The physical details of the Town, which include building and
landscaping elements, intimate views, walkability, and expansive vistas,
are essential to the definition of the Town's character. These details
influence how residents and visitors feel about the Town and need
to be preserved and protected.
A.
This article intends to implement the recommendations of the St.
Michaels Comprehensive Plan to encourage design qualities that reinforce
the Town's unique character and identity; and
B.
Create design guidelines for development that are sensitive to existing
housing and neighborhoods.
C.
To ensure
that new development, redevelopment and infill development along the
main commercial corridor and particularly in the GC Gateway Commercial
Zoning District are consistent with the design quality of surrounding
development and compatible with the character of the Town.
[Added 5-10-2023 by Ord. No. 542]
A.
The provisions of this article apply to all proposed development requiring site plan or subdivision approval. In approving any subdivision application or site plan in a commercial zone in the Town, consideration shall be given to compatibility standards in § 340-185.
[Amended 5-10-2023 by Ord. No. 542]
B.
All land uses, and development shall be located and developed per
the applicable provisions of this chapter and all other applicable
land development regulations except as modified by this article.
C.
Development incentive. The Planning Commission, at their sole discretion,
may modify specific minimum standards as outlined below for qualifying
projects if it is demonstrated to the satisfaction of the Planning
Commission, that such designs represent significant furtherance of
the legislative intent of this article:
(1)
Minimum lot area: decrease up to 10%;
(2)
Minimum lot width: decrease up to five feet;
(3)
Minimum lot depth: decrease up to 10 feet;
(4)
Minimum setback/yards: decrease up to two feet provided no yard
is less than five feet;
(5)
Maximum building coverage: increase up to 15%; and
(6)
Maximum impervious surface: increase up to 15%. May not be applicable
in a limited development area (LDA) and resource conservation area
(RCA).
[Amended 5-10-2023 by Ord. No. 542]
The collective visual images and sensory experiences offered residents, visitors, pedestrians, and motorists stem from the visual identity and character of the town. Context, sensitive design of new and renovated buildings, presents opportunities to enhance the visual identity and character and contribute to a definite sense of place in the Town. Conversely, a design that ignores the characteristics created by existing defining features of its surroundings can introduce discordant visual and functional elements to the neighborhoods that detract from place experience and sense of community. The following design criteria are not intended to restrict creative solutions or to dictate all design details. They are intended to inform the applicant of items that should be the underlying design objectives for every project. They also form the basis for judging whether the Planning Commission will exercise its authority to grant relief from specific development standards required in this chapter, as provided in § 340-184C. These standards are to be applied strictly to review of development applications including site plans in the GC Gateway Commercial Zoning District. The Planning Commission will evaluate the design of all proposed development projects based on the following criteria:
A.
General guidelines.
(1)
The proposed development should exhibit excellent site and architectural
design and include high-quality materials that are compatible with,
and do not negatively alter the character of the surrounding neighborhood.
(2)
Buildings should be similar in height and size or designed in
such a way that they appear similar in height and size, creating an
overall mass that is consistent with the common mass of other structures
in the area.
(3)
Primary façades and entries must face the adjacent street
and connect with a walkway that does not require pedestrians to walk
through parking lots or across driveways, and that maintains the integrity
of the existing streetscape. Building features such as windows and
doors and site features such as landscaping and screening should optimize
privacy and minimize infringement on the privacy of adjoining land
uses.
(4)
Building materials shall be like elements of the surrounding
neighborhood or use other characteristics such as scale, form, architectural
detailing, etc., to establish compatibility.
B.
Setback. Buildings should respect the established setbacks of traditional
buildings in the Town. Typically, this means that commercial buildings
align with neighboring buildings with parking to the sides and rear.
Residential buildings should usually be freestanding, with their front
façades facing the street.
C.
Orientation. Buildings should orient to the principal street with
their main entrance in full view.
D.
Scale. The scale is the relative or apparent size of a building in
relation to its neighbors, typically perceived through the size of
building elements, such as windows, doors, storefronts, porches, cornices,
surface materials, and other exterior features.
(1)
The scale of residential and commercial buildings should reflect
the prevailing scale of the Town's traditional residential and commercial
buildings; that is, they should be human in scale, that is, appear
to be of a size appropriate for human occupancy and use.
E.
Proportion. Proportion is the relation of components of buildings,
such as doors, windows, storefronts, porches, and cornices to each
other and their façades.
F.
Rhythm. The vertical and horizontal spacing and repetition of façade
elements, such as storefronts, windows, doors, belt courses, and the
like give a façade its rhythm.
(1)
The façades of buildings should be based on the façade
rhythms of the Town's traditional buildings of similar use.
(2)
The spacing between buildings should reflect the spacing between
buildings of similar use.
(3)
Façade rhythms within a contiguous commercial block should
be similar.
(4)
The façade rhythms within a residential development of
similar size houses should be compatible with each.
G.
Massing. A building's massing derives from the articulation of its
façade using dormers, towers, bays, porches, steps, and other
projections. The massing of the façade of residential and commercial
buildings should be based on the massing found on traditional buildings
of similar use in the Town.
H.
Height. The height of façades and their cornices, along with
roof ridgelines and projections such as chimneys, and towers, contributes
to the character of buildings and streetscapes.
(1)
Designing primary façades of the party wall or adjacent
buildings to be similar in height by:
I.
Materials. The type, size, texture, surface finish, and other defining
characteristics of exterior materials are essential to defining the
overall character of a building.
(1)
Materials used for walls, sloped roofs, and other surface features
of buildings should be based on the materials found on traditional
residential and commercial buildings in the Town.
(2)
The size, texture, surface finish, and other defining characteristics
of exterior materials should be like those found on the Town's traditional
residential and commercial buildings.
(3)
Nontraditional materials such as stucco, stucco-like material
(EFIS), vinyl and metal siding, textured plywood, oversized brick,
concrete block, textured concrete masonry units (CMU) and the like
should not be used for primary façades of buildings.
J.
Roof shape. The shape and slope of roofs are also crucial in defining
their character.
(1)
Roof shapes of buildings should be based on those found on traditional
buildings in the Town and compatible with those on adjacent buildings.
(2)
Roofs on new buildings should be primarily gable or hipped.
Flat or mansard roofs may be permitted if find to be appropriate to
the surrounding context.
K.
Details and ornamentation. Details such as the shape and texture
of siding used or types of brick courses used for a wall, and ornamentations
such as porch brackets, dentils, scrolls, corbels, and the like, significantly
add to the character of a façade.
L.
Color. A building's color derived from its exterior materials such
as unpainted brick, stone, terra-cotta, slate, asphalt shingle, copper,
lead, and other naturally colored materials, or paint, stains, or
other applied colors.
M.
Parking lots. Provide adequate landscaping, walls, or fences to screen
automobiles from immediate view, but still allow visual access into
the lots.
N.
Street furniture. Street furniture is the general term used to describe
benches, trash receptacles, parking meters, streetlights, and other
elements found in residential and commercial districts.
(1)
Design and locate street furniture in commercial areas that
encourage pedestrians to linger, window shop, as well as provide places
to sit, and in residential areas provide street furniture that promotes
neighborliness.
(2)
Locate street furniture so that it does not impede pedestrian
or vehicular traffic.
(3)
The design of street furniture should be compatible with the
design of the buildings.
O.
Landscape design. Using native and environmentally sound trees and
other plant material.
P.
Accessory buildings and structures. Accessory buildings and structures,
carriage houses, sheds, etc., are character-defining features when
visible from the public way.
Q.
Fence and walls. Like accessory buildings and structures, fences
and walls are character-defining elements in residential and commercial
landscapes.
(1)
Using low profile wood and metal fences in residential front
and side yards, and brick walls in commercial areas.
(2)
Taller privacy fences only used at the rear of buildings.
(3)
Locating and designing fences, so they are compatible with the
design of the buildings with which they are associated.
The Planning Commission shall approve a proposed project upon
finding that:
A.
The plan accomplishes the purposes, objectives and minimum standards
and requirements of this article;
B.
The plan is in accordance with the St. Michaels Comprehensive Plan;
C.
The plan is internally and externally compatible and harmonious with
existing and planned land uses in the area; and
D.
Existing or planned public facilities are adequate to service the
proposed development.
A.
Notice. When approval of any proposed development is contingent on relief from minimum standards as provided § 340-184C, the subject property or properties shall be posted by the Town as outlined below.
(1)
The Zoning Inspector shall notify all owners of property located
with 100 feet of any portion of the subject property.
(2)
Notice shall be provided 14 days in advance of the meeting at
which development plans are scheduled to be discussed by the Planning
Commission. Notice shall be by first class mail.
(3)
The applicant shall be responsible for the posting of the subject
property at least 14 days before the meeting at which the applicant's
proposal is scheduled to be reviewed by the Planning Commission.
B.
The applicant has the full burden of proof to demonstrate the proposed infill or redevelopment proposal meets or exceeds the compatibility standards in § 340-185. Applications shall include adequate information to address this burden of proof requirement and shall, at a minimum, include the following:
(1)
A description of the proposed development site, i.e., a plot
plan or survey plot.
(2)
A description of existing conditions in the vicinity of the
site (e.g., block-face on both sides of the street within 200 feet
of the proposed development site). These descriptions shall include
documenting photographs, and an analysis of the prominent architectural
features along the adjacent block faces and shall address the following:
C.
Applicants are encouraged to consult the publication Historic St.
Michaels, An Architectural History written by Elizabeth Hughes (ISBN
Hardcover 0-9646679-0-8, ISBN Paperback 0-9646679-1-6) for additional
insights into the Town's traditional site and architectural features
to inform project design.
Appeals from the decision of the Planning Commission concerning any application for development under the terms of this article are made as provided in Article XII of this chapter.
