[Ord. 1352-08, 5/5/2008]
The purpose of this Part is to maintain and improve the streetscape
within the Old Town District and the neighborhoods throughout the
Borough, which have a traditional block pattern and street and alley
network as shown on Exhibit A, the Zoning Map.
[Ord. 1352-08, 5/5/2008]
All new development and redevelopment shall comply with the
design standards of this Part 19 to the extent shown on Exhibit A,
the Zoning Map.
[Ord. 1352-08, 5/5/2008]
Minimum requirements for the Streetscape Enhancement Overlay
District shall be as described and shown on the following pages relative to:
1. Building Location.
A. Buildings are intended to be located in close proximity to sidewalks,
with parking located in the rear.
B. Traditional development in downtown Gettysburg is intended to form
a continuous street wall along all corridors.
C. Buildings are intended to be located across from one another, so
that the "outdoor room" character of the streetscape is maintained.
D. Buildings within the Old Town District shall be located adjacent
to the sidewalk.
E. New buildings in all other districts shall be located at the build-to
line or in alignment with existing buildings on the block.
F. Buildings shall be located to anchor street corners.
G. Unenclosed porches, stoops, and the like shall be built and maintained
as transitional elements from the principal building to the streetscape.
2. Parking Location.
A. On-street parking is intended to provide vital parking spaces, as
well as a buffer for pedestrians from vehicular traffic.
B. Off-street parking is intended to be located to the rear or side
of buildings.
C. On-street angled parking is intended to be maintained in the central
square to complement vehicular traffic flow.
D. On-street parking shall be provided and maintained to the maximum
extent possible.
E. Line-striped "end lines" seven feet from the curb at twenty-two-foot
intervals shall be provided for parallel on-street parking.
F. Surface off-street parking lots shall be located to the rear or side
of a building, not in front of the building, and not at street corners.
G. Off-street parking shall be accessed via alleys wherever possible.
3. Parking Lots and Decks.
A. Off-street parking is intended to be screened from view.
B. Parking decks are intended to be integrated with the existing architectural
character of other buildings along the streetscape.
C. Existing off-street parking shall be screened with hedges, walls,
fences or other landscaping at least 30 inches in height if located
in front of or to the side of a building.
D. New parking shall be located behind or to the side of buildings.
E. Parking decks shall be designed to continue the existing street wall.
F. Parking decks should provide ground floor retail.
4. Building Types.
A. Traditional development in downtown Gettysburg is intended to consist
of diverse building types with smaller building footprints and a mix
of uses.
B. Vertically mixed uses with apartments or office space above commercial
uses should be provided in the Old Town and Residential Office Districts.
C. New buildings shall be designed to be generally consistent with the
height and scale of existing commercial, residential, and mixed-use
building types.
D. Diversified residential uses should be provided to promote housing
affordability.
E. Individual footprint buildings of 50,000 square feet or greater shall
not be built in the overlay district, unless liner shops are built
and maintained as shown below.
5. Building Heights.
A. All new buildings are intended to be at least two stories in height.
B. Smaller-footprint, two-story to four-story buildings are intended
to continue along the major street corridors and in the Old Town District.
C. The minimum height of any new building shall be 24 feet.
D. The maximum height of buildings in the Old Town District shall be
50 feet, and they comply with the Historic District Guidelines.
E. The maximum building height for buildings outside of the Old Town
District shall be 48 feet in height, unless otherwise specified. Where
there is a conflict between this standard and the standards for a
specific permitted use, the standards for the specific permitted use
shall control.
[Amended by Ord. No. 1454-18, 12/10/2018]
F. No building shall be constructed to be more than two stories taller in building height than the height of any nearby buildings located on adjacent lots, except where additional building height is authorized for a mixed-use building, extended height, by special exception pursuant to the standards and criteria set forth in §
27-1524 of this chapter.
[Amended by Ord. No. 1454-18, 12/10/2018]
6. Lighting: Streetlights and Building Lights.
A. Streetlights are intended to be installed and maintained to enhance
safety and wayfinding for drivers and pedestrians.
B. Streetlights are intended to reinforce the traditional town character
of Gettysburg.
C. Pedestrian-scale streetlights shall be provided on both sides of
all streets.
D. Pole height shall be no greater than 20 feet.
E. There shall be no trespass glare.
7. Gateways.
A. Gateways are intended to welcome visitors and provide a positive
first impression of the Borough.
B. Gateways are intended to provide a form of traffic calming for drivers
as they enter a pedestrian-friendly community.
C. Landscaping, lighting, and signage shall be provided at all gateways.
D. Gateway signage shall promote a cohesive image of the Borough.
E. Sidewalks and crosswalks shall be provided as part of gateway design.
F. Piers should be provided as gateway monuments.
8. Street Trees and Other Landscaping.
A. Landscaping is intended to define and add beauty to the streetscape
and provide buffering between uses.
B. Street trees are intended to provide shade and add a vertical element
to the streetscape.
C. Street trees shall be planted and maintained along both sides of
all streets.
D. Install and maintain deep-rooted, stress-tolerant species such as:
(2)
Platanus acerifolia: Sycamore.
(3)
Quercus imbricaria: Shingle Oak.
(4)
Zelkova serrata: Japanese Zelkova.
E. Planting buffers shall be installed to screen off-street parking
lots.
9. Fences, Walls, and Hedges.
A. The Borough intends to promote development that provides attractive
architectural features in the public realm such as walls, fences,
and hedges.
B. Fences, hedges, and walls are intended to be used to continue the
street wall.
C. Low walls, fences and/or hedges shall be placed to form the street
wall whenever buildings do not adjoin the sidewalk or build-to line.
D. A thirty-inch high wall, fence or hedge shall be used at the build-to
line to screen existing off-street parking located in front or to
the side of a building.
E. Wall design shall be appropriate to the architectural style of the
building.
10. Signage.
A. The Borough intends to promote small signs in scale with pedestrian
activity and for wayfinding.
B. Projecting signs shall be as small as possible.
C. Simple, colorful wall signs should be used as an attractive complement
to the character of Gettysburg.
D. Freestanding signs shall be minimized to reduce visual clutter.
E. Ground signs shall be installed instead of freestanding signs outside
of the Old Town District. Within the Old Town District, projecting
signs or wall signs shall be installed.
11. Sidewalks and Crosswalks.
A. Sidewalks and crosswalks are intended to be located throughout the
Borough to connect neighborhoods together and to the downtown.
B. Sidewalks and crosswalks shall be continuous and form an integrated
network.
C. Sidewalks shall be at least five feet in width on both sides of the
street.
D. Continue sidewalk material across curb cuts to emphasize pedestrian
continuity.
E. Crosswalks shall be at least eight feet in width.
12. Streets and Alleys.
A. The street and alley network is intended to be maintained, enhanced
and extended.
B. Existing streets and alleys shall be maintained.
C. A new street and alley network shall be created that ties into the
existing network, whenever properties are developed or redeveloped.
D. New street and alley widths shall be consistent with existing street
and alley widths.
E. New two-way alleys shall be at least 16 feet wide.
13. Curb Cuts.
A. The Borough intends to limit new curb cuts that would be disruptive
to pedestrian movement along sidewalks.
B. Access properties from existing curb cuts, driveways, and alleys.
C. New mid-block curb cuts shall not be created.
D. Excessively wide curb cuts shall be narrowed to a minimum width of
24 feet.