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SPECIAL PURPOSE DISTRICTS DESIGN GUIDELINES - G19.10
G19.10.060 40th STREET PROJECT AREA DESIGN GUIDELINES
1.
GENERAL
The following design guidelines are intended as a reference framework to assist owners,
tenants, architects and contractors in understanding the 40th Street Project Area goals and
objectives for high quality development. The guidelines complement the mandatory site
development regulations contained in Chapter 19.06 of the Development Code by providing
examples of appropriate design solutions and by providing design interpretations of the
various mandatory regulations.
The design guidelines are general and may be interpreted with some flexibility in their
application to specific projects. The guidelines will be utilized during the City's design
review process to encourage the highest level of design quality while at the same time
providing the flexibility necessary to encourage creativity on the part of project designers.
Unless there is a compelling reason, these design guidelines shall be followed. If the
Development Review Committee waives a guideline, members of the Planning Commission
and the Mayor and Common Council shall be notified. The Mayor or any Councilperson
may file an appeal within 15 days of the DRC’s approval of the waiver. No fee shall be
required for such appeal.
2.
APPLICABILITY
The provisions of this section shall apply to all development in commercial areas within the
40th Street Project Area. Any addition, remodeling, relocation, construction or
reconstruction requiring a building permit within any commercial land use district subject
to review by the Development Services Department or the Development Review Committee
shall adhere to these guidelines where applicable. Exception: These provisions shall not
apply to tenant improvements that do not change the exterior of the building.
3.
GENERAL DESIGN PRINCIPLES
A.
PURPOSE
These Design Guidelines are established in order to achieve the following
objectives for the 40th Street Project Area:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Renew general pride and confidence in the 40th Street area.
Create an identity, community and sense of place for 40th Street
Promote quality design
Promote pedestrian activities
Promote property maintenance
Promote enhancement of property and area values
Promote an aesthetically pleasing environment
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B.
DESIRABLE ELEMENTS OF PROJECT DESIGN
The qualities and design elements for commercial properties that are most desirable
include:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
C.
Pedestrian scale
Richness of surface and texture
Significant wall articulation (insets, canopies, wing walls, trellises)
Multi-planed, pitched roofs
Roof overhangs, arcades
Regular or traditional window rhythm
Articulated mass and bulk
Significant landscape and hardscape elements
Prominent access driveways
Landscaped and screened parking
Lighting elements
Limited color palette
UNDESIRABLE ELEMENTS
The elements to avoid or minimize include:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
4.
Large blank, flat wall surfaces
Unpainted concrete precision block walls
Highly reflective surfaces
Metal siding on the main facade
Plastic siding
Square "boxlike" buildings
Mix of unrelated styles (i.e. rustic wood shingles and polished chrome)
Visible outdoor storage, loading, and equipment areas
Disjointed parking areas and confusing circulation patterns
SITE PLANNING
Placement of buildings should consider the existing built context of the area, the location of
residential neighborhoods and an analysis of a site's characteristics and particular
influences.
A.
BUILDING LOCATION
1.
Buildings should be located
to complement adjacent
buildings. Sites should be
developed in a coordinated
manner to provide order and
diversity.
2.
Clustering three or more
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buildings in a shopping center provides opportunities to create plazas or
pedestrian malls and prevents long rows of buildings. When clustering is not
practical, a visual link between separate buildings should be established.
This link can be accomplished through the use of an arcade, trellis,
landscaping or other open structure and textured walkways.
B.
5.
3.
Sites should be designed so as to link individual designed structures into a
single unified project. Juxtaposition of contrasting architectural designs is
not encouraged.
4.
Locate buildings and onsite circulation systems to
minimize
pedestrian/
vehicle conflicts where
possible. Link buildings to
the public sidewalk with
textured
paving,
landscaping, and trellises. Create landscaped walkways from the business to
the street to encourage pedestrian traffic.
5.
Freestanding, singular commercial buildings should be oriented with their
major entry toward the street where access is provided, as well as having
their major facade parallel to the street. Structures facing more than one
street shall be designed in such a manner as to be equally attractive from
each street.
OPEN SPACE
1.
Recognize the important potential of spaces between buildings as "outdoor
rooms" on a shopping center site. Outdoor spaces should have a clear,
recognizable shape that reflects careful planning and not simply left over
area between buildings. Such spaces should provide pedestrian amenities
such as shade, benches, fountains, etc.
2.
Open space areas should be clustered into larger, predominant landscape
areas rather than equally distributed into areas of low impact such as at
building peripheries, behind a structure or areas of little impact.
PARKING AND CIRCULATION
Parking lot design can be a critical
factor in the success or failure of a
commercial use. In considering the
possibilities for developing a new
parking area, a developer should
analyze the following factors: 1)
ingress and egress with consideration
to possible conflicts with street
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traffic; 2) pedestrian and vehicular conflicts; 3) on-site circulation and service vehicle
zones; and 4) the overall configuration and appearance of the parking area.
A.
B.
C.
SEPARATION
1.
Separate vehicular and pedestrian circulation systems should be provided.
Pedestrian linkages between uses in commercial developments should be
emphasized, including distinct pedestrian access from and through parking
areas in large commercial developments, such as shopping centers.
2.
Parking should be separated from pedestrian circulation routes whenever
possible.
ACCESS
1.
Common driveways that provide vehicular access to more than one site are
encouraged, particularly where development occurs on narrow lots.
2.
Shared parking between adjacent businesses and/or developments is highly
encouraged whenever practical.
3.
Design the pedestrian site entry with patterned concrete or pavers to
differentiate it from the sidewalks. The handicap path of travel (sidewalk)
should be designed with landscaping so that it is integrated into parking lot
as a landscape feature.
4.
Design parking areas so that pedestrians walk parallel to moving cars.
Minimize the need for the pedestrian to cross parking aisles and landscape
areas.
PARKING
1.
Parking areas should be separated from buildings by either a raised
concrete walkway or landscaped strip, preferably both. Situations where
parking spaces directly abut the buildings should be avoided.
2.
The parking area should
be designed in a manner
that allows the structure to
be linked to the street
sidewalk wit pedestrian
walkways. This can be
accomplished by using
design features such as
walkways with enhanced
paving, trellis structures,
or a special landscaping
treatment.
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3.
6.
Parking areas that accommodate a significant number of vehicles should be
divided into a series of connected smaller lots. Landscaping and offsetting
portions of the lot are effective in reducing the visual impact of large
parking areas.
LANDSCAPING
Landscaping for commercial businesses
should be used to define entrances to
businesses, parking lots. Landscaping can
also define the edges of various land uses,
and provide buffering and screening
between neighboring properties.
A.
B.
DESIGN PRINCIPLES
1.
Landscaping should be in
scale with adjacent buildings and be of appropriate size at maturity to
accomplish its intended goals.
2.
Landscaping should be protected from vehicular and pedestrian
encroachment by raised planting surfaces, depressed walks, or the use of
curbs.
3.
Landscaping around the entire base of a building is recommended to soften
the edge between the parking lot and the structure. This should be accented
at building entries to identify and enhance the entrances.
4.
Vines and climbing plants integrated upon buildings, trellises, and
perimeter garden walls are strongly encouraged.
5.
To accent business entries, use boxed and tubbed plants in clay or wood
containers, especially for enhancement of sidewalk shops, plazas, and
courtyards.
TREES
1.
Trees should be located
throughout the parking
lot and not simply at the
ends of parking aisles.
A minimum of one, 24”
box shade tree is
required for every 4
parking spaces per the
Development Code.
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7.
ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN GUIDELINES
A.
B.
HEIGHT AND MASS
1.
Height and scale of new development should be compatible with that of
surrounding development.
New development is encouraged, where
practical, to "transition" from the height of adjacent development to the
maximum height of the proposed building.
2.
Large buildings that give the appearance of “box-like” structures are
generally unattractive and distort the overall scale of an area. There are
several ways to reduce the appearance of excessive mass in large buildings.
A.
Vary the planes of the
exterior walls in depth
and/or direction. Wall
planes should not run in
1 continuous direction
for more than 50 feet
without an offset.
B.
Vary the height of the
building so that it
appears to be divided
into distinct massing
elements.
C.
Articulate the different
parts of a building's
facade by use of color,
arrangement of facade
elements, or a change
in materials.
D.
Use landscaping and architectural detailing at the ground level to
lessen the impact of an otherwise bulky building.
E.
Avoid blank walls at the ground floor levels. Use windows, trellises,
wall articulation, arcades, change in materials, or other such
features.
SCALE
Scale, for purposes here, is the relationship between building size and the size of
adjoining permanent buildings. It is also how the proposed building's size relates to
the size of a human being, particularly at ground level. Large-scale building
elements will appear imposing if they are situated in a visual environment of a
smaller scale.
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C.
1.
Buildings can be designed for
pedestrians through the use
of
window
patterns,
structural
bays,
roof
overhangs, siding, awnings,
moldings, fixtures, and other
details.
2.
The scale of buildings should
be carefully related to
adjacent pedestrian areas (i.e. plazas, courtyards) and buildings.
3.
Large dominating buildings should be broken up by:
A.
Creating horizontal emphasis
through the use of trim, cornices
or belt courses;
B.
Adding
awnings,
eaves,
windows, or other architectural
ornamentation;
C.
Use of combinations of complementary colors; and
D.
Landscape materials.
COLOR
Much of the existing color in the 40th Street Area does not contribute to a cohesive
commercial area. At times, color has been used inappropriately to attract attention
to buildings and the business therein without regard to the negative impact such use
of color has on the visual quality and character of the area as a whole. The
following guidelines are intended to provide for a cohesive, identifiable area.
1.
Large areas of intense white color should be avoided. While subdued colors
usually work best as a dominant overall color, a bright trim color can be
appropriate.
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D.
2.
Primary colors (red, blue, orange) should only be used to accent elements,
such as door and window frames and architectural details.
3.
The color palette chosen for new buildings should be compatible with the
colors of adjacent buildings. An exception is where the colors of adjacent
buildings strongly diverge from these design guidelines.
4.
Wherever possible, minimize the number of colors appearing on the
structure's exterior. Small commercial buildings should use no more than 3
colors.
5.
Architectural detailing should be painted to complement the facade and tie
in with adjacent buildings. An exception is where the colors of adjacent
buildings strongly diverge from these design guidelines.
6.
The use of standardized “corporate” architectural styles is permitted
provided they are consistent with the design standards of the area.
ROOFS
1.
The roofline at the top of the structure should not run in continuous plane
for more than 50 feet without offsetting or jogging the roof plane.
2.
All roof top equipment shall be screened from public view by screening
materials of the same nature as the structure's basic materials. Mechanical
equipment should be located below the highest vertical element of the
building.
3.
The following roof materials should not be used:
A.
B.
C.
E.
Corrugated metal (standing rib metal roofs are permitted)
Highly reflective surfaces
Illuminated roofing
AWNINGS
The use of awnings along a row of contiguous buildings should be restricted to
awnings of the same form and location. Color of the awnings should be consistent
and a minimum 8-foot vertical clearance is required.
1.
The awning should be well maintained, washed regularly, and replaced
when frayed or torn.
2.
Signs on awnings should be painted on and be limited to the awning's flap
(valance) or to the end panels of angled, curved, or box awnings. In
shopping centers with more than two tenants, awning signs are allowed only
as a coordinated program.
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F.
3.
Plexiglas, metal, and glossy vinyl illuminated awnings are strongly
discouraged. Canvas, treated canvas, matte finish vinyl, and fabric awnings
are encouraged.
4.
Internally lit awnings should not be used.
5.
Care should be taken so that awnings do not obstruct the view to adjacent
businesses.
LIGHTING
Lighting should be used to provide illumination for the security and safety of on-site
areas such as parking, loading, pathways and working areas. Higher light levels
are expected in heavily used pedestrian areas.
8.
1.
The design of light fixtures and their structural support should be
architecturally compatible with the main buildings on-site.
2.
As a security device, lighting should be adequate but not excessively bright.
All building entrances should be well lighted.
WALLS AND FENCING
A.
If not required for a specific
screening or security purpose,
walls should not be utilized
within commercial areas. The
intent is to keep the walls as
low
as
possible
while
performing their screening and
security functions.
B.
Where walls are used at
property peripheries, or screen
walls are used to conceal storage and equipment areas, they should be designed
to blend with the site's architecture. Both sides of all perimeter walls or fences
should be architecturally treated. Landscaping should be used in combination
with such walls whenever possible.
C.
When security fencing is required, it should be a combination of solid walls with
pillars and decorative view ports, or short solid wall segments and wrought iron
grillwork.
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9.
SCREENING
A.
The location of utilities and equipment
should be considered early in the design
process so they are integrated into the
layout of the site and visibility is
minimized. Screen should be consistent
with the design, colors and materials of
the main structure.
B.
Wherever possible, building screening
should be accomplished by primary building elements (i.e. parapet wall or Mansard
roof) instead of after-the-fact add-on screening.
C.
Loading facilities should not be located at the front of buildings where it is difficult
to adequately screen them from view. Such facilities are more appropriate at the
rear of the site where special screening may not be required.
Hyperlinks:
G19.10.050
19.10
Development Design Guidelines
Special Purpose Districts
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