In addition to the General Performance Standards and Criteria, the Planning Board shall consider the following Design Standards in reviewing any Master Planned Development application. The design standards are intended to promote quality development emphasizing the Town's sense of history as a farming community and desire for contextual, pedestrian-scaled projects. To provide additional guidance, the Planning Board may promulgate more detailed Design Guidelines. All applications made pursuant to this bylaw shall be subject to the following Design Standards.
Building Scale and Massing
The size and detailing of buildings shall be pedestrian oriented and shall reflect community preference for moderate-scale structures that do not resemble "big box shopping centers". Building design shall incorporate features to add visual interest while reducing appearance of bulk or mass. Such features include varied facades, rooflines, roof heights, materials, and architectural details. The Planning Board may, as part of a Master Planned Overlay Development Special Permit approval, authorize an exception to the height limit upon a finding that the additional height is integral to the use and/or specific design of the structure(s).
Buildings shall relate to the pedestrian scale by:
Including appropriate architectural details to add visual interest along the ground floor of all facades that face streets, squares, pedestrian pathways, parking lots, or other significant pedestrian spaces.
Articulating the base, middle, and top of the facade separated by cornices, string cornices, step-backs or other articulating features.
Continuous lengths of flat, blank walls adjacent to streets, pedestrian pathways, or open spaces or visible from adjacent residential areas are to be minimized.
Entrances
For visibility and accessibility, all primary commercial building entrances shall be visible from the right-of-way and the sidewalk, and shall have an entrance directly accessible from the sidewalk.
Doors shall not extend beyond the exterior facade into pedestrian pathways. Where parking is located to the rear of a building, entrances to the building are to be visible and accessible from the parking lot. All entrances are to have sufficient illumination at night time.
External Materials and Appearance
External building treatments shall relate to and be in harmony with surrounding structures. Predominant wall materials shall have the appearance of wood, stucco or stone painted or coated in a non-metallic finish.
Predominant wall materials shall have the appearance of wood, stucco or stone. If painted or coated, only a non-metallic finish shall be used.
Ground floor commercial building facades facing streets, squares, or other significant pedestrian spaces shall contain transparent windows encompassing a minimum of 40% of the facade surface.
Wherever possible, existing historic structures on the site shall be preserved and renovated for use as part of the development.
Any alteration of or addition to an existing historic structure shall employ materials, colors and textures as well as massing, size, scale and architectural features that are compatible with the original structure. Distinctive features, finishes, and construction techniques or examples of craftsmanship that characterize a historic property shall be preserved. Awnings and canopies shall be compatible with the architectural style of the building.
Screening of Mechanical Equipment
Mechanical equipment located on roofs shall be screened, organized and designed as a component of the roofscape, and not appear to be a leftover or add-on element.
Landscaping and Public Realm Enhancements
A minimum of 10% of the site shall remain open space that is designed and intended for public use, such as landscaped sitting areas. This category of open space shall be usable, unobstructed space that is not used for vehicle parking, vehicle circulation, loading spaces or pedestrian pathways or landscaping within vehicle parking lots. This category of open space shall not include streams, wetlands, ponds, rivers, certified vernal pools or other resource areas, or their associated buffer zones as identified under MGL Ch. 131 or the regulations thereunder.
Developments shall enhance the pedestrian environment by use of amenities such as wide sidewalks/pathways, outdoor seating, patios or courtyards, and/or appropriate landscaping. All structures, parking, pathways and other pedestrian amenities shall be designed to maximize ease of pedestrian access.
All developments shall be landscaped with appropriate low-water native vegetation. Landscaping and screening plant materials within the Littleton Village Overlay District West - Beaver Brook Area shall not encroach on the public walkways or roadways in a way that impedes pedestrian or vehicular traffic or blocks views of signs within the roadway alignment. Vehicle, pedestrian, and bicycle features shall be designed to provide a network of pathways and promote walking within the Littleton Village Overlay District West - Beaver Brook Area.
Driveways shall not occupy more than 25% of the frontage of any parcel, except for lots with a frontage of less than 40 feet. Curb cuts shall be minimized and subject to design review by the Board. The Board may require allowance for pedestrian and vehicular access to existing or future developments on abutting properties in order to facilitate pedestrian access and to minimize curb cuts.
Service Areas, Utilities and Equipment
Service and loading areas and mechanical equipment and utilities shall be unobtrusive or sufficiently screened so that they are not visible from streets or primary public open spaces and shall incorporate effective techniques for noise buffering from adjacent uses.
Vehicle and Bicycle Parking
Parking areas shall be designed to maintain a pedestrian-friendly environment. Large parking areas shall be located behind or beside buildings wherever possible. Generally, large parking areas parking shall not be located directly between the building and the street alignment.
Bicycle parking shall be provided for all new developments, and shall be at least 50% sheltered from the elements.
At least two bicycle parking or storage spaces shall be created for each commercial use within the site.
Bicycle parking or storage spaces shall be located as close as possible to the building entrance(s).
Any property owner required to have bicycle parking may elect to establish a shared bicycle parking facility with any other property owner within the same block to meet these requirements.
Sustainable Building Design
It is desirable that new buildings comply with the current Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) criteria, as promulgated by the U.S. Green Building Council to the maximum extent feasible.