[R.O. 2004 § 405.710; Ord. No. 2.56 § 2(Art. 12 § 1), 1-9-2001]
A.
The City of Mount Vernon 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 Mount Vernon 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 that 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, stormwater 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 that is compatible with clearly identified natural
resources.
[R.O. 2004 § 405.715; Ord. No. 2.56 § 2(Art. 12 § 2), 1-9-2001]
The Zoning Administrator shall require
that all applications for building permits for developments in the
multifamily, commercial and industrial zoning districts be subject
to site plan review in accordance with these regulations and for redevelopment
in the following circumstances: if the redevelopment enlarges the
size of the original structure by more than fifty percent (50%). Developments
shall be encouraged to implement the objectives of the future land
use plan to foster compatibility among land uses in the City of Mount
Vernon. Site plan reviews shall be performed by the Zoning Administrator
and submitted to the Planning and Zoning Commission for approval if
in conjunction with a public hearing.
[R.O. 2004 § 405.720; Ord. No. 2.56 § 2(Art. 12 § 3), 1-9-2001]
A.
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.
B.
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 Zoning Administrator or 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.
[R.O. 2004 § 405.725; Ord. No. 2.56 § 2(Art. 12 § 4), 1-9-2001]
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.
[R.O. 2004 § 405.730; Ord. No. 2.56 § 2(Art. 12 § 5), 1-9-2001]
A.
The site plan shall include the following
data, details and supporting plans which are 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 at a discernible
scale.
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
or 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 "B-2" Central
Business 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-foot contour intervals. All elevations
shall refer to the United States Geodetic Survey (USGS) 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.
[R.O. 2004 § 405.735; Ord. No. 2.56 § 2(Art. 12 § 6), 1-9-2001]
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 and the development
guidelines of this Article.
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.
6.
The extent to which the site plan
implements the guidelines for the Comprehensive Plan Downtown Overlay
District, if applicable.
[R.O. 2004 § 405.740; Ord. No. 2.56 § 2(Art. 12 § 7), 1-9-2001]
A.
In the Downtown zoning district and the
Comprehensive Plan Downtown Overlay District, buildings should meet
the following minimum guidelines 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 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. 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, roof lines, 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 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.
