[Amended 6-17-2003 by Ord. No. 2003-183; 7-27-2004 by Ord. No. 2004-240; 9-21-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-323; 7-14-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-228]
The design guidelines and standards are intended to guide development
that preserves and improves Rochester's civic beauty and urban character.
Well-designed buildings and sites encourage lively, safe, pedestrian-friendly
and attractive streets and public spaces, protect and enhance property
values, and promote urban vibrancy.
Buildings, structures, sites, signs and public spaces should
be designed to:
A.
Retain, reflect and enhance the dominant aesthetic or visual qualities
of the neighborhood as much as possible.
B.
Encourage and promote a sense of design continuity that appropriately
relates the historic past of the neighborhood to ongoing revitalization
and redevelopment efforts.
C.
Appropriately relate proposed development to existing designs, styles,
building forms and land uses.
D.
Encourage and promote the sensitive and contextual design of buildings,
signs, sites and public spaces through the use of design elements,
details, styles and architectural features as well as other amenities,
materials or treatments that may be appropriate to further the design
standards. Blank end walls should incorporate building components
or design features. Blank rear walls should be screened with landscaping.
E.
Encourage a pedestrian-oriented and human-scaled right-of-way, public
realm and streetscape and promote safe pedestrian movement, access
and circulation. Access from streets, sidewalks and public rights-of-way
should be clearly defined, and where a service alley is viable, garages
and loading areas shall be accessed only from the alley.
F.
Encourage and promote the incorporation of design features and other
amenities in the private and public realms that reinforce the importance
of terminating streets, public ways and vistas with focal points.
G.
Encourage and promote the design of buildings, sites, signs and public
spaces along the waterfront that protects, enhances and strengthens
these areas as well as significant recreational, environmental, historic,
scenic and cultural resources.
H.
Encourage and promote the use of predominant existing building materials
within the neighborhood and the predominant existing building materials,
architectural features and fenestration on specific structures as
a guide in determining appropriate replacement and new construction
materials. Where possible, all replacement windows in elevations visible
from any public right-of-way should match the original windows in
size and configuration.
I.
Protect, respect and expand the design of green space, landscaping
and open space within the neighborhood, and encourage public and private
development that enhances this character with landscape design details,
such as trees, lawns, plantings, fountains and malls.
J.
Encourage and promote direct visual access to views and vistas of
the City skyline.
K.
Promote preservation of designated buildings of historic value to
enhance and promote the history, culture and architecture of the City.
A.
Exceptions.
(1)
The city-wide design standards shall not apply in the Center City
District and Marina District, each of which has its own set of design
standards.
(2)
Each of the Planned Development Districts and the Public Market Village
District, Harbortown Village District, and Collegetown Village District
has its own set of design standards. The city-wide design standard
specified in this section shall apply only to those design elements
that are not addressed by the district-specific design standards for
the Planned Development Districts, Public Market Village District,
Harbortown Village District, or Collegetown Village District.
B.
Building elevations.
(1)
Any building facade facing a sidewalk, street, waterway or open
space district shall have an active building elevation. Active building
elevations shall include windows, building entrances and other architectural
features that enhance the pedestrian scale and experience of the building
facade.
(2)
New construction shall respect existing building widths by providing
a division of the building facade into visible building increments
no larger than the average width of existing buildings on the block.
(3)
Where the street frontage is defined by a continuous building
facade, the proposed new building or infill construction shall maintain
such continuous facade by building from side lot line to side lot
line unless access is required for rear yard parking.
(4)
Building facades shall not contain blank wall areas that exceed
25 linear feet, measured parallel to the street. Building facades
that are 100 linear feet or more shall include a repeating architectural
pattern with two or more of the following elements: color change,
texture change, material change, or a wall articulation change such
as a reveal, recess, offset, or pilaster.
C.
Building entrances. The front facade and main entrance shall face
a public street and shall have a direct pedestrian connection to the
street.
E.
Designated buildings of historic value.
(1)
Demolition of a designated building of historic value shall be prohibited.
(2)
Significant architectural features, including but not limited to
slate or tile roofing, original cladding, porches, cornices, etc.,
shall be maintained.
(3)
Replacement windows in a designated building of historic value
shall utilize true divided lights or simulated divided lights when
matching the original mullion and/or muntin configuration. This does
not include interior-only grids or grids between the panes of glass,
except where the windows are being replaced in order to abate lead
paint hazards.
F.
Waterfront views or vistas.
(1)
Site development, including the construction of buildings, structures
or signs, shall not unnecessarily interfere with or obstruct significant,
identified views or vistas of (or from) the Genesee River, Lake Ontario
or the Erie Canal from the street or significant designated landscape
features beyond existing conditions and as listed in the City of Rochester's
Local Waterfront Revitalization Program (LWRP).
(2)
The proposed design and arrangement of the building, structure
or use shall provide for public pedestrian and visual access to and
along the waterfront.
G.
Mechanical and electrical equipment and open storage areas. Mechanical
and electrical equipment includes heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning
(HVAC) equipment and electrical generators.
(1)
To the maximum extent practical, all roof-mounted and ground-mounted
mechanical equipment shall be screened from view or isolated so as
not to be visible from any public right-of-way or residential district
within 150 feet of the subject lot, measured from a point five feet
above grade. Roof screens, when used, shall be coordinated with the
building to maintain a unified appearance.
(2)
Mechanical equipment and open storage areas shall be screened
from public streets, alleys, paths, private streets and abutting lots
to a minimum height of six feet. When solid screening is used, the
materials shall be compatible with the building.
The following design standards apply to nonresidential and mixed-use
development. They apply to new construction, including additions to
existing structures, and to substantial repair or rehabilitation of
the exterior facade of an existing structure. In the case of repair
or rehabilitation, only those standards that relate to the specific
repair or rehabilitation activities conducted shall apply.
A.
Building materials.
(1)
Exterior walls. The following building materials are prohibited on
any exterior wall:
(a)
Concrete finishes or precast concrete panels (tilt wall) that
are not exposed aggregate, hammered, embossed, imprinted, sandblasted
or covered with a cement-based acrylic coating, except in an M-1 District
when some other relief is offered (architectural or landscaping).
(b)
Metal panels with a depth of less than one inch or a thickness
less than U.S. Standard 26 gauge.
(c)
Mirrored glass with a reflectance greater than 40% shall be
prohibited from covering more than 40% of the exterior walls of any
building in the C-3 and M-1 Districts.
(2)
Facades. The following building materials are prohibited on any facade:
(a)
Plain concrete block, except in the M-1 District.
(b)
Glass block, except in the C-3 and M-1 Districts.
(c)
Exposed aggregate (rough finish) concrete wall panels, except
in the M-1 District.
(d)
Exterior insulating finish systems (EIFS) installed lower than
four feet above grade on any building facade, except in the C-3 and
M-1 Districts.
[Amended 9-19-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-299]
(e)
Exterior insulating finish systems (EIFS) installed lower than
eight feet above grade on any building facade within 10 feet of a
public right-of-way, except in the C-3 and M-1 Districts.
[Added 9-19-2017 by Ord.
No. 2017-299[1]]
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also redesignated former Subsection
A(2)(e) through (h) as Subsection A(2)(f) through (i).
(f)
T-111 plywood or oriented strand board (OSB) siding.
[Amended 9-19-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-299]
(g)
Plastic.
(h)
Vinyl, except cellular vinyl trim may be used as decorative
or detail elements for up to 25% of the facade.
(i)
Metal, except in the PMV, C-3, and M-1 Districts. In all other
districts, metal may be used as decorative or detail elements for
up to 30% of the facade.
[Amended 9-19-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-299]
B.
Windows and transparency.
(1)
Renovations of the first floor of existing buildings within 60 feet
of a street right-of-way shall not decrease the area of transparency.
Where feasible, renovations shall increase the area of transparency
to that required for new construction unless the original historic
character of the building requires less transparency area.
[Amended 9-19-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-299]
(2)
All windows shall be clear or lightly tinted.
[Amended 9-19-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-299]
(3)
In all C-1, C-2, H-V, PMV, and C-V Districts, all new construction
on building facades that are within 60 feet of a street right-of-way
shall provide areas of transparency equal to 70% of the wall area
between the height of two feet and eight feet from the ground.
[Amended 9-19-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-299]
(a)
For sites with frontage on one street, the transparency requirement
is applied to that frontage.
(b)
For sites with frontage on more than one street, the transparency
requirement is applied to all frontage on streets classified as principal
arterials, minor arterials and collector streets.
(c)
For sites with frontage on local streets only, the transparency
requirement is applied to one frontage.
(4)
In the C-3 and M-1 Districts, when offices are part of new industrial
construction, the entry to such offices shall have direct access from
street frontages and parking areas. Offices that are part of new industrial
construction and new construction of commercial buildings within 60
feet of street rights-of-way shall provide areas of transparency equal
to 40% of the wall area between the height of two feet and eight feet
from the ground. The percentage of transparency required on buildings
may be reduced to 20% of the wall area if landscaping improvements
consisting of one tree of at least two-inch caliper for every 20 feet
of lot frontage are installed between the building and the public
street.
[Amended 9-19-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-299]
(5)
The use of opaque materials such as plywood, brick, metal or
sheet rock to cover or fill a window opening is prohibited.
(6)
The installation of any device which obstructs transparency
or impacts the architectural design of a window is not permitted.
This prohibition includes the blocking of windows with interior shelving
or the like but does not apply to nonpermanent devices such as curtains,
blinds, shades and nonopaque roll-down grills.
[Amended 8-9-2016 by Ord.
No. 2016-263[2]]
[2]
Editor’s Note: This ordinance also repealed former Subsection
B(7), regarding new construction and reoccupancy with high-impact
retail sales and service and pawnbrokers, which immediately followed
this subsection.
C.
Storefront conversion.
(1)
Residential use standards. The applicant for conversion of a commercial
storefront to a residential use in an area that is predominantly residential
shall have the option either to:
(2)
Commercial conversions. When converting only one portion of a building,
the entire commercial character of the storefront must be retained.
In cases where demolition of a commercial addition to a house is proposed,
the new facade shall approximate, as closely as possible, the original
design of the house.
(3)
Nonresidential use standards. The applicant for conversion of a commercial
storefront to a residential use in an area that is predominantly commercial
shall be required to maintain the commercial character of the storefront.
D.
All new building construction within five feet of the front lot line
shall be built parallel to the lot line for at least 80% of its frontage
and up to a height of 20 feet. Up to 20% of this building frontage
may be built skewed from the lot line; any portion of the building
above 20 feet in height may be built skewed from the lot line.
E.
Retail sales of automobile fuels (including retail with fuel sales,
vehicle service/vehicle repair with fuel sales). To ensure that these
uses fit well into the generally compact, urban neighborhoods of Rochester
and to minimize any negative impacts on neighboring properties, development
or redevelopment of these uses shall comply with the following design
standards:
(2)
Except for C-3, M-1, and Planned Development Districts, retail
structures associated with automobile fuel sales shall have a fully
operational pedestrian entrance open during business hours along the
public street; other entrances are permitted.
(3)
Except for C-3, M-1, and Planned Development Districts, canopy
structures shall be designed to fit into the traditional urban context
of the neighborhood. Designs shall draw on historical precedents for
canopy-type structures such as railroad stations, streetcar stops
and lumber sheds and shall use traditional materials (wood, brick,
metal) or high-quality modern alternatives. Pitched roofs are encouraged.
Lighting of the canopy fascia, parapet, or roof is prohibited. Downward
lighting of the pump islands and area under the canopy is permitted.
(4)
A retail automobile fuel facility that occupies a pad or portion
of a building within a large commercial center shall be designed to
reflect the design elements of that center.
(5)
For retail automobile fuel facilities located on corner lots,
any buildings shall be placed along the street frontage or landscape
elements, such as regularly spaced columnar trees, shall be placed
along the street frontage in order to emphasize the corner and define
the street wall.
(6)
All facilities shall include landscaping/hardscaping along all
street frontages in order to limit vehicular movement to established
curb openings and protect any portion of the public sidewalk from
on-site vehicle maneuvering.
(7)
All facilities shall include a solid screening fence no less
than six feet tall and no more than eight feet tall along any property
line abutting the side or rear yards of lots zoned R-1, R-2, or R-3.
(8)
Curb openings shall be minimized, especially on the primary
street frontage. Redundant curb openings shall be closed.
The following design standards apply to residential development.
They apply to new construction, including additions to existing structures,
and to substantial repair or rehabilitation of the exterior facade
of an existing structure. In the case of repair or rehabilitation,
only those standards that relate to the specific repair or rehabilitation
activities conducted shall apply.
A.
Single-family detached, two-family, single-family attached.
(1)
Building context and compatibility. New infill single-family, two-family,
attached dwelling units, additions to such structures and accessory
buildings shall be constructed to be generally compatible with other
existing dwelling units or accessory buildings on the same block frontage
within 200 feet. This provision shall be satisfied by constructing
the subject dwelling unit or accessory building so that at least four
of the following features are similar to the majority of other dwelling
units within 200 feet on the block frontage (both sides of the street):
(a)
Roof style and overhang (e.g., gable, mansard, hip, A-frame,
or flat);
(b)
Building massing (e.g., ranch with attached garage; two-story
with attached garage; bungalow);
(c)
Floor area:
[1]
Single-family dwelling units. The floor area of the proposed
dwelling unit shall be no less than 80% and not more than 145% of
the average floor area of other single-family dwelling units, as indicated
in the City Tax Assessor's records, within 200 feet of the subject
lot, including single-family dwelling units along both sides of the
street of the same block.
[2]
Two-family dwelling units. The floor area of the proposed dwelling
unit shall be no less than 80% and not more than 145% of the average
floor area of other two-family dwelling units, as indicated in the
City Tax Assessor's records, within 200 feet of the subject lot, including
two-family dwelling units along both sides of the street of the same
block.
(d)
Front porches (existence of);
(e)
Exterior building material; or
(f)
Pattern of window and door openings (e.g., central door and
four windows; offset door and three windows).
(2)
Porches.
(a)
No existing open porch visible from any public right-of-way
shall be removed unless the original design of the building lacked
such a porch.
(b)
No open porch visible from any public right-of-way shall be
enclosed.
(c)
Rails, balusters, skirting and columns shall be constructed
of wood that is primed and painted or of prefinished wood-alternative
materials that are appropriate for exterior use.
(3)
Garages and carports. The following standards apply to all residential
garages and carports, with the exception of multifamily dwellings.
(a)
General standards.
[1]
Garage orientation and access (e.g., attached/front-loaded,
attached/side-loaded, detached/street-loaded, or detached/alley-loaded)
shall conform with the majority of other existing residential parcels
on the same block frontage within 200 feet.
[2]
Single-family attached dwellings shall not have street-loaded
garages if alternative access can be provided.
[3]
Garages shall not be in the style of a Quonset hut or other
similarly formed metal or plastic structures designed and/or marketed
for industrial or agricultural use.
(d)
Carports.
[1]
Carports shall be located over a driveway.
[2]
Carports are permitted only in rear yards.
[3]
The height of a carport is limited to 10 feet.
[4]
A carport shall be entirely open on at least three sides except
for the necessary supporting columns and customary architectural features.
[5]
A carport shall be constructed as a permanent structure. Temporary
tent, canopy or other structures are not considered carports.
(4)
Sheds. Sheds over 144 square feet in area shall not be in the style
of a Quonset hut or other similarly formed metal or plastic structures
designed and/or marketed for industrial or agricultural use.
(5)
Yard areas.
(a)
Except for driveways and walks, no portion of the front yard
shall be paved with asphalt or concrete.
(b)
Decorative stone or gravel surfaces shall be used when an integral
part of a landscape plan.
(c)
To the maximum extent practical, the front yard, side yard and
the unpaved area between the sidewalk and the street paving shall
be covered with turf grass or vegetative ground cover.
(d)
To the maximum extent practical, the rear yard shall be fine
graded to ensure proper grades and drainage.
B.
Multifamily.
(1)
Building facades.
(a)
Building facades shall be designed with consistent materials
and treatments. The consistency of materials and treatments shall
also be maintained for a single building possessing multiple facades.
(b)
Building facades shall include windows, projected or recessed
entrances, overhangs, and other architectural features.
(2)
Windows and transparency. The following minimum transparency requirements
apply to any facade facing a street, calculated by the entire area
of the facade:
A.
Purpose. Neighborhood design guidelines offer further guidance to
the review authority in determining if a development meets the objectives
of this chapter and the neighborhood. These guidelines are developed
to ensure that new development is compatible with the surrounding
area. Neighborhood design guidelines should provide additional, more-specific
information to the review authority regarding the nature of the design
theme and principles that are desired within a neighborhood.
B.
Guidelines. The neighborhood guidelines:
(1)
Would exist outside of the Zoning Ordinance in the form of a design
guidelines manual or handbook.
(2)
Include additional design guidelines that elaborate on or provide
additional specificity for the design guidelines listed in this article.
The guidelines shall not be hard-and-fast rules that are to be explicitly
followed in a single prescribed manner; they are intended to be additional,
interpretable design recommendations that can be executed in a variety
of ways and that provide further design direction, detail and guidance.
