Municipality of Bethel Park, PA Article V Design Guidelines

41.9 Design guidelines.

41.9.1. In determining the recommendations to be made to the Bethel Park Council concerning the issuance of a Certificate of Appropriateness, HARB shall consider only those matters that are pertinent to the preservation to this historic and/or architectural aspect and nature of the building, site, area or district, certified to have historical significance, including the following:

a. The effect of the proposed change upon the general historic and architectural nature of the historic landmark, site or district;

b. The appropriateness of the exterior architectural features which can be seen from a public street or way;

c. The general design, arrangement, texture, material and color of the building or structure and the relation of such factors to similar features of buildings or structures in the proximity to the historic landmark, site or district. Consideration shall be given but not limited to the following:

d. Proportion of Buildings Front Facades - the relationship between the width of the front of the building and the height of the front of the building.

e. Proportion of Openings within the Building - the relationship of width to height of windows and doors.

f. Rhythms of Solids to Voids in the Front Facade - Since rhythm is a repeated and recurrent alteration of strong and weak architectural elements, a rhythm of masses to openings in a building should be maintained.

g. Rhythm of Spacing of Buildings and Streets - In moving past a series of buildings, a rhythm of recurrent or repeated building masses to spaces between them should be experienced.

h. Rhythm of Entrance and/or Porch Projections - Moving past a series of structures, one experiences a rhythm of entrances or projections at an intimate scale.

i. Relationship of Materials - Within an area the predominant materials may be brick, stone stucco, wood siding or other material.

j. Relation of Textures - The predominant textures of an area may be smooth, such as stucco or rough as brick with tooled joints or horizontal wood siding, or other textures.

k. Relationship of Color - Insofar as the mass and detail such as trim are concerned, a predominant color that may be of a natural material or a patina colored by time. Blending colors of trim is also a factor.

l. Relationship of Architectural Details - Architectural details and their relationship to the structure in question and adjacent ones, including but not limited to cornices, lintels, arches, quoins, balustrades and iron work, chimneys, etc.

m. Relationship of Roof Shapes - Building should have compatible roof shapes such as gable, mansard, hip, flat, gambrel and/or other kinds of roof shapes.

n. Walls of Continuity - Physical ingredients such as brick walls, wrought iron fences, evergreen landscape masses, building facades, or combinations of these, form continuous, cohesive walls of enclosures along the street.

o. Relationship of Landscaping - There may be predominance of a quality and quantity of landscaping although emphasis herein shall be with the amounts and continuity of landscaping.

p. Paving Materials - There may be a predominance in the use of brick pavers, cobblestones, granite blocks or others.

q. Directional Expression of Front Elevation - Structural shape, planning of openings and architectural detail may provide a predominately vertical, horizontal or non-directional character to the building facade.

r. Scale - Scale is created by the size of units of construction and architectural detail that relate to the size of man. It can also be determined by building mass and how it relates to open space. The major elements of scale may be brick or stone units, window or door openings, porches and balconies, etc.

1. Variations - The HARB shall grant variations in a manner that will be in harmony with the character of the other buildings or structures on the street and/or districts.

2. The height of any new building or structure shall not exceed the height of the tallest adjacent building or structure by more than 10%. This requirement shall also apply to any proposed modification to existing buildings or structures.

3. In cases where applications for proposed demolition occur, HARB shall, where deemed necessary, recommend to the Bethel Park Council that the proposed demolition be postponed for a period not exceeding nine months. However, in the event demolition cannot be avoided, the moving of a building shall be encouraged as an alternative to demolition if there is no other way to preserve the building.

4. In addition to the above, all other Bethel Park laws and ordinances shall be complied with including the zoning and subdivision ordinances.

41.10 Signs.

41.10.1. No sign or permanent external advertising display of any kind shall be erected, altered or used with an historic landmark or historic site, except for advertising informing the public about a service, business, occupation or profession carried on or about the property on which such sign or permanent external advertising display appears. In conjunction with this, no such sign or advertising display of any kind or for any purpose shall be erected or altered until an application for permit to make such erection or alteration has been reviewed by HARB for its conformity in exterior material composition, exterior structural design, external appearance and size with similar advertising or information media used in the architectural period.

41.10.2. In addition to the above, and other matters considered in Section 500, the following shall be adhered to:

1. No animated, revolving or moving signs shall be permitted.

2. Illumination of any sign shall be indirect, shielded, or otherwise arranged to prevent direct glare.

3. No free-standing sign shall be more than 15 feet high.

4. Projecting signs extending more than two feet over any public walk or right-of-way shall be at least eight feet above the walk grade and at least 14 feet above any vehicular right-of-way.

5. No sign shall be erected at the intersection of any streets in such a manner as to obstruct free and clear vision, or at any location where by reason of its position, shape or color it may interfere with, obstruct the view of, or be confused with, any authorized traffic sign, signal or device.

6. No sign shall be located so as to prevent or hinder free ingress to or egress from any door, window, or fire escape. No sign shall be attached to a standpipe or fire escape.

7. No sign shall be attached to or placed on any public utility pole or tree located within any public right-of-way.

41.10.3. All other requirements of any Municipal Ordinance must be complied with. Historical markers may be authorized by HARB subject to the provisions stipulated and such markers shall not be considered as signs but are to be erected in accordance with the requirements established for historic markers by HARB.