Architectural guidelines help ensure that commercial
development is in keeping with the high quality, traditional New England
rural characteristics of Portsmouth, as well as in keeping with the
characteristics of the area in which a proposed development is located.
For example, architecture typical of the southwestern states is not
appropriate in Portsmouth. Industrial style buildings are incompatible
with commercial developments, especially where they are adjacent to
residential neighborhoods. (Please see also the introductory statement:
"Why Design Guidelines Are Needed.")
1. New architectural design should be compatible with the character
of the neighboring area. Design compatibility includes complementary
building style, form, size, color and materials.
2. Building architecture should be designed to provide an attractive
appearance. Prefabricated buildings are highly discouraged. Franchise
or corporate style architecture and/or highly contrasting color schemes
are strongly discouraged. If used, such buildings should be substantially
modified and embellished to create a project that meets the community
standards. All architectural details should be related to an overall
architectural design approach.
3. Historic structures of merit should be preserved and maintained.
If the development requires relocation of an historic building, every
effort should be made to preserve the building.
4. Diversity of architectural design is encouraged. Highly stylized
buildings that are characteristic of a particular historic period
other than their own are discouraged, unless a building or site is
historically important to the district or necessary for architectural
harmony.
5. Loud or gaudy colors, sharply contrasting colors and highly reflective
materials are not compatible with the character of Portsmouth and
should be avoided.
6. Efforts to coordinate the actual and apparent height of adjacent
structures that are architecturally compatible with Portsmouth are
encouraged, particularly where buildings are located close to one
another. Aligning the height of a wall, cornice or parapet line to
that of an adjacent building is encouraged. Similar design linkages
can be achieved to adjust apparent height by placing window lines,
belt courses, and other horizontal elements in a pattern that reflects
the same elements on such adjacent structures.
7. Multiple buildings on the same site should be designed to create
a cohesive visual relationship. Out buildings should be designed to
complement the primary building on the site in style and material
expression.
8. Building siting should take best advantage of solar orientation,
climatic and other environmental conditions, should encourage safety
and privacy of adjacent outdoor spaces, and should reduce the impact
of noise upon (or from) the project.
9. Buildings that are stylized in an attempt to use the building itself
as advertising are very strongly discouraged. This is particularly
true where the proposed architecture is the result of a "corporate"
or franchise style.
10. The visibility of roof-top equipment should be minimized by grouping
all plumbing vents, ducts and roof-top mechanical equipment away,
and screening from public view for a three-hundred-foot (300') radius
from the building from ground level.
1. Building facades should be compatible in scale, mass, and form with
adjacent structures and the pattern of the surrounding area (assuming
the adjacent structures are generally in compliance with these design
guidelines).
2. Exterior building design and detail on all elevations should be coordinated
with regard to color, types of materials, number of materials, architectural
form, and detailing to achieve harmony and continuity of design. No
more than three (3) paint colors should be employed, excluding signage
and awnings.
3. Rear and side facades, if visible from public streets or neighboring
properties, should be carefully designed with similar detailing and
materials and should be compatible with the principal facades of the
building. All elevations of the building will be evaluated in Design
Review process.
4. Long unbroken or unadorned wall planes are discouraged. Massing of
a building should not extend beyond fifty feet (50') to seventy-five
feet (75') without the facade being relieved with changes of wall
plane that provide strong shadow or visual interest.
5. Exterior materials should be durable and of high quality. Highly
reflective materials are discouraged. Non-durable materials such as
thin layer synthetic stucco or EIFS products should not be used within
ninety-six inches (96") of ground level unless specially reinforced
or located away from pedestrian accessible areas.
6. Metal storefronts are very strongly discouraged, unless completely
screened from view from the street, using landscaping, fencing or
other materials that effectively hide the building from the street.
Metal sides visible from the street should be similarly screened.
7. Pedestrian level storefronts should employ non-reflective glass or
light gray tinted glass to enhance the visibility of the displayed
merchandise from the outside.
8. Good design suggests that window and door openings on the front facade
occupy a total of no less than ten percent (10%) and no more than
sixty percent (60%) of the gross square footage of that facade. The
size and placement of windows should be commensurate with adjacent
historical models where they exist.
10. True divided light windows are encouraged.
11. No new building or remodeling of any existing building should have
mill-finish (non-colored) aluminum metal windows or door frames visible
from the street unless specifically requested by the applicant and
recommended by the Design Review Board. Aluminum windows should typically
have a Kynar or similar finish to match the proposed trim color of
the building.
12. For renovation projects, it is desirable that the historic storefront
be repaired. Where the historic storefront is beyond repair, the new
storefront should emulate in design, scale and material the old storefront
as much as possible or practical.
13. Code required elements, such as parapet walls and screen walls should
be treated as an integral part of the architecture and these elements
should not visually weaken the design.
14. All vents, gutters, downspouts, flashing, electrical conduits, etc.,
should be painted to match the color of the adjacent surface, unless
being used expressly as a trim or accent element.
15. Soffits and other architectural elements visible to the public but
not detailed on the plans should be finished in a material compatible
with other exterior materials.
16. Material or color changes generally should occur at a change of plane.
Material or color changes at the outside corners of structures that
give the impression of "thinness" and artificiality of the material
are discouraged. Piecemeal embellishment and frequent changes in material
should be avoided.
17. Approved address numbers (by the Fire Department) should be provided
so that they are legible to the public from the street fronting the
property. Commercial address signs in the downtown areas should be
illuminated in a manner commensurate with lighting conditions.
The following building materials may be used and combined to
create a consistent, attractive, interesting and long-lasting building
design:
1. Brick. Painted brick is not recommended, as it tends to chip easily.
2. Stone. Natural stone such as, but not limited to, fieldstone, granite,
limestone and marble are recommended materials. Terra Cotta and/or
cast stone, which simulate natural stone, are also acceptable. Painted
stone is strongly discouraged.
3. Split-face Block/Concrete Masonry Unit (CMU) on side and rear elevations.
4. Natural wood and/or cement-based artificial wood siding.
7. Non-decorative cinder block should be limited to walls not visible
from a public street.
1. Sloped roofs are highly preferred. Gabled and hipped
roofs should have a slope of greater than 4/12 (18°) but less
than 14/12 (49°).
2. Gambrel roofs are also appropriate.
3. Mansard roofs are acceptable provided that the vertical rise is appropriate
for the building size. A widow's walk or parapet element enhances
such roofs.
4. Standing seam, cooper roofing, cedar and asphalt shingles are preferred.
Roofing materials that imitate another material are generally discouraged.
Metal roofs that face the street are discouraged, unless architecturally
blended with the facade.
5. Flat roofs are strongly discouraged. Where used, they should have
a parapet wall at the facade and [with cornice elements larger than
three percent (3%), but less than ten percent (10%) of the total building
height looks best].
1. Access for service vehicles, trash collection and storage areas should
be located on interior service drives or alleys where they exist or
are planned. When no such access exists, the access should be provided
on the street with the least traffic volume, with sensitivity to adjacent
residential areas.
2. When feasible in larger commercial developments, service and loading
areas should be separated from main circulation and parking areas
and away from public streets. Loading and unloading activities may
not interfere with circulation on public streets.
3. Building equipment should be located, designed, and/or screened to
minimize visual impact on public streets, large surface parking fields,
and neighboring properties.
4. Trash containers and outdoor storage areas should be screened from
public streets, pedestrian areas, and neighboring properties. The
screen for the trash containers should be designed to be compatible
with the architectural character of the development. It should be
constructed of durable materials similar to those of the building
and should have solid (opaque) walls and doors.
5. Utility meters should be located in screened areas, or away from
public view.
(SECTIONS F, G, H, AND I BELOW ARE GUIDELINES FOR SPECIFIC
TYPES OF USES. THEY ARE IN ADDITION TO, NOT A REPLACEMENT FOR, THE
OTHER SECTIONS OF THESE GUIDELINES.)
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1. Special attention should be directed toward the site landscaping
which is visible from the street. Trees to provide both shade and
visual relief should be located within the site as well as on the
site perimeter. The vehicle display or storage parking areas may remain
relatively open, if balanced by substantial landscaping and tree planting
on other visually prominent areas of the site.
2. Landscaping, special paving treatments, setbacks, and building orientation
should be used to provide an attractive appearance from the front
property line.
3. The service area and service bays should be screened or sited so
they are not visible from the street.
4. Vehicles under repair should be kept either inside a structure or
in an area that is screened from the street.
5. Service areas should provide adequate queuing space that does not
impede vehicle circulation through the site or result in vehicles
stacking into the street.
6. Perimeter fencing, security fencing, or gateways should be constructed
of attractive materials that are compatible with the design and materials
used throughout the project. Razor wire or electric fencing is not
allowed and chain link fencing is strongly discouraged.
7. Night lighting and security lighting should be sensitively designed
to ensure that no off-site glare is directed to neighboring parcels
and that the overall intensity of the site lighting is not excessive.
The use of excessive nighttime security lighting is discouraged. Other
security measures should be considered instead.
1. A new free-standing restaurant building should be sited and designed
to be compatible with the character of the surrounding neighborhood.
If the restaurant will occupy a pad within a shopping center, the
building should be designed to be consistent with the overall "theme."
(See I, Shopping Center Guidelines.)
2. Drive-through elements are generally discouraged. Where drive-through
elements are required, they should be architecturally integrated into
the building, rather than appearing to be "stuck-on" to the
building. Drive through elements should not be located on the street
side and should be heavily screened from view. (See also Article
IX of the Zoning Ordinance.)
3. The site design should accommodate logical and safe vehicle and pedestrian
circulation patterns through the site. Circulation should allow for
adequate length of queuing lines for drive through elements which
do not interfere with the on-site parking for patrons entering the
restaurant, nor result in traffic queuing into the street.
4. Free-standing restaurant buildings should be designed and detailed
consistently on all sides, including the rear and side elevations.
5. Outdoor seating areas, play equipment, and perimeter fencing should
be integrated with the main building architecture so it is compatible
and attractive.
6. Trash enclosures and other service spaces should be constructed of
materials and finishes which are consistent with the main restaurant
building.
7. Remodeling of existing structures for restaurant uses requires a
review of the entire site and circulation plan to ensure that the
project is updated to current design review standards of Portsmouth.
This may include recommendations to improve and/or expand the existing
landscaping, fencing, parking area or other site design issues.
1. Site development standards include: Maximizing landscaping along
the street frontage; width of curb cuts limited to that necessary
for safe access (including service vehicles); minimize size of canopy
cover; canopy cover should contain no signage; at least two (2) vehicle
stacking spaces behind the pumps closest to the entrance driveway.
(See also Zoning Ordinance Article IX.)
2. The site design for projects located at street corners should provide
some structural or strong design element to anchor the corner. This
can be accomplished using a built element or with strong landscaping
features.
3. The on-site circulation pattern should include adequate driving space
to maneuver vehicles around cars parked at the pumps, with special
attention to the circulation of vehicles not involved in the purchase
of fuel.
4. The amount of unrelieved pavement or asphalt area on the site should
be limited through the use of landscaping, contrasting colors and
banding or pathways of alternate paver material.
5. Separate structures (canopy, carwash, cashiers booth, etc.) on the
site should have consistent architectural detail and design elements
to provide a cohesive project site.
6. Tall [over thirteen feet (13')] tank vents should be completely screened
or incorporated into the building architecture.
7. A car wash that is incorporated into the project should be well integrated
into the design. The car wash opening should be sited so that it is
not directly visible as the primary view from the street into the
project site.
8. All signs should have consistent character and design details (such
as trellis, brick, river stone, etc.) that reflect the design of the
project. The "amount of price" sign square footage required as the
state regulated minimum size does not count towards the signage calculation.
For signs larger than this minimum, the incremental square footage
difference is counted as part of the total allowable signage for the
station.
9. Signs on the sides or top of pump-area canopies are strongly discouraged.
10. Illumination should be concentrated on specific signage. Canopies
should not be illuminated. Light fixtures should be recessed into
the canopy and no glare should be visible from the fixture. Yard lights
should be oriented downward.
11. Dumpsters and service areas should have wall materials and building
styles that match those used for the station buildings.
12. The rooftop mechanical equipment screen should cover all rooftop
equipment, including any satellite or other telecommunication equipment.
1. A unified architectural design should be incorporated into each commercial
center. The architectural design of freestanding pad buildings should
be consistent with the design of the remainder of the shopping center.
Where centers are to be updated, pad buildings should be remodeled
in conjunction with an upgrade of the entire shopping center.
2. It is preferable that a significant portion of the total building
area should be located at or near the street perimeter in the Town
Center area, preferably on a corner location. Such siting, together
with substantial landscape treatment reinforces and strengthens the
streetscape and helps to screen off-street parking areas.
3. The appearance of a "sea of asphalt" parking lot in front of the
center should be avoided. Both perimeter and interior parking lot
trees should be provided for shade and visual relief in the parking
area while maintaining view corridors to the storefront areas. Liner
buildings along the street are strongly encouraged.
4. Shopping center sign programs should be established and enforced
for remodeling of the centers. Monument signs listing all tenant names
(tenant identification signs) should be avoided.
5. Remodeling or comprehensive upgrades for centers should address all
existing structures and not the only the new tenant space alone.
6. Truck delivery and circulation routes should be separated from customer
circulation. Delivery and service activities should access the site
from the least traveled street adjacent to the property.
7. All rooftop mechanical equipment, antennas, etc., should be screened
from view. Rooftop lighting is strongly discouraged.
8. Textured or colored paving materials are encouraged to identify pedestrian
circulation areas, especially within the parking lot.
9. Outdoor gathering areas and public eating areas are encouraged.