[Added 5-18-1999 by L.L. No. 8-1999]
A.
It is the purpose of this article to promote development
within the Shopping Center Commercial Zoning District that is compatible
with the essentially residential character and scale of the Town of
Niskayuna. The following guidelines and standards are intended to
encourage building designs and site layouts for retail developments
that incorporate basic features of the existing built environment
of the Town and to add to it in complementary ways.
B.
Massive developments which are out of scale or character with the small-scale, residential character of Niskayuna do not contribute to or integrate with the Town in a positive way. These guidelines and standards have been developed to promote a basic level of architectural variety, compatible scale, pedestrian access and use of open space which is reflective of the Town's existing physical character. They are by no means intended to limit creativity; they are intended to augment the requirements of site plan review of Article VIIIA with additional criteria that are specific to the design of large retail developments. They are placed within the framework of the Zoning Ordinance and provide for waivers from the requirements if the property owner or applicant faces undue hardship as a result of their strict application.
A.
Guidelines and standards. The following guidelines
and standards are intended to be used as a basis for design by developers
proposing retail developments in the Shopping Center Commercial Zoning
District. They are also intended to be used as an evaluation tool
by the Planning Board in its site plan review processes. These guidelines
and standards apply to all projects in the Shopping Center Commercial
Zoning District. Guidelines are not mandatory, but explain the design
objectives. Standards are mandatory unless their strict application
will result in undue hardship as determined by the Planning Board.
B.
Waivers. The Planning Board may waive one or more
of the standards of this article upon a showing by the applicant that
the strict application of the standard imposes an undue hardship due
to such factors as existing conditions, site topography or site configuration.
The Planning Board shall approve the minimum waiver necessary. The
applicant for any such waiver shall have the burden of showing that
the proposed waiver shall have a minimum negative effect on aesthetics
and compatibility with neighborhood character.
A.
Facades and exterior walls.
(1)
Guideline. Facades should be articulated to
reduce the massive scale and the uniform, impersonal appearances of
large retail buildings and provide visual interest that will be consistent
with the Town's identity, character and scale.
(2)
Standard.
(a)
Facades greater than 100 feet in length, measured
horizontally, shall incorporate wall plane projections or recesses
having a depth of at least 3% of the length of the facade and extending
at least 20% of the length of the facade. No uninterrupted length
of any facade shall exceed 100 horizontal feet. (See Figure 4E.)[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Figure 4E is located at the
end of this chapter.
B.
Retail features:
(1)
Guideline. Buildings should have architectural
features and patterns that provide visual interest, at the scale of
the pedestrian, reduce massive aesthetic effects and recognize local
character. The elements in the following standard should be integral
parts of the building fabric and not superficially applied trim, graphics
or paint.
C.
Roofs.
(1)
Guidelines. Variations in roof lines should
be used to add interest to, and reduce the massive scale of, large
buildings.
(2)
Standard. Roofs shall have no fewer than two
of the following features:
(a)
Parapets concealing flat roofs and rooftop equipment
such as heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC) units from
public view. The average height of such parapets shall not exceed
15% of the height of the supporting wall and such parapets shall not
at any point exceed 1/3 of the height of the supporting wall. Such
parapets shall feature three dimensional cornice treatment. (See Figure
4H.)[4]
[4]
Editor's Note: Figure 4H is located at the
end of this chapter.
(b)
Overhanging eaves, extending no less than 3
feet past the supporting walls.
(c)
Sloping roofs that do not exceed the average
height of the supporting walls, with an average slope greater than
or equal to one foot of the vertical rise for every three feet of
horizontal run and less than or equal to one foot of vertical rise
for every one foot of horizontal run.
(d)
Three or more roof-slope planes.
D.
Materials and colors.
(1)
Guideline. Exterior building materials and colors
comprise a significant part of the visual impact of a building. Therefore,
they should be aesthetically pleasing and compatible with traditional
materials and colors.
(2)
Standard.
(a)
Predominant exterior building materials shall
be high-quality materials. Permitted materials are brick, wood, stone
or tinted, textured, concrete masonry units, or a combination thereof.
(b)
Facade colors shall be low-reflectance, subtle,
neutral or earth-tone colors. The use of high-intensity colors, metallic
colors, black or fluorescent colors is prohibited.
(c)
Building trim and accent areas may feature brighter
colors, including primary colors, but exposed neon tubing is not an
acceptable feature for building trim or accent areas.
(d)
Predominant exterior building materials shall
not include the following: smoothfaced concrete block, tilt-up concrete
panels or prefabricated steel panels.
E.
Entryways.
(1)
Guidelines. Entryway design elements and variations
should give orientation and aesthetically pleasing character to the
building.
(2)
Standard. Each principal building on a site
shall have clearly defined, highly visible customer entrances featuring
no less than three of the following elements:
(a)
Canopies or porticos.
(b)
Overhangs.
(c)
Recesses/projections.
(d)
Arcades.
(e)
Raised cornice parapets over the door.
(f)
Peaked-roof forms.
(g)
Arches.
(h)
Outdoor patios.
(i)
Display windows.
(j)
Architectural details, such as tile work and
moldings, which are integrated into the building structure and design.
(k)
Integral planters or wing walls that incorporate
landscaped areas and/or places for sitting.
F.
Back and side facades.
(1)
Guideline. All facades of a building which are
visible from adjoining properties, public streets and/or on-site roadways
should contribute to the pleasing scale features of the building and
encourage community integration by featuring characteristics similar
to the front facade.
(2)
Standard. All building facades which are visible from adjoining properties, public streets and/or on-site roadways shall comply with the requirements of § 220-48.22A.
G.
Signage.
(1)
Guideline. Signs utilized by large retail establishments
serve not only practical purposes but also help define the character
and attractiveness of the building facades and general site location.
Signs can be either potentially detrimental to community aspirations
and sense of place or provide aesthetically pleasing elements that
enhance the overall shopping experience and attractiveness of the
site. The purpose of these standards is to promote the latter; signs
should be visually compatible with their surroundings and avoid inappropriate
design.
(2)
Standard. At any time that there is a new sign or a modification or a replacement of an existing sign in the Shopping Center Commercial Zoning District, the following standards shall apply. These sign requirements shall be a supplement to those standards in § 220-22. In all cases where there is a conflict, these standards shall take precedence over § 220-22 standards in the Shopping Center Commercial Zoning District.
(a)
Permitted signs. The following signs are permitted
in the Shopping Center Commercial Zoning District:
(c)
Minimum performance criteria. The following
performance standards apply to signs in the Shopping Center Commercial
Zoning District:
[1]
Materials. Monument signs and facade
signs shall be constructed with materials compatible with the main
structure. Directional signs shall be constructed of materials compatible
with facade signs. Temporary signs may be constructed of cloth or
vinyl plastic.
[Amended 6-1-2004 by L.L. No. 14-2004]
[2]
Height. Freestanding monument signs as permitted in Subsection G(2)(a)[1] of the section shall be no greater than eight feet in height above finished grade.
[3]
Size. Freestanding monument signs as permitted in Subsection G(2)(a)(1] of this section shall have a maximum area of 80 square feet per sign face for the primary sign and 24 square feet per sign face for any secondary signs. For facade signs, one square foot of sign area shall be permitted for each linear foot of building frontage. Such facade signs shall be attached only to the building facade, shall not protrude more than one foot from the building facade and shall be single-faced. Where uses are joined by a common wall, the sign area for facade signs shall not be combined into a common sign area. Under no circumstances shall any one facade sign exceed 50 square feet. Double-faced signs are permitted for all signs other than facade signs. For all other signs, the size standards specified in § 220-22 shall apply.
[4]
Illumination. Sign lighting should
minimize glare and maintain the aesthetic character of the area. Therefore,
signs may be internally lit, backlit, and externally lit.
[Amended 6-1-2004 by L.L. No. 14-2004]
[5]
Logo. In the event that a picture
logo is displayed on a sign, it shall be incorporated into the permitted
sign area and comprise not more than 30% of the sign area. All colors
associated with a logo, as defined in this chapter, may be permitted.
[6]
Colors. Except as provided in Subsection G(2)(c)[5] above, a maximum of three colors shall be utilized for a sign. Colors shall match or complement the predominant building color.
[7]
Lettering. A maximum of two lettering
styles shall be permitted on signs, except that all lettering associated
with a logo, as defined in this chapter, may be permitted.
[8]
Setbacks. Freestanding monument
signs shall have a minimum setback of 10 feet from the right-of-way
line and 10 feet from the side property line and shall be located
in a manner that does not interfere with required minimum sight distance
at driveways or intersections.
[9]
Number of signs. A maximum of one facade sign per use is permitted, except that a use fronting on two streets or on-site roadways may have one sign for each building front. A maximum of one freestanding monument sign as described in Subsection G(2)(a)[1] of this section is permitted per driveway up to a maximum of three signs, except that for two or more signs, driveways must be separated by a minimum of 200 feet as measured center line to center line.
A.
Entrances.
(1)
Guideline. Large retail buildings should feature
multiple entrances. Multiple building entrances reduce walking distances
from cars, facilitate pedestrian and bicycle access from public sidewalks
and provide convenience where certain entrances offer access to individual
stores or identified departments of a store. Multiple entrances also
mitigate the effect of the unbroken walls and areas that often characterize
building facades that face bordering land uses.
(2)
Standard. Where a building over 20,000 square
feet faces two or more public streets or on-site roadways, at least
two sides of the building shall have at least one customer entrance,
with one of the sides being the side of the building facing the primary
street or on-site roadway and another side of the building facing
a second street or on-site roadway.
B.
Parking lot orientation.
(1)
Guideline. Parking areas should provide safe,
convenient and efficient access. They should be distributed around
large buildings in order to shorten the distance to other buildings
and public sidewalks and to reduce the overall scale of the paved
surface. If buildings are located closer to streets, the scale of
the complex is reduced, pedestrian traffic is encouraged and architectural
details take on added importance.
(2)
Standard.
(a)
No more than 50% of the off-street parking area
for the lot, tract or area of land devoted to the large retail establishment
shall be located between the front facade of the principal building(s)
and the abutting public street(s).
(b)
Islands with landscaping shall be utilized to
delineate parking and provide aesthetic benefits.
C.
Outdoor storage; trash collection; loading areas.
(1)
Guideline. Loading areas and outdoor storage
areas have visual and noise impacts on surrounding neighborhoods.
These areas, when visible from adjoining properties and/or public
streets, must be screened, recessed or enclosed. While screens and
recesses can effectively mitigate these impacts, the selection of
inappropriate screening materials can exacerbate the problem. Appropriate
locations for loading and outdoor storage areas include areas between
buildings, where more than one building is located on a site and such
buildings are not more than 40 feet apart, or on those sides of buildings
that do not have customer entrances.
(2)
Standard.
(a)
Areas for outdoor storage, trash collection or compaction, loading or other such uses shall not be located between the building and any public street or within 20 feet of any public sidewalk, on-site roadway or internal pedestrian way. These provisions shall not apply to individual outdoor trash receptacles and recyclable receptacles intended for use by pedestrians or visitors, as provided in § 220-48.23E.
(b)
Loading docks, truck parking, outdoor storage, utility meters, HVAC equipment, trash collection, trash compaction and other service functions shall be incorporated into the overall design of the building and the landscaping so that the visual and acoustic impacts of these functions are fully contained and out of view from adjacent properties, public streets and on-site roadways. No attention shall be attracted to the functions by the use of screening materials that are different from or inferior to the principal materials of the building and landscape. These provisions shall not apply to individual outdoor trash receptacles and recyclable receptacles intended for use by pedestrians or visitors, as provided in § 220-48.23E.
(c)
Nonenclosed areas for the storage and sale of
seasonal inventory shall be permanently defined and screened with
walls and/or fences that screen such areas from public view. Materials,
colors and design of screening walls, fences or covers shall be compatible
with those used as predominant materials and colors on the building.
If such areas are to be covered, then the covering shall conform to
those used as predominant materials and colors on the building.
D.
Pedestrian flows.
(1)
Guideline. Pedestrian accessibility opens developments
to the neighborhood, thereby reducing traffic impacts and enabling
the development to project a friendlier, more inviting image. This
subsection sets forth standards for public sidewalks and internal
pedestrian circulation systems that can provide user-friendly pedestrian
access as well as pedestrian safety, shelter and convenience.
(2)
Standard.
(b)
Continuous internal pedestrian walkways, no
less than five feet in width, shall be provided from the public sidewalk
or right-of-way to the principal customer entrance of all principal
buildings on the site. At a minimum, walkways shall connect focal
points of pedestrian activity such as, but not limited to, transit
stops, street crossings and building and store entry points and shall
feature adjoining landscaped areas no less than three feet in width
that include trees, grass, shrubs, benches, flower beds, ground covers
or other such materials for no less than 50% of their length.
(c)
Internal pedestrian walkways, no less than eight
feet in width, shall be provided along the full length of the building
along any facade featuring a customer entrance and along any facade
abutting public parking areas. Such walkways shall be located at least
six feet from the facade of the building to provide planting beds
for foundation landscaping, except where features such as arcades
or entryways are part of the facade.
(e)
All internal pedestrian walkways shall be distinguished
from driving surfaces through the use of durable, low-maintenance
surface materials such as pavers, bricks, scored concrete or other
materials acceptable to the Planning Board to enhance pedestrian safety
and comfort, as well as the attractiveness of the walkways.
E.
Central features and community spaces.
(1)
Guideline. Buildings should offer attractive
and inviting pedestrian scale features, spaces and amenities. Entrances
and parking lots should be configured to be functional and inviting
with walkways conveniently tied to logical destinations. Bus stops
and dropoff/pickup points should be considered as integral parts of
the configuration. Pedestrian ways should be anchored by special design
features, such as towers, arcades, porticos, architectural lighting,
bollards, planter walls and other architectural elements and amenities
that define circulation ways and outdoor spaces. Examples of outdoor
spaces are plazas, patios, courtyards and window shopping areas.
(2)
Standard.
(a)
Each retail establishment shall contribute to
the establishment or enhancement of community and public spaces by
providing at least two of the following: patio/seating area, pedestrian
plaza with benches, transportation center, window-shopping walkway,
outdoor playground area, kiosk area, water feature, clock tower or
other such deliberately shaped area and/or a focal feature or amenity
that, in the judgement of the Planning Board, adequately enhances
such community and public spaces.
(b)
Bike racks, trash receptacles and recyclable
receptacles. Each retail development site plan shall include bike
racks, trash receptacles and recyclable receptacles, as shown in Figure
4A.[2] These amenities are to be provided on the site plan and
will be privately owned and maintained.
[2]
Editor's Note: Figure 4A is located at the
end of this chapter.
(d)
Lighting. Except as provided herein, lighting shall follow the requirements of Article VIIIB Guidelines for Lighting of Outdoor Areas Under Site Plan Review.
