The height and scale of new buildings shall be consistent or compatible with the height and scale of adjacent buildings.
(b) 
Special care, however, shall be taken to achieve the compatibility of larger buildings next to small-scale buildings; techniques shall include limited size, building articulation, and shadow patterns.
(c) 
The scale of the building shall also consider building setback, lot size and relationship to street width.
(5) 
Wall articulation.
(a) 
Buildings shall avoid long uninterrupted facade planes and/or blank walls.
(b) 
All commercial and multifamily buildings with facades greater than 50 feet in length shall incorporate wall plane projections or recesses that are at least two feet deep. Projections/recesses must be at least 25% of the length of the facade.
(c) 
No uninterrupted length of a facade may exceed 50 feet in length.
(6) 
Facades. All commercial and multifamily structures shall be architecturally finished on all sides with same materials, detailing, and features when visible from the public realm or adjacent residential areas. The degree of visibility from the public realm shall be evaluated using the following criteria:
(a) 
The degree of visibility from all adjacent public ways;
(b) 
Possible visibility from future public ways based on the Master Street Plan;
(c) 
Internal overall appearance in relation to the site; and
(d) 
If adjacent to, and visible from, residential uses, residential zoning categories, or other marginally compatible uses.
(7) 
Roofs.
(a) 
Rooflines and/or parapets shall be varied with a change in height every 100 linear feet in the building length.
(b) 
Parapets, gable roofs, high roofs, or dormers shall be used to conceal flat roofs and rooftop equipment from public view.
(c) 
Alternative lengths and designs may be acceptable and may be approved by the Planning Commission.
(8) 
Entrances. Each primary building on a site, regardless of size, shall have clearly defined, highly visible customer entrances featuring no fewer than two of the following:
(a) 
Canopies or porticos;
(b) 
Overhangs;
(c) 
Recesses/projections;
(d) 
Arcades;
(e) 
Raised corniced parapets over the door;
(f) 
Peaked roof forms;
(g) 
Arches;
(h) 
Architectural detail, such as tile work and moldings integrated into the building structure and design;
(i) 
Integral planters or wing walls that incorporate landscaped areas and/or places for sitting; or
(j) 
Other architectural features approved by the Planning Commission.
(9) 
Architectural details.
(a) 
All buildings except in agriculture and industrial zones shall be designed to incorporate no fewer than three of the architectural elements from the list below, in addition to regulations regarding the design of entrances above.
(b) 
Buildings over 50,000 square feet shall include a minimum of five of the referenced architectural elements. Buildings over 100,000 square feet shall include a minimum of six of the referenced architectural elements.
1. 
Canopies, awnings, or porticos;
2. 
Recesses/projections;
3. 
Arcades;
4. 
Peaked roof forms;
5. 
Arches;
6. 
Display windows;
7. 
Accent materials (minimum of 15% of exterior facade);
8. 
Architectural details (such as tile work and moldings) integrated into the building facade;
9. 
Articulated cornice line;
10. 
Articulated ground floor levels or base;
11. 
Varied roof heights; or
12. 
Other architectural features approved by Planning Commission.
(10) 
Utility and mechanical equipment screening
(a) 
Screening of service yards, utility meters and hardware, mechanical equipment, refuse areas, and/or other potentially unattractive places from public view shall be accomplished by the use of walls, fencing, planting, or a combination of the measures that follow.
1. 
Adjusting the architectural or landscape profile to screen those elements from view.
2. 
Placing those elements on service courts or other locations usable by the general public.
3. 
Integrating those elements into the architecture or landscaping of the site.
(b) 
Screening shall be equally effective in the winter and the summer seasons.
(c) 
For rooftop equipment, parapet walls or other screening methods approved by the Planning Commission are required along street frontages and bordering residential areas.
(11) 
The degree of visibility and screening of service yards, utility meters and hardware, mechanical equipment, refuse areas, and/or other potentially unattractive places shall be evaluated using the following criteria:
(a) 
The degree of visibility from all adjacent public ways;
(b) 
The architectural compatibility of the design and color of the yards, meters and equipment of the building;
(c) 
Possible visibility from future public ways;
(d) 
Internal overall appearance in relation to the site; and
(e) 
If adjacent to and visible from residential uses, residential zoning categories, or other marginally compatible uses.
B. 
Site planning.
(1) 
Building placement.
(a) 
Place as much of the building width at the front of the lot as possible to maximize front facade exposure to the public.
(b) 
The front facade shall be kept parallel to the street.
(c) 
On corner lots, place as much building mass near the intersection as possible to help anchor the lot and take advantage of high visibility.
(2) 
Parking placement.
(a) 
Commercial and Institutional uses.
1. 
No more than 60% of the off-street parking area for the entire property shall be located between the front facade within the front yard of the principal building and the primary abutting street unless the principal building and/or parking lots are screened from view by outlot development and additional tree plantings or berms.
2. 
Adjacent parking lots shall be linked, or shared parking areas provided, which can serve neighboring buildings simultaneously.
3. 
Shared drives and cross access between properties shall be required to adjacent developed and undeveloped properties.
4. 
Access easements shall be shown on the site plan to provide cross access to adjacent properties.
5. 
The location of this cross access shall be approved by the Planning Commission Chairperson.
6. 
Parking lots shall be designed in regular, rectangular shapes.
(b) 
Multifamily uses (more than four units).
1. 
Parking is to be primarily interior to the development with the building facade along the street, unless the parking lots are screened from view by additional landscape buffering.
2. 
If a primary street is required for connectivity, parking may be placed along this street, but must be clearly defined by landscaped curb bump-outs between buildings, or every 10 parking spaces.
3. 
Shared drives and cross access between properties shall be required to adjacent developed and undeveloped properties.
4. 
Access easements shall be shown on the site plan to provide cross access to adjacent properties.
5. 
The location of this cross access shall be approved by the Planning Commission Chairperson.
(3) 
Pedestrian circulation.
(a) 
Clearly defined pedestrian walkways or paths shall be provided from parking areas to primary building entrances.
(b) 
Design walkways and parking lots so that pedestrians do not have to cross parking aisles and landscape islands to reach building entries.
(c) 
All internal walkways shall be distinguished from driving surfaces through the use of durable, low-maintenance surface materials, such as pavers, bricks, or scored concrete to enhance pedestrian safety and comfort, as well as the attractiveness of the walkways.
(d) 
Painted crosswalks shall not be considered sufficient definition of the pedestrian path from the driving surface.
C. 
Amenities: multifamily uses.
(1) 
All multifamily developments with over 40 units shall provide at least one of the following amenities:
(a) 
Pool, sized appropriately: to be reviewed by the Planning Official and approved by the Planning Commission;
(b) 
Clubhouse;
(c) 
Private park with at least one piece of children's playground equipment, park benches, and landscaping sized appropriately. To be reviewed by the Planning Official and approved by the Planning Commission;
(d) 
Splash pad park;
(e) 
Dog park with appropriate facilities;
(f) 
Sports facility: can included bocce court, volleyball court, basketball court, tennis court, soccer field, disk golf course, or other facility approved by the Planning Commission;
(g) 
Hiking or biking trails; and/or
(h) 
An alternative amenity approved by the Planning Commission.
(2) 
All multifamily developments with over 100 units shall provide at least two amenities. All multifamily developments with over 200 units shall provide at least three amenities. For every 150 units over 200, an additional amenity shall be required.
(3) 
These amenities shall be as centrally located as possible and accessible by internal walkways.
(4) 
All amenities shall be maintained by the apartment complex manager.
The section applies to buildings within industrial zones only.
A. 
Building design.
(1) 
Material.
(a) 
All industrial buildings shall, at a minimum, have a decorative wainscot of no less than four feet tall, and entry facade at the main entrance that extends to the roofline.
(b) 
The wainscot and entry facade material shall consist of a combination of brick, textured concrete block, stucco, wood, synthetic stone, or natural stone.
(c) 
The remaining exterior material shall not include masonite, asphaltic exterior wall or roof material, aluminum or steel siding (other than approved architectural metal), nontextured concrete block (ground-faced is allowed), vinyl, or other similar materials.
(d) 
Building trim shall also be included.
(e) 
"Trim" is defined as an ornamental design feature that when removed does not significantly alter the appearance of the building. This commonly consists of moldings, cornices, parapet, frieze, sills, lintels, stringcourse, quoining, and ledgement.
(2) 
Color.
(a) 
The building's exterior color scheme shall utilize primarily muted, neutral, or earth-tone-type colors.
(b) 
The primary use of bright, intense, or extreme colors not consistent with the adjoining developments shall not be permitted. This regulation is not intended to prohibit the use of these colors for specifically approved architectural detailing.
(3) 
Compatibility.
(a) 
All industrial structures shall be designed in a manner compatible with other structures in the surrounding vicinity.
(b) 
The exterior building design, including roof style, color, materials, architectural form and detailing, shall be consistent among all buildings in a common development and on all elevations of each building to achieve design harmony and continuity with itself.
(4) 
Scale and bulk.
(a) 
The height and scale of new buildings shall be consistent or compatible with the height and scale of adjacent buildings.
(b) 
Special care shall be taken to achieve the compatibility of larger buildings next to small-scale buildings; techniques shall include limited size, building articulation, and shadow patterns.
(c) 
The scale of the building shall also consider building setback, lot size, and relationship to street width.
(5) 
Wall articulation.
(a) 
Buildings shall avoid long uninterrupted facade planes and/or blank walls.
(b) 
All industrial buildings with facades greater than 300 feet in length shall incorporate wall plane projections or recesses that are at least two feet deep.
(c) 
Projections/recesses must be at least 25% of the length of the facade.
(d) 
No uninterrupted length of a facade may exceed 300 feet in length.
(6) 
Facades.
(a) 
All industrial structures shall be architecturally finished on all sides with the same materials, detailing, and features when visible from the public realm or adjacent to residential areas.
(b) 
The degree of visibility from the public realm shall be evaluated using the following criteria:
1. 
The degree of visibility from all adjacent public ways;
2. 
Possible visibility from future buildings and public ways;
3. 
Internal overall appearance in relation to the site; and
4. 
If adjacent to, and visible from, residential uses, residential zoning categories, or other marginally compatible uses.
(7) 
Roofs.
(a) 
Rooflines and/or parapets shall be varied with a change in height every 300 linear feet in the building length.
(b) 
Parapets, gable roofs, high roofs, or dormers shall be used to conceal flat roofs and rooftop equipment from public view.
(c) 
Alternative lengths and designs may be acceptable and may be approved by the Planning Commission.
(8) 
Entrances. Each primary building on a site, regardless of size, shall have clearly defined, highly visible customer entrances featuring no fewer than two of the following:
(a) 
Canopies or porticos;
(b) 
Overhangs;
(c) 
Recesses/projections;
(d) 
Arcades;
(e) 
Raised corniced parapets over the door;
(f) 
Peaked roof forms;
(g) 
Arches;
(h) 
Architectural detail, such as tile work and moldings integrated into the building structure and design;
(i) 
Integral planters or wing walls that incorporate landscaped areas and/or places for sitting; or
(j) 
Other architectural features approved by the Planning Commission.
(9) 
Utility and mechanical equipment screening.
(a) 
Screening of service yards, utility meters and hardware, mechanical equipment, refuse areas, and/or other potentially unattractive places from public view shall be accomplished by the use of walls, fencing, planting, or a combination of the measures that follow.
1. 
Adjusting the architectural or landscape profile to screen those elements from view.
2. 
Placing those elements on service courts or other locations usable by the general public.
3. 
Integrating those elements into the architecture or landscaping of the site.
(b) 
Screening shall be equally effective in the winter and the summer seasons.
(c) 
For rooftop equipment, parapet walls or other screening methods approved by the Planning Commission are required along street frontages and bordering residential areas.
(d) 
The degree of visibility and screening of service yards, utility meters and hardware, mechanical equipment, refuse areas, and/or other potentially unattractive places shall be evaluated using the following criteria:
1. 
The degree of visibility from all adjacent public ways;
2. 
The architectural compatibility of the design and color of the yards, meters, and equipment of the building;
3. 
Possible visibility from future buildings and public ways;
4. 
Internal overall appearance in relation to the site; and
5. 
If adjacent to and visible from residential uses, residential zoning categories, or other marginally compatible uses.
B. 
Site planning.
(1) 
Building placement.
(a) 
Buildings shall be placed so that they have the least amount of impact on surrounding properties.
(b) 
Buffering, landscaping, and setbacks should be used to enhance compatibility when an industrial use is abutting a commercial use, marginally compatible use, or when abutting a residential use/residential zoning category.
(2) 
Parking placement.
(a) 
No more than 60% of the off-street parking area for the entire property shall be located between the front facade within the front yard of the principal building and the primary abutting street, unless the principal building and/or parking lots are screened from view by outlot development and additional tree plantings or berms.
(b) 
Whenever possible, link with adjacent parking lots or provide shared parking areas which can serve neighboring buildings simultaneously.
(c) 
Parking lots shall be designed in regular, rectangular shapes.
(d) 
Shared drives and cross access between properties shall be required to adjacent developed and undeveloped properties.
(e) 
Access easements shall be shown on the site plan to provide cross access to adjacent properties.
(f) 
The location of this cross access shall be approved by the Planning Commission Chairperson.
(3) 
Pedestrian circulation.
(a) 
Clearly defined pedestrian walkways or paths shall be provided from parking areas to primary building entrances.
(b) 
Design walkways and parking lots so that pedestrians do not have to cross parking aisles and landscape islands to reach building entries.
(c) 
All internal walkways shall be distinguished from driving surfaces through the use of durable, low-maintenance surface materials, such as pavers, bricks, or scored concrete to enhance pedestrian safety and comfort, as well as the attractiveness of the walkways.
(d) 
Painted crosswalks shall not be considered sufficient definition of the pedestrian path from the driving surface.
(4) 
Fencing required.
(a) 
Fences shall not conflict with requirements for clear sight triangle as shown in Division 5.1. Fences shall always be required to be built on private property and never on the public right-of-way. It shall be the property owner's responsibility and obligation to identify the property line when proposing to construct a fence on said property line. A property survey maybe required.
(b) 
All fences shall be constructed and maintained in a structurally sound manner. Fences may be constructed of wood, masonry, wire or similar materials employed by standard building practice. Fences shall not be made of tires or similar salvage materials not originally designed as structural components of fences.
(c) 
All fences shall have a minimum of one gate for emergency ingress and egress. The minimum width of such gate shall be applicable state law or 20 feet, whichever is larger. Any freestanding property perimeter wall which is not a retaining wall shall be considered a fence. Retaining walls may be constructed to the height necessary to protect a cut-fill grade but shall be a maximum of nine inches above finished grade on the fill side of the wall.
(d) 
Where a retaining wall is located on a line separating lots, the retaining wall may be topped by a fence of the height permitted in the yard in which the wall is located. The allowable height of the fence shall be determined by measuring from the finished grade of the wall.
(e) 
Where an earthen berm is required, the size shall be determined by the appropriate reviewing body. The berm may be topped by a fence, wall or hedge of the height permitted in the yard in which the berm is located. The height shall be measured from the highest finished grade of the berm.
(f) 
The maximum fence height in M-I or M-2 Zones shall be eight feet. Fences shall not be electrified. Up to three strands of barbed wire may be used on top of a fence in M-1 and M-2 Zones so long as the wire does not protrude beyond the property line. All fences containing barbed wire or similar material must be setback at least five feet from property lines and public rights-of-way. Fences constructed with razor wire, ribbon wire and material(s) of similar design are prohibited.