Township Design Standards as prepared by the Department of Community Development under the direction of the Township Engineer are hereby incorporated into this chapter by reference. These standards shall be held to be minimum criteria for site improvements in the Township of Franklin and shall include all specifications, procedures, requirements, plans and any other documentation as may be contained therein.
A. 
Applicability. These guidelines and standards shall apply to all applications for development within the HBD. The following design standards shall be used to prepare and review the architectural design of all buildings and structures in a development plan application or building renovation that is funded through the Township's facade program. Where a development plan involves an existing building or a site upon which an existing building is located, the existing building shall be repaired, renovated and restored to comply with these guidelines.
B. 
Horizontal courses. All visibly exposed sides of a building shall have an articulated base course and cornice. The base course shall be traditionally proportionate to the overall horizontal and vertical dimensions of a facade and shall align with either the kick-plate or sill level of the first story. The cornice shall terminate the top of a building wall, may project out horizontally from the vertical building wall plane and shall be ornamented with moldings, brackets and other details that shall be appropriate to the architectural style of a building. The middle section of a building may be horizontally divided at floor, lintel or sill levels with belt courses. Building courses shall be considered an integral part of the design of a building and shall be architecturally compatible with the style, materials, colors and details of the building.
C. 
Continuity of treatment. The architectural treatment of a facade or roof shall be completely continued around all visibly exposed sides of a building. All sides of a building shall be architecturally designed so as to be consistent with regard to style, materials, colors and details. In the instance of multistory buildings, the architectural treatment and building materials of the first floor shall be compatible with upper stories.
D. 
Roof. The type, shape, pitch, texture and color of a roof shall be considered as an integral part of the design of a building and shall be architecturally compatible with the style, materials, colors and details of such building. Roofs and rooflines shall conform to the following standards:
(1) 
No flat roof shall be permitted on a building with a building height less than 18 feet. A flat roof may only be permitted on a single story building, provided that all visibly exposed walls shall have an articulated cornice, parapet wall or some other type of architectural detailing that projects out horizontally from the vertical building wall plane or projects vertically from the horizontal roof plane.
(2) 
A mansard roof may be permitted, but only if such is located on the third story of a building, completely and integrally enclosing such story.
(3) 
Architectural embellishments that add visual interest to roofs, such as dormers, belvederes, masonry chimneys, cupolas, clock towers and such similar elements shall be permitted, provided that such are architecturally compatible with the style, materials, colors and details of the building.
(4) 
For all roofs other than flat roofs, the minimum permitted roof pitch shall be eight on 12, and all gables on a building shall be of the same pitch.
(5) 
Roofline offsets shall be provided along any roof measuring longer than 75 feet in length in order to provide architectural interest and variety to the massing of a building and relieve the negative visual effect of a single, long roofline. The minimum height of a required roofline offset shall be 10 inches.
E. 
Windows. Windows shall be architecturally compatible with the style, materials, colors and details of a building. Windows shall be vertically proportioned, wherever possible. The location of windows on the upper stories of a building shall be vertically aligned with the location of windows and doors on the ground level of such building. Permitted retail and personal service business uses located in business districts should have large pane display windows on the ground level. All other windows shall be double-hung or casement types. A building designed of an architectural style that normally has windows with muntins or divided lights shall utilize them. Such muntin or divided light grids may be the snap-on type, if fitted on the exterior of the window or between the glazing of the window units.
F. 
Doors and entrances. All entrances to a building shall be defined and articulated by utilizing such elements as lintels, pediments, pilasters, columns, porticoes, porches, overhangs, railings, balustrades and other such elements, where appropriate. Any such element utilized shall be architecturally compatible with the style, materials, colors and details of such building. Recessed doorways are encouraged; as they provide cover for pedestrians and patrons in bad weather and help identify the location of store entrances. A recessed doorway may be required when it is deemed necessary to provide a clear and safe area for out-swinging doors, thus reducing potential safety risks to pedestrians walking by an entrance. All recessed doorway areas shall have lighting installed and maintained that is sufficient to illuminate the entire recessed area. This lighting shall be lit from sunset to sunrise.
G. 
Physical plant. All air-conditioning units, HVAC systems, exhaust pipes or stacks and elevator housing shall be shielded from view for a minimum distance of 500 feet from the site. Such shielding shall be accomplished by utilizing the walls or roof of the building or a penthouse-type screening device that shall be designed to be architecturally compatible with the style, materials, colors and details of such building.
H. 
Materials, colors and details. All materials, colors and details used on the exterior of a building shall be architecturally compatible with the style of such building, as well as with each other. A building designed of an architectural style that normally includes certain integral materials, colors and/or details shall have such incorporated into the design of such building. The number of different materials on exterior facades should be limited to three types.
I. 
Shutters. A building designed of an architectural style that normally includes shutters shall provide such on all windows on the front facade. If such building is located on a corner lot, shutters shall be provided on all windows of all facades fronting on a street.
J. 
Lighting. Light fixtures attached to the exterior of a building shall be designed to be architecturally compatible with the style, materials, colors and details of such building and other lighting fixtures used on the site. Consideration shall also be given to the type of light source utilized and the light quality such produces. The type of light source used on buildings, signs, parking areas, pedestrian walkways and other areas of a site shall be the same or compatible. The use of low-pressure sodium or mercury vapor lighting either attached to buildings or to light the exterior of buildings shall be prohibited.
K. 
Signage. All signs, affixed to the exterior of a building or freestanding, shall be architecturally compatible with the style, materials, colors and details of the buildings on the site and other signs used on the same site and/or building. All signage shall conform to the requirements contained in Article XII, § 112-106 et seq., of this chapter.
L. 
Multiple uses. A building with multiple storefronts or other multiple uses, no matter whether such uses are the same type of use or located on the same floor level, shall be unified through the use of architecturally compatible styles, materials, colors, details, awnings, signage, lighting fixtures and other design elements for all such storefronts or uses.
M. 
Corner buildings. A building on a corner lot shall be considered a more significant structure from an urban design standpoint since such building has at least two front facades visibly exposed to the street. Such building may be designed to have additional height and architectural embellishments relating to its location on a corner lot, if deemed appropriate by the Board.
N. 
Multiple buildings. A development plan that contains more than one building or structure shall be unified through the use of architecturally compatible styles, materials, colors, details, awnings, signage, lighting fixtures and other design elements for all such buildings or structures.
O. 
Professional office design standards. The following additional architectural design standards for professional offices shall apply:
(1) 
Dormers should be used to visually break up large roof masses.
(2) 
Windows should be double-hung sash-types with the glass area divided by horizontal and vertical muntins.
(3) 
Exterior materials should be brick, stone, horizontal siding or wood shingle, or a combination of such materials.
(4) 
In the event that a professional office use is located in an office space having an existing storefront window (typically associated with a retail use), such business shall maintain the size of the original storefront window. Proprietors may provide attractive window displays or install blinds in lieu of altering or removing an existing storefront window.
P. 
Retail sales and service design standards. The following additional architectural design standards for retail sales and services (including banks) shall apply:
(1) 
Retail stores oriented towards a street or parking lot shall have a minimum of 50% of the first floor building facade that faces a street or parking lot consist of glass display windows.
(2) 
Primary building entrances should be oriented towards the street.
(3) 
Common concrete block shall not be used on any elevation visible from a public or private street. Where permitted, common concrete block shall be painted or otherwise finished.
(4) 
In no instance shall a building elevation have a homogeneous facade without a variation in materials, textures or other design features.
Q. 
Maintenance, repair, and renovation of storefronts and facades.
(1) 
Most downtown commercial buildings have large ground-level openings (storefronts), framed by vertical piers and a horizontal supporting beam. The storefront area generally includes an articulated entrance (usually recessed), display windows, a paneled bulkhead under the display windows, sometimes a transom over the storefront, and a cornice that covers the horizontal beam. The first floor should also have a separate entrance to the upper floors. The upper floor facade of buildings in a downtown commercial district is generally characterized by evenly spaced windows that repeat on each floor. Finally, there is often a cornice along the top of the facade, which may be constructed of metal, masonry, or wood. All of these elements must be considered when a commercial storefront is proposed for restoration or alteration or a new storefront is proposed for construction. (See Figure 6 at the end of this chapter.)
(2) 
Usually, the storefront and front facade has changed more than any other part of a commercial building as an array of business owners have sought to remain competitive. The availability of steel beams, for instance, resulted in storefronts becoming more open as larger display windows were installed to attract customers. Unfortunately, some changes may not be compatible with the design of the building or were accomplished with inexpensive materials that have not endured. On the other hand, some changes might be extremely good design in their own right and have enhanced the original building. All maintenance and repair shall meet the following guidelines:
(a) 
Retain and repair all elements, materials, and features that are original to the storefront and facade or are sensitive remodelings. If feasible, return a storefront and/or front facade to its original configuration by restoring as many original elements as possible, including windows, cornice, and decorative details. This work should be based on pictorial research and exploratory demolition that has determined the original building design and condition. If reconstruction is not possible, any new storefront design should respect the character, materials, and design of the building. In instances where alterations have acquired their own significance and contribute a positive visual quality to the building and the surrounding neighborhood, they should be recognized and preserved.
(b) 
Consider restoring any original window opening that has been covered, filled in, or altered.
(c) 
Remove any materials, elements, and sign panels that cover display windows, transoms, or bulkheads and that obscure original architectural elements such as windows, cornices, or decorative features.
(d) 
Avoid adding incompatible elements or materials such as coach lanterns, overhanging roofs, small paned windows, wood shakes, vertical siding, or shutters on windows where they never previously existed.
(e) 
Avoid creating a false historic appearance by remodeling a building with elements from an earlier period of construction.
(f) 
Individuality within a standardized or unified appearance is encouraged for single buildings containing multiple storefronts.
(g) 
Colors of exterior materials, signs, window frames, cornices, storefronts and other building elements should be coordinated.
(h) 
High-quality durable materials should be used in order to convey substance and integrity.
A. 
Applicability. These guidelines and standards shall apply to all applications for development within the HBD.
B. 
Purpose. Security grilles and doors found to be necessary in certain situations are an important building facade element that should be given thoughtful consideration. Security grilles and doors must be installed in a manner that preserves full visual access to a building's unique design elements. Security grilles and doors designed may be installed by nonresidential uses only in accordance with the standards set forth herein.
C. 
Design standards. Security grilles and roll-up doors shall be designed according to the following standards:
(1) 
Solid rolling service doors fabricated of interlocking slats or panels with no openings are extremely detrimental to an attractive streetscape and should be avoided. No solid rolling service doors shall be installed so as to be visible from a public right-of-way.
(2) 
If a security grille is absolutely necessary, it should be a least 60% nonsolid. The standard curtain pattern is a straight lattice design with horizontal rods at two inches on center and vertical links at nine inches on center. For added visual interest, a staggered brick pattern with 4 1/2 inch horizontal spacing may be preferable. (See Figure 7 at the end of this chapter.)
(3) 
The security grille coil, whether side- or overhead-mounted, should never be attached to the exterior of the building. When the security grille is in the closed position, it should be located on the interior side of the windows so as not to degrade the architectural design features along the streetscape.
(4) 
Where headroom is limited, a folding or accordion grille may be installed in lieu of the typical roll-up type. Any sliding type security grille must also be nonsolid and situated on the interior side of the windows.
(5) 
An emergency egress feature should always be incorporated into the design and installation of any security grille.
(6) 
All recipients of grant money under the Township's facade improvement program shall be required to remove any security grille or door that is not in compliance with these standards.
A. 
Applicability. These guidelines and standards shall apply to all applications for development within the HBD.
B. 
Definitions. The following terms shall be defined and used in these design guidelines as follows:
AWNING
A structure made of cloth, canvas or vinyl, with a frame attached to a building or other structure, which is so erected as to permit it to be raised to a position against the building or structure when not in use.
AWNING, WINDOW
A structure, made of cloth, plastic, metal or other architectural material and provides a permanent roof-like shelter over an upper-story window, either installed to be retractable or in a fixed position.
CANOPY
A structure, in a fixed position, made of cloth, plastic, metal or other architectural material and provides a permanent roof-like shelter over a public or quasi- public right-of-way. In the case of a gasoline service station, a canopy is a roof-like cover that is supported by one or more columns or stanchions, does not have any side walls and is used primarily to shield the pumps from the elements.
C. 
Design standards. Awnings and canopies provide a secondary location for signage, add color and interest to building storefronts and facades, and can be used to emphasize display windows and entrances. The also serve to protect pedestrians and display windows from the sun and rain. The ground level of a building in a business district may have awnings or canopies, where appropriate, to complement the architectural style of a building. Awnings and canopies may also be used on the upper levels of a building, where appropriate. The following standards for ground-level awnings and canopies should be adhered to:
(1) 
The design of awnings and canopies shall be architecturally compatible with the style, materials, colors and details of such buildings and should not conceal significant architectural features, such as cornices, columns, pilasters or other trim details.
(2) 
The maximum height from ground-level to uppermost portion of an awning or canopy shall not exceed the height of the sill or bottom of any second story window or 15 feet, whichever is less. In the case of single-story buildings, the maximum height shall not exceed 12 feet or the top of the wall, whichever is less.
(3) 
The minimum height from ground level to lowermost portion of awning or canopy shall be 7 1/2 feet.
(4) 
The maximum horizontal projection dimension of an awning from the building wall, including any appurtenances, shall not exceed six feet from the building face. Awnings may project over a public sidewalk but shall not be closer than two feet of the vertical plane of the curb edge or the edge of any other public right-of-way. No awning shall project over a public sidewalk when the business it relates to is not open for business.
(5) 
No canopy with a projection greater than nine inches from the building wall face shall project over a public right-of-way, unless approved by the Township Council.
(6) 
The maximum total vertical dimension of an awning shall not exceed the total horizontal projection dimension. (See Figure 1, Awning Proportion, at the end of this chapter.)
(7) 
An awning's surfacing material shall be constructed of canvas, cloth or vinyl.
(8) 
No awning shall contain more than two colors plus white. The color of any sign messages or other graphic features shall be included in the number of colors. The colors must be compatible with the architectural color scheme of the entire building.
(9) 
Internally illuminated or backlit awnings and canopies are not permitted.
(10) 
Awning and canopy frame styles (shapes) shall relate to the facade's architectural elements. The use of standard-shaped awnings and canopies is encouraged, when appropriate. Dome, convex, concave, or other unusually shaped awnings and canopies should be designed with considerable care, complementing a specific architectural element of the building. (See Figure 1 sketch of frame styles at the end of this chapter.)
(11) 
On buildings with multiple storefronts, compatible awning and canopy frame styles shall be used as a means of unifying the structure but need not be identical.
(12) 
All signage on awnings shall conform to Article XII, Signs, § 112-106 et seq., of this chapter.
(13) 
All signage mounted, affixed or displayed directly on a canopy shall be regulated as wall-mounted attached signs in accordance with Article XII, Signs. No canopy used as an internally illuminated wall-mounted sign shall project more than nine inches from the building face to which the canopy is attached.
A. 
Applicability. These guidelines and standards shall apply to all applications for development within the HBD.
B. 
General design standards. All signs shall be subject to the following design standards:
(1) 
Every sign shall be in good scale and proportion in design and visual relationship to structures, buildings and other surroundings.
(2) 
Every sign shall be designed as an integral architectural element of the structure, building and site to which it principally relates. As an architectural element, a sign shall be in harmony with the structure, building or site's character and use.
(3) 
The colors, materials and lighting of every sign shall be harmonious with the structure, building and site to which it principally relates.
(4) 
The number of graphic elements on a sign shall be limited to a minimum needed to convey the sign's main message, and shall be composed in proportion to the area of the sign face.
(5) 
The content or advertising which may be displayed on signs shall be limited to the identification and location of the premises, identification of its owners or occupants and information concerning the activities conducted on the premises or the goods and services offered in connection therewith.
(6) 
All sign graphics shall be made by a qualified professional.
(7) 
The base of a freestanding sign shall be liberally landscaped with a combination of shrubs, ground cover, flowers or other plant material.
(8) 
Freestanding signs shall be skirted to enclose the supporting pole or pylon of the sign. The skirting shall extend the full dimensions of the sign at its lower edge from ground to sign. The skirting shall not be included in the sign size calculation unless it displays a sign message.
(9) 
No signs, illustrations or symbols shall be placed so as to interfere with the opening of an existing door of any building, or to obstruct any window opening, except for window signs as regulated herein. No sign shall be placed to interfere with the use of any fire escape or to create a hazard to pedestrians.
(10) 
No wall sign may project more than nine inches from the outer face of a wall and shall not extend over any public right-of-way, unless otherwise provided for in this article. Any desired wall sign which projects more than nine inches from the outer wall face shall be considered a projecting sign and must conform to all applicable provisions for projecting signs set forth in this article. No canopy used as an internally illuminated wall-mounted sign shall project more than nine inches from the building face to which the canopy is attached. An awning sign shall not be construed in any way to be a wall sign.
C. 
Sign illumination standards. Illuminated signs may be floodlighted, spotlighted or internally illuminated with a diffused light source, unless such illumination is specifically prohibited elsewhere in this chapter. For example, awning signs and canopy signs may not be backlit. All illumination shall be subject to the following:
(1) 
All lighting sources shall be completely shielded from the view of vehicular traffic.
(2) 
Such illumination shall not project light above the highest elevation of the front wall of the building for wall-mounted signs or more than five feet above ground level for freestanding signs.
(3) 
Backlit/internally illuminated signs shall not have a white or light-colored background or signboard.
(4) 
Where a sign is located on a lot with residential uses or on a lot adjacent to a lot used primarily for residential purposes, such shall not be illuminated in a manner that permits any light to shine or cause a nuisance to the adjacent residential use.
(5) 
No illuminated sign located on a lot adjacent to or across the street from any single-family residential district and visible from such residential district shall be illuminated between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., unless the use to which the sign pertains is open for business during those hours.
(6) 
No sign shall contain blinking, flashing, flickering, tracer or sequential lighting. All signs shall remain stationary and constant in intensity and color at all times.
(7) 
All wiring for permanent illuminated signs shall be installed and maintained so that it is not within public view. The running of wiring or conduit along the exterior wall of a building to access a sign is specifically prohibited unless in the judgment of the Construction Official there is no practical way to run the conduit so that it is not within public view.
(8) 
No illuminated sign shall be of such a color or located in such a manner as to be confused with, or to diminish or detract in any way from, the effectiveness of any traffic signal or similar official safety or warning device.
(9) 
Any other outdoor lighting such as building and sidewalk illumination, driveways with no adjacent parking, the lighting of signs and ornamental lighting, shall be shown on a lighting plan in sufficient detail to allow a determination of the effects upon adjacent properties, traffic safety and overhead sky glow. The objective of these items is to minimize undesirable off-premises effects.
D. 
Street address required. All buildings shall display street address numbers and/or text in a manner that is clearly legible from the public street. Signs displaying a street address shall be regulated as follows:
(1) 
Individual characters identifying a street address for nonresidential properties must be at least six inches high, larger if deemed necessary due to visibility circumstances.
(2) 
Street address numbers may be placed on any permitted sign or directly on the building face. The sign area devoted to street address numbers shall not be considered in calculating sign area.
E. 
For nonresidential uses and mixed-use buildings, no street address number sign shall exceed an area of six square feet. Residential name plates shall not exceed two square feet.