A.
Purpose. The purpose of the design standards within this section is to promote high quality employment development within the EC, IC and IPU areas. The intent is to encourage economic vitality and job creation, sustainability, efficiency, flexibility, connectivity and well-designed, mixed-use employment centers that can adapt over time to changes in market dynamics. The intent of the design standards is to:
1.
Preserve and protect the public health, safety and welfare of the citizens and workers of the City;
2.
Promote efficient utilization of land for business development;
3.
Incubate and support sustainable business and industry;
4.
Improve the function and appearance of industrial and commercial streets, and enhance the convenience, ease and enjoyment of transit use, walking and public gathering;
5.
Define building forms to be compatible with their context.
B.
Relationship to Other Standards. The standards of this section apply in addition to other standards of this title. Where standards in this section conflict with standards in other sections of this Code, the standards of this section shall govern.
C.
Applicability. The design standards in this section apply to all new employment, industrial, non-office institutional buildings and police/fire buildings.
D.
Building Siting and Design Standards and Characteristics.
1.
Exterior Materials. Exterior buildings materials should give the appearance of high-quality design. Materials must have a durability equivalent to that expected of contemporary office, flex and industrial buildings. Appropriate materials include, but are not limited to: masonry (e.g., brick or architectural block); glass; synthetic plaster; pre-cast concrete; or, stone. Materials of lesser durability or appearance shall be limited to the rear façade of the buildings. Materials considered of lesser durability or appearance include, but are not limited to: metal panels/sheet metal, fiberglass panels, vinyl or aluminum siding, or wood shingles.
2.
Exterior Colors. The contrast between trim or mortar and the dominant exterior finish should be moderate. The dominant exterior shall have earth-tone shades, such as gray, tan, brown, rust, green, red, etc.
3.
Complex Massing Required. New buildings shall use massing characteristics and asymmetrical composition to avoid the monolithic expanse of frontages and roof lines and break up building sections using elements including variable planes, projections, bays, setbacks, canopies, awnings, parapets, changes in the roof line, materials, color, or textures.
4.
Upper Floor Appearance. When buildings have two or more stories, the material used at the ground level shall differ from that used at upper levels in order to create a clear distinction between the ground and upper levels.
5.
Enclosure or Screening of Mechanical Equipment. Roof mounted mechanical equipment on flat roofed structures shall be screened by parapet walls to the maximum degree possible. Site located mechanical equipment shall be installed in below grade vaults where possible or screened by a site obscuring fence or landscaping. Other building mounted mechanical equipment shall be screened from view to the maximum degree possible.
E.
Open Space Requirements. All developments subject to this section shall comply with the following open space requirements.
1.
Minimum Open Space. A minimum of 10% of land area shall be useable open space, to include employee amenities such as outdoor break areas, outdoor eating areas, recreation activity space, etc.
2.
Aggregated Open Space. Open space should be aggregated in contiguous areas rather than dispersed throughout the site.
3.
Courtyards and Plazas. Courtyards and plazas shall be surrounded by at least one building. Building walls fronting courtyards and plazas shall include at least one entrance, outdoor weather protection, outdoor seating and ground floor façade transparency through windows and/or doors.
4.
Pedestrian Connections. Open space network shall include interior paths and common areas that link buildings with walkways, courtyards and plazas, functional open space and trails.
F.
Additional Landscaping and Site Design Requirements. All developments subject to this section shall comply with the following landscape and site design requirements.
1.
Street Trees. Street trees shall be required to be installed in compliance with Chapter 16.42, Landscaping, Street Trees, Fences and Walls, as a condition of approval.
2.
Protecting Pedestrians. In areas of potential vehicle/pedestrian conflict, street furniture or bollards (see Chapter 16.46 for examples) shall be used to help create a "protected zone" for the pedestrian.
3.
Landscape Design.
a.
Where new or substantially remodeled buildings are set back from property lines and sidewalks, intervening landscaping shall be designed to invite the public in, not to provide separation.
b.
Where non-pedestrian space is placed between a building and a sidewalk, benches, low sitting walls or other street furniture shall be placed in order to enliven the sidewalk.
c.
Small areas of landscaping and paving in courtyards, entryways, building nooks and other areas shall use materials and designs similar to adjacent public spaces where such use will make the area appear larger or more inviting. This requirement is intended to minimize the transition from public to private space, but is not intended to restrict changes in material where it is functionally necessary or where it will avoid visual monotony.
G.
Additional Parking Requirements. Parking shall be designed to provide adequate, but not excessive, storage space for vehicles.
1.
Parking areas shall be screened with landscaped berms, shrubs, trees, or other materials providing a natural and harmonious appearance with the buildings and surrounding area. Vehicles need not be completely screened from sight, but rather a visible break should be provided between public areas and parking areas.
2.
Employee and Patron Parking Restrictions. Employee and patron parking shall be restricted to available parking as follows:
H.
Street, Alley and Sidewalk Design. Street, sidewalk and alley design shall safely and efficiently provide for vehicular and pedestrian travel while enhancing the character of the commercial and industrial developments within the community through compliance with the following design standards. These standards shall apply in addition to any other City requirements for street, alley or sidewalk design, located in the adopted Transportation System Plan (TSP). In the event of a conflict, the provisions of this section shall control.
1.
Intersection Design. Curb extensions shall be created at all intersections where feasible from a traffic management standpoint and unless such extensions would interfere with the turning and stopping requirements of emergency service vehicles (e.g., fire trucks, ambulances), trucks, buses or delivery vehicles. Such extensions will be designed to accommodate the turning and stopping requirements of such vehicles.
2.
Alleys. Alleys shall be incorporated into design plans where feasible as pedestrian and vehicular accessways.
I.
Exceptions.
1.
The Planning Official or designee may allow exceptions to these standards without the need to obtain a formal variance pursuant to Chapter 16.71 provided at least one of the following circumstances is met:
a.
The applicant demonstrates that the physical characteristics of the site or existing structure make compliance impractical (e.g., they include, but are not limited to, steep slopes, wetlands, other bodies of water, trees or other natural features of the site, buildings or other existing development, utility lines and easements, etc.);
b.
The applicant demonstrates that the alternative design is exceptional in the quality of detailing, appearance or materials and/or creates a positive unique relationship to other structures, views or open space in a manner that accomplishes the purpose of this section; or
c.
The applicant is proposing an expansion of an existing building that is solely designed and constructed to provide accessibility for the disabled, provide for energy conservation (e.g., addition of an entry vestibule), provide for screened recycling or trash storage, or relocate or screen visible exterior mechanical equipment so that such equipment is no longer visible.
2.
A request for exception under this provision may be processed as part of the underlying application or separately as a Design Review II application.
(Ord. 389 § 1(Exh. A), 2009; Ord. 545 § 1, 2019; Ord. 550 § 1, 2020)