[Added 9-10-2007 by L.L. No. 6-2007]
A.
The purpose of the district is to preserve and enhance
the primary business and canal front districts in the Village of Fairport
through architectural and site design that is representative in scale
and character of traditional Village design; to create public and
private spaces that enhance the public realm in the commercial and
business district; and to reflect the vision of the community as set
forth in the Village Comprehensive Plan.
B.
To accomplish the foregoing, the Design Overlay District
is created and regulations therefore established which shall supersede
any conflicting provisions in this chapter applicable to the underlying
zoning districts.
The design standards described in the Design
Overlay District are limited to the area identified on the District
Boundary Map provided below, are consistent with the guiding policies
of the Village Comprehensive Plan, and represent a district where
traditional form is essential to the character of the community.
|
As used herein the following terms shall have
the meanings indicated:
All streets, sidewalks, rights-of-way, waterways, parks and
other publicly accessible open spaces, and public and civic buildings
and facilities.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former § 550-44, Referrals, was repealed
1-13-2020 by L.L. No. 1-2020.
The following principles shall guide all development
and redevelopment in the Design Overlay District and provide additional
regulatory criteria for the Planning Board in its site plan review
process:
A.
Create, maintain and/or reinforce pedestrian-oriented
and human-scaled streetscapes that promote safe pedestrian movement,
access and circulation, and a pleasant experience for pedestrians.
B.
Encourage and promote direct visual and physical access
to and from the Erie Canal and Main Street.
C.
Promote the design of buildings and sites to be an
integral part of the public realm with identifiable buildings entrances,
active storefronts, attractive parking areas, and an effective/efficient
circulation system.
|
D.
Encourage and promote the design of buildings, sites
and public spaces through the use of design elements, details, architectural
styles and materials or treatments that reflect traditional Village
character.
E.
Locate off-street parking areas to the side or rear
of the structure and encourage the use of existing public lots whenever
possible and, in cases where parking is adjacent to the street or
sidewalk, provide clear separation with the use of landscaping, knee
walls, fencing, or other methods viewed as appropriate by the Planning
Board.
F.
Utilize landscaping to soften hard edges and buffer
adjacent properties whenever possible.
A.
Form and mass.
(1)
Buildings shall exhibit a vertical mass on the street
and/or Erie Canal frontage.
(2)
Buildings shall exhibit a clearly defined base, midsection,
and crown.
(3)
Structures shall not exceed 6,000 square feet of gross
floor area unless the necessary special permit is approved by the
Board of Trustees.
[Amended 7-11-2011 by L.L. No. 3-2011]
|
B.
Height. Structures shall be a minimum of two stories
and 24 feet in height and a maximum of 45 feet. Other building heights
can be approved by the Planning Board with consideration given to:
C.
Width to height ratio. Buildings shall have a width
to height ratio between 1:1 and 1:2.
 |
D.
Setbacks.
(1)
Front setback. All structures shall have a front setback
of zero feet from the lot line, or when the lot line encroaches in
the right-of-way the setback shall be zero feet from the right-of-way.
A setback greater than zero feet can be approved by the Planning Board
to create space for outdoor eating, public art or other semipublic
uses that enliven the public realm. Corner buildings are subject to
the front setback requirement on both street frontages.
(2)
Side setback. All structures shall have a minimum
side setback of zero feet and a maximum of 10 feet.
(3)
Rear setback. All structures shall have a minimum
rear setback of 30 feet for the purpose of providing internal parking,
access and rear yard buffer where applicable. When a project contains
two or more adjoining parcels and includes shared access and parking,
the Planning Board may reduce or eliminate rear setback requirements
if it will not negatively impact an adjacent use.
E.
Orientation.
(1)
Buildings shall have a clear relationship with the
street and should reinforce the street framework by locating primary
facades parallel to the street.
(2)
Buildings located on the Erie Canal shall have a clear
relationship to the Canal and, when possible, locate the primary facade
parallel to and facing the Canal.
(3)
When buildings share frontage on the Erie Canal and
a designated Village Street, they shall have two primary or front
facades.
(4)
Corner buildings shall have facades parallel to the
street and/or Erie Canal, be of equal prominence, and actively engage
the corner.
F.
Facade composition.
(1)
When possible, buildings shall maintain alignments
of the horizontal elements of adjacent buildings.
|
(2)
All sides of a building shall be architecturally designed
to be consistent in regards to style, materials, colors, and details
(also see materials).
(3)
Corner buildings shall be considered significant structures,
given that they have at least two front facades visible from the street.
As deemed appropriate by the Planning Board, such buildings may be
designed with additional architectural embellishments, such as corner
towers, chamfers, or other features to emphasize their location and
serve as a visual focal point for the Village.
(4)
A facade shall not exceed 36 feet width without a
change in facade plane. Changes in facade planes shall be no less
than 1.5 feet in depth and eight feet in length.
(5)
Transparency. A minimum of 60% of all first floor
facades with street frontage shall consist of pedestrian entrances,
display windows or windows affording views into retail, offices, gallery
or lobby space. The building wall subject to transparency requirements
shall include the portion between three feet and 10 feet above the
sidewalk. Blank walls should be avoided and lively facades encouraged.
(6)
Windows.
(a)
Windows shall be vertically proportioned wherever
possible. Upper story windows shall be vertically aligned with windows
and doors on the ground level, including storefront or display windows.
(b)
Windows shall be transparent. At the discretion
of the Planning Board, stained glass or other accenting transparent
material may be approved.
(c)
First floor windows shall permit views into
the buildings.
(d)
Storefronts and entrances shall be oriented
toward the street and/or Erie Canal and should be well lit to provide
a clear presentation to pedestrians.
(7)
Entrances.
(a)
There shall be one primary entrance for each
business located on the front facade.
(b)
Entrances shall be clearly defined and articulated
by architectural elements such as lintels, pediments, pilasters, columns,
porticoes, porches, overhangs, railings, balustrades, and other appropriate
features.
G.
Roofs.
(1)
Rooflines shall be simple and consistent with the
building style.
(2)
Gable roofs shall have a minimum pitch of 6/12. Steeper
pitches are encouraged and shall be consistent with architectural
style.
(3)
Overlapping end gables must be separated a minimum
of six feet unless covering a porch or stoop.
(4)
Flat roofs shall have an articulated cornice which
projects horizontally from the top of the building wall on all walls
visible from the public realm.
(5)
Architectural embellishments consistent with the style,
such as dormers, masonry chimneys, cupolas, clock towers, and other
similar elements are encouraged.
H.
Awnings.
(1)
Awnings shall be permitted at building entrances and
windows.
(2)
Awnings shall be made of flexible woven, natural or
synthetic materials.
(3)
Awnings shall be illuminated only by exterior building
lighting.
(4)
Awnings shall not impede the free flow of pedestrian
traffic on the sidewalk nor extend a distance greater than six feet
from the building wall, nor shall they be lower than 10 feet in height
from the base elevation of the sidewalk.
I.
Lighting.
(1)
Light fixtures attached to the exterior of a building
shall be architecturally compatible with the style, materials, colors,
and details of the building.
(2)
Mounting brackets and associated fixture hardware
should be inconspicuous.
(3)
The examples of appropriate lighting scale, design
and materials identified below are for reference and guidance purposes
only and should not be construed as a limited list of approved lighting
types.
J.
Materials. Natural materials such as brick, stone,
wood and stucco are required as the primary facade material and all
sides visible from the street or canal. The Planning Board may approve
other materials if they maintain the traditional Village character.
K.
Utilities. Air-conditioning units, HVAC systems, exhaust
pipes or stacks, elevator housing, and satellite dishes and other
telecommunications receiving devices shall be thoroughly screened
from view from the public right-of-way and from adjacent properties.
Screening shall be architecturally compatible with the style, materials,
colors, and details of the building.
A.
Lot coverage.
|
Lot Size
|
Building Coverage
|
Parking/Lane
Coverage
|
Green/Open Space
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
0 to 0.25 acre
|
80%
|
5%
|
15%
| |
|
0.25 to 0.50 acre
|
70%
|
10%
|
20%
| |
|
0.50 to 1.0 acre
|
60%
|
20%
|
20%
|
B.
Parking and circulation.
(1)
Parking facilities shall be located to the rear or
side of structures with appropriate landscaping, attractive fencing
no greater than five feet in height or stone/brick wall no greater
than three feet in height.
 |
(2)
The number of off-street parking spaces required shall
be consistent with underlying zoning district.
(3)
Where municipal lots are within 500 feet, or ample
on-street parking is present, the Planning Board, in its discretion,
may reduce or waive off-street parking requirements.
(4)
Parking areas shall be designed with landscaping and
vegetative islands separating parking isles.
(5)
Pedestrian passages within parking lots shall be provided
in a fashion that connects each parking isle with refuge areas located
within each island.
(7)
Sidewalks shall be provided adjacent to all roads
with a minimum width of five feet and shall connect to the existing
Village pedestrian circulation system. At no point shall a sidewalk
terminate without connecting to an existing sidewalk. Whenever possible,
sidewalks shall be the same width as those on adjacent properties
unless a greater width is viewed as appropriate to create an outdoor
space for seating or larger gathering areas to accommodate higher
pedestrian traffic.
(8)
Internal pedestrian facilities shall be designed according
to the following standards:
C.
Landscaping.
(1)
Emphasis shall be placed on retaining and enhancing
existing vegetation.
(2)
Street tree planting.
(a)
Street tree locations shall be consistent with
the existing tree line present on the street or on adjacent properties
or a minimum of six feet from the curbline.
(b)
Tree grates are required within sidewalk areas,
where tree lawns are not available or appropriate.
(c)
Trees shall be selected and installed in accordance
with the Village tree plan and regulations and shall be spaced in
a fashion that is consistent with adjacent properties, or a maximum
of 40 feet. All plantings shall be consistent with the Village of
Fairport's Arboricultural Specifications and Standards of Practice
and Planting Details.
(3)
Internal site landscaping.
(a)
A landscape plan, prepared by a landscape architect,
shall be required for all development proposals. Landscaping shall
be in keeping with community character and be free from noxious plant
materials. All landscaped areas adjacent to vehicular use areas shall
be curbed and otherwise protected.
(b)
The applicant will be responsible for providing
the Planning Board with a list of vegetative species and images when
requested in order to ensure consistency with the character of the
community. At its discretion, the Planning Board may refer the materials
to landscape architect and/or Village Engineer for review.
(c)
The landowner shall be responsible for maintaining
all landscaped areas and replacing any damaged or dead materials in-kind
with the originally approved list of materials within a reasonable
timeframe. Instances where landscaping is not properly maintained
will result in written notices and citations by the Village Code Enforcement
Officer in accordance with the Property Maintenance Law or other applicable
enactment.
D.
Refuse storage. Refuse storage shall not be located
on a street frontage and shall not be visible from the street.
E.
Lighting.
(1)
Any lighting used to illuminate off-street parking
shall be so arranged as to prevent direct glare of beams of light
onto any adjoining property or street.
