City of Kalamazoo, MI Chapter 3 Overlay Zoning Districts

§ 3.1 The Districts.

A. The overlay districts of this chapter are intended to apply in combination with the underlying base district to impose regulations and standards that address special geographic areas or land use issues.

B. In the event of conflict between overlay district regulations and the regulations of the underlying (base) district, the overlay district regulations govern. In all other cases, both the overlay district and base district regulations apply.

C. Overlay districts are established in accordance with the Zoning Map Amendment procedures of § 8.3B, Amendments to Text of Ordinance or District Map.

D. The following overlay districts are included in this Ordinance:

[Amended 10-17-2022 by Ord. No. 2056]

Table 3.1-1 Overlay Districts
NC-O	Neighborhood Conservation Overlay
PUD-O	Planned Unit Development Overlay
THD-O	Traditional Housing Density
HP-O	Historic Preservation Overlay
RF-O	Riverfront Overlay

§ 3.2 NC-O, Neighborhood Conservation Overlay.

A. Purpose. The NC-O, Neighborhood Conservation Overlay district is intended to:

1. Encourage development that conforms to the type, scale, orientation and physical design of existing development in the neighborhood;

2. Foster development and redevelopment that is compatible with the type, scale, orientation and physical design of original buildings in the neighborhood through the use of development standards, design standards and guidelines; and

3. Conserve cultural, historic and property values within identified neighborhood areas.

B. Selection Standards. An NC-O district must be a geographically defined area that has a significant concentration, linkage or continuity of sites that are united by physical development, architecture or history. To be eligible for an NC-O district designation, the area must comply with the following standards.

1. The general pattern of development, including streets, lots and buildings, must have been established at least 25 years prior to creation of the district.

2. The area must possess built environmental characteristics that create an identifiable setting, character and association.

3. The designated area must be a contiguous area of at least five acres in area. Areas of less than five acres may be designated in accordance with the procedures of this section if they abut an existing NC-O district.

C. Uses. The NC-O may not allow additional uses other than allowed by the underlying zoning district(s). The NC-O may exclude or limit uses allowed by the underlying zoning district(s).

D. Development/Design Standards. In establishing an NC-O district, the Historic District Commission, the Planning Commission, and staff are authorized to propose, and the City Commission is authorized to adopt district-specific development and design standards to guide development and redevelopment within NC-O districts. When development and design standards are approved, each application for alteration within the designated NC-O must comply with those standards. When there are conflicts between the standards of the underlying base district and adopted NC-O district design/development standards, the NC-O design/development standards govern.

E. Establishment of District. NC-O Districts are established in accordance with the Zoning Map Amendment procedures of § 8.3.B: Amendments to Text of Ordinance or District Map, except as modified by the following provisions:

1. An application to establish an NC-O district may be initiated by City staff, the Historic District Commission, the Planning Commission, or the City Commission.

2. Applications may also be initiated by petition when signed either by the owners of 51% of the area within the proposed NC-O district or by at least 51% of the property owners within the proposed district.

3. The Historic District Commission and the Planning Commission must submit written recommendations to the City Commission regarding the creation of NC-O districts.

4. The Historic District Commission is responsible for reviewing NC-O zoning applications for compliance with the Selection Criteria of § 3.2B: Selection Standards, and for recommending development/design standards and guidelines for the district.

5. The Planning Commission is responsible for reviewing the application for its planning and zoning implications.

6. The City Commission is responsible for making a final decision to approve or deny NC-O zoning.

F. Procedures.

1. Unless otherwise expressly stated, the Zoning Map amendment procedures of § 8.3B: Amendments to Text of Ordinance or District Map apply.

2. Public hearings on NC-O district designation applications must be held by the Historic District Commission, Planning Commission and City Commission in accordance with the hearing procedures of § 8.2: Public Hearing Procedures.

3. Following its hearing, the Historic District Commission must adopt, by resolution, a recommendation that NC-O district designation be approved, approved with conditions, or denied. The Historic District Commission's recommendation must be in the form of a resolution and be submitted to the Planning Commission and City Commission. The resolution must be accompanied by a report containing the following information:

a) An explanation of whether and how the area complies with § 3.2B: Selection Standards,

b) Proposed uses, Development/Design Standards, including a description of the general pattern of development, including streets, lots and buildings in the area; district-specific development and design standards pertaining to elements such as building scale, massing, and height; building elements and projections (e.g., front porches, bay windows, detached garages), setbacks, and open space to guide redevelopment and development within the district;

c) A map showing the recommended boundaries of the NC-O district; and

d) A record of the proceedings before the Historic District Commission.

4. Following the public hearing and recommendation of the Historic District Commission, the Planning Commission must hold a public hearing and adopt, by resolution, a recommendation that the NC-O district designation be approved, approved with modifications, or denied. The Planning Commission's recommendation must be in the form of a resolution and be submitted to the City Commission. The resolution must be accompanied by a report containing the following information:

a) An explanation of the planning and zoning implications related to the designation of the proposed area and district-specific development and design standards recommended by the Historic District Commission;

b) Recommendations for changes to the district-specific development and design standards to guide redevelopment and development within the district recommended by the Historic District Commission;

c) A map showing the recommended boundaries of the NC-O district; and

d) A record of the proceedings before the Planning Commission.

5. Following the public hearings by the Historic District Commission and the Planning Commission, the City Commission must hold a public hearing and act to approve, approve with modifications, or deny the application for NC-O district designation.

G. NC-O Districts Established. The following NC-O districts are established:

Table 3.1-2 NC-O Districts Established
Conservation Overlay District Name	Boundaries

§ 3.3 Standards for Traditional Housing Density Overlay (THD-O).

A. Description. The THD-O Traditional Housing Density Overlay district is intended to stabilize and preserve the character of the neighborhoods without downzoning and without creating widespread nonconformities.

B. Use Regulations. The uses allowed in the underlying district are allowed in the THD-O district.

C. Density/Intensity/Dimensional Standards. The Density/Intensity and Development standards of the underlying zoning district apply to development within the THD-O district.

D. Existing Uses.

1. All legally conforming established residential uses in existence on October 18, 2005, will be considered conforming under this Ordinance. Any residential building (legally conforming or legally nonconforming) may be rebuilt with the same number of dwelling units, but it may not be rebuilt to contain a greater number of dwelling units than (a) the number of dwelling units that existed at the time of its demolition, or (b) the number of dwelling units allowed by the density and dimensional standards of the underlying zoning district, whichever is greater.

2. If a structure in the THD-O district contains more residential dwelling unit than are permitted by the density/intensity standards of Secs. 5.1 or 5.2 (as applicable), and one or more of such dwelling units are later removed from the structure through remodeling, renovation, or any other means, then such dwelling units may not subsequently be re-constructed or otherwise made available for occupancy as a separate dwelling unit unless the residential structure would still comply with the standards of § 5.1 or 5.2 (as applicable) after such re-construction, remodeling, or occupancy. Once a dwelling unit that would not be permitted under the density/intensity standards of § 5.1 or 5.2 is removed from a structure by any means, it may not be re-constructed or made available for occupancy through any means.

3. Any conforming building containing a conforming use that has been destroyed or damaged by fire, explosion, or Act of God may be rebuilt to its pre-damage state, notwithstanding the requirements of § 9.2: Nonconforming Uses.

§ 3.4 PUD-O, Planned Unit Development Overlay District.

A Planned Unit Development Overlay district may be approved for residential, commercial, public, or industrial development, or for a mix of such uses, pursuant to the following standards and requirements.

A. Purpose. The PUD-O, Planned Unit Development Overlay District regulations are intended to:

1. Promote consistency with the Comprehensive Plan;

2. Promote development that can be conveniently, efficiently and economically served by existing and planned utilities and services;

3. Promote design flexibility that results in greater public benefits than could be achieved using conventional district regulations;

4. Encourage the preservation of environmental and historic resources;

5. Promote a mix of attractive and functional residential and nonresidential developments that are compatible with surrounding development.

B. Development Review and Approval. A PUD-O district may be approved only when the City Commission determines that a proposed Planned Unit Development complies with all the relevant and appropriate standards of § 3.4H: Standards, the procedures of § 8.3C: Planned Unit Development Overlay (PUD-O) District, and would result in a greater benefit to the City than would development under conventional district regulations.

C. Developer's Statement. Each PUD-O application must include a comparison of the proposed development with the standards of underlying district and the otherwise applicable standards of this Ordinance. Applications must also include a statement by the applicant describing how the proposed development provides greater benefits to the City than would a development carried out in accordance with otherwise applicable district and development standards.

D. Effect of other District Standards. Except as expressly authorized by the regulations of this section and approved as part of a PUD Plan (in accordance with the procedures of § 8.3C: Planned Unit Development Overlay (PUD-O) District), all of the standards of this Ordinance apply to development within a PUD-O district.

E. Minimum Land Area. A PUD-O district classification containing only residential and related land uses may only be applied to lands that comprise a minimum of five contiguous acres in area, or a contiguous city block, whichever is less. A PUD O district classification containing commercial uses or a mix of commercial and residential uses may be applied without a minimum area requirement.

F. Location. A PUD-O zoning classification may be established on any land located in the City that complies with all of the applicable standards of this section.

G. Unified Ownership or Control. The title to all land that is part of a PUD-O district classification containing only residential and related land uses must be owned or controlled by one person at the time of application and approval. A person will be considered to control all lands in the PUD-O district either through ownership or by written consent of all owners of land within the proposed PUD-O district boundary that is subject to the conditions and standards of the adopting ordinance, the PUD Plan and PUD-O District Agreement. A PUD-O district classification containing commercial uses or a mix of commercial and residential uses need not be owned or controlled by one person at the time of application and approval.

H. Standards. All development in a PUD-O district shall comply with (1) all provisions of this Code applicable to the underlying zone district unless such provisions are expressly varied by the terms of the PUD Plan. In addition, before approving a PUD-O district classification, the City Commission must find that the PUD Plan and district classification complies with those standards identified in § 8.3C.7: Planned Unit Development Overlay (PUD-O) Zone District. The City may require additional building design standards, landscaping standards and site development standards to ensure that a PUD-O classification containing commercial uses or a mix of commercial and residential uses are compatible with and enhance the appearance of surrounding areas.

§ 3.5 HP-O, Historic Preservation Overlay. [1]

The HP-O, Historic Preservation Overlay is intended to be applied to areas that are subject to the City's historic preservation ordinance. The regulations that apply within the HP-O are those contained within Chapter 16, Historic Districts, of the Kalamazoo Code of Ordinances. The local historic districts within the City of Kalamazoo are listed below:

1. Haymarket Historic District.

2. Rose Place Historic District.

3. South Burdick Historic District.

4. South Street/Vine Area Historic District.

5. Stuart Area Historic District.

[1] Editor's Note: Former § 3.5, WP-O, Wellhead Protection Overlay, added 5-21-2007 by Ord. No. 1825, was repealed 10-17-2022 by Ord. No. 2056, which ordinance also renumbered former §§ 3.6 and 3.7 as §§ 3.5 and 3.6, respectively.

§ 3.6 RF-O, Riverfront Overlay.

[Amended 7-31-2006 by Ord. No. 1809]

A. Purpose. The RF-O district is intended to implement The Kalamazoo Riverfront Redevelopment Plan (Riverfront Plan) adopted by the City on April 14, 2003. The RF-O district has specific purposes including:

1. To protect and preserve the Kalamazoo River and its frontage for public use, providing benefits to the entire City.

2. To encourage the redevelopment of areas adjacent to the riverfront in an urbanist style and to strengthen connections to and from the remainder of the City.

3. To encourage the transformation over time of certain industrial areas towards residential and mixed use development.

4. To encourage the creation of stable residential and mixed use neighborhoods including a wide variety of residential housing types on both the east and west sides of the Kalamazoo River.

5. To improve the quality of development throughout the area, and particularly along higher volume streets providing public views of the RF-O district.

6. To create a balanced and integrated transportation system that relies less on automobiles and more on bus transit, biking, and walking, and to create a mix of land uses and intensities that support that balanced transportation system.

7. To encourage patterns of development that support a mix of living, working, and recreational activities close to one another.

8. To encourage patterns of development that enclose and define street spaces, through the use of appropriate building heights and relatively small front setbacks.

9. To provide required parking to the rear or to the side of primary structures wherever possible, in order to reduce auto-oriented street frontages.

10. To encourage innovative and high quality architecture, and exceptional landscaping, lighting, signage, fixtures, and furnishings.

B. Subareas and Intended Character. The RF-O district has been divided into the following eight subareas, each of which is intended to achieve the general character described below. The boundaries of each subarea are shown on the following map.

1. Subarea 1 (Northwest Manufacturing/Residential). Subarea 1 currently has an industrial character, but is intended to transition to a residential area over time. All accessory scrap and salvage operations shall be inside an enclosed structure. Residential units should be constructed close to the street frontage of each lot to help define and enclose street spaces.

2. Subarea 2 (West Residential). Subarea 2 is intended for future single-family residential uses and neighborhood-specific commercial uses, with residential units constructed close to the street frontage of each lot to help define and enclose street spaces.

3. Subarea 3 (West Park Mixed Use). Subarea 3 is intended for future residential and mixed uses, with structures constructed close to the street frontage of each lot to help define and enclose street spaces and park areas. Structures may include live/work units, residential neighborhood commercial, and office uses, and shall be two or three stories in height. No single-story structures shall be permitted.

4. Subareas and Intended Character, 4. Subarea 4 (Southwest Commercial). Subarea 4 is intended for mixed use, including lower-intensity industrial uses, as well as commercial, office, and residential uses. High-quality design will be required, and for the portion of Subarea 4 which falls within the boundaries of the Downtown Development Authority, design will be guided by the Downtown Design Review Guidelines.

[Amended 1-3-2012 by Ord. No. 1887]

5. Subarea 5 (Park). Subarea 5 is intended to be used for park areas and open space along the Kalamazoo River. Existing homes may remain and shall be deemed to be conforming land uses, but new principal and accessory structures shall be required to comply with applicable design standards.

6. Subarea 6 (Riverview Commercial). Subarea 6 is intended for mixed use of high design quality, with commercial uses predominating. As redevelopment occurs, parking lots shall be located behind or beside (but not in front of) primary structures. New development shall orient to Riverview Drive.

7. Subarea 7 (East Bank Mixed Use). Subarea 7 is intended to accommodate an urban-style residential neighborhood with residential uses along the river and neighborhood scale commercial uses around the edges of the area. The amount of commercial development shall be limited to ensure the predominantly residential character of the area.

8. Subareas and Intended Character, 8. Subarea 8 (Southeast Mixed Use). Subarea 8 is a highly visible location with excellent transportation access, and is intended for redevelopment with a mix of office, restaurants or retail uses, or general industrial uses that are combined with restaurant or retail/commercial uses.

[Amended 1-3-2012 by Ord. No. 1887]

9. Subarea 9 (South Mixed Use). Subarea 9 is a highly visible location with excellent transportation access, and is intended for redevelopment with a mix of office, restaurant, retail, multiple-family, attached housing, and mixed uses.

[Added 8-6-2018 by Ord. No. 1969]

C. Permitted Uses.

1. Different land uses are permitted in each subarea of the RF-O district as shown in the attached Table 3.7-1. Abbreviations used in the table shall have the same meanings assigned to them in § 4.1. A "P" indicates that a use is permitted by right, subject to compliance with all other applicable local, state and federal regulations, including the regulations of this Ordinance. A "C" indicates that the use may not be established after October 18, 2005, but if the use was legally established and in existence on that date it may continue to exist as a legal conforming use. An "S" indicates that a use is allowed only if reviewed and approved in accordance with the special use permit procedures of § 8.3D: Special Use Permit. A blank cell indicates that the listed use is not allowed in the respective subarea.

2. Some uses are subject to additional requirements set forth (a) in the right-hand column of Table 3.7-1[1] (which cross-references materials in Chapter 4), and/or (b) subarea-specific use standards set forth in § 3.7D below. In the event of any conflict between Table 3.7-1 and Table 4.2-1, the materials in Table 3.7-1 shall apply.

[1] Editor's Note: Table 3.7-1 is included as an attachment to this chapter.

D. Subarea-Specific Use Regulations. The standards in this Subsection D apply in specific subareas of the RF-O district. In the event of a conflict between the use-specific standards in § 4.2 and the subarea-specific standards in § 3.7D, the stricter provision shall apply. Where the standards below reference termination or abandonment, it shall be presumed that a termination, abandonment, or relocation has occurred if there has been a complete cessation of the use continuously for a period of 180 days. Maintaining of utility services or payment of taxes during this one-hundred-eighty-day period is insufficient to overcome this presumption unless other factors clearly showing that the use was not terminated, abandoned, or relocated is provided to the City Planner.

1. Subarea 1 (Northwest Industrial/Residential).

a) If a use categorized as an industrial use in Table 3.7-1 terminates, is abandoned, or relocates out of Subarea 1, no industrial use shall occupy any part of such property.

b) Residential uses shall be developed pursuant to an overall development plan or a PUD requiring that at least five dwelling units be developed in each phase.

1) Construction of single-family homes unrelated to an approved overall development plan is not permitted.

2. Subarea 2 (West Residential).

a) Uses categorized as commercial uses in Table 3.7-1 shall only be permitted if they have a gross floor area of less than 2,500 square feet and primarily provide services to residents in the surrounding area.

3. Subarea 3 (West Park Mixed Use).

a) Uses categorized as commercial uses in Table 3.7-1 shall only be permitted if they have a gross floor area of less than 3,500 square feet, are oriented towards and adjacent to a public park or open space, and primarily provide services to residents in the immediately surrounding area.

4. Subarea 4 (Southwest Commercial).

a) Uses categorized as industrial uses or commercial-vehicle and equipment sales and service uses in Table 3.7-1 shall only be permitted after issuance of a special use permit.

b) Uses categorized as eating and drinking establishments in Table 3.7-1[2] shall be required to have sit-down facilities as well.

[2] Editor's Note: Table 3.7-1 is included as an attachment to this chapter.

c) Residential uses shall only be developed pursuant to an overall development plan or a PUD requiring that at least five dwelling units be developed in each phase. Construction of single-family homes unrelated to an approved overall development plan is not permitted.

5. Subarea 5 (Park).

a) If an existing industrial or commercial use terminates, is abandoned, or relocates out of Subarea 5, no industrial or commercial use shall occupy any part of such property.

6. Subarea 6 (Riverview Commercial).

a) Uses categorized as industrial uses or commercial-vehicle and equipment sales and service uses in Table 3.7-1 shall only be permitted after issuance of a special use permit.

b) Uses categorized as eating and drinking establishments in Table 3.7-1 shall be required to have sit-down facilities as well.

c) Residential uses shall only be developed pursuant to an overall development plan or a PUD requiring that at least five dwelling units be developed in each phase. Construction of single-family homes unrelated to an approved overall development plan is not permitted.

7. Subarea 7 (East Bank Mixed Use).

a) New residential uses may only be developed pursuant to an overall development plan or a PUD requiring that at least six dwelling units be developed in each phase. Residential units may include live/work units and attached units, and all residential units shall be two to four stories in height. Residential units with more than four stories shall not be located closer than 300 feet from the Kalamazoo River. No single-story structures shall be permitted.

b) Uses categorized as industrial uses in Table 3.7-1 shall not be permitted in Subarea 7. Uses categorized as commercial uses in Table 3.7-1 that are not oriented towards and adjacent to Riverview Drive or Gull Road shall only be permitted if they have a gross floor area of less than 3,500 square feet and provide services to residents in the immediately surrounding area.

8. Subarea 8 (Southeast Mixed Use).

a) Residential uses may be permitted as part of a mixed-use development where ground floor uses are nonresidential.

9. Subarea 9 (South Mixed Use).

[Added 8-6-2018 by Ord. No. 1969]

a) Mixed-use buildings are encouraged with first floors containing office and retail uses, and upper floors containing residential uses.

b) Buildings shall be constructed close to the street frontages with parking at the rear or side. No parking in the front of the building is allowed.

c) Buildings shall be a minimum of 20 feet in height, and shall be no more than two stories taller than adjacent buildings.

d) Sidewalks shall be provided on all properties, and bike lanes shall be included in the street areas whenever possible.

e) Whenever possible, building and site design shall take advantage of the Portage Creek by including balconies that face the creek, porches, sitting areas, and outdoor customer areas for business uses.

f) The street network in Subarea 9 shall have a high degree of connectivity and shall offer multiple circulation routes within the district and to adjacent areas.

g) Residential uses shall require that at least five dwelling units be developed in each phase. Residential units may include live/work units and attached units. All residential units shall be two to four stories in height. Residential units with more than four stories shall not be located closer than 300 feet from the Kalamazoo River.

h) Drive-through designs will not impact the walkability of the area and will be located to the rear or side of the building. A primary entry from the frontage street must be maintained for pedestrian access. Primary building face shall be located along street frontage. Front yard may only contain café style seating, landscaping, and pedestrian infrastructure. (See Figure 1.)

Figure 1

E. Development and Design Standards. All new development in the RF-O district shall comply with the following standards:

1. Street Network. The street network, including sidewalks, in the RF-O district shall have a high degree of connectivity and shall create multiple circulation routes both within the district and to adjacent areas outside the RF-O district boundaries.

2. Street Design. The RF-O zone district is intended to have relatively narrow streets in order to encourage slower automobile travel, a friendlier pedestrian environment along the right-of-way, and to encourage primary buildings to be built close to the street. Typical street dimensions are illustrated below.

3. Parking. The requirements of § 6.1: Off-Street Parking and Loading, shall apply within the RF-O zone district, except that:

a) Minimum off-street parking requirements for all uses that are categorized as commercial uses in Table 3.7-1 and that are not oriented to and adjacent to Riverview Drive, Michigan Avenue, Walbridge Street, or Gull Road may be reduced by 25% to reflect expectations of increased walkability and reduce auto-dependence within the district.

b) Uses categorized as commercial uses in Table 3.7-1 may count on-street parking spaces immediately adjacent to or directly in front of the subject property towards the minimum off-street parking requirements. Each qualifying on-street parking space shall reduce the minimum required off-street parking by 1/2 space.

4. Drive-In and Drive-Through Facilities. All drive-in and drive-through facilities shall comply with the following standards. In the event these standards conflict with those standards in § 6.1C.3, Stacking Spaces for Drive-In or Drive-Through Uses, or § 6.3E, Screening of Drive-Through Facilities, or with any other standard in this Ordinance, these standards shall govern.

a) Service areas and stacking lanes for all new drive-in or drive-through facilities must be set back a minimum of five feet from all lot lines. When abutting residential uses, a six-foot-tall, opaque privacy fence is required to be installed on or near the common border to screen the drive-in or drive-through facility from the residential structure. A row of six-foot-tall evergreen trees that provide a continuous opaque screen may be substituted for the fence. All driveway entrances, including stacking lane entrances, must be located at least 50 feet from any intersection. The distance is measured along the property line from the junction of the two street lot lines to the nearest edge of the entrance.

b) Stacking lanes must contain a minimum of 90 feet for a single stacking lane or 54 feet per lane when there is more than one stacking lane. A stacking lane is measured from the curb cut to the service area. Stacking lanes do not have to be linear.

c) When abutting residential parcels, drive-in or drive-through facilities with noise-generating equipment must document in advance that the facility will meet the City Noise Ordinance regulations.[3] Noise-generating equipment includes items such as speakers and exterior air handling devices.

[3] Editor's Note: See Ch. 21, Noise.

5. Outdoor Display Areas. Indoor retail sales and service uses may have small outdoor display areas, with a total area not to exceed 10% of the total sales floor area. These outdoor display areas must be located on the same parcel as the primary business location. All outdoor display areas must be properly identified and contained, and must be open only during store hours. Outdoor display areas must be either removed when the retail sales and service use is closed, or completely contained within a decorative fence at least four feet in height. In the event these standards conflict with any other standard in this Ordinance, these standards shall govern.

6. Dimensional Standards.[4]

[4] Editor's Note: Table RF-O.1 is included as an attachment to this chapter.

7. Building Design Standards. All development within the RF-O zone district shall comply with all applicable design standards in § 6.5: Design Standards, unless such standards are inconsistent with the design standards in Subsections E7(a) through (d) below — in which case the standards below shall govern.

a) All Development and Structures.

1) All primary structures shall be oriented to a street or driveway (rather than an internal courtyard), and shall have direct walking access from the front door of the primary structure to the street sidewalk system.

2) All development shall incorporate the open space corridors and trails identified in the Kalamazoo Riverfront Redevelopment Plan. No applicant shall be required to dedicate to the City or to public use any portion of any such open space system or trail if the amount of such dedication would violate state or federal law regarding development exactions.

3) Residential garages with access from alleys are preferred. Where lots receive garage access from the street, garages should be designed so that the plane of the garage door is roughly perpendicular to the street. Where a garage door(s) is located roughly parallel to and visible from the street, such garage door(s) shall not occupy more than 45% of the total width of the front elevation of the residential structure. The front plane of the garage shall not extend closer to the street than the front plane of the primary structure.

4) A wide variety of building materials may be used for building exterior surfaces, including but not limited to metal, granite, stone, terra cotta, concrete, glass, brick, stucco, decorative concrete block, and wood clapboard. Alternate or new materials may also be used as long as they are compatible with the physical characteristics of the historic materials which lend character to this area of the City.

5) The use of the following materials requires review and approval as set forth in Subsection E8(b) below: horizontal or vertical rough-textured wood siding, stone and gravel aggregate, shingles, vinyl or aluminum siding, and TI-II (plywood).

b) Residential Structures. All new residential structures shall comply with the standards in this Subsection E7(b). Multifamily structures shall be required to comply with the multifamily design standards in § 6.5A, Multifamily Residential.

1) Residential Forms (Single-Family and Duplex). All new residential structures shall closely resemble the design and character of the residential examples illustrated in the document: Recommended Housing Styles for the Riverfront Target Area.

2) Residential Design Menu (Single-Family and Duplex). Each single-family detached or duplex dwelling unit (a) shall be between 1 1/2 and three stories in height and (b) shall include a front door area designed to be the dominant feature on the front facade of the house through the use of clerestory windows, sidelight windows, double doors, or front porch columns, and (c) shall contain at least two of the following three architectural features:

•	Front or side porch with a minimum depth of five feet, and minimum floor area of at least 50 square feet.
•	Total area of brick, stucco, or stone veneer (or a combination thereof) equal to at least 50% of the entire area of all facades visible from public streets or adjacent residential properties.
•	A house design where garage doors do not appear on the front elevation of the house but are perpendicular to the street or located behind the primary structure.

c) Mixed Use Structures. New mixed-use structures shall incorporate at least two of the following four architectural features.

•	A minimum of 10% of each facade area that faces a public street shall be composed of transparent materials, unless the Site Plan Review Committee determines that such transparency would be inconsistent with the operational requirements of the building. At least one-half of this required amount of transparent materials shall be provided so that the lowest edge of the transparent materials is no higher than four feet above the street level. In areas used to meet this transparency requirement, glazing shall have a visible light transparency percentage of at least 60%.
•	Each facade greater than 100 feet in length, measured horizontally, shall incorporate wall plane projections or recesses having a depth of at least 3% of the length of the facade and extending at least 20% of the length of the facade. No uninterrupted length of any facade shall exceed 100 horizontal feet. Walls whose elevations include 25% of their surface area in balconies, patios, windows, or natural materials shall be exempt from this requirement.
•	Each building with commercial or retail uses shall have clearly defined, highly visible customer entrances with features designed to emphasize the importance of the entrance, which may include but are not limited to canopies or porticos, overhangs, recesses or projections, arcades, arches, peaked roof forms, outdoor patios, display windows, architectural tilework or moldings integrated into the building design, or integrated planters or wing walls that incorporate landscaped areas or seating areas.
•	The primary structures shall have a sloping roof with a pitch of three in 12 or greater, which shall incorporate either projecting gables or one horizontal or vertical break in the roofline per 60 linear feet of roof length.

d) Commercial Structures.

1) Commercial structures in Subsections 1, 2, 3, and 7 shall comply with those standards in § 6.5A, Neighborhood Commercial, as applicable to the CN-1 zone district. In case of any conflict between the requirements of § 6.5A and the requirements of this RF-O zone district, the latter shall govern. Loading areas shall be located where they are not visible from public streets or from adjacent properties with residential uses. If this is not possible, screening of loading areas shall comply with the requirements of § 6.2.

2) Commercial structures in Subsections 4, 6, and 8 shall comply with those design standards in § 6.5A, Neighborhood Commercial, as applicable to the CN-2 zone district. In case of any conflict between the requirements of § 6.5A and the requirements of this RF-O zone district, the latter shall govern. Loading areas shall be located where they are not visible from public streets or from adjacent properties with residential uses. If this is not possible, screening of loading areas shall comply with the requirements of § 6.2.

e) Industrial Structures.

1) All industrial structures shall comply with those design standards in § 6.5B, Large Retail Establishments, regardless of whether the industrial structure contains retail uses, and regardless of whether the gross floor areas of the structure exceed 50,000 square feet. In case of any conflict between the requirements of § 6.5B and the requirements of this RF-O zone district, the latter shall govern.

2) Administrative/office portions of the structure shall be located in the portion of the building facing the street.

3) Loading areas and overhead doors shall be located where they are not visible from public streets or from adjacent properties with residential uses. If this is not possible, screening of loading areas shall comply with the requirements of § 6.2.

8. Procedure.

a) All proposed development in the RF-O district shall be subject to the requirements of the site plan review process set forth in § 8.3H, as applicable. The comments and recommendations made during that process shall be incorporated into the design review process, and compliance with the design standards and guidelines of § 3.7E. shall be required.

b) All residential and other development in the RF-O district that does not require site plan review under § 8.3H shall require the prior approval of the City Planner to ensure that such development is in compliance with the design standards and guidelines under § 3.7E.