City of Cushing, OK Highway 33/Main Street Corridor

[Ord. No. 03-21-06-01, §§ 1 — 9, 3-21-2006]

Compliance with Highway 33/Main Street Corridor Site Plan Review and Design Standards required. Any owner or authorized agent who intends to construct new development or commence new construction, or to make significant modifications or expansion of existing buildings or structures upon properties immediately adjacent to State Highway 33 (Main Street) in the City of Cushing shall comply with the Highway 33/Main Street Corridor Site Plan Review and Design Standards as set forth herein before a building permit will be issued.

Purpose of site plan review and design standards. The Highway 33/Main Street Corridor (corridor) is the City's primary high-intensity commercial zone, the major transportation artery, and one of the most significant visual features of the community. The purpose of site plan review and design standards is to ensure that development in the corridor contributes to the highest utilization and performance of commercial properties, supports safe and efficient travel and circulation, and creates and maintains a high aesthetic standard. The principal goal of these standards is to enhance the quality-of-life in Cushing, and preserve its image as a desirable place to live, operate a business, and visit.

"Corridor" defined. For the purpose of these regulations, "corridor" refers to all properties immediately adjacent to Highway 33/Main Street, from the eastern to the western limits of the City.

Applicability of standards. Within the corridor, a site plan review approval based on the herein described guidelines and standards shall be required for the issuance of a permit for any new development/construction. These standards shall only apply to issuance of permits relating to existing development under the following conditions:

(1)

Any modification, alteration, or expansion of any structure or major site characteristic (landscaping, architecture, parking and circulation, signs) of 50% or greater; or,

(2)

Lot consolidation or a change in the zoning lot of record; or

(3)

Change in roadway access.

Unless otherwise required by City general or zoning ordinance, these standards, when applied to existing development, shall accommodate existing conditions to the greatest extent possible.

Site plan review process.

(1)

Prior to obtaining any permit for any of the aforementioned activities, the property owner or the owner's designated agent shall submit an application for site plan approval to the code official. Within a reasonable time frame allowing for review of submitted information, the site plan shall be reviewed by the site plan review committee. If the proposed application is found to meet design requirements, the committee shall issue a site plan approval. If the application is found to be deficient in content or fails to meet design requirements, the committee shall indicate such deficiencies to the applicant who may make adjustments and resubmit.

(2)

An application is considered to meet the design requirements herein if the review committee, in its judgment, determines that the application overall demonstrates reasonable conformity with the purpose, general guidelines, and elements of design set forth herein. Recognizing that every property, every proposal, and every situation is unique, the review committee may waive, modify or lessen any of the standards herein as it reasonably deems appropriate.

Site plan review committee. The site plan review committee shall be comprised of the City engineer, the code official, and such other City staff whose technical field may be required.

Application contents. Applications for site plan approval shall consist of a statement of the proposed use and the following:

(1)

A plot plan to scale;

(2)

Adjoining streets, alleys, and adjacent off-site improvements;

(3)

Locations and dimensions of existing and proposed improvements including buildings, fencing, landscaping, off-street parking, trash enclosures;

(4)

Building elevations;

(5)

Site entry and exit and internal circulation; and

(6)

Any other data and dimensions necessary to show that all provisions of these standards are satisfied.

General guidelines. These design standards emphasize the use of architectural design, landscaping, sign control, and other site design and construction techniques to improve and enhance the use of properties within the corridor. While specific in some regards, the standards are intended to achieve certain overall objectives while allowing creativity, innovation, and accommodating the unique characteristics of a particular property. The general objectives of the design standards are as follows:

(1)

Functionality. A functional design should effectively accommodate the use or activity for which the development is intended, and provide for the comfort and ease of access of its users. A functional design will also provide safe and efficient pedestrian and vehicular links within the development and between the development and surrounding properties, roadways, and neighborhoods.

(2)

Orderliness. Order means maintaining a sense of continuity and harmony. Development supports orderliness by not interrupting or conflicting with the character or pattern of existing surrounding development. Within a development, order is maintained through the consideration of building placement, parking and circulation, and through unifying architectural elements.

(3)

Identity. An effective development will convey a sense of its own unique identity and use while remaining consistent with surrounding development. Development identity can be enhanced by incorporating elements that establish visual focus (a clock tower, fountain, unique landscaping, for example), and by creating a particular "feel" through building placement or amenities (such as walkways, courtyards, arcades).

(4)

Appeal. The development design should be pleasing and attractive, and contribute in a positive way to the aesthetic quality of Cushing. Building architecture and sight design should reflect a standard of quality and excellence, convey a focus on the customer, and suggest an inviting and enjoyable experience.

Elements of design. In addition to any other City ordinance standards or requirements, including the Cushing Zoning Ordinance, all development subject to these standards shall incorporate the following, except where an exemption is granted in site plan review due to specific property characteristics or overall project considerations:

(1)

Landscaping:

For lots less than 200 feet in depth, a twenty-foot greenbelt along the length of the Main Street frontage, inclusive of right-of-way. The greenbelt shall be turf, with at least 20% dedicated to plantings, trees, or other landscaping elements (stone, timbers, fountains, etc.). An approved accent landscape plan is acceptable as an alternative to the greenbelt.

For lots 200 feet or greater in depth, a comprehensive landscape plan shall be approved for the site.

Plantings and other landscaping elements along building walls, should be used to accent building and entryway, and create transition from paved areas.

Landscape "islands" in the parking areas, of at least 200 square feet and not less than one per every 20 parking spaces.

All landscape materials shall be drought resistant and shall be approved as to type and amount by the site plan review committee.

(2)

Architecture: Design elements and qualities that are to be incorporated into new construction or expansion include:

Variety of surface texture;

Wall articulation and relief;

Large windows at street level and windows (operable or decorative) in regular rhythm on all visual sides of buildings to preclude blank wall space;

Detailing such as tile accents, pop-outs, window trim or awnings;

Exterior materials shall be of masonry, plaster, stone, brick, stucco, textured block, EIFS. Other materials will be considered on a case-by-case basis;

Metal buildings are allowed but shall have at least 50% treatment material treatment (brick, stone, stucco, etc.) on all visual areas;

Roofs either shall be peaked or shall be concealed by parapet walls, mansards, etc.;

Roof materials may include concrete tile, slate or metal standing seam with baked enamel colors. Other materials will be considered on a case-by-case basis;

Roof overhangs proportional to building scale;

Large buildings shall avoid a box-like appearance by any or a combination of the following: varying the plane of exterior walls in depth or direction; varying building height; varying roofline; creating articulation of facade by use of color or materials; use of detailing, shadowing, relief, accents, etc.; and

Building placement and orientation should create a harmony with adjacent properties and within the site. For sites with more than one building, the structures should be oriented to create a "village center" feel. Service areas should be located to the rear of the property/buildings, and screened by fencing or landscaping.

(3)

Parking and circulation:

Parking should be located at the sides or toward the rear of the property. Parking fronting on Main Street should be avoided; if necessary, it should be limited to one row adjacent to the building;

Parking areas should be broken up into groups of not more than 20 spaces where possible (35 for large developments), separated by landscaping, islands, medians, etc.;

Parking spaces should be separated from building walls by sidewalks, curbs, landscaping, etc.;

Every effort should be made to link circulation with adjacent properties, and to use shared parking to minimize parking "fields";

Entrances and exits from Main Street should be minimized. Where possible, there should be a one-hundred-foot separation between driveways; where not, one-way drives are preferred;

Interior circulation should be one-way, where possible, and should minimize the need for throughways; and

Through access to North Street is encouraged; access by way of alleyways is not.

(4)

Signs:

Signs should be of design, materials, and scale that comports with the overall characteristics of the site and buildings;

Signs should not be a dominant feature of the site; nor should they be a distraction for street traffic;

Signs on buildings should be incorporated into the architectural elements; and

Streetscape signs should be incorporated into the landscape elements.