Lodi Municipal Code Ch. 17.16 Applicability and General Design Guidelines

The design guidelines in this article are intended as a guide to assist property owners and project designers in understanding the city's goals for attaining high quality development that is sensitive to the city's unique character. The guidelines will be used by staff and the site plan and architectural review committee (SPARC) during the design review process, and by the commission in the review of land use permit applications.

(Ord. No. 1869, § 2, 2-20-2013)

A. The design guidelines in this article apply to all development within the city. The design elements of each project (including site design, architecture, landscaping, signs, parking design) will be reviewed on a comprehensive basis.

B. The review authority may interpret these design guidelines with some flexibility in their application to specific projects, as not all design criteria may be workable or appropriate for each project. In some circumstances, one guideline may be relaxed to facilitate compliance with another guideline determined by the review authority to be more important in the particular case. The overall objective is to ensure that the intent and spirit of the design guidelines are followed.

(Ord. No. 1869, § 2, 2-20-2013)

This section provides general design guidelines and principles that are applicable to all development within the city.

A. Consider Adjacent Development. Each development proposal should demonstrate consideration for the context of the proposed project on and off the site including the following:

1. Land uses and site organization of neighboring properties;

2. The architectural style and building forms of neighboring structures;

3. Existing natural features (i.e., mature trees, etc.);

4. Privacy on the site and neighboring properties; and

5. Links to adjacent development using sidewalks and shared access drives and parking.

B. Landscaping.

1. Landscaped areas should be planned as an integral part of the overall project and not simply located in "left over" areas of the site.

2. Landscaping should be used to help define outdoor spaces, soften a structure's appearance, and to screen parking, loading, storage, and equipment areas.

3. The use of on-site pedestrian amenities (e.g., benches, shelters, drinking fountains, lighting, and trash receptacles) is encouraged. These elements should be provided in conjunction with on-site open spaces and be integrated into the site plan as primary features.

C. Exterior Lighting. Exterior lighting should be designed to be compatible with the architectural and landscape design of the project.

1. An appropriate hierarchy of lighting fixtures/structures and intensity should be considered when designing the lighting for the various elements of a project (i.e., building and site entrances, walkways, parking areas, or other areas of the site).

2. The use of exterior lighting to accent a building's architecture is encouraged. All lighting fixtures should be properly shielded to eliminate light and glare from impacting adjacent properties, and passing vehicles or pedestrians. If neon tubing is used to illuminate portions of a building it should be concealed from view through the use of parapets, cornices or ledges. Small portions of exposed neon tubing may be used to add a special effect to a building's architecture but this must be well thought out and integrated into the overall design of the project.

3. To achieve the desired lighting level for parking and pedestrian areas, the use of more short, low intensity fixtures is encouraged over the use of a few tall fixtures that illuminate large areas.

D. Screening.

1. Screening is a technique used to protect and separate uses and site functions from one another for the purpose of decreasing adverse noise, wind, or visual impacts and to provide privacy. The need for screening should be considered early in the design process so that screening elements (e.g., walls, fences, berms, landscaping) can be effectively integrated into the overall project design and not added later as an afterthought.

2. The method of screening should be compatible with the adjacent structure in terms of overall design, materials, and color.

3. Where screening is required at the ground level, a combination of elements should be considered including solid masonry walls, wood fences, berms, and landscaping.

E. Refuse, Storage, and Equipment Areas.

1. Refuse containers, service areas, loading docks, and similar facilities should be located in areas out of view from the general public and so that their use does not interfere with on-site parking or circulation areas, and adjacent uses, especially residential uses.

[Figure]

Figure 2-7 - Trash Enclosure Location

2. Trash bins shall be fully enclosed. Enclosures should be screened with landscaping on their most visible sides. Recommended locations include inside parking courts or at the end of parking bays. Locations should be conveniently accessible for trash collection and maintenance and should not block access driveway during loading operations.

3. Trash storage areas that are visible from the upper stories of adjacent structures should have an opaque or semi-opaque horizontal cover/screen to mitigate unsightly views. The covering structure should be compatible with the site's architectural style.

4. All screening facilities should be of adequate size for their intended purpose without dominating the site, blocking sight distances, or creating unnecessary barriers.

F. General Building Design Guidelines.

1. Compatibility With Context. New buildings should be in proportion to surrounding buildings, except in those cases where current buildings are oversize. Harmony in mass, lines, and materials is important but monotony should be avoided. Buildings should be designed so that adverse impacts on adjacent buildings and properties are minimized. Loss of natural lighting, shade trees, noise pollution, and exhaust fumes and heat from venting should be addressed during project review, and all possible efforts should be made to avoid these effects.

2. Facade Design. Building facades should be designed to provide visual interest and relief. Continuous street facades, as near the street as possible with predominantly retail uses at grade and office/professional uses above, are encouraged. Buildings should not be overpowering or monotonous. A change in the planes of walls or variety in the roof form provides diversity and visual interest.

3. Building Materials.

a. Artificial or decorative facade treatments, where one or more unrelated materials appear to be simply applied to the surface of a building rather than an integral part of its design, should be avoided. Materials should be used honestly. Artificial products that attempt to imitate real materials (for example, wood, stone, brick, etc.) are discouraged.

b. The composition of materials should avoid creating the impression of thinness and artificiality. Veneers should turn corners, avoiding exposed edges.

[Figure]

Figure 2-8 - Building Material at Wall Edges

c. Natural building materials (e.g., wood, stone, and brick) that blend with the natural surroundings should be used. Other materials should be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Buildings should minimize the use of large expanses of reflective glazing, aluminum panels, and other materials not normally found in Lodi. Synthetic materials that attempt to simulate the textures or patterns of other materials (e.g., vinyl siding that attempts to simulate the pattern of woodgrain) should not be used.

4. Colors.

a. Colors should be compatible with the existing colors of the surrounding area but need not duplicate existing colors. The use of muted tones for the structure's base color is recommended. Color should not be used as an attention getting device.

b. Accent colors should be used carefully and be complementary to the base color or a variation of its hue, either weaker or stronger.

c. The transition between base and accent colors should relate to changes in building materials or the change of building surface planes. Colors should generally not meet or change without some physical change or definition to the surface plane.

d. In most cases, only one or two accent colors should be used in addition to the base color.

G. Subdivisions. Subdivisions of commercial, industrial, and multi-family residential properties should be designed to allow coordinated development of the parcels, facilitate shared parking and common driveways, reduce encroachments onto public and private streets, and promote pedestrian activity.

(Ord. No. 1869, § 2, 2-20-2013)