Borough of Ephrata, PA Design Standards and Guidelines

See the maximum building setback in § 319-23.

Where it is feasible to use an existing alley to provide access to a new garage door or parking area, such alley shall be used instead of creating a new curb cut onto a street across a sidewalk.

No more than 50% of the front facade of a new principal building that faces onto a public street shall be comprised of exposed metal panels. Windows, doors and facade materials (such as materials with the appearance of brick or textured block) may be used in front of a metal-sided building to meet this requirement. This provision does not apply to roofing materials.

A new principal building over 150 feet in length along a street shall include variations in the front facade in rooflines, overhangs, architectural details, setbacks, colors and/or facade materials and/or use canopies, porches and awnings to provide variation. A long new principal building should have the appearance of smaller connected buildings.

Blank walls without at least one pedestrian door and one window are not permitted to face the front facade along a public street.

The applicant for a new principal building in the CBD District shall submit a preliminary architectural elevation or sketch of the front facade and a description of proposed front facade materials to the Zoning Officer. The Zoning Officer may offer the submittal to the Borough Planning Commission or other Borough staff or boards for review and comment.

New exterior fire escapes shall not be constructed on the front facade of a building facing onto a public street, unless the applicant proves to the Zoning Officer that there are no feasible alternatives.

(8)

Solid metal security gates over first floor doors and windows that face onto a public street and that are within 50 feet of a public sidewalk are prohibited. Instead, any security gates shall be mostly transparent, such as using a metal grill.

(9)

A new principal nonresidential building shall not have an exterior building side that faces onto a public street that is comprised of a total of more than 25% of any of the following materials combined: vinyl siding, aluminum siding, T-111 siding, or concrete masonry units that are not shot-blast or ground-face.

(10)

A portion of new building occupied by a retail store shall have a minimum of 15% of at least one building side that faces onto a public street comprised of windows or transparent doors. This provision shall only apply to the street level of a building up to a height of 12 feet above the ground level. Such windows do not necessarily need to be open to the interior of the building, if there are security issues, but instead can be enclosed display windows.

Site compatibility.

To the maximum extent feasible, new surface off-street parking shall be located to the rear or side of principal buildings, as opposed to being newly placed between the front lot line along a street and the front wall of a new principal building. This provision shall not limit rearrangement of spaces within existing parking areas. This provision shall not prohibit vehicle parking to the side of a principal building adjacent to a street. If such lot is adjacent to two or more streets, this restriction shall only apply to the one street that is the most heavily traveled by vehicles.

Chain-link exposed metal fencing shall not be placed in the front yard. Picket or ornamental fences are encouraged, or chain link that is coated in dark colored plastic. Highway-style metal guide rails should not be used on private property if visible from a street.

See street tree, parking lot tree and other landscaping provisions in § 319-64 and the SALDO.[1]

[1]

Editor's Note: See Ch. 281, Subdivision and Land Development.

Pedestrian orientation and safety.

Pedestrian traffic shall be carefully considered in all drive-through designs, particularly to make sure there is adequate sight distances.

Business buildings shall have their main pedestrian entrance facing a street or a pedestrian walkway/plaza, or be located within a maximum of 30 feet from the front sidewalk along the street.

The following recommended guidelines should be considered in the design of new construction, additions and exterior alterations. Some of these features may be required by other sections of this chapter in specific cases. The provisions in § 319-29 should also be used as recommended guidelines in districts where a provision is not required.

Site compatibility.

See buffer yard requirements in § 319-63, including provisions addressing eye-level views through plantings for security purposes along a street.

Vehicle parking and any garage doors should be placed to the rear of buildings as opposed to between buildings and the street. A rear or side alley should be used for garage or parking access when feasible for dwellings. Where rear parking is not practical, then parking should be provided to the side of a building. Where a residential driveway needs to enter from the front, the garage should be set back further from the street than the front facade of a principal residential building, and the driveway should be as narrow as practical through the front yard. If a residential driveway is necessary in the front of a lot, the curb cut should be a maximum of 10 feet wide, except 20 feet may be necessary for a driveway serving multiple units or that serves side-by-side parking spaces.

Shared parking among property owners and businesses is encouraged where adequate parking spaces exist for shared usage.

Landscaping, low walls that have the appearance of brick, or similar features should be used to buffer parking lots from streets, provided that there is still sufficient views into the parking area at eye level (approximately four feet to five feet) for security purposes.

Various signs on a property should be coordinated. Internally illuminated signs of box-type construction with a plastic face should be avoided. Signs should not cover architectural details. Awnings that extend at a straight angle from a building are encouraged to provide continuity along a block front and weather protection. Awnings should be used to reduce the visibility of roll-down security gate mechanisms. The front panel of an awning may be used for a sign, but the sign image should be integrated with the awning and the awning should have the appearance of a fabric-type material.

Adequate lighting shall be provided for security, but in a manner that does not generate glare. In historic areas, traditional styles of light poles should be used, with a maximum height of 20 feet. The unfiltered luminaire itself (such as in a floodlight) should not be directly visible from a street or sidewalk.

Chain-link metal fences should be avoided in the front yard. Picket or ornamental fences are encouraged. Solid wooden or vinyl plank fences should be placed in rear and side yards only. Highway-style metal guide rails should not be used.

(8)

New utilities should be placed underground. Where that is not practical, they should be placed in less visible parts of the site. For example, new utility lines should be extended from the rear of the property instead of the front. New utility meters should be hidden from view from the street frontage.

(9)

See trash dumpster screening and location standards in § 319-66.

(10)

Where new sidewalks are constructed, consideration should be given to using pervious pavers between the main concrete sidewalk and the curb.

Building compatibility.

New construction should have a front yard setback that is similar to adjacent older buildings, where there is a predominant setback of less than 30 feet from the street.

Awnings should be used to add visual interest and to provide cover during rainy weather.

Modern additions and features should be placed towards the rear of an historic building.

New construction should have rooflines that are similar to adjacent older buildings. Flat roofs should be avoided, except when a decorative cornice is used. Where a pitched roof is not practical, then the roof should at least appear to have angles and a pitch when viewed from the street.

Where existing older buildings have a certain spacing of windows and doors, similar spacing, and similar sizes of windows and doors, should be continued in new construction. Blank walls without door and window openings should be avoided along a street.

Particularly where most buildings along a block have front porches, a front porch should be incorporated into new construction. Existing older front porches should be maintained and not be enclosed.

Tractor-trailer truck loading docks are discouraged from being visible from a street.

(8)

Where allowed by the Borough, an applicant should consider offering the option in a building of a "live work unit," such as a building that encourages a person to work on the first floor and live in the upper stories.

(9)

Standard "franchise brand" facades should be modified in such a way as to become compatible with the character of historic areas.

(10)

Every effort should be made to rehabilitate and reuse older buildings that have historic architecture. If a building cannot feasibly be reused, then consideration should be given to building a new building behind a significant restored facade.

(11)

Along streets in other districts where two-or-more story buildings are common, single-story buildings should be avoided, unless they have the appearance of a two-story building when viewed from the front along the street.

(12)

Overly garish or day-glow colors should be avoided on commercial buildings. Colors should highlight architectural details and character, and be compatible with the neighborhood context.

(13)

Buildings should avoid long, monotonous, uninterrupted walls. Instead, there should be variations in a front facade, such as changes in building setbacks, colors, details, materials or rooflines.

(14)

Commercial HVAC systems should be screened from view from the front of a lot using walls, fencing, roof elements or landscaping.

Variation in New Construction

Make a new long building appear to be comprised of smaller buildings by varying colors, cornices, awnings and details.

(15)

Noisy or odor-producing ventilation equipment (such as fast-food restaurant exhaust fans) should be placed as far away from dwellings as is feasible.

Pedestrian safety and orientation.

Pedestrian crosswalks should be provided along arterial street corridors using materials and colors that visually distinguish the crosswalk from the street surface and that include some texture. A method should be used that is durable, instead of simply being adhered to the top of the asphalt.

Pedestrian traffic should be separated from major vehicle routes. Developments should be designed in such a way as to be inviting for pedestrian traffic and to provide convenient walking routes from any public transit stops.

Individual buildings and pedestrian entrances and parking areas should be laid out to promote pedestrian access among different uses, and to provide pedestrian connections towards bus and rail stops.

Pedestrian-related uses and features providing visual interest and vitality for pedestrians are encouraged along main streets. Storefronts, pedestrian entrances and display windows should relate to the street, rather than be focused directly towards a parking lot. Large parking lots, blank building faces and non-pedestrian-related uses are discouraged along major pedestrian streets.

Concrete sidewalks should be used for the main route used by wheelchairs and most unmotored pedestrians. Pervious pavers should be used to add decorative elements along the curb, and to allow water and air to reach street trees, where they may be approved by Borough Council.

Pervious Paving Strip Use

Use pervious pavers in areas that are not the primary wheelchair and pedestrian pathway.

Where there will be a major pedestrian crossing of a busy street, a pedestrian and wheelchair refuge island should be considered, so that they only have to cross one direction of traffic at a time.

Street Crossing Refuge Island

Along wide streets, consider construction of a refuge island for bicyclists and pedestrians, so that they do not need to cross all lanes of traffic at one time.