The following design standards and guidelines apply to new or altered residential structures and auxiliary structures. They are intended to guide project design and the design review process and inform applicants about Yountville's unique built environment. These design standards and guidelines supplement the development standards in the Zoning Ordinance and further the goals and policies of the General Plan which encourage high quality design.
Where California law requires that the design of a qualifying residential project be reviewed only against objective standards, the design standards will serve as the criteria for design review approval, as regulated by Chapter 17.188 of this title. If a qualifying residential project does not meet one or more of the design standards, the Town's existing discretionary design review process is available to allow alternative design approaches deemed appropriate by the review authority.
The design guidelines are subjective criteria mandatory for residential projects not required to be reviewed only against objective standards under State law. Application of design guidelines may be waived through design review approval when deemed appropriate based on the unique conditions of the subject site and its surroundings.
(Ord. 21-501 § 9)
The following are design standards, which all residential projects are required to conform with unless waived by design review approval as regulated by Chapter 17.188 of this title.
Applicable to:
Design Standard
Single-Family and Duplex
Multifamily
Subdivisions
X
 
In subdivisions of three or more lots, proposed lot sizes shall differ from one another by at least 500 square feet. Developments with five to nine lots shall have a minimum of three lot sizes. In developments with 10 or more lots, no one lot size shall comprise more than 25% of the total number of lots.
X
 
Flag lots are prohibited within new development unless authorized through Design Review when consistent with the objectives of the Town Council, including development of affordable housing, and the General Plan.
Garages, Driveways and Parking
X
 
The width of each garage door shall not exceed 12 feet when located in the front half of the lot and visible from the street.
X
 
Multi-car garages are permitted if located on the rear half of the lot or screened from view from adjacent street frontages by building placement, landscaping, and/or fencing in compliance with Chapter 17.136.
X
X
Carports shall be located in the rear half of the lot or screened from view from adjacent street frontages by building placement, landscaping and/or fencing in compliance with Chapter 17.136.
X
 
For single-family houses with attached garages, the width of the house shall be at least five feet greater than the width of the garage along its street frontage. The garage shall be set back at least 10 feet farther than the house from the street.
X
X
In the Old Town Historic District, driveway aprons shall be a solid surface, concrete, or pavers, for the width of the driveway and the length from the existing edge of asphalt street to the right-of-way line or five feet, whichever is greater.
 
X
Parking shall be located behind buildings or in the rear half of the lot.
 
X
Parking lots shall be screened along all street frontage with walls or evergreen landscaping at least three feet in height. Along common property lines and abutting residential uses, walls and landscape screen shall be provided as established in Chapter 17.136.
 
X
Lighting for parking areas shall be designed to confine emitted light to the parking areas and the light source shall not be visible fromadjacent properties. Average illumination at the ground shall be no more than one foot candle, except where an increase in lighting level is recommended by a lighting consultant or qualified professional as necessary for safety.
Street Frontage
X
X
The principal orientation of all buildings shall be parallel to streets they face.
 
X
The street-facing elevation of multiple unit residential buildings shall have at least one street-oriented entrance and shall contain the principal windows of the street-facing unit(s).
X
X
Primary building entrances and associated paths of travel from the adjacent street(s) shall be visible from the adjacent street(s).
X
X
Building facades that face street frontages shall include breaks in their wall plane by incorporating one or more techniques along at least 20% of the entire street-facing facade, such as varying setbacks, recessed or projecting building entries, wall offsets, wall projections or variation in materials.
X
 
A covered porch shall be incorporated into the front elevation for new construction. The minimum required porch shall be at least 72 square feet in area and shall measure at least six feet deep (measured perpendicular to the front wall of the house). Porches shall be unenclosed but may be screened.
 
X
The street frontage of new buildings shall contain one of the following elements:
- One-story or two-story unenclosed porches,
- Roofed balconies supported by brackets or by columns at the ground level, or
- Upper floor loggias recessed within the building.
Building Scale and Massing
X
X
Buildings shall carry the same design in terms of form and massing, roof design, wall and window design, and colors and materials on all building elevations.
 
X
Blank walls (facades without doors or windows) shall be less than 30 feet in length if visible from adjacent street(s).
Roof Forms
X
 
The main roof of the building shall have a minimum pitch of 4 in 12 as shown in Figure 17.40-1.
X
X
Roofs which incorporate multiple ridges, eaves and/or dormers are required. Up to 20% of the area of a structure's roof may be flat.
X
X
Roofing shall be composition shingle, standing seam, other fabricated metal, or tile from natural materials. Concrete tile, wood shake, or tar and gravel roofing is prohibited.
Windows, Doors and Entries
X
X
Only wood-frame windows, vinyl-clad wood windows or powder-coated metal-framed windows colored by the manufacturer are permitted. Bare metal, plastic, or silver-colored aluminum windows or screen frames are prohibited.
X
X
Shutters, if incorporated, shall be the same size as half the adjacent window width.
 
X
Multifamily developments shall include individual front doors and enclosed stairs for access to units above the ground floor.
X
X
Trim surrounds shall be provided at all exterior window and door openings. In lieu of exterior window trim, windows can be recessed from wall plane by a minimum of three inches.
 
X
Where adjacent to residential development, windows, balconies, and similar openings shall be oriented so as not to have a direct line-of-sight into adjacent units or onto private patios or backyards on abutting properties. This can be accomplished through window placement, stepbacks of upper stories, use of clerestory windows, glass block or opaque glass or mature landscaping within the rear or side setback areas.
Exterior Building Materials
X
X
The following exterior materials are allowed: wood (lap siding, board and batten, shingle), cement board, or stucco. Natural brick or stone is allowed as an accent material only, covering no more than 25% of any building facade. T-111 or plywood shall not be permitted.
X
X
Design material changes shall occur at intersecting planes, at inside corners of changing wall planes or where architectural elements intersect such as a chimney, pilaster, or projection, except for the base of buildings, corner boards or gable ends.
Landscaping and Open Space
X
X
A minimum of one tree shall be planted within the front yard setback for new development. This standard does not apply to the MHP, Mobile Home District.
Utilities and Auxiliary Structures
X
X
1. Utilities and refuse storage areas are not permitted in any setback area or front yard;
2. All new electrical, telephone, CATV and similar service wires or cables shall be installed underground. Risers on poles or buildings are permitted;
3. Air conditioners and similar mechanical equipment shall be screened from view;
4. Electrical vaults and meter boxes shall be screened from view from any public right-of-way. Fire pipes and extinguishers must be easily identified; and
5. For multifamily uses, refuse storage areas shall be screened from public and adjacent properties view or located within a building.
 
X
Trash and recycling areas shall be fully enclosed structures with solid roofs and shall conform with all mandated water quality requirements and building codes, including Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility.
 
X
Chain link fencing and gates with wood or plastic slats shall not be used for trash and other utility enclosures.
X
X
All exterior mechanical and electrical equipment shall be screened by landscaping or fencing or incorporated into the design of buildings so as not to be visible from the street. Equipment to be screened includes, but is not limited to, all roof-mounted equipment, air conditioners, heaters, cable equipment, telephone entry boxes, irrigation control valves, electrical transformers, pull boxes, and all ducting for air conditioning, heating, and blower systems.
X
X
Reduced pressure backflow prevention devices are required for connection to the Town's water system and are required to be above ground but shall be screened from adjacent public street(s) by landscaping or fencing while allowing access for annual testing.
(Ord. 21-501 § 9)
The following are design guidelines, which all non-qualified residential projects are required to conform with unless waived through design review approval as regulated by Chapter 17.188 of this title:
Applicable to:
Design Guideline
Single-Family and Duplex
Multifamily
Subdivisions
X
 
Lots should be predominately rectilinear in shape and orthogonal to the street. Odd-shaped parcels should be avoided.
X
 
Aggregation of lots is discouraged.
X
 
Varied roof heights and front setbacks are encouraged to give individuality to each structure, especially when there are two or more adjacent lots to be developed.
Driveways, Garages/Carports and Parking
X
 
Garages are encouraged to be located in the rear half of the lot.
X
 
Detached garages and garage doors that do not face the street are encouraged.
X
 
Single-car garages may be located near the front of the lot, though this is discouraged.
 
X
The pattern of circulation, including access drives and pedestrian paths, should provide easy access from the parking lot to residential uses.
 
X
Access drives to off-street parking shall be designed and constructed to provide adequate safety for pedestrians and drivers. In no case shall car movements result in blocking of the street right-of-way. The number of access drives shall be limited to the minimum that will accommodate anticipated traffic.
X
X
To minimize the amount of paved area, sharing of driveways and access to parking lots is encouraged. An easement providing for shared use shall be recorded.
X
 
On-site paving for vehicles should be of a permeable material, where practical.
X
X
For shared driveways exceeding 100 feet in length, turnouts may be needed for vehicles to pass one another.
Roof Forms
X
X
Roofs should incorporate pre-plumbing and pre-wiring in new development for easy installation of solar water heating and photo-voltaic (PV) solar panels, where feasible. Solar panels should be incorporated into roof design and be low-profile, where possible.
Building Exterior Colors and Materials
X
X
Buildings shall have consistent materials, details, and architectural theme on all sides of the buildings. Materials that appear faux or veneer-like should be avoided. Joints or raw edges of materials shall be concealed to create an appearance of authenticity.
X
X
Auxiliary structures that require issuance of a building permit should have consistent exterior material(s) and color(s) with the primary building.
X
X
Mediterranean and Tuscan design styles that include, but are not limited to, the following common characteristics of clay tile, heavy stucco, or plaster, cut and cast stone, wrought iron details, tower-like chimneys, heavy massing, arched openings, and arcades are prohibited.
Windows, Doors and Entries
X
X
Sliding glass doors are discouraged and the use of large picture windows should be limited when these features are visible from the street.
X
 
Double-hung windows should maintain a 1.5:1 height to width ratio or greater.
X
 
Where adjacent to single-family development, windows, balconies, and similar openings should be oriented so as not to have a direct line-of-sight into homes or onto private backyards on abutting properties. This can be accomplished through window placement, stepbacks of upper stories, use of clerestory windows, glass block or opaque glass, or mature landscaping within the rear or side setback areas.
Figure 17.40-1
(Ord. 21-501 § 9)