[Amended 2-9-2009 by L.L. No. 3-2009]
The Planning Board may approve an application
for site plan review only upon findings that the proposed site plan
would be in harmony with the purposes of this chapter and further
that the application as approved adequately meets the objectives set
forth in this section. The Planning Board's review of the site plan
shall include, as appropriate, but is not limited to the following
general considerations:
A.
General design objectives.
(1)
The location, arrangement, size, design and general
site compatibility of buildings, lighting and signs.
(2)
The adequacy and arrangement of vehicular traffic
access and circulation, including intersections, road widths, pavement
surfaces, dividers and traffic controls.
(3)
The location, arrangement, appearance and sufficiency
of off-street parking and loading.
(4)
The adequacy and arrangement of pedestrian traffic
access and circulation, walkway structures, control of intersections
with vehicular traffic and overall pedestrian convenience.
(5)
The adequacy of stormwater and drainage facilities
and compliance with any applicable federal, state or Town stormwater
requirements.
(6)
The adequacy of water supply and sewage disposal facilities.
(7)
The adequacy, type and arrangement of trees, shrubs
and other landscaping constituting a visual and/or noise buffer between
the applicant's and adjoining lands, including the maximum retention
of existing vegetation.
(8)
The adequacy of fire lanes and other emergency zones
and the provision of fire hydrants.
(9)
Compliance with architectural requirements, if any,
in the applicable district.
(10)
Special attention to the adequacy and impact
of structures, roadways and landscaping in areas with susceptibility
to ponding, flooding and/or erosion.
(11)
That there be a reasonable provision for open
space, yards and recreation areas appropriate to the structure and
use.
(12)
Overall impact on the neighborhood, including
compatibility of design considerations, environmental and aesthetic
impacts.
(13)
Overall impact on natural, scenic, cultural,
and historic resources as inventoried on the Community Resources Map
or included in any other officially recognized planning document.
(14)
Sufficient compliance with the requirements of the Cazenovia
Lakefront Development Guidelines, as last amended and adopted by the
Town Board of the Town of Cazenovia.
[Added 2-12-2018 by L.L.
No. 1-2018]
B.
Site design objectives.
(1)
Sites should be developed in a coordinated manner
to complement adjacent structures through placement, architecture,
colors and size/mass.
(2)
New developments should not erase landforms that are
indigenous to the area. Instead, solutions should reflect and reinforce
the area's own topographic features. Consequently, developments should
strive to minimize cuts and fills when grading is necessary; slopes
should be graded to mimic existing slopes and blend smoothly into
the surrounding landform.
(3)
Whenever possible, buildings on the same site should
be clustered and incorporate plazas, courtyards, pocket parks and
other pedestrian use areas.
(4)
Structures that are visible from public roads, Cazenovia
Lake and recognized areas of public recreation and gathering (for
example, Lorenzo and Stone Quarry Hill Art Park) shall be compatible
with each other and with traditional structures in the surrounding
area in architecture, design, massing, materials and placement and
shall harmonize with traditional elements in the architectural fabric
of the area.
(5)
Architectural design shall be in keeping with the
rural, agricultural and historic character of the Cazenovia area.
In general, the design shall avoid flat roofs (except when the existing
predominant architecture is characterized by such architectural features),
large expanses of undifferentiated facades and long, plain wall sections.
(6)
Trademarked architecture (including colors, signage
and other features) which identifies a specific company by building
design features shall be prohibited. Innovative design features will
be encouraged in this regard.
(7)
Where appropriate, setbacks shall maintain and continue
the existing setback pattern of surrounding properties.
(8)
Sites should be designed to avoid the appearance of
domination by automobiles. Positive methods to achieve this concept
include:
(a)
Orienting buildings to fronting streets and
placing parking at the rear and/or sides.
(b)
Designing the required parking area into smaller,
discrete, connected lots rather than large, single-use lots.
(c)
Providing well-defined pedestrian walkways through
parking areas and from public sidewalks into the site. Well-defined
walkways use pavers, changes in color, texture and composition of
paving materials and vertical plantings such as trees and shrubs.
The minimum width of walkways shall be five feet and shall accommodate
wheelchair access.
(d)
Parking areas shall be designed to be fully
screened to the greatest extent possible from adjacent streets and
building occupants. Screening can be accomplished through a number
of methods, including:
(e)
All measures should be designed to accomplish
the intended screening while allowing adequate safety and surveillance
of the parking areas.
(9)
Where appropriate, site plans shall be designed to
provide vehicle and pedestrian connections with adjacent sites.
(10)
All new utilities should be installed underground.
C.
Building design objectives.
(1)
No single architectural style is required except when
otherwise required by Town of Cazenovia regulations. However, reliance
on or use of standardized "corporate" or "franchise" style is strongly
discouraged. No flat roofs except when the existing predominant architecture
is characterized by such architectural features.
(2)
Buildings should reflect an individual design that
has considered site location, conditions and surrounding development.
Building design should provide a sense of permanence and timelessness.
High-quality construction and materials should be used to ensure that
buildings will not look dated or worn down over time. Building designs
should reflect an individual style and form and not merely current
trends.
(3)
A consistent visual identity shall be applied to all
sides of buildings visible to the general public. In these areas,
all building sides shall have an equivalent level of quality of materials,
detailing, and window placement. Abrupt ending of architectural details
shall be avoided, with no radical change in details or features or
materials.
(4)
Long, blank walls are to be avoided. Positive methods
to achieve this objective include changes in colors and materials,
placement of windows, use of awnings and canopies, and architectural
details and features such as corners, setbacks and offsets. Windows
at ground level may be tinted; however, reflective and mirrored windows
are not allowed.
(5)
Buildings facing streets shall incorporate pedestrian-scaled
entrances. Pedestrian-scaled entrances are those that provide an expression
of human activity or use in relation to building size. Doors, windows,
entrances, and other features should be designed to respond to the
size of the human body and not give the appearance of anonymity or
overwhelming the building's users.
(6)
Modulation (defined as a measured setback or offset
in a building face) shall be incorporated to reduce overall bulk and
mass of buildings. The planes of exterior walls should not run in
one continuous direction more than 50 to 60 feet without an offset
or setback.
(7)
Large buildings should have height variations to give
the appearance of distinct elements.
(8)
Building design shall incorporate traditional building
materials such as wood, masonry, stone, heavy timbers, brick, and
other natural-appearing materials.
(9)
Building colors should accent, blend with, or complement
surroundings. Bright or brilliant colors should be reserved for trim
and accents.
(10)
Landscape areas or planting beds having a minimum
width of five (5) feet should be provided around perimeters to separate
buildings from surrounding pavement areas.
(11)
Outdoor storage areas, mechanical equipment,
utility vaults, and trash receptacles must not be visible from adjacent
streets and pedestrian walkways.
(12)
Outdoor mechanical equipment shall be appropriately
screened from view and sound to adjoining properties. The method of
screening shall be architecturally integrated with the building with
respect to materials, color, shape, and size.
(13)
Site services should be located on the least-visible
side of a building or site or within interior building spaces.
(14)
Ground-level outdoor enclosures shall be composed
of materials similar to the main structure.
(15)
Materials used for site features such as fences,
screen walls, and signs should be appropriate to the zone district
where the development is located and should complement building design
through materials, color, shape, and size.
(16)
Developments should provide transition with
adjacent uses, especially regarding building location, size and scale.
No single building or development should dominate adjacent uses in
terms of size, bulk, view blockage, or shading.
D.
Sign objectives for commercial developments.
(1)
Building signs.
(a)
Individual letters rather than cabinet signs
are preferred.
(b)
Backlit individual letters are a preferred alternative.
(c)
Sign colors should be coordinated with building
colors.
(d)
Signs should be compatible in scale and proportion
with building design and other signs.
(e)
A specific sign program or concept should be
designed for multiple tenant buildings or complexes. Color and letter
style shall be coordinated when businesses share the same building
and consistent sign patterns (placement on buildings) shall be utilized.
(f)
Neon (tubed) lighting is not permissible.
(h)
Monument structure is preferred over pole-mounted
signs; maximum total height of eight feet measured from grade at its
lowest point.
(i)
Wood and/or stone construction is preferred.
E.
Landscaping objectives for commercial developments.
(1)
Existing vegetation should be incorporated into overall
site design and preserved to the maximum extent possible.
(2)
Provide unity of design through repetition of plants
and coordination with adjacent developments.
(3)
Landscape materials should be hardy species that are
adaptable to local conditions, easily maintained, and drought-tolerant.
Use of native plants is strongly encouraged.
(4)
The design for parking areas shall include trees to
provide shade and break up expanses of asphalt. One landscape island,
each including a tree (sized at a minimum of two-and-one-half-inch
caliper at the time of planting), shall be required for every eight
to 10 parking spaces. There should be no more than 10 spaces between
landscape islands or medians.
(5)
Landscape islands or medians shall have no dimension
narrower than five feet to six feet (eight to 10 feet being preferable).
(6)
Interior landscaping is required for parking lots
containing 10 or more spaces at a ratio of 200 square feet of landscape
area for every 2,000 square feet of parking area. Such referenced
areas shall not include drive lane area in such calculation. All landscaped
areas should be protected by wheelstops or curbing, or be of sufficient
width to prevent damage to plants by overhanging vehicles.
(7)
Required perimeter setback areas shall be densely
landscaped with a combination of trees and shrubs which form a ninety-percent
groundcover within three years of planting.
(8)
For every 200 square feet of landscape area: three
shrubs and either one deciduous tree, two-and-one-half-inch minimum
caliper at time of planting, or one evergreen tree, having a minimum
height of 10 feet at the time of planting. Tree spacing shall be as
follows:
(9)
Interior site landscaping is required to define pedestrianways,
enclose outdoor gathering and seating areas, and reduce building mass.
(10)
Architectural features such as low walls, fountains,
and sculptures may be used in places where planting areas are limited
or restricted.
(11)
Project entrances should be enhanced through
changes in paving materials such as brick pavers, textured and colored
concrete, providing entry structures and unity in planting of trees
and shrubs.
(12)
Individual trees along walkways and along sidewalks
in the internal portions of projects should be planted in tree wells
or planter boxes.
(13)
Open stormwater detention facilities should
be incorporated into project landscaping and open space where geographically
feasible. Encouragement will be given to use of parking islands for
stormwater detention as a site feature.
(14)
Open stormwater detention facilities shall be
landscaped and screened.
F.
Lighting objectives.
(1)
Moving and flashing lights are prohibited.
(2)
Use of cutoff lenses or hoods, shielded wall packs
to prevent glare and light spill off project site onto adjacent properties,
buildings, and roadways are required.
(3)
Design features which are consistent with protection
of "dark skies" and which avoid light pollution and spillage should
be demonstrated.
(4)
Lighting standards should be designed and sized to
be compatible with the character of the development and consistent
with the "dark skies" policies outlined below:
(a)
All lighting shall be IESNA full cutoff unless
otherwise permitted in Table 1.[2]
[2]
Editor's Note: Table 1 is included at the end of this chapter.
(b)
Illumination of a flagpole is permitted, provided
that no more than one narrow beam thirty-nine-watt metal halide par
lamp or its equivalent is used and aimed to only illuminate the flag.
The source of illumination must be shielded in a manner so as not
to be visible from adjacent property.
(c)
Light fixtures associated with canopies, including
but not limited to fuel islands, storefronts, shopping malls, theaters,
bank drive-throughs and hotels shall be mounted so that the bottom
of the lens is recessed or flush with the bottom surface of the canopy.
All light emitted from the canopy shall be substantially confined
to the ground directly beneath the perimeter of the canopy. No lighting
of any kind, except as may be permitted by sign regulations, shall
be allowed on the top or sides of a canopy.
(d)
All lights on property adjacent to residential
zoned land, except those required for security at entrances, stairways
and loading docks shall be circuited such that lighting shall be reduced
by at least 50% within one hour after the end of business hours and
be operated in such 50% (or lower) reduced mode until one hour prior
to the commencement of business hours. Lighting closest to the building
or structures shall be circuited separately from lighting on the property
perimeter to allow after-hours controls.
(e)
Landscape, special feature accent lighting and
facade lighting shall be located and shielded such that the light
source is not visible from off property.
(f)
All stadium and all other exterior sports arena
lights used for the purpose of illuminance of the playing area must
be turned off within 30 minutes of the conclusion of the final event
of the day. The remainder of the facility lighting, except for reasons
of security, must be turned off within one hour after the event, and
remain extinguished until one hour prior to the commencement of the
next event.
(g)
Illuminance of a building facade to enhance
architectural features is permitted. Downlighting is preferred, provided
that wall-mounted fixtures are used and illuminance is contained completely
within the vertical face of the building and does not spill off the
building edge. Uplighting may be permitted, provided that no illuminance
escapes the facade. Lights mounted on poles for the purpose of illuminating
the building facade are not permitted.
