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Purpose: The purpose of the building
design standards is to:
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Provide for high-quality architecture
which respects universal design principles, enhances the appearance
of Nashua, reinforces pedestrian character where appropriate, and
is sensitive to neighboring buildings, the broader setting, and natural
and cultural resources.
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Protect and enhance the positive visual
qualities of Nashua's downtown, residential neighborhoods, commercial
corridors, industrial parks, and scenic and rural landscapes.
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Encourage design that is compatible
with the traditional character of Nashua and New England.
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Enhance property values and foster civic
pride.
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Minimize potential aesthetic conflicts
between residential and nonresidential uses and between single-family
and multifamily uses.
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The Planning Board finds and determines
that many national and regional chain businesses seek to build a standard
design across the country or region without regard to local conditions.
However, the Planning Board will evaluate all proposed designs for
their compatibility with the unique community character of Nashua
and for conformance with the goals of these regulations. This section
requires applicants to develop designs that are compatible with our
community character; the City need not make adjustments to accommodate
these template designs.
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This article is adopted pursuant to
the City of Nashua Land Use Plan and New Hampshire Revised Statutes
Annotated Sections 674:21 (Innovative Land Use Controls) and 674:44
(Site Plan Review Regulations).
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This section implements the following
Master Plan recommendations:
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Enhance existing commercial areas with
improved landscaping, aesthetics, signage, nighttime light pollution,
architectural design, traffic flow and coordination with abutting
land uses whenever the opportunity presents itself.
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B.
This article applies to new construction, building
additions, and alterations to buildings if those alterations would
affect the exterior appearance of the building visible from a public
street or right-of-way, or from neighboring residential properties.
A.
Applicability. This section applies to any application
for site plan approval for a multifamily building that includes at
least four dwelling units.
B.
Submittal requirements. The applicant shall submit
the external elevations depicting architectural design of the proposed
development to ensure that it complies with the goals of harmonious
existence with the neighborhood and the environment. Application materials
shall be supplemented by photographs, material samples, color charts,
sketches, models, or other materials that will assist the Board in
gaining a visual understanding of the application.
C.
Standards. Materials, colors, and building facades
shall be compatible with the character of the neighborhood.
A.
Applicability.
(1)
This section applies to any nonresidential building.
(2)
This section applies to all building facades and exterior
walls that are visible from adjoining public streets or properties.
These standards are intended to reduce the massive scale of large
buildings which, without application of these standards, would be
incompatible with the City's desired character. These standards are
also intended to ensure that buildings incorporate architectural features
and patterns that provide visual interest at the pedestrian scale,
reduce massive aesthetic effects, and reflect the local character.
B.
Facades.
(1)
Facades exceeding 150 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 150 horizontal feet.
(2)
Ground floor facades that face public streets shall
have arcades, display windows, entry areas, awnings, or other such
features along no less than 50% of their horizontal length.
C.
Roofing. The following standards are intended to foster variations in rooflines to add interest to, and reduce the massive scale of large buildings, and to ensure that roof features complement the character of adjoining development. Roofs shall have the feature in Subsection C(1) below and one other of the following features:
(1)
Parapets concealing flat roofs and rooftop equipment,
such as 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 exceed, at any point, 1/3 of the height of the
supporting wall. Such parapets shall feature three-dimensional cornice
treatment and shall not be of a constant height for a distance of
greater than 150 feet.
(2)
Overhanging eaves, extending no less than three feet
past the supporting walls, for no less than 30% of the building perimeter.
(3)
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 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.
(4)
Three or more roof slope planes.
D.
Materials and colors. Applicants shall comply with
the following standards in order to respect the historic design vernacular
of the City:
(1)
The following elements shall be integral parts of
the building fabric, and not superficially applied: trim, graphics,
paint, color changes, material changes, texture changes and relief
features (such as offsets, projections and reveals).
(2)
Exterior building materials shall include, without
limitation:
(3)
Facade colors shall be low reflectance, subtle, neutral
or earth-tone colors. The use of metallic, black or fluorescent colors
is prohibited. Building trim and accent areas may feature brighter
colors, including primary colors.
(5)
Industrial park areas may use fabricated metal wall
panels and undressed concrete or cinder block as well as reflective
glass.
E.
Entryways. Buildings shall include multiple entrances
because they 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 retail establishment. Multiple entrances also mitigate
the effect of the unbroken walls and neglected areas that often characterize
building facades that face bordering land uses.
(1)
All sides of a principal building that directly face
an abutting public street shall feature at least one customer entrance,
except where pedestrian access is not practical. Where a principal
building directly faces more than two abutting public streets, this
recommendation would apply only to two sides of the building, including
the side of the building facing the primary street, and another side
of the building facing a second street.
(2)
Applicants are encouraged to provide entryway design
elements and variations which provide orientation and aesthetically
pleasing character to the building. The following standards identify
desirable entryway design features. Each principal building on a site
shall have clearly defined, highly visible customer entrances featuring
not less than three of the following:
(a)
Canopies or porticos;
(b)
Roof overhangs;
(c)
Recesses/projections;
(d)
Arcades;
(e)
Raised corniced 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;
or
(k)
Integral planters or wing walls that incorporate
landscaped areas and/or places for sitting.
F.
Mechanical appurtenances. Mechanical appurtenances
shall be located within the structure, except as provided herein.
External mechanical appurtenances such as heating and air-conditioning
equipment may be located on the exterior portion of the structure,
but shall be screened and finished to match the colors of adjacent
building materials. Mechanical appurtenances shall include any necessary
sound buffer and/or noise attenuation equipment sufficient to reduce
sound levels to 50 decibels during the daytime hours (7:00 a.m. to
8:00 p.m.) and 45 decibels during the nighttime hours (8:00 p.m. to
7:00 a.m.) along any lot line abutting a residential zoning district.
