Building envelope refers to the planes and surfaces of a home. Building setback and height limitations in the specific plan place some scale restraints on new construction. However, a house built to maximum height and within setbacks may still result in a dwelling that is not compatible with the neighborhood. A dwelling may appear massive or bulky if the shape and/or façade is too simple and lacking in articulation and detail. Dwellings of different size can be in scale with one another if they share architectural characteristics, including building shape, complexity of form, or style and detail.
A. Overall Building Envelope Guidelines.
1. Use Offsets. If appropriate for the architectural style, use offsets extending to grade on the long dimension of the dwelling. Articulate all sides of the dwelling facing a public right-of-way consistently, as well as on any attached accessory structure.
2. Use Decks, Balconies, Recesses. Use projecting or recessing architectural details, such as decks, bay windows or balconies, and appropriate complementary changes in building materials or colors to visually break up long unarticulated walls.
3. Design to Mitigate Bulk and Mass. Minimize size, bulk, and scale through the use of appropriate roof style and shallow pitch, form and materials, varied setbacks, asymmetric design, window treatment and location, and door size and type. Break up mass to create interplay between various building elements.
4. Account for the Size of Neighboring Homes. Structures that are significantly larger in size, bulk, scale, height, or architectural style from adjacent dwellings may be allowed if the new dwelling is consistent with the design guidelines regarding placement, privacy, shade, and overall neighborhood character.
Figure 37: Offset Examples |
Figure 38: Balcony Examples |
Figure 39: Design to Mitigate Bulk and Mass |
B. Height. Maximum building height is 25 feet measured from the top of roofing material to finished grade. A modest extension above the 25-foot limit is allowed for chimneys, but no more than is required to meet Building Regulations.
C. Porches and Courtyards—Guidelines.
1. Porch Depth. Porches should be a minimum 6 foot in depth and be usable.
2. Posts and Columns. Posts may be wood, stucco, stone, cast concrete, or metal typically simplified in form. Columns should be robust (10 to 15 inches wide) and feature a wood, stone, or masonry base and cap. Columns, bases and caps can be accented with decorative carvings and tile.
3. Decking to Be Fireproof. Use heavy timber or noncombustible construction materials for decks. Enclose the underside of balconies and above ground decks with fire resistant materials to prevent embers from blowing underneath.
4. Courtyards. Front yard courtyards are allowed and encouraged.
Figure 40: Porch Examples |
Figure 41: Front Yard Courtyard Examples |
D. Second Story Guidelines.
1. Privacy. Window placement, and landscape screening to minimize (as much as practical) second floor windows overlooking the rear yard of existing homes.
2. Second Floor Size Limit. The second story shall be no more than 75% of the footprint of the first floor (minus 400 s.f. of the garage).
3. Account for the Height of the Home Next Door. New homes should include single-story elements adjacent to existing one-story residences.
Figure 42: Second-Story Examples |
E. Roofs. In a low-profile setting the color, texture, pitch and style of a roof can have a profound impact in the overall character of a home.
Roof Guidelines.
1. Simplicity. Roofs should be simple and straightforward. Complex roofs are discouraged. The use of valleys should be minimized.
2. Roof Materials. Desirable roof materials include manufactured barrel, light weight cement, modified barrel, light weight, two piece clay tiles, two piece Roman pan clay tiles or flat clay tiles, slate, and cement tiles and others approved by the city of Glendora.
3. Roof Elements. Flashing, sheet metal, vent stacks and pipes should be painted to match adjacent building surfaces or the roof, or otherwise treated to recede into the background.
4. Skylights. Skylights should be designed as an integral part of the roof and exhibit quality in materials and design, for instance, they should be flat bronze-colored glass in bronze-anodized frames. Bubble and white plastic skylights are not allowed.
5. Exposed Rafter Tails. Exposed heavy timber rafter tails may be used where appropriate.
6. Gutters and Eaves. If used, exposed gutters should be nonextruded, half-round gutters with round downspouts unless otherwise approved by the city of Glendora. Gutters and downspouts should be designed as a continuous architectural feature. Gutters and downspouts may be made of copper or shall be painted dark to imitate aged metal or painted to match the roof, the trim, or the wall. Downspouts and rain leaders should be placed in building corners and at inconspicuous locations. Decorative gutter boxes may be used sparingly where required. Roof eaves should be boxed in with fire resistant materials to protect the underside of eaves and soffits.
7. Dormers. Dormers should be robust and significant and provide relief from the mass of the roof.
Figure 43: Dormer Examples |
8. Privacy. Windows should be placed mindful of potential intrusions in privacy for adjacent residents.
9. Overhangs. In some styles of architecture generous overhangs are typical and expected and in such instances a minimum overhang of 12 inches is desirable. Some styles do not have generous overhangs. Some overhangs are extended to create trellises and porches, if that is consistent with the architectural style.
10. Overall Integration of Elements. Integrate solar energy collector panels, tiles or shingles, skylights, and other roof-mounted equipment into the roof forms. Minimize their visual prominence when viewed from the street and nearby dwellings. Roof-top heating and air conditioning systems are not permitted.
Figure 45: Chimney Examples |
(Ord. 1944 §§ 1, 2 (Exh. A), 2011)
