City of Lake Saint Louis, MO Article IV Residential Site And Building Design

Section 425.230 Purpose.

[Ord. No. 4190, 2-1-2021]

A. This Article is intended to:

1. Promote high-quality residential development and construction;

2. Protect the character of established residential neighborhoods;

3. Promote new residential developments that are distinctive, have character, and relate and connect to established neighborhoods;

4. Encourage a variety of housing choices;

5. Provide variety and visual interest in the exterior design of residential buildings;

6. Protect and enhance property values; and

7. Enhance residential streetscapes.

Section 425.240 Applicability.

[Ord. No. 4190, 2-1-2021]

A. This Article shall apply to the following:

1. The construction of new detached houses, duplexes, townhouses, and multi-unit buildings.

2. An addition to an existing detached house, duplex, or townhouse where the total gross floor area of the proposed addition is fifty percent (50%) or more than that of the total gross floor area of the existing structure before the addition or renovation.

3. An addition to a multi-unit building which requires approval of a site plan (Section 405.160).

B. This Article shall not apply to the following:

1. Mixed-use buildings which are subject instead to Chapter 425, Article V, Mixed-Use and Nonresidential Site and Building Design.

Section 425.250 Waivers And Modifications.

[Ord. No. 4190, 2-1-2021]

A. The standards of this Article may be waived or modified through one of the following procedures, except where an alternative procedure is specified in this Article:

1. Minor adjustment (Section 405.220).

2. Variance (Section 405.230).

3. Zoning Map amendment (Section 405.100) to planned unit development (Section 415.130).

Section 425.260 Site Design.

[Ord. No. 4190, 2-1-2021]

A. Site Drainage.

1. Drainage must be established away from the proposed foundation.

2. The finished grade must fall a minimum of one-half (1/2) inch per foot for a distance of ten (10) feet from the structure.

3. No stormwater shall drain directly or indirectly into the sanitary sewers. Stormwater shall be directed to the street or established drainageways.

B. Building Orientation.

1. Detached Houses And Duplexes.

a. The orientation of the primary entrance and facade shall be consistent with the established pattern along the block face.

b. No structure shall be sited diagonally or otherwise skewed on the lot.

2. Townhouse And Multi-Unit Buildings.

a. To the maximum extent feasible, the primary entrance and facade of individual buildings within a development shall be oriented towards:

(1) Primary, internal or perimeter streets; or

(2) Common open space, such as interior courtyards, parks, or on-site natural areas or features with a clearly defined and easily accessible pedestrian circulation system.

C. Walk-Out Lower Levels.

1. Houses with walk-out lower levels are permitted when the existing topography of the site descends from the proposed or existing roadway a vertical distance of six (6) feet from front to rear across the depth of the proposed building.

D. Dimensional Standards

1. Refer to Section 415.030, Residential Dimensional Standards.

E. Landscape, Screening, And Fencing.

1. Refer to Chapter 425, Article II, Landscape, Screening, And Fencing.

F. Parking, Access, And Mobility.

1. Refer to Chapter 425, Article III, Parking, Access, And Mobility.

G. Exterior Lighting.

1. Refer to Chapter 425, Article VI, Exterior Lighting.

Section 425.270 Gross Floor Area.

[Ord. No. 4190, 2-1-2021]

A. Detached houses shall conform to the minimum gross floor space requirements listed in Table 425.270.A, Gross Floor Area for Detached Houses.

Table 425.270.A. Gross Floor Area for Detached Houses
House Type	Lake Lots and Golf Course Lots square feet	R1 square feet	R2 square feet	R3, R4, R6 square feet
One-story above grade	2,000	2,000	1,500	1,500
Two-story above grade	2,000	2,200	2,000	1,800

B. The minimum gross floor area for duplex and townhouse dwelling units is one thousand (1,000) square feet.

C. The minimum gross floor area for dwelling units in multi-unit buildings is six hundred (600) square feet.

Section 425.280 Building Height Transitions.

[Ord. No. 4190, 2-1-2021]

A. A new building with a height that exceeds that of an adjacent residential building within fifty (50) feet by one (1) story or more shall provide a transition using at least one (1) of the following techniques:

1. Stepping down building height and mass along the shared property line to meet the height of the existing neighboring home along a minimum of fifty percent (50%) of the new building's length. The stepped-down portion of the new building shall be a minimum of ten (10) feet in width and depth. This option is available only where the existing residential building is located along the property line adjacent to the new building;

2. Providing variations in the side building wall and/or roof form so that new structures have a comparable scale as neighboring homes along the shared property line;

3. Utilizing a roof pitch and overhang similar to that of the neighboring structures; and

4. Utilizing dormers and sloping roofs to accommodate upper stories.

Section 425.290 Building Elevations.

[Ord. No. 4190, 2-1-2021]

A. Architectural Variety.

1. Identical front elevation designs of new detached homes and duplexes shall not be permitted on any two (2) adjacent lots on the same block face.

2. A continuous row of identical buildings along a block is prohibited. This provision is not intended to prohibit a row of attached townhouses, provided that each individual unit is architecturally distinguished from adjacent units through distinctions in the architectural features required in Subsection (A)(4).

3. All sides of a residential building shall incorporate architectural detailing that complements the front facade and provides visual interest. Blank walls void of architectural detailing are prohibited except where required by the Fire Code.

4. For the purposes of satisfying the requirements of Subsection (A)(3), architectural features shall be incorporated into the overall design of each side of the building. Each detached house, duplex, and townhouse shall provide at least three (3) of the following architectural features, and each multi-unit building shall provide at least five (5) of the following architectural features:

a. Covered porches;

b. Balconies;

c. Prominent entry features;

d. Bay windows;

e. Door openings;

f. Distinct variations in color;

g. Variations in materials;

h. Variations in building height;

i. Variations in roof form;

j. Dormers;

k. Projected or recessed building walls; or

l. Other architectural features as approved by the Community Development Director.

B. Housing Type Variety.

1. A mix of residential housing types, including detached houses, duplexes, townhouses, and multi-unit buildings, is encouraged in zoning districts where such housing types are permitted.

2. In the R6 Zoning District, development sites larger than ten (10) acres shall incorporate a minimum of two (2) housing types, including detached houses, duplexes, townhouses, or multi-unit buildings. In no case shall the number of dwelling units in multi-unit buildings exceed forty percent (40%) of the total number of dwelling units in the development.

[Ord. No. 4413, 8-15-2022]

Section 425.300 Building Materials And Colors.

[Ord. No. 4190, 2-1-2021]

A. Principal Building Materials.

1. Principal building materials shall be selected for their ability to withstand the local climate. Materials with demonstrated durability include, but are not limited to:

a. Brick;

b. Stone;

c. Cementitious and vinyl siding; or

d. Other comparable materials as approved by the Community Development Director.

B. Other Standards.

1. Brick or stone wraps of at least eighteen (18) inches shall be required on the outside corner when brick or stone is used on the front elevation of an outside corner, except on side entry garages the front corner wrap shall be a minimum of twelve (12) inches.

2. The primary exterior wall material shall extend to within eight (8) inches of the finished grade.

3. Finished materials on exterior chimney surfaces shall be extended to within twelve (12) inches of the finished grade or terminate on a deck.

4. Architectural trim is required completely around all window openings, including basement windows. The window sash and trim measured together shall be a minimum of four (4) inches on the front elevations of residential structures and three (3) inches on side and rear elevations.

C. Colors.

1. Color selections for residential buildings shall be compatible with neighboring residences, the natural surroundings, and with community standards.

2. The color selection shall not be materially and obviously dissimilar to the exterior color selections of other buildings in the surrounding neighborhood or to the range of colors in customary use in the community at large as to appear to be jarring, clashing, exotic or bizarre.

3. Identical front elevation color schemes of new detached homes and duplexes shall not be permitted on any two (2) adjacent lots on the same block face.

Section 425.310 Garages And Accessory Structures.

[Ord. No. 4190, 2-1-2021]

A. General.

1. All detached houses, duplexes, and townhouses shall have a minimum two-car detached or attached garage.

2. Side or rear entry garages are encouraged.

3. All garages shall be equipped with garage doors.

4. Garage doors shall be finished with an approved color to blend with the building colors.

B. Alley-Oriented Garages.

1. Where an alley exists, new garages serving new residential development shall be located at the rear of the lot and accessed from the alley.

C. Street-Oriented Garages.

1. For detached houses, street-oriented garages shall not comprise more than fifty percent (50%) of the width of the front facade.

2. For all residential development in the R6 Zoning District, garages that protrude towards the street in front of the primary facade of the structure are prohibited. All street-oriented garages shall be either:

a. Recessed a minimum of ten (10) feet behind the front facade of the dwelling portion of the structure (including side-oriented garages) or a front porch or porte cochere that is a minimum of five (5) feet deep by eight (8) feet long; or

b. Recessed a minimum of two (2) feet beneath a second floor bay or balcony that extends the length of the garage door(s), roof overhang, or decorative roof element.

3. Other garage configurations may be warranted by site constraints, such as topographic features and/or access limitations, and may be administratively approved as determined by the Community Development Director.

D. Additional Standards For Multi-Unit Buildings.

1. Garages and carports are not required for multi-unit buildings; however, when provided, they shall comply with the following standards:

a. Residential developments with five (5) or more units shall incorporate a variety of garage or carport configurations to minimize the visual impact resulting from long, uninterrupted rows of garages or carports.

b. For multi-unit developments with multiple buildings in the R6 and MU Districts, garage/carports or garage/carport entries shall be internalized in building groupings and located away from street frontages or accessed using an alley.

c. Tuck-under garages shall be recessed a minimum of one-foot beneath a second floor bay or balcony that extends the length of the garage door(s).

E. Other Accessory Buildings.

1. For multi-unit developments, freestanding garages, carports and other accessory structures (including but not limited to grouped mailboxes, storage and maintenance facilities, recreational facilities, picnic shelters, and gazebos) shall incorporate materials, scale, colors, architectural details, and roof slopes that are compatible with the principal multi-unit buildings, except that flat and shed roofs are prohibited.