Fresno Municipal Code § 15-1102 Use Regulations

The purposes of the Mixed-Use (MX) Districts are to:

A. Promote pedestrian-oriented infill development, intensification, and reuse of land consistent with the General Plan.

B. Allow and encourage the development of mixed-use centers and corridors with a vibrant concentration of goods and services, multi-unit housing, and community gathering and public spaces at strategic locations.

C. Transform certain auto-oriented boulevards and corridors into vibrant, diverse, and attractive corridors that support a mix of pedestrian-oriented retail, office, and residential uses in order to achieve an active social environment within a revitalized streetscape.

D. Provide options which reduce the need for private automobile use to access shopping, services, and employment and minimize air pollution from vehicle miles traveled.

E. Offer additional housing opportunities for residents seeking to live in an urban environment.

F. Improve access to a greater range of facilities and services for surrounding residential neighborhoods.

G. Establish development and design standards for these centers and corridors that will create a unified, distinctive, and attractive urban character, with appropriate transitions to adjacent residential neighborhoods.

H. Facilitate mixed-use residential development at increased densities and intensities in key locations such as along Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridors. Implement and provide appropriate regulations for General Plan classifications of "Neighborhood Mixed-Use," "Corridor/Center Mixed-Use," and "Regional Mixed-Use."

Additional purposes of each Mixed-Use District are as follows:

NMX Neighborhood Mixed-Use. The NMX district is intended to provide for mixed-use residential districts that include local-serving, pedestrian-oriented commercial development, such as smaller independent retail shops and professional offices in two-to three-story buildings. Development is expected to include ground-floor neighborhood retail uses and upper-level housing or offices, with a mix of small lot single-unit houses, townhomes, and multi-unit dwelling units on side streets, in a horizontal or vertical mixed-use orientation. The NMX district provides for a scale and character of development that is pedestrian-orientated, designed to attract and promote a walk-in clientele, with small lots and frequent pedestrian connections permitting convenient access from residences to commercial space.

CMX Corridor/Center Mixed-Use. The CMX district is intended to allow for either horizontal or vertical mixed-use development along key circulation corridors in the city where height and density can be easily accommodated. Ground-floor retail and upper-floor residential or offices are the primary uses, with residential uses, personal and business services, and public and institutional space as supportive uses. Development will facilitate the transformation of existing transportation corridors into vibrant, highly walkable areas with broad, pedestrian-friendly sidewalks, trees, landscaping, and local-serving uses with new buildings that step down in relationship to the scale and character of adjacent neighborhoods.

RMX Regional Mixed-Use. The RMX district is intended to support regional retail and mixed-use development in large-scale activity centers outside of Downtown, as identified by the General Plan. It accommodates urban-scale mixed-use development that serve residents and businesses of the region at large. Medium-scale retail, housing, office, civic and entertainment uses, and shopping malls with large-format or "big-box" retail are allowed, as are supporting uses such as gas stations, hotels, and residential in mixed-use or single-use buildings. Development and design standards will create a pedestrian orientation within centers and along major corridors, with parking located on the side or rear of, or within, major structures.

(Added Ord. 2015-39, § 1, eff. 1-9-16; Am. Ord. 2025-024, § 19, eff. 7-27-25).

A. Table 15-1102 prescribes the proposed land use regulations for Mixed-Use Districts. The regulations for the districts are established by letter designations listed below. These designations apply strictly to the permissibility of land uses; applications for buildings or structures may require discretionary review.

"P" designates permitted uses.

"C" designates uses that are permitted after review and approval of a Conditional Use Permit.

"(#)" numbers in parentheses refer to specific limitations listed at the end of the table.

"-" designates uses that are not permitted.

Uses listed as "P" or "C" may be restricted in certain locations by Section 15-1104-A.

B. Land uses are defined in Article 67, Use Classifications.

C. In cases where a specific land use or activity is not defined, the Director shall assign the land use or activity to a classification that is substantially similar in character per Section 15-5020, Director's Determination.

D. All permitted uses are allowed either alone or in combination with other permitted uses unless otherwise stated in this Code.

E. Use classifications and subclassifications not listed in the table or not found to be substantially similar to the uses below are not permitted.

F. The table also notes additional regulations that apply to various uses. Section numbers in the right hand column refer to other sections of this Code.

TABLE 15-1102: USE REGULATIONS—MIXED-USE DISTRICTS

(Added Ord. 2015-39, § 1, eff. 1-9-16; Am. Ord. 2015-43, § 1, eff. 1-22-16; Am. Ord. 2016-32, § 10, eff. 10-21-16; Am. Ord. 2017-33, § 6, eff. 7-30-17; Am. Ord. 2018-25, § 8, eff. 6-11-18; Am. Ord. 2018-66, § 8, eff. 1-18-19; Am. Ord. 2020-031, § 2, 9-1-20; Am. Ord. 2022-029, § 1, eff. 11-19-22; Am. Ord. 2025-024, § 20, eff. 7-27-25; Am. Ord. 2025-036, § 1, eff. 10-23-25).

Table 15-1103 prescribes the density, intensity, and massing development standards for the Mixed-Use Districts. Additional regulations are denoted in a right hand column. Section numbers in this column refer to other sections of the Code, while individual letters refer to subsections that directly follow the table. The numbers in each illustration below correspond to the "#" column in the associated table. Drawings are for illustrative purposes and are not drawn to scale.

TABLE 15-1103: DENSITY, INTENSITY, AND MASSING STANDARDS—MIXED-USE DISTRICTS

(Added Ord. 2015-39, § 1, eff. 1-9-16; Am. Ord. 2022-029, § 2, eff. 11-19-22).

A. Active Uses Adjacent to Sidewalks. For buildings located within 20 feet of a public street, the following standards shall apply:

1. Within 100 Feet in each direction of an Existing or Planned Bus Rapid Transit Station. No less than 60 percent of the building frontage along public streets shall be occupied by food and beverage sales, entertainment and recreation, general personal services, artist's studios, eating and drinking establishments, personal services, general retail, or convenience retail uses. Other high-activity uses which typically operate at night and on weekends may be approved at the discretion of the Review Authority.

2. Other Locations. Active spaces, such as individual dwelling unit entrances, cinemas/theaters, eating and drinking establishments, offices, personal services, general retail, or residential or office lobbies, or shall occupy no less than 60 percent of building frontage along public streets. Inactive and utilitarian spaces, such as storage, utility rooms, or facilities which are occupied infrequently shall not occupy more than 50 percent of the building frontage along public streets. Sites with frontage on multiple streets may not be required to meet this standard along the street with the lowest functional classification or least visual prominence, at the discretion of the Review Authority.

B. RS Transition Standards. Where an MX district abuts an RS District, the following standards apply:

1. Height. The maximum height within 40 feet of an RS District is limited to 30 feet. The maximum height within 50 feet of an RS District is 40 feet.

2. Setbacks. The following additional setback requirements shall be applied to all structures, including accessory structures, on parcels which are adjacent to an RS District:

a. Front and Street Side Yard. The front setback shall not be less than the required front yard on the abutting RS District lot within 50 feet of the RS District.

b. Interior Side and Rear. The interior side and rear setback abutting an RS District boundary shall be 20 feet.

3. Landscape. See Table 15-2305-C.1, Required Landscape Buffers.

[Figure: FIGURE 15-1104-B: RS TRANSITION STANDARDS—MX DISTRICTS]

FIGURE 15-1104-B: RS TRANSITION STANDARDS—MX DISTRICTS

4. Screening. When a multi-story building is proposed and the second story or above is located within 50 feet of the side or rear yard of a single-unit lot, screening measures shall be applied to provide a reasonable degree of privacy.

a. Screening measures include, but are not limited to, landscaping, alternate window and balcony placements, placing windows at least six feet from the floor of the interior of the unit, incorporating wing walls or louvers, using glass block or other translucent material, and other such methods.

b. Sufficiency of Screening. The Review Authority shall determine the sufficiency of the proposed screening measures and may require additional measures.

C. Corner Frontage. Buildings on corner lots must be located within five feet of the street property line for the minimum length specified in Table 15-1103. Plazas maybe located at the street corner provided the plaza meets the requirements of Section 15-1104-E.1.c and buildings are built to the edge of the plaza.

[Figure: FIGURE 15-1104-C: CORNER FRONTAGE STANDARDS]

FIGURE 15-1104-C: CORNER FRONTAGE STANDARDS

D. Parking Setback. Parking shall be setback as shown on Table 15-1103 except as provided below:

1. Surface Parking.

a. Surface parking which is located behind a building shall not be subject to the parking setback requirement.

b. On lots less than 150 feet in width or depth or at the discretion of the Review Authority, surface parking may be set back less than the distance shown on Table 15-1103, if the following conditions are met:

i. Such parking shall not be set back from the street less than adjacent buildings on the site.

ii. The parking setback area shall be landscaped.

iii. There shall be no more than four adjacent parking spaces in surface parking areas located less than 30 feet from a street-facing lot line. The space between groups of four adjacent parking spaces shall be equal in width to the adjacent parking spaces and shall be landscaped.

iv. Parking spaces shall be screened from the adjacent street with a minimum three foot berm, wall, or hedge, or combination thereof.

c. If a sound wall is required along a certain frontage, or if other circumstances exist that render the Parking Setback impractical or unnecessary, the Review Authority may waive the Parking Setback requirement.

[Figure: FIGURE 15-1104-D.1: SURFACE PARKING SETBACK REDUCTION]

FIGURE 15-1104-D.1: SURFACE PARKING SETBACK REDUCTION

2. Partially Submerged Podium Parking. Parking that is partially below the street grade may extend to the setbacks of the main structure, if the following conditions are met:

a. No more than six feet of the partially submerged parking podium may extend above the street grade.

b. The partially submerged parking podium shall be screened along street facing elevations by foundation plant materials. Gates need not be screened.

3. Underground Parking. Parking that is fully underground and below the street grade may extend from lot line to lot line

E. On-Site Open Space.

1. Minimum Open Space Required. On-site open space shall be required for projects with more than four dwelling units. The minimum amount of on-site open space required shall be based on the size of the lot, as shown in Table 1.5-1103. This requirement may be met through a combination of private open space, common open space, or public plazas as follows:

a. Private Open Space Requirements. Private open spaces are those which are attached to a dwelling unit and are available only for the private use of the residents of the dwelling unit, such as balconies, porches, and patios. No fewer than 50 percent of the dwelling units on a site shall have a private open space. The following standards shall apply to private open space:

i. The minimum dimension of any private open space shall be five feet.

ii. The minimum area of any private open space shall be 32 square feet.

iii. When located within 30 feet of a public street and located on the ground floor, private open spaces shall follow the requirements for Porches as put forth in Table 15-1105-D.

iv. When located within 30 feet of a public street and located above the ground floor, private open spaces shall follow the requirements for Balconies as put forth in Table 15-1105-D.

b. Common Open Space Requirements. Common open spaces are those which are available for active or passive use by all tenants, but use by the general public may be restricted. To the extent that common open space is provided, the following standards shall apply:

i. The minimum dimension of any common open space shall be 20 feet.

ii. The minimum area of any common open space shall be 1,000 square feet. The calculation of the common open space area shall exclude structures which are unusable as open space, but shall include structures that enhance its usability, such as swimming pools, changing facilities, fountains, planters, benches, and landscaping.

iii. At least 80 percent of common open space shall be unobstructed to the sky. Trellises, pergolas, and similar structures shall be considered open to the sky for the purposes of this measurement.

iv. Common open space may be located at grade, on rooftops, on top of parking podiums, or any other such location that is accessible to tenants. Common open space may not be located within required setbacks or parking areas.

[Figure: FIGURE 15-1104-E.1.b: MINIMUM REQUIRED COMMON OPEN SPACE DIMENSION]

FIGURE 15-1104-E.1.b: MINIMUM REQUIRED COMMON OPEN SPACE DIMENSION

c. Public Plaza Requirements. Public plazas are those which are available for use by the general public, as well as tenants of the project. To the extent that public plazas are provided, the following standards shall apply:

i. The minimum dimension of any public plaza shall be 20 feet.

ii. The minimum area of any public plaza shall be 500 square feet. The calculation of the public plaza area shall exclude structures which are unusable as open space, but shall include structures that enhance its usability, such as fountains, planters, benches, and landscaping.

iii. Public plazas shall include benches or other seating, and paving shall be of high-quality materials. Amenities provided shall enhance the comfort, aesthetics, or usability of the space and include, but not be limited to, trees and other landscaping, shade structures, drinking fountains, water features, public art, or performance areas. Landscaping or other aspects of the design shall not discourage the use of the space by the general public.

iv. Public plazas shall be fully accessible from the public right-of-way, shall be located in front of project buildings and shall not be located where public views into the space are obstructed by buildings or other structures.

v. Public plazas may be located within required front setbacks.

vi. A public access easement shall be provided for the space.

[Figure: FIGURE 15-1104-E.1.c: MINIMUM REQUIRED PUBLIC PLAZA DIMENSION]

FIGURE 15-1104-E.1.c: MINIMUM REQUIRED PUBLIC PLAZA DIMENSION

2. Minimum Open Space Reduction. The minimum amount of open space required shall be reduced by 25 percent in any one of the following circumstances:

a. Any portion of the lot is located within 400 feet of a transit stop with regular, scheduled service during the weekday hours of 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

b. There is a public park within 400 ft. of the site, and

i. Said park is located on the same side of the street and provides an improved pedestrian path to and from the site; or

ii. The public park is across a local street and the site provides an improved pedestrian path to and from the site.

c. The parcel is 15,000 square feet or less in area.

F. Sidewalk Standards. Notwithstanding Chapter 13, Section 208 of the Municipal Code, the following shall apply:

1. Applicability. All projects shall be required to bring adjacent sidewalk conditions into conformance with the standards of this section, subject to the following exceptions:

a. Applications for signs only.

b. Additions, remodels, or tenant improvements of less than 50 percent of the current value of the property.

2. Width. Sidewalks shall be no less than 12 feet in width. If the current distance between the right-of-way boundary and the face of the adjacent curb is less than 12 feet, the method by which this requirement shall be satisfied shall be determined by Review Authority. The available methods shall be as follows:

a. Set Back. The building may be set back from the right-of-way boundary the distance that is necessary to achieve the required sidewalk width. The portion of the sidewalk which lies within the private parcel shall be guaranteed for public access by the enactment of a public access easement.

b. Reconstruction. The applicant may demolish and reconstruct the sidewalk for the entirety of the block frontage(s) which the project occupies to the extent necessary to satisfy the requirements of this section.

c. Parklet. The sidewalk may be expanded into the roadway by a metal or wood deck which does not interfere with the drainage of the street. In such instances the applicant shall enter into an encroachment agreement with the City in which the applicant accepts full responsibility for the maintenance and repair of the parklet, as well as providing the indemnification and insurance as required by the City's Risk Manager.

d. Width Exemption. For unusually challenging site conditions, or in instances in which the existing building and sidewalk pattern warrants it, the Director may exempt the applicant providing the full sidewalk width required above. In such instances all other requirements in this section, such as for trees and lighting, shall be met.

3. Treatment. Required sidewalks shall be paved and landscaped as follows:

a. Adjacent to Mixed-Use or Non-Residential Projects. The full width of the sidewalk shall be fully paved in uncolored concrete with a simple 30-inch scoring pattern.

b. Adjacent to Residential-Only Projects. A seven-foot walkway adjacent to the private parcel shall be paved in uncolored concrete with a simple 30 inch scoring pattern. The five feet adjacent to the curb shall be a parkway strip which shall be landscaped in a manner to be determined by the Director.

[Figure]

4. Trees. Street trees shall be provided with sidewalk improvements. Exact tree type and location shall be determined by the Director. Preferred street tree type and location shall be as follows:

a. Alignment. Street trees should be located no more than three feet from the back of curb, and whenever possible should be aligned with other trees on the block.

b. Spacing. Street trees should generally be evenly spaced, no less than 20 feet apart, and not more than 40 feet apart. Whenever possible, trees should not be located directly in front of building entrances.

c. Wells. When a parkway strip is not provided, trees should be placed in tree wells measuring five feet by five feet. To maximize usable sidewalk area, tree wells shall be covered by grates of a design which is approved by the Director. Larger tree wells may be required by the Public Works Director for species requiring more space. The property owner shall assume maintenance responsibilities for the tree grates.

d. Species. Street trees should be deciduous, fast growing, drought tolerant, and should eventually form a tall canopy. Not more than one species should be planted per block. Whenever nearby pre-existing trees are in good condition and meet the intent of this section, new trees should be of the same species.

5. Lighting. Pedestrian-scaled street lights shall be provided with sidewalk improvements. Exact design and location shall be determined by the Director. Preferred designs and locations shall be as follows:

a. Alignment. Street lights should be located no more than three feet from the curb, and whenever possible should be aligned with street trees, as well as other lights on the block.

b. Spacing. Street lights should be generally evenly spaced, no less than 30 feet apart, and not more than 80 feet apart. Whenever possible, street lights should be no less than 15 feet from nearby street trees.

c. Design. Street lights should not be of the type commonly known as Cobra Heads or other types which are intended primarily for the illumination of the vehicular roadway. Lights should be ornamental and designed primarily for the illumination of the sidewalk. Whenever nearby pre-existing lights are in good condition and meet the intent of this section, new lights should be of the same type. Intersection safety lights shall be typical cobra-head design, while mid-block lighting should be ornamental and scaled for the pedestrian environment. Lighting shall meet Public Works standards.

6. Maintenance. If a Community Facilities District is not established to maintain sidewalks, street trees, and lighting, the applicant shall enter into a maintenance agreement to ensure the maintenance of said facilities.

G. Service Areas and Loading. Service and loading areas should be integrated with the design of the building and shall be screened from residential areas. Special attention shall be given when designing loading facilities in a location that is proximate to residential uses. Techniques such as block walls, enhanced setbacks, or enclosed loading shall be used to minimize adverse impacts to residents.

H. Pedestrian Access. Pedestrian access to public streets shall be provided at the preference of the applicant by either the Flexibility Option or the Certainty Option as follows:

1. Flexibility Option. The applicant must demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Review Authority that the project meets the following goals:

a. Provide sufficient opportunities to walk to nearby amenities, services, and transit facilities.

b. Create an interface between the building and the public sidewalk which results in a high level of activity on the sidewalk.

2. Certainty Option. Projects which comply with the following standards shall be considered to provide sufficient pedestrian access:

a. Common Area Sidewalk Connections. Common entrances into lobbies or internal pedestrian paths shall be provided at a rate of no less than one per 400 feet of linear street frontage. When providing access to a structure, such entrances shall be protected by a portico, canopy, or alcove of no less than four feet in depth. When providing access to a structure such entrances shall also feature an architectural element which clearly distinguishes them from entrances into individual dwellings.

b. Residential Unit Sidewalk Connections. Direct entrances into individual ground-floor dwelling units which are adjacent to streets shall be provided at a rate of no less than one per 100 feet of linear street frontage. Such entrances shall be protected by a portico, canopy, or alcove of no less than four feet in depth.

c. Commercial Sidewalk Connections. Direct entrances into ground-floor commercial establishments which are adjacent to streets shall be provided at a rate of no less than one per 100 feet of linear street frontage. When establishments with dimensions greater than 100 feet occupy a site, they shall be set back and wrapped with smaller spaces that will satisfy this requirement. See Figure 15-1104-H.2.C.

d. External Connections to Adjacent Development. Pedestrian walkways shall connect the project site to adjacent Residential, Commercial, Mixed Use, and Office districts at a frequency of no less than one per 600 feet. Projects may be excepted from this requirement in the following situations:

i. An interconnected street network with short blocks and sidewalks exists in the surrounding area; or

ii. The project site is less than one acre in size; or

iii. The adjacent properties are developed and there are no possible connection points via breaks in the perimeter wall/fence.

[Figure: FIGURE 15-1104-H.2: SIDEWALK CONNECTIONS]

FIGURE 15-1104-H.2: SIDEWALK CONNECTIONS

[Figure: FIGURE 15-1104-H.2.C: WRAPPING OF LARGE USES]

FIGURE 15-1104-H.2.C: WRAPPING OF LARGE USES

a. If the project is located within an area with adopted design guidelines, all applicable guidelines which relate to pedestrian access and the location of doors and entrances shall also be followed.

(Added Ord. 2015-39, § 1, eff. 1-9-16; Am. Ord. 2016-1, § 2, eff. 3-14-16; Am. Ord. 2016-32, §§ 11, 12, eff. 10-21-16; Am. Ord. 2018-66, § 9, eff. 1-18-19; Am. Ord. 2022-029, § 3, eff. 11-19-22; Am. Ord. 2025-024, § 21, eff. 7-27-25).

Appropriate façade design shall be provided at the preference of the applicant by either the Flexibility Option or the Certainty Option as follows:

A. Flexibility Option. The applicant must demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Review Authority that the project meets the following goals:

1. Present an attractive appearance to public streets.

2. Be aesthetically and functionally compatible to the nearby development context,

3. Demonstrate a high level of quality,

4. Support the growth in value of surrounding properties.

B. Certainty Option. Street-facing façades for buildings adjacent to a public street shall comply to the following standards. Other façades are not be subject to these standards.

1. Building Length Articulation. At least one projection or recess shall be provided for every 50 horizontal feet of wall in one of the following manners:

a. Projections or recesses for buildings 50 feet wide or less shall be exempted from the building length articulation requirement; projections or recesses for buildings greater than 50 feet in width but less than 100 feet in width shall be no less than 12 inches in depth; or projections or recesses for buildings 100 feet wide or wider shall be no less than 24 inches in depth.

b. The depth and width of the projection or recess shall be proportionate to the overall mass of the building.

2. Building Height Articulation. In order to maintain a human scale for multi-story buildings, the height of façades shall be broken into smaller increments as follows:

a. Ground Floor. A substantial horizontal articulation of the façade shall be applied at the top of the first story, This element shall be no less than 18 inches tall, and should project from the adjacent wall plane. It shall be designed as a cornice, belt course, or a similar architectural element which is appropriate to the style of the building.

b. Top Floor. Buildings or portions of buildings which are four stories in height or taller shall also provide articulation for the top story of the building. This may be accomplished by a color change, material change, a cornice/belt course at the bottom of the uppermost story, by stepping the uppermost story back, or similar measures.

[Figure: FIGURE 15-1105-B.2: BUILDING HEIGHT ARTICULATION]

FIGURE 15-1105-B.2: BUILDING HEIGHT ARTICULATION

C. Building Materials and Finishes. Materials shall present a durable and attractive appearance through high-quality materials, finishes, and workmanship defined as:

1. At least two cladding materials (excluding roof and foundation); and

2. At least three exterior colors (each cladding material shall count as a color, and trim/accent colors shall each count as a color, and visually significant colors for doors, balconies, and similar elements may count as a color).

3. Exception: Buildings which accurately adhere to a recognized architectural style which is appropriately expressed in one cladding material and one color shall be excepted.

4. Exception: Buildings with all of the following characteristics shall be allowed to use one cladding material:

a. Building height of 3 stories or less;

b. Building width of 100 feet or less; and

c. A façade with a comparable form of visual interest,

D. Window Design.

1. Glazing Ratio. Street-facing façades of each floor of the building shall have an overall wall composition of at least 25 percent glazing, but not more than 70 percent glazing, with the exception that commercial portions of the ground floor shall be subject to subsection D-2 below.

2. Ground Floor Commercial Transparency. For ground floor street-facing façades on portions of a structure occupied by commercial uses, exterior walls facing a front or street-side tot line shall Include windows, doors, or other openings with transparent glazing for at least 50 percent of the building wall area located between 2.5 and seven feet above the level of the sidewalk. Openings fulfilling this requirement shall have transparent glazing and provide views into work areas, display areas, sales areas, lobbies, or similar active spaces, or into window displays that are at least two feet deep. The Review Authority may waive or reduce this requirement if doing so is necessary to satisfy State or local energy efficiency requirements.

[Figure: FIGURE 15-1105-D.2: GROUND FLOOR COMMERCIAL TRANSPARENCY]

FIGURE 15-1105-D.2: GROUND FLOOR COMMERCIAL TRANSPARENCY

1. Vertical Proportion. On upper stories, at least 50 percent of all window openings, window panes, or distinct window units shall have a vertical proportion, in which their height exceeds their width by 25 percent or more.

2. Window Depth. Windows shall create visual interest and the appearance of depth in one of the following manners:

a. Trim at least one inch in depth and three inches wide must be provided around all upper story windows and non-commercial ground-floor windows;

b. Windows must be recessed at least two inches from the plane of the surrounding exterior wall (for double-hung and horizontal sliding windows, at least one sash shall achieve the two-inch recess); or

c. Decorative plaster screed, minimum 2 inches wide.

d. Exception: Buildings with all of the following characteristics shall be allowed to use flush windows without trim:

i. Building height of 3 stories or less;

ii. Building width of 100 feet or less; and

iii. A façade with a comparable form of prominent surface relief and articulation, such as awnings, canopies, balconies, or massing changes.

E. Façade Alignment.

1. Vertical Alignment. With the exception of mansard roofs, cornices, and other such features, façades shall be oriented vertically and shall have no slope.

2. Horizontal Alignment. With the exception of bay windows and similar features, façades shall run parallel or perpendicular to the adjacent street.

3. External Stairs, Corridors, and Hallways. External stairs, corridors, and hallways that are located within 30 feet of a public street must be architecturally integrated into the building design.

F. Balconies. If balconies are provided, they shall not be grouped together into a continuous band across the façade. No more than two balconies shall be contiguous. Each balcony or group of two balconies shall be distinct and shall have at least six feet of horizontal separation from any other balcony.

G. Façade Elements. Development shall incorporate a minimum of one of the following Façade Elements into street-facing building façades.

1. Forecourts;

2. Bay Windows;

3. Balconies;

4. Porches;

5. Stoops;

6. Arcades.

H. If the project is located within an area with adopted design guidelines, all applicable guidelines which relate to façade design shall also be followed.

(Added Ord. 2016-1, § 2, eff. 3-14-2016).

Editor's note— Ord. 2025-023, § 1, eff. December 26, 2025, repealed § 15-1106, which pertained to additional standards and derived from Added Ord. 2022-029, § 4, effective November 19, 2022.