City of Kalamazoo, MI Chapter 6 General Development Standards

All development in all zone districts shall comply with all applicable standards in this chapter 6, unless specifically exempted in the subsections below, or unless a different standard is required by an applicable overlay district. These standards shall apply in addition to:
A.	Those district-specific standards listed in Chapters 2 and 3 (for the zone district(s) where the property is located); and
B.	Those use-specific standards listed in Chapter 4 (as applicable to the proposed use); and
C.	Those density/intensity/dimensional standards in Chapter 5.
In the event of any conflict between the standards set forth in this chapter 6 and the standards set forth in Chapters 2 through 5, the latter shall govern.

§ 6.1 Design Standards. [1]

[Amended 3-19-2007 by Ord. No. 1822; 7-16-2012 by Ord. No. 1897; 2-16-2015 by Ord. No. 1932; 6-6-2022 by Ord. No. 2049; 10-16-2023 by Ord. No. 2073]

A. Neighborhood Commercial. The following standards shall apply to all nonresidential development in all Residential zone districts and in the CNO, CN-1, CN-2 and CMU zone districts, where the proposed development or redevelopment has less than 50,000 square feet of gross floor area. They are intended to ensure that development in each coveted zone district occurs in a manner that is compatible with adjacent residential neighborhoods and that encourages pedestrian access. Alternative design solutions may be approved during the site plan review process (See § 8.3H: Site Plan) if it is demonstrated that the alternative design solution meets the intent of § 6.5B or if it is determined that application of these standards to a development approved before October 18, 2005 is not feasible.

Figure 6-8: Neighborhood Commercial

1. Quality of Materials.

a) Front Facades. When the principal entrance of a freestanding building is on the side elevation or at the corner of the front and side elevations, that side elevation shall include the same quality of materials, trim levels, and degree of articulation as those found on the front facade.

b) Side and Rear Facades. Rear and side facades of all nonresidential buildings facing a public street, park, playground or other public open space shall incorporate the same quality of materials, trim levels, and degree of articulation predominantly found on the front facade of the building. Parking, service, or other open spaces at the rear of the structure shall be maintained in a neat and orderly condition.

c) Restrictions on Pre-Cast Materials. To the maximum extent practicable, concrete finishes or precast concrete panels (tilt walls) shall not be used as exterior building materials unless they are exposed aggregate, hammered, embossed, patterned, imprinted, sandblasted or covered with a cement-based acrylic coating.

d) Restrictions on Metal Panels. To the maximum extent practicable, metal panel systems, used as an exterior building material, should be a minimum thickness of U.S. Standard 18 gauge metal. Corrugated (ribbed) metal panels and siding shall be prohibited on all exterior walls except as a method of screening mechanical roof top equipment.

e) Restrictions on Mirrored Glass. To the maximum extent practicable, mirrored glass with a reflectance greater than 40% shall not be used to cover more than 40% of the exterior walls of any building.

2. Building Orientation. To the maximum extent practicable, and except as otherwise expressly required or unless necessary to avoid site access through an alley adjacent to a residential zoning district, the front or side facade shall face the public street abutting the front property line and at least 50% of the horizontal length of the first floor of the front facade shall be set back not more than 60 feet from said street. To the maximum extent practicable, the main entrance shall face the public street abutting the front property line or face a connecting walkway with a direct pedestrian connection to the public street abutting the front property line.

3. Outdoor Storage and Display. Outdoor storage and display is prohibited for all nonresidential development in all Residential zone districts, and in the CNO and CO zone districts. Outdoor display of products for sale or rent shall be allowed in the CMU, CN-1, CN-2, and CCBD zone districts, provided that such display is accessory to an indoor primary use on the property, is not located in the public right-of-way, does not block sidewalks, parking areas, or driveways, and is maintained in a neat and orderly manner. Outdoor storage of supplies, materials, and equipment not for sale or rent, with the exception of vehicles associated with the allowed use on the site, shall not be permitted in the CMU, CN-1, CN-2, and CCBD zone districts.

4. Location of Off-Street Parking and Other Vehicular Use Areas.

a) CNO and CN-1 Districts. Front yards must be reserved for landscaping, sidewalks, and driveway access. Off-street parking spaces may not be located between a street property line and the building line of the principal building on the site. Such spaces may be located in side and rear yards if screened from adjacent dwellings by a solid wall, fence or vegetation that is not less than four feet and not more than six feet in height. Vegetation may exceed six feet in height.

b) CN-2 and CMU Districts. Whenever possible, vehicular use areas, including driveways, loading areas, and off-street parking areas, shall not be located on any portion of a lot adjacent to a residential area. Where location of vehicular use areas adjacent to a residential area is unavoidable or unfeasible, buffering shall be provided as required in § 6.2H.2: Commercial Uses Abutting Residential Uses or Residential Zoning District In the case of construction of new primary structures commenced after October 18, 2005, no more than 50% of required off-street parking areas shall be located between the front facade of a principal building and the adjacent public street.

5. Service Areas. In commercial developments containing less than 20,000 square feet of gross floor area, service functions (shipping/receiving, trash removal, etc.) shall be integrated into the circulation pattern in a manner that minimizes conflicts with vehicles and pedestrians. In commercial developments containing 20,000 square feet or more of gross floor area, service and loading areas shall be separated from main circulation and parking areas and away from public streets.

6. Additional Requirements for the CNO District. Door styles must be similar to those found on residential buildings on the block, and new construction (including building additions and rehabilitations) must be designed to have the appearance of other residential buildings along the street.

7. Additional Requirements for CN-1 District. Exterior building materials along street facing facades (exterior walls that face streets or sidewalks), not including windows and entries, must consist primarily of masonry, not including concrete block or concrete masonry units. Vinyl and aluminum siding are prohibited.

8. Additional Standards for CN-2 and CMU Districts.

a) Modular masonry materials, such as brick and concrete pavers, or gridded cast-in-place materials, such as exposed aggregate concrete, are required as paving materials for all pedestrian areas in order to visually define and improve the appearance of pedestrian areas.

b) Wherever possible, pedestrian access to adjacent residential areas rights-of-way must be provided through the provision of sidewalks in addition to those located on adjacent public streets.

c) Each commercial tenant space must be accessible from other tenant spaces by sidewalks or other approved pedestrian routes. Pedestrian routes must be continuous, with a minimum horizontal clear space of four feet in all cases. Pedestrian routes must be designed to offer protection to pedestrians and be visually distinguishable from other hardscape elements on the site. Pedestrian routes must be separated from parking and vehicular use areas by curbs, landscaping or other physical barriers. When pedestrian paths cross drive aisles and vehicle travel lanes they must be clearly identified with materials such as textured or brick paving, and must be integrated into the wider network of pedestrian walkways. Pavement textures are encouraged elsewhere in the parking lot, as surface materials, or as accents.

d) Parking lot layout and design must promote safe and convenient pedestrian and vehicular circulation.

e) Areas that are not used for vehicular and pedestrian access or parking must be landscaped in accordance with applicable landscape standards.

f) Buildings in the district must relate to one another, both functionally and visually, and encourage pedestrian activity.

g) Exterior building materials along street-facing facades (exterior walls that face streets or sidewalks), not including windows and entries, must consist primarily of masonry, not including concrete block or concrete masonry units. Vinyl and aluminum siding are prohibited.

h) Buildings must avoid uninterrupted wall planes. Building wall offsets, window patterns or other changes in elevation design must be used to give buildings the appearance of small individual store fronts that are no more than 25 feet in width. Similarly, roofline offsets must be used to provide architectural interest and variety to the massing of a building and to relieve the effect of a single, long roof.

9. Additional Standards for CN-1, CN-2 and CMU Districts.

a) One-story buildings must have a minimum height of 18 feet and a maximum height of 22 feet unless there are clerestory windows facing the street that give the appearance of second floor space.

b) At least 60% of all street-facing facades, measured from grade to a height of 10 feet above finished grade, must be comprised of windows that allow views into business or commercial use areas. The bottom of windows used to satisfy this requirement must be no more than three feet above the adjacent finished grade.

c) Bicycle parking facilities must be located in convenient areas of the development and must be located so as not to impede pedestrian or vehicular traffic.

d) Air-conditioning units, HVAC systems, exhaust pipes or stacks, elevator housing and satellite dishes and other telecommunications-receiving devices must be screened from view from the public right-of-way and from residential areas, by using walls, fencing, roof elements, penthouse-type screening devices or landscaping.

B. Large Retail Establishments. Each single-story primary structure containing primarily commercial retail sales space, and containing more than 50,000 square feet of gross floor area shall comply with the following design standards in addition to those set forth in Subsection A above.

1. Building Facades.

a) Each facade greater than 100 feet in length, measured horizontally, shall incorporate wall plane projections or recesses having a depth of at least 3% of the length of the facade and extending at least 20% of the length of the facade. No uninterrupted length of any facade shall exceed 100 horizontal feet.

b) Each building facade shall have a repeating pattern that shall include no less than three instances of either (a) color change, (b) texture changes, (c) material module change, or (d) expression of an architectural or structural bay through a change in plane no less than 12 inches in width, such as an offset, reveal, or projecting rib. At least one of those elements shall repeat horizontally at an interval of no more than 30 feet.

c) Ground floor facades that face public streets shall have arcades, display windows, entry areas, awnings, or other such features along no less than 60% of their horizontal length.

2. Parapets. Each primary structure with a flat roof shall have parapets or enclosures concealing flat roofs and rooftop equipment from public view, and such parapets and enclosures shall be constructed of materials that match the building in quality and detail. Each such parapet or enclosure shall have an average height of no more than 15% of the height of the supporting wall, a maximum height at any point equal to 33% of the height of the supporting wall.

3. Building Entryways. Each single-story retail building shall have highly visible customer entrances featuring a combination of at least two of the following elements:

Figure 6-9: Large Retail Establishments

a) Roof overhangs, raised cornice parapets, or peaked roof forms;

b) Recessed or projecting wall sections;

c) Arcades or arches;

d) Outdoor patios;

e) Display windows;

f) Architectural details such as tile work and moldings integrated into the building structure; or

g) Integral planters or wing walls that incorporate landscaped areas and/or seating areas.

4. Pedestrian Access and Circulation.

a) All primary structures shall provide direct sidewalk connections (a) from each primary structure entrance used by residents, employees, or the public to external sidewalks, (b) between each primary structure in the development, (c) to sidewalks on adjacent properties, and (d) to all existing or planned transit stop or park-n-ride locations identified by the public transit authority.

b) For proposed development that will include parking areas that extend more than 250 feet from the primary structure, the developments shall provide a designated walkway from the row of parking furthest from the primary structure to a primary structure entrance used by residents, employees, or the public, or to a sidewalk leading to such entrance. Such walkways shall be distinguished from surrounding parking areas by changes in color or texture, raised surfaces, or landscaped edges.

c) All development shall provide (a) a walkway at least six feet wide extending across the front of each primary structure, and (b) weather protection features such as awnings or arcades at each entrance used by residents, employees, or the public.

5. Site Layout, Auto Access, and Parking.

a) At least 50% of off-street parking shall be located behind or at the sides of primary structures (rather than between the front of primary buildings and the street) or within structured parking.

b) Driveways shall be consolidated to the greatest degree possible to reduce the number of sidewalk/driveway crossing points.

c) Short-term (public), and long-term (resident and employee) parking shall be clearly signed, and short-term parking areas shall generally be located closer to the primary public entrances to primary structures.

C. 

Downtown Design Standards and Guidelines.

(1) The Downtown Design Standards and Guidelines (Standards & Guidelines) are adopted and incorporated into this ordinance by reference. All development in the geographic boundary area defined in Subsection C(2) shall follow those design and development regulations set forth in the Standards & Guidelines.

(2) The Standards & Guidelines apply to all buildings, structures, properties and uses in the same geographic boundary area to which the City of Kalamazoo Downtown Development Authority applies (Such area is identified as DDA District and is further depicted in the City of Kalamazoo Zoning Code, under § 2.3G.), and also apply to all buildings, structures, properties and uses in the Southtown Design Review District, except structures solely used as single-family residential structures, duplex homes, and multifamily residential structures. The Southtown Design Review District is defined as all parcels bordered by E. Walnut Street to the north, Portage Street to the east, Stockbridge Avenue to the south, and S. Burdick Street to the west. The Standards & Guidelines apply to those buildings, structures, properties and uses on both sides of the streets that represent the boundaries of the DDA District and the boundaries of the Southtown Design Review District.

(3) Before any building, structure or property located in the DDA District or the Southtown Design Review District is constructed, developed, renovated or rehabilitated, the property owner, or the builder, contractor, developer or person or entity performing the work, shall submit to the City Planner, including the City Planner's duly designated representative(s), the proposal for the project. An Administrative Review Committee (ARC), consisting of staff designated from both the City of Kalamazoo and Downtown Development Authority, is established. After the project proposal is submitted to the City Planner, the ARC shall review such project and assign it as either a Tier I or Tier II project, as set forth in the Standards & Guidelines. A Downtown Design Review Committee (DDRC), as established under § 11.5 of the Zoning Ordinance, shall review projects assigned to Tier II. Once a tier level has been assigned to a project, the review shall follow the steps as outlined in the Standards & Guidelines. For those projects assigned to Tier II that require site plan review, the final review of the project by the Site Plan Review Committee shall follow the process outlined in § 11.4 of the Zoning Ordinance that is consistent with the Standards & Guidelines.

(4) By resolution, the City Commission may amend the Standards & Guidelines, including the makeup of the ARC and DDRC Review Committees. Before the City Commission adopts any proposed amendments to the Standards & Guidelines, the City of Kalamazoo Planning Commission shall first review them and report its comments and recommendations to the Commission.

(5) Copies of the Standards & Guidelines shall be made available or accessible to the public at the City Clerk's office, at the Department of Community Planning and Development, or through the City of Kalamazoo website.

[1] Editor's Note: Former § 6.1, Off-Street Parking and Loading, as amended, was repealed 11-19-2018 by Ord. No. 1973. For current parking and loading regulations, see Chapter 50, Zoning, Art. 7, Parking and Loading Regulations.

§ 6.2 through § 6.5. (Reserved) [1]

[1] Editor's Note: Former § 6.2, Landscaping and Open Spaces, as amended 3-19-2007 by Ord. No. 1822 and 5-16-2011 by Ord. No. 1882, and former § 6.3, Screening and Fences, were repealed 10-16-2023 by Ord. No. 2073. For current provisions, see Ch. 50, Zoning, Art. 8, Landscape and Screening. Former § 6.4, Lighting, as amended 3-19-2007 by Ord. No. 1822, was repealed 10-16-2023 by Ord. No. 2073. For current provisions, see Ch. 50, Art. 10, Lighting. Former § 6.5, Design Standards, was renumbered as § 6.1, Design Standards, 10-16-2023 by Ord. No. 2073.

§ 6.6 Operational Performance Standards.

[Amended 10-16-2023 by Ord. No. 2074]

All structures, uses, and activities in all zone districts shall be used or occupied so as to avoid creating any dangerous, injurious, noxious or otherwise objectionable condition that would create adverse impacts on the residents, employees, or visitors on the property itself or on neighboring properties.

A. Height of Stored Materials. Except in the M-2 zone district, all objects stored within an allowable outdoor storage area may not exceed the height of any required screen fence.