[Ord. No. 1892 Zoning Regs. Art. 11 §1, 4-7-1997]
A.
The
City of Savannah recognizes that the very nature of land development
creates potential for traffic congestion, overcrowding, adverse visual
environmental impacts, and health problems. Also, the City strives
to achieve the goal of promoting growth in Savannah, while stabilizing
the established residential patterns of the area. The City seeks to
ensure that any location that must accommodate urban uses shall be
subject to site plan review by the Planning and Zoning Commission.
The site plan review process shall help ensure that the meaning and
intent of the zoning regulations, and all portions thereof, are fully
complied with.
B.
The
site plan review regulates the development of structures and sites
in a manner which considers the following concerns:
1.
The balancing of landowners' rights to use their land, with the corresponding
rights of abutting and neighboring landowners to live without undue
disturbances (e.g., noise, smoke, fumes, dust, odor, glare, storm
water runoff, etc.);
2.
The convenience and safety of vehicular and pedestrian movement within
the site, and in relation to adjacent areas or roads;
3.
The adequacy of waste disposal methods and protection from pollution
of surface or ground water;
4.
The protection of historic and natural environmental features on
the site under review, and in adjacent areas; and
5.
The stability of the built environment, particularly residential
neighborhoods, by promoting urban development which is compatible
with clearly identified natural resources.
[Ord. No. 1892 Zoning Regs. Art. 11 §2, 4-7-1997]
A.
The
Zoning Administrator shall require that all applications for building
permits for developments in the multi-family, commercial and industrial
zoning districts be subject to site plan review in accordance with
these regulations, and for redevelopments in the following circumstances:
if the redevelopment enlarges the size of the original structure by
more than fifty percent (50%) in the case of a renovation or alteration.
Developments shall be encouraged to implement the objectives of the
future land use plan in preserving natural resources in the development
overlay districts and to foster compatibility among land uses in the
City of Savannah. Site plan reviews shall be performed by the Zoning
Administrator, and submitted to the Planning and Zoning Commission
for approval.
B.
The
Planning and Zoning Commission shall perform their review at the next
regularly scheduled meeting of the Planning and Zoning Commission
for which the item may be scheduled and shall adjourn and reconvene
as is determined necessary.
C.
The
applicant may appeal a site plan review determination to the Board
of Aldermen for approval in the event that an applicant alleges that
there is an error in any order, requirement, decision or determination
made by the Planning and Zoning Commission in the enforcement of site
plan review. The request for review by the Board of Aldermen shall
be accompanied by a complete description of the error(s) alleged.
[Ord. No. 1892 Zoning Regs. Art. 11 §3, 4-7-1997]
Building permits shall not be issued for any use of land or
proposed construction on a lot in the zoning districts in which site
plan review is applicable, unless site plan review approval has been
granted.
[Ord. No. 1892 Zoning Regs. Art. 11 §4, 4-7-1997]
A.
The
site plan shall include the following data, details, and supporting
plans which are found relevant to the proposal. The number of pages
submitted will depend on the proposal's size and complexity. The applicant
shall make notations explaining the reasons for any omissions.
B.
Site
plans shall be prepared by a registered professional engineer, architect,
land surveyor and landscape architect at a scale of one (1) inch equals
twenty (20) feet on standard twenty-four (24) by thirty-six (36) inch
sheets. Items required for submission include:
1.
Name of the project, address, boundaries, date, north arrow and scale
of the plan.
2.
Name and address of the owner of record, developer, and seal of the
engineer, architect, land surveyor and landscape architect.
3.
Name and address of all owners of record of abutting parcels.
4.
All existing lot lines, easements, and rights-of-way. Include area
in acres or square feet, abutting land uses and structures.
5.
The location and use of all existing and proposed structures within
the development. Include all dimensions of height and floor area,
and show all exterior entrances and all anticipated future additions
and alterations. For developments in the "C-2" Central Commercial
District, indicate design details to make new construction compatible
with existing structures.
6.
The location of all present and proposed public and private ways,
parking areas, driveways, sidewalks, ramps, curbs and fences. Location,
type, and screening details for all waste disposal containers shall
also be shown.
7.
The location, height, intensity, and bulb type (e.g., fluorescent,
sodium incandescent) of all external lighting fixtures. The direction
of illumination and methods to eliminate glare onto adjoining properties
must also be shown.
8.
The location, height, size, materials, and design of all proposed
signage.
9.
A landscape plan showing all existing open space, trees, forest cover
and water sources, and all proposed changes to these features including
size and type of plant material. Water sources will include ponds,
lakes, brooks, streams, wetlands, floodplains, and drainage retention
areas.
10.
The location of all present and proposed utility systems including:
11.
Plans to prevent the pollution of surface or ground water, erosion
of soil both during and after construction, excessive runoff, excessive
raising or lowering of the water table, and flooding of other properties,
as applicable.
12.
Existing and proposed topography shown at not more than two (2) foot
contour intervals. All elevations shall refer to the United States
Geodetic Survey (U.S.G.S.) datum. If any portion of the parcel is
within the 100-year floodplain, the area shall be shown with base
flood elevations; and the developer shall present plans for meeting
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) requirements.
13.
Existing and proposed zoning district boundaries adjacent to the
site's perimeter shall be drawn and identified on the plan.
14.
Traffic flow patterns within the site, entrances and exits, loading
and unloading areas, curb cuts on the site and within one hundred
(100) feet of the site.
The Zoning Administrator may require a detailed traffic study
for mixed use and multi-tenant developments, or for developments in
heavy traffic areas to include:
a.
The projected number of motor vehicle trips to enter or leave the
site, estimated for daily and peak hour traffic levels;
b.
The projected traffic flow pattern including vehicular movements
at all major intersections likely to be affected by the proposed use
of the site; and
c.
The impact of this traffic upon existing abutting public and private
ways in relation to existing road capacities. Existing and proposed
daily and peak hour traffic levels, as well as road capacity levels,
shall also be given.
[Ord. No. 1892 Zoning Regs. Art. 11 §5, 4-7-1997]
A.
The
recommendations of the Zoning Administrator shall be based on the
following standards:
1.
The extent to which the proposal conforms to the previous Sections
of these regulations.
2.
The extent to which the development would be compatible with the
surrounding area.
3.
The extent to which the proposal conforms to the provisions of the
City's subdivision regulations.
4.
The extent to which the proposal conforms to customary engineering
standards used in the City.
5.
The extent to which the location of streets, paths, walkways, and
driveways are located so as to enhance safety and minimize any adverse
traffic impact on the surrounding area.
[Ord. No. 1892 Zoning Regs. Art. 11 §6, 4-7-1997]
The site plan of any new construction on a parcel or lot within
a designated "Conditional Use Overlay District" shall demonstrate
the extent to which the structures, walkways, roads, driveways, open
space (if any), and parking lots within the proposed development conform
with the conditions established within said Conditional Use Overlay
District.
[Ord. No. 1892 Zoning Regs. Art. 11 §7, 4-7-1997]
A.
Commercial And Industrial Districts. In zoning districts
permitting commercial and industrial uses, no building shall be erected
that does not meet the following minimum standards, based on site
plan review:
1.
Raised exterior walls or screen walls should be designed to enclose
groups of equipment. Roof-mounted equipment, including ventilators
and satellite dishes, shall be screened from view one hundred percent
((100%) opacity) or isolated so as not to be visible from ground level
of any adjacent public thoroughfare or residentially zoned area, up
to a maximum of three hundred (300) feet away. The appearance of roof
screens shall be coordinated with the building to maintain a unified
appearance.
2.
The form and proportion of buildings shall be consistent or compatible
with the scale, form and proportion of existing development in the
immediate area.
3.
The use of unusual shapes, color and other characteristics that cause
new buildings to call excessive attention to themselves and create
disharmony shall not be allowed.
4.
The rhythm of structural mass to voids, such as windows and glass
doors, of a front facade should relate to the rhythms established
in adjacent buildings.
5.
Where large structures are proposed with overly long facades (walls),
where one (1) dimension exceeds the length of the perpendicular dimension,
such as warehouses, building mass should be articulated with variations
in the building plane and parapet height and through the use of other
unique design or site plan features.
Over-long horizontal facades should be articulated with variations
in the building plane and parapet height, materials and colors, entrance
canopies, and landscaping. Parking lots along the facade can also
relieve horizontally through the use of landscaped fingers and islands
containing trees and shrubs.
6.
Architectural design should create visual interest through the use
of different textures, complementary colors, shadow lines and contrasting
shapes. The use of walls in a single color, with little detailing
or completely blank is discouraged.
7.
Monotony of design in single or multiple building projects shall
be avoided. Variation of detail, form, and siting shall be used to
provide visual interest.
8.
Careful consideration of durable materials, proportions, and shapes
emphasizing the importance of roofs as integral and embracing elements
of the overall design is particularly important.
9.
Use of substantial amounts of masonry materials (face brick, stucco,
stone) is encouraged. The use of aluminum siding, metal ribbed panels,
and extensive mirrored glass surfaces are discouraged. Evaluation
of building materials shall be based on the quality of its design
and relationship and compatibility to building materials in the immediate
neighborhood.
Corrugated metal facades should be complemented with abundant
use of masonry, whether brick, stone, stucco, or split-face block,
especially along perimeter streets. Architectural metal panels may
be an acceptable substitute for masonry. Appropriate landscaping can
be used to complement and enhance a building's design, color and material.
10.
Architectural treatments (e.g., building materials, colors, facade
design, rooflines, screening) shall be consistent and compatible on
all sides. Treatment that is uniform on all sides will be deemed to
meet the requirements of this principle. Adjacent land uses, visibility
from public streets, use of screening devices (walls, fences, berms,
landscaping) are criteria to be considered when varying this treatment.
The applicant will have the burden of demonstrating the reasons for
differing treatment on different sides (e.g., the need for truck accesses
on one (1) side and pedestrian access on another).
Long expanses of overhead doors should be relieved by matching
their color to the wall or trim, recessing the doors, or adding architectural
details to diminish the dominance of the doors.
