5.03.154 Objective Design Standards (ODDS) for Planned Development (PD) and Commercial (C) Zone Districts.

a) Applicability. The following objective design standards shall apply to residential projects consisting of multi-family residential units only or mixed-use buildings within the “PD” and “C” Zone Districts, as defined below.

(1) Mixed-use: a building consisting of residential and non-residential uses (e.g., commercial retail, retail service, office, civic, and institutional) with at least two-thirds of the square footage designated for residential use, transitional housing, or supportive housing.

(2) Multi-family Dwelling: a residential structure containing two or more residential dwelling units, each of which is for the occupancy by one or more persons, including duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, apartments, condominiums, and townhouses.

b) Building Entries, Stairwells, and Garages. To create an attractive, welcoming, safe, and active interface between private development and public spaces, buildings and site design shall meet the following objective criteria:

(1) All residential developments

i. Residential entries: residential units that are not adjacent to the street shall have front entries that are oriented to common areas such as paseos, courtyards, parking areas, and active landscape areas. (CPTED)[1]

ii. Exterior stairwells: exterior stairwells shall not be oriented to the street. For safety and security, exterior stairwells shall face interior spaces, such as plazas and gathering areas, parking areas, and pedestrian pathways, and shall not be separated from these areas by landscaping, fences, or walls taller than three feet. (CPTED[1] ).

iii. Access control: gated, fenced, underground parking facilities and gated exterior stairwells shall incorporate access control technology (e.g., access card or key).

iv. Security camera system: developments with more than 12 units shall incorporate a monitored or recorded security system.

(2) Multi-family residential developments

i. Front entries: buildings positioned along the street shall orient front entries to the street. Street facing residential units shall have covered entries with a minimum recess or projection of 48 square feet in area.

ii. Entryway design: street facing entries shall be accentuated by a minimum of one (1) of the following:

1 (CPTED indicates a standard that addresses crime prevention through environmental design

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A. a change in roof pitch or form, such as a gable, that extends a minimum or one foot past the sides of the floor jamb.

B. an increase in roof height of at least one (1) foot to accentuate the entry.

C. wood, stone, tile, or brick accent materials covering a minimum of 30 percent of the entryway wall surface area, inclusive of windows and doors.

iii. Garage doors: for projects containing (5) or more units, garage doors shall not face a public street(s) but may be oriented toward an alley or private street/driveway that is internal to the project. All garage doors shall be recessed a minimum of six (6) inches from the surrounding building wall and shall include trim of at least one and a half (1.5) inches in depth.

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(3) Mixed-use residential developments

i. Commercial/office units: commercial/office unit entrances shall face the street, a parking area, or an interior common space.

ii. Residential units: residential units in a mixed-use development shall be located on the upper floors of any elevation that faces a public street with residential access provided through a separate entry along each frontage or a single entry at the corner.

c) Massing and articulation. To create a human-scale environment and buildings that are compatible with and enhance the surrounding area, building design shall meet the following objective criteria:

a. Residential adjacencies. The side and rear walls of any building within 15 feet of a required setback shall be a maximum of 15 feet higher than the directly adjacent existing residential structure, or the exterior wall plane of each floor above the ground

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floor shall be stepped back by a minimum of eight (8) feet along the entire facade. There is no setback requirement for side and rear walls more than 15 feet from the required setback line.

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(2) Major massing breaks. Buildings shall have major massing breaks along any street frontage or publicly visible area by incorporating at least one (1) of the following features.

• i. stepping back each subsequent floor by a minimum of eight feet;

ii. recessed or projected covered entries with a minimum of 24 square feet;

iii. ground floor building recessions that provide sheltered walkways within the building footprint with a minimum width of eight feet;

iv. ground floor courtyards within the building footprint with a minimum area of 48 square feet; or

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(3) Minor massing breaks. Buildings shall have minor massing breaks at least every 30 feet along any elevation by incorporating at least one (1) of the following features:

• i. doors and windows recessed by a minimum of four (4) inches;

ii. variations in wall plane (projection or recess) by a minimum of two (2) feet in depth for at least 30 percent of the facade;

iii. vertical elements, such as pilasters, that protrude a minimum of one (1) foot from the wall surface and extend the full height of the structure; or

iv. any of the major massing breaks noted above can be double counted as a minor massing break, so long as it is located within the 30-foot section.

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(4) Roofline articulation. Rooflines shall be vertically articulated at least every 36feet along the street frontage through one (1) of the following techniques:

• i. A change in wall or roof height of a minimum four (4) feet;

• ii. A change in roof pitch or form; or

iii. The inclusion of dormers, gables, parapets, and/or varying cornices.

(5) Building variation. This section shall apply to non-DR(S) zone sites only. Buildings three (3) stories or taller and wider than 30 feet shall be designed to differentiate the ground floor, middle body, and top floor or cornice/parapet cap. Each of these elements shall be distinguished from one another through use of one (1) of the following techniques:

i. Variation in building modulation for a minimum of 70 percent of the length of the facade, through changes in wall planes that protrude and/or recess with a minimum dimension of four (4) feet;

ii. Balconies or habitable projects with a minimum of two (2) feet in depth for a minimum 25 percent of the length of the facade;

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iii. Variation in facade articulation, through horizontal and/or vertical recesses or projections (minimum four (4) inches in depth) such as shading and weather protection devices, decorative architectural details, or a pattern or grouping of windows, panels, or bay windows;

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iv. Variation in fenestration, through at least two (2) of the following; size[2] , proportion[3] , or pattern; or

v. Variation in facade material, through at least two (2) of the following: size[4] , texture, pattern, or color.

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2 including: incorporating a stepback, recession, or projection with a minimum depth of four (4) feet.

3 Including: a change in the surface area occupied by windows, doors, balconies, or trim by a minimum of 15 percent.

4 Including: a change in depth of at least four (4) inches).

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d) Architectural Elements: To create a sense of place within buildings that are cohesive, well-crafted, and enhance the public’s experience, buildings shall be designed to meet the following objective criteria.

(1) Corner treatments: corner buildings that are two (2) stories in height shall include at least one (1) of the following features within 15 feet from each edge of the building corner. Buildings that are three (3) or more stories in height shall incorporate a minimum of two (2) of the following features within 15 feet from each edge of the building corner:

• i. change in primary wall material and color;

• ii. change in height of more than (4) feet;

• iii. change in wall plane of a minimum depth of two (2) feet;

• iv. entry to ground floor retail or primary building entrance;

• v. different fenestration pattern from the primary facade;

• vi. open space with a minimum dimension of 16 feet and minimum area of 450 square feet, which accommodates either a publicly accessible courtyard/plaza, or outdoor public seating.

(2) End units: End units shall include the following features on their side elevations: a minimum 15 percent fenestration area, and at least one (1) facade modulation with a minimum depth of 18 inches and a minimum width of two (2) feet. Example: wrap around front porch.

(3) Balconies, Patios, and Porches: All ground floor residential units a minimum of 51 percent of the upper floor residential units shall include a balcony, patio, porch, or stoop, and this feature shall be a minimum of 48 square feet in area. Fractional calculations shall be rounded up. Balcony walls above the ground floor shall be a maximum of 15 percent transparent.

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(4) Facade transparency: At least 60 percent of the ground floor, street facing walls of non-residential units shall include transparent window or door glazing

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between two (2) and ten (10) feet in height from grade, providing unobstructed views into the non-residential space. Where it is infeasible to provide glazing, such as a parking garage, trash room, mechanical room, or electrical room, landscaping with a minimum dimension of 18-inches in depth and a width equivalent to 70 percent of the wall shall be provided to soften the appearance of a blank wall on the ground floor.

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(5) Windows and doors: Windows and doors shall either be trimmed or recessed. When trimmed, the trim material shall not be less than 3.5” in width by ¾” in depth from the wall. Foam trim molding is prohibited on the ground floor. When recessed, the building primary siding material (masonry or stucco) shall cover the recessed edge faces and wrap toward the interior face of the window glazing or door face by not less than 3” in depth.

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(6) Personal outdoor space: A minimum of 10 square feet (80 cubic feet) of personal outdoor public storage space shall be provided for each dwelling unit. Personal outdoor storage areas shall be covered and able to be locked.

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• e) Colors and Materials. To ensure that buildings include a variety of color palettes and textures with durable and attractive materials that contribute to the aesthetic quality of the development and the neighborhood, buildings shall be designed to meet the following objective criteria:

(1) Primary wall finish material: The primary wall finish material[5] shall be wood, stone, brick, stucco, fiber cement, or other cementitious material, or stone. T1-11 siding and all grooved or patterned wood panel or composite wood panel siding are prohibited.

(2) Required number of materials: Structures shall incorporate a minimum of two building materials on each building elevation. Trim does not count as the second material.

(3) Colors: structures shall have a color palette that consists of at least two (2) body colors and two (2) accent colors (not including roof color). Projects with two (2) or more residential structures shall include a minimum of two (2) color palettes and shall not use a single palette on more than 70 percent of the residential structures. Stone materials shall not be painted.

f) Circulation. To provide pedestrians, vehicles, and cyclists with safe and efficient site access and circulation, site design shall meet the following objective criteria:

• (1) Pedestrian circulation: all structures, entries, facilities, amenities, and parking areas shall be internally connected with pedestrian pathways. Pedestrian pathways shall connect to the public sidewalk along each street frontage. Pedestrian pathways shall be separated from roads and parking areas by a physical barrier, such as a grade-separation, of six inches or more or a raised planting strip.

• (2) Vehicular circulation: all parking areas shall be internally connected and shall use shared driveways within the development.

• (3) Carports: carports shall be painted with the approved color palette for the project.

• (4) Parking: parking shall not be located between the building frontage and a public sidewalk. Uncovered parking areas shall include a landscaped break with one (1) tree and a minimum width of five (5) feet at intervals of a maximum of every 12 parking stalls.

• (5) Bicycle parking: all structures with dwelling units shall provide short-term bike parking in the form of an inverted “U”. An artistic rack may be proposed, subject to discretionary City approval. Bicycle parking shall not be separated from building entrances by a road, parking area, or structure.

• (6) Covered parking spaces shall include a structure to mount solar panels.

5 Primary wall finish material: the material covering the largest percentage of surface area of any building face or elevation.

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g) Open space and common areas. To ensure that residents and visitors have access to usable open space and common facilities that provide recreational opportunities, promote a safe environment, and enhance the pedestrian experience, common area and open space design shall meet the following objective criteria:

(1) Outdoor space: Landscaping shall be located in all outdoor areas that are not specifically used for parking, driveways, walkways, patios, or other outdoor amenities as described below.

(2) Paved areas: Paved areas shall not exceed 50 percent of the required front or street side setback area.

(3) Courtyard and gathering areas: Internal courtyards and common areas shall be visible from the street, parking areas, pedestrian pathways, and/or interior building entries. (CPTED)

(4) Public art: Developments with more than 50 units shall provide at least one public art amenity,. subject to restrictions and procedures applicable to the DR (Design Review) Zone, to be approved by the City Council.

(5) Play areas: Multi-family developments with more than 10 units shall provide a play area with at least two structured play modules (e.g., slide and sand box, or tunnel and climber) and a picnic table adjacent to the play area as one of the required active outdoor amenities. Senior or convalescent type housing is exempted from the play area requirement but shall provide a shaded outdoor patio area with a minimum seating capacity of eight persons as one of the required active outdoor amenities.

east two structured play modules (e.g., slide and sand box, or tunnel and climber) and a picnic table adjacent to the play area as one of the required active outdoor amenities. Senior or convalescent type housing is exempted from the play area requirement but shall provide a shaded outdoor patio area with a minimum seating capacity of eight persons as one of the required active outdoor amenities.

(6) Outdoor amenities: Projects shall provide outdoor amenities according to the following table. Required amenity areas may be combined into a single area, if the minimum requirements for each amenity area are met within the combined area.

a) Passive recreation amenities: passive recreation amenities include community gardens, outdoor gathering/seating area, picnic/barbeque area, pet area/dog park, or courtyard/plaza. Each passive recreation area shall include a minimum seating capacity of one for each 10 units at least one of the following: trellis, gas fire pit, BBQ, or picnic table.

b) Active outdoor amenities: active recreation amenities include playground/tot lots, sport court/field, outdoor fitness area, swimming pool, exercise structure or complex, clubhouse with kitchen, recreation hall.

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h) Lighting

(1) Dusk to Dawn: All structures, entries, parking areas, refuse enclosures, active outdoor/landscape areas, and pedestrian pathways shall include dusk to dawn lighting for safety and security.

(2) Design and Placement: Lighting shall be recessed or hooded, downward directed, and located to illuminate only the intended area.

(3) Lighting Spill: Lighting shall not spill beyond the intended area and shall not extend across a property line.

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i) Fencing

(1) Fences and wall materials: Chain link or cyclone fences are prohibited.

j) Utilities and Service Areas

(1) Screening: utilities and utility vaults, and all mechanical equipment shall be screened or hidden from view from the public street.

(2) Refuse enclosures: trash, recycling, organic waste, and green waste bins shall be consistent with fire and building codes and shall be housed in a covered refuse enclosure with a gate that screens the trash receptacles. Sizing of the enclosures shall conform to solid waste provider requirements.

(3) Refuse enclosure materials and colors: refuse enclosures shall be constructed of the same primary wall material and color as the most adjacent building within the development.

(4) Refuse enclosure access: refuse enclosures shall have both a vehicular access gate with a concrete apron, and a pedestrian entrance. Gates shall be opaque. Access shall conform to solid waste provider requirements.

[History: ORD. 818, 2/14/24]

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