A.
Goal: to provide locations for commercial uses that include commercial and office locations as well as residential opportunities in single- or multi-use buildings and that may or may not be on individual lots.
B.
Permitted uses.
(1)
Residential flats or lofts above the ground floor.
(2)
Civic green, square.
(3)
Daycare establishments for children and adults.
(4)
Parks and recreation facilities, including but not limited to tot lots, public playgrounds, conservation areas, tennis, basketball, football, soccer, hockey and ice skating.
(5)
Civic buildings, including but not limited to post office, community center, fire emergency and police station facilities.
(6)
Public libraries and museums.
(7)
Anchor or magnet stores, shopping centers, supermarkets, wholesale clubs, lumber, hardware and garden centers.
(8)
Amusement, recreation and leisure uses not otherwise prohibited.
(9)
Art gallery.
(10)
Bakeries, confectioners.
(11)
Breweries, wineries, and distilleries.
(12)
Business and household service uses including repair shops for business equipment, appliances and the shops of tradesmen such as plumbers and electricians.
(13)
Delicatessen/carryout.
(14)
Dinner theaters.
(15)
Farm and open-air markets.
(16)
Greenhouses, including retail sales.
(17)
Florists.
(18)
Health and fitness centers; dance and exercise studios.
(19)
Medical and dental clinics.
(20)
Offices for administrative, executive, professional, business sales, government offices and similar uses, the normal attributes of which do not involve the storage, exchange or delivery of merchandise to the general public.
(21)
Office of banks and loan associations not having drive-through facilities for the transaction of business from motor vehicles.
(22)
Personal service businesses including hair salons, tanning salons, nail salons, dry cleaning outlets, dressmaking or tailor shops, shoe repair shops and related uses except for tattoo studios and body piercing establishments.
(23)
Public transportation stations and shelters.
(24)
Recreational and sport facility, indoor, commercial.
(25)
Rental halls for meetings and social occasions.
(26)
Restaurant, full service or fast food freestanding or in multi-tenant building, no drive-through.
(27)
Brewpubs.
(28)
Retail sales and services, including newspapers, gifts, novelties, tobacco products, drugs, food, clothing, spirits, confections, florist items, books and specialty merchandise, automotive supplies and services (exclusive of service stations and repair garages), including convenience stores.
(29)
Sidewalk cafes.
(30)
Taverns and nightclubs serving legal beverages.
(31)
Theaters for motion pictures and live performances.
(32)
Public and commercial garages.
(33)
Utility facilities, including telephone, water, sewer, electricity and gas.
(34)
Wireless telecommunications towers and antenna located entirely within an existing building or on the roof or side of a building or attached to an existing structure.
(35)
Any combination of the above.
C.
Customary accessory uses incidental to the above permitted principal uses in the MU Zone, including:
(1)
Flag poles; clock towers.
(2)
Home occupations and home professional offices.
(3)
Kiosks and street vending carts.
(4)
Parking structures.
(5)
Temporary building or yards for construction materials or equipment, both incidental and necessary to construction in the immediate area.
(6)
Temporary construction trailers.
(7)
Temporary office or model home both incidental and necessary for the sale or rental of real property in the immediate area.
(8)
Surface parking lots.
(9)
Swimming pools on individual lots.
(10)
Walls and fences.
(11)
Outdoor/sidewalk sales and display in accordance with the conditions of this chapter.
(12)
Signage.
D.
The following examples best embody the purpose, goals and objectives of the large-format retail unit:
(1)
Photo 1.
(a)
Attractive one-story retail main streets work well when the architecture is accentuated vertically to provide a sense of enclosure on the street.
(b)
Large glass storefronts provide an inviting image to shoppers.
(c)
Arcades provide user comfort and help to modulate the architectural rhythm, relating it to the human scale.
 |
(2)
Photo 2.
(a)
Second-story office use is encouraged. It provides on-site users of the first floor retail.
(b)
Most national chains now have architecture that will fit into a main street setting.
(c)
Solar screens and awnings provide shade to lower floors.
(d)
Creative use of projecting bays, fenestration and materials provides architectural interest to the street and may serve as a reference to a special place in the community.
 |
(3)
Photo 3.
(a)
Sidewalks should be designed with a generous width to encourage walking and outdoor dining.
(b)
Signage should be artfully incorporated into the building facade; less is sometimes more.
(c)
Appropriate levels of lighting are important to provide user comfort in evening hours; decorative lighting fixtures add to the design of the environment.
 |
(4)
Photo 4.
(a)
Public or semipublic plazas or greens are important to provide context to the land plan; provide gathering places on a daily basis; and to provide a place for special events.
(b)
The use of landscaping, walkways, fountains and architectural follies helps to provide context to public and semipublic open space.
 |
E.
Size and scope.
[Amended 10-1-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-15; 6-5-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-14]
(1)
The purpose of the zone is to provide the opportunity for a regionally based, commercial destination that is attractive to national chain stores, small boutiques and offices as well as residential units above.
(2)
Buildings should be built to the sidewalk edge.
(3)
Buildings shall be built out to perimeter county streets to establish a strong architecture street edge.
(4)
Maximum building height: 60 feet and five stories.
(5)
On-street parking is permitted on interior roads.
F.
The block.
(1)
Zoning and design.
(2)
Parking requirements.
Minimum | Maximum | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Alley width | |||
ROW (where appropriate) | 22 feet | 25 feet | |
Cartway | 18 feet | 21 feet | |
Alley access points | 2 | 3 | |
On-street stalls | |||
Length | 20 feet | — | |
Width | 8 feet | — | |
G.
The site.
(1)
(2)
Parking requirements.
Minimum | Maximum | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Parking spaces per unit | 0.8 | 1.3 | |
Driveway length | 20 feet | — | |
Width | 8 feet | 12 feet | |
(4)
Environment design recommendations.
(a)
(Reserved)
(b)
Porous pavement and rain gardens are encouraged for parking areas.
(c)
Deciduous street trees are encouraged to lower summer cooling load.
(d)
Trees to modulate microclimate.
(e)
Long-life trees are encouraged to maximize green infrastructure funds.
(f)
Xeriscape.
(g)
Nonexotic, noninvasive species are encouraged to minimize water needs.
(h)
Bioswales, cisterns, rain gardens, and porous pavement driveway material are encouraged to aid in reducing stormwater runoff.
H.
The public realm.
 |
(1)
Zoning and design.
(a)
Permitted design elements.
(b)
Zoning requirements.
Minimum | Maximum | |
|---|---|---|
Building height** | 45 feet | 60 feet |
Eave height | 24 feet | 36 feet |
Window-to-eave offset | 6 inches | |
Upper front facade fenestration | 30% | — |
Lower front facade fenestration | 70% | |
Side and rear facade fenestration | 25% | — |
Building face or roof offset | 5 feet | — |
NOTES: | |
** | For buildings with facades exceeding 100 feet, a maximum average building height of 55 feet shall be permitted measured along the affected facade. |
I.
The private realm.
 |
(1)
Zoning and design.
(a)
Design elements.
[1]
Building walls shall be brick, stone, synthetic trim board, stucco, or similar material.
[2]
Roof materials shall be raised-seam metal, slate, architectural asphalt shingles, tiles or similar material.
[3]
Roof types shall be flat, mansard or combinations thereof.
[4]
All rooftop equipment shall be screened from view.
(b)
Zoning requirements.
Minimum | Maximum | ||
|---|---|---|---|
First story clear height | 15 feet | 20 feet | |
Roof pitch Front and side encroachments | — | 9/12 | |
Terrace | 8 feet | ||
Patio | 8 feet | 10 feet | |
Bay window | — | 8 feet | |
Awning | — | 8 feet | |
Solar screen | — | 8 feet | |
Balcony/balconette | — | 8 feet | |
Rear deck | — | 8 feet | |
Stoop | 8 feet | ||
(2)
Parking requirements.
Minimum | Maximum | |
|---|---|---|
Garage height | 10 feet | 15 feet |
Garage width | 14 feet | 24 feet |
Garage depth | 25 feet | |
Garage setback | 20 feet |
(a)
Structured parking shall have a maximum height of two levels.
(3)
Edge and buffer design recommendations.
(a)
Window boxes are permitted.
(b)
Espaliers.
(c)
Roof decks/gardens are permitted.
(d)
Green roofs are permitted.
(e)
Garden walls may be brick, stone or stucco to match the principal building.
(f)
Side and rear yard fences may be wood picket, wrought iron or materials similar in appearance and durability.
(g)
All side and rear yard fences over four feet in height shall be wood, masonry, metal (excluding woven wire) or similar material.
J.
General design standards.
(1)
Building orientation.
(a)
Buildings shall be oriented to the street with primary pedestrian access points directly accessing the street facade. Front doors are required on streets with public easements.
(b)
At least 50% of a building's front facade must be built to the minimum setback line.
(c)
Buildings shall be oriented to maximize winter solar gain, consistent with the north/south orthogonal grid.
(d)
Buildings should be built to the sidewalk, public square or plaza edge.
(2)
Fenestration.
(a)
No blank facades or walls are permitted.
(b)
Minimum area of window opening on all facades, upper floors: 30%.
(c)
Minimum area of window opening on all facades, first floor: 70%.
(d)
Vertically line up windows.
(e)
Windows shall be more vertical than horizontal.
(f)
Retail windows must remain unobstructed on interior spaces.
(8)
Appurtenances (porches, stoops, balconies, balconettes, bay windows).
(a)
Store fronts encouraged to have awnings.
(b)
Store fronts must provide sign plate area.
(c)
Pop-out cafe windows are permitted.
(d)
Store fronts encouraged to be open and inviting to public.
(e)
Balconies, balconettes, terraces and/or patios are required at one per dwelling unit.
(f)
Bay windows encouraged.
(10)
Public space design guidelines.
(a)
Fronts of buildings shall be constructed to the public sidewalk.
(b)
Street furniture and amenities encouraged.
(c)
Entry plazas and courts shall be designed to welcome public use.
(d)
Large storefront windows required on first floor. Windows may be framed in wood.
(e)
First floor retail.
(f)
Screening of loading, service, and trash storage areas is required.
(11)
Semipublic space design guidelines.
(a)
All semipublic space (i.e., yards, courts, plazas) must be fully appointed with landscaping of trees, shrubs and groundcover or a combination of decorative paving and landscaping. Where appropriate, seating and lighting shall be provided.
(b)
Semipublic space must be separated from public space by a low garden wall, decorative fence (maximum six feet high), hedge material or a combination of the three.
K.
Edges, buffers and transitions notes.
(1)
Parking lots adjacent to street edges must be screened with 4 1/2-foot-high hedge or masonry wall.
(2)
Parking adjacent to residential use must be screened with minimum six-foot-high masonry wall or fence and must include three-foot-wide vegetated buffer, a minimum of six feet high at time of planting.
(3)
Lighting must be screened from residential uses.
L.
Amenity design guidelines.
(1)
Must provide at least one direct pedestrian connection between the parking and main street commercial per 150 feet of commercial frontage.
(2)
Connection must be a minimum of ten-foot-wide path with five-foot-wide landscaped edges.
(3)
Must provide textured pedestrian crosswalks internal to parking lots.
M.
Parking amenities/access design guidelines.
(1)
Porous pavement and bioswales permitted.
(2)
Vehicle access from alley or secondary streets only.
(3)
Maximum one vehicle access point per secondary street frontage.
(4)
Lighting must be shielded from residential uses.
(5)
Must provide one pedestrian connection between parking and commercial main street every 200 feet minimum.