Mount Shasta Municipal Code Part I Site Design Standards

(A) Purpose. The purpose of this section is to ensure that development complies with General Plan goals related to site constraints, development design and resource protection. These regulations meet this intent by ensuring that development accomplishes the following:

1. No Adverse Impact. Does not adversely affect neighboring properties and abutting public right-of-way. “Adversely affect” means to impact in a substantial, negative manner community habitability, public safety and/or welfare.

2. Desired Development. Makes a positive contribution to the desired development pattern of the area;

3. Context Responsive. Must be responsive to existing conditions of neighboring properties and City scenic resources;

4. Preserve the Visual Environment. Location and screening of building mass, dark-sky lighting, building step-down, and screened parking areas serve to mitigate visual impacts of development and preserve visual resources; and

5. Pedestrian Orientation. New or altered structures shall prioritize pedestrian safety, access and comfort.

(B) Regulations.

1. Screening. The intent of these standards is to protect property, enhance privacy, attenuate noise, and improve the visual environment.

Height Maximums. Screening shall not exceed the maximums identified in Table A (Maximum Screening Height).

Table A. Maximum Screening Height

* Within 25 feet of intersection.

** Decorative lattice may extend beyond height limit by two feet.

A. The following mechanical equipment is exempt from screening:

(1) Free-standing or roof-mounted solar equipment; and

(2) Vents less than two feet in height.

B. For new installation or relocation of existing mechanical equipment, the equipment shall be screened.

(1) Roof-Mounted Equipment. Building parapets or other architectural elements in the building’s architectural style shall screen roof-mounted equipment.

(a) New buildings shall be designed to provide a parapet or other architectural element that is as tall or taller than the highest point on any new mechanical equipment to be located on the roof of the building; and

(b) For existing buildings with no parapet less than two feet in height, mechanical equipment shall be surrounded on all sides by an opaque screen wall as tall as the highest point of the equipment. The wall shall be architecturally consistent with the building and match the existing building with paint, finish, and trim cap detail.

(2) Wall- and Ground-Mounted Equipment.

(a) Equipment is not allowed between front or side street facades and the street.

(b) All screen devices shall be as high as the highest point of the equipment being screened.

(c) Equipment and screening shall be in compliance with the setbacks of the zone.

(d) Screening shall be architecturally compatible and include matching paint, finish, and trim cap of the building.

A. Open View Fencing. Minimum visual permeability between public street frontage and site shall be 50 percent.

B. Prohibited Materials. Barbed wire and razor wire screening materials are prohibited.

2. Landscaping. The intent of these standards is to protect and enhance the environmental and visual quality of the community, enhance privacy, and control fugitive dust.

A. Location. These standards apply in conjunction with Chapter 15.42 MSMC, Water Efficient Landscaping. Landscaping materials shall be integrated within: building setbacks, stream and wetland buffers and parking lots pursuant to subsection (B)(4) of this part.

A. Shrubs, of at least one-gallon size;

B. Decorative nonliving landscaping materials including, but not limited to, sand, stone, gravel, wood or water may be used to satisfy a maximum of 25 percent of the required landscaping area.

Utilities. All utilities shall be undergrounded (refer to MSMC 18.20.070). Utility cabinets shall be screened with enclosure, fencing or landscaping (refer to subsection (B)(1)(1.3) of this part).

3. Lighting. The intent of these standards is to implement the goals of the general plan and protect the natural scenic value of Mt. Shasta, by establishing regulations to reduce light pollution.[Figure]

Exterior Lighting. All on-site lighting shall be human scale, downward illuminated and shielded pursuant to the following:

A. Essential. Lighting shall be designed for an essential purpose by being targeted and timing controlled as conveyed in the lighting plan (subsection (B)(3)(3.1)(E) of this part).

B. Low Illumination. Illumination levels shall be no brighter than necessary as conveyed in the lighting plan (subsection (B)(3)(3.1)(E) of this part) and be of warmer-color wavelength.

C. Cut-off Fixtures. Lighting shall be full cut-off fixtures and downward facing and no direct light shall bleed onto adjacent properties. The applicant must provide an outdoor lighting report which provides information on how outdoor lighting will be accomplished to minimize impacts on adjacent properties or roadways.

D. Fixture Height. To minimize any indirect overflow of light on adjacent properties, the height of any proposed parking lot light standard shall be no higher than 12 feet to the base of fixture shield.

E. Lighting Plan. Development applications shall include sufficient information, in the form of an overall exterior lighting plan, to enable the City to determine that the applicable provisions will be satisfied. The exterior lighting plan shall include at least the following:

(1) Demonstrated compliance with subsections (B)(3)(3.1)(A) through (B)(3)(3.1)(D) of this part.

(2) Manufacturer specification sheets, cut-sheets or other manufacturer provided information for all proposed lighting fixtures.

(3) The proposed location, mounting height, and orientation of all exterior lighting fixtures.

(4) If building elevations are proposed to be illuminated, drawings shall be provided for all relevant building elevations showing the fixtures, the portions of the elevations to be illuminated, the illuminance levels of the elevations, and the orientation of any remote light fixture.

(5) To review proposed exterior lighting installations, the applicant shall supply the following information:

(a) A brief written narrative, with accompanying plan or sketch, which demonstrates the objectives of the lighting.

(b) Outline specifications for all lamps (bulbs), and other descriptive information on the fixtures, and, if applicable or required, designation as Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) “cut-off” fixtures.

(c) Relative landscaping information that indicates mature tree size, shrubbery and other vegetation in order to evaluate the long-term and seasonal effectiveness of lighting or screening of lighting.

4. Parking. The intent of these standards is to minimize the appearance of vehicle parking, enhance walkability, preserve the environmental and visual quality of the community, enhance privacy, attenuate noise, and control dust. These regulations shall apply in addition to Chapter 15.44 MSMC, Off-street Parking Requirements.

Location. The placement of vehicle parking areas is regulated in order to minimize the expansive appearance of parking fields and the visual impact of parking areas on abutting residential uses.

A. Vehicle Area. Vehicle parking and access is prohibited between the primary structure and a street except as follows:

(1) Projects under five units;

(2) Building Lines. Vehicle area located entirely behind the front and side street building lines of a primary structure are allowed; and

(3) Frontage Limitation. Vehicle area is allowed on driveways limited to no more than 40 percent of the primary building frontage;

(4) Alleys. On a lot abutting an alley, all vehicle areas must be accessed from, and oriented to, the alley. Snow removal shall be the responsibility of property owner or management;

(5) Bicycles. Both long- and short-term bicycle parking shall be designed and constructed with an architectural style, exterior colors and materials that match the structures in the project containing dwelling units.

Size. Parking lots larger than 4,500 square feet in size (approximately 20 +/- spaces) shall be broken down into smaller parking areas with planted landscape areas with a minimum width of 15 feet between them to minimize the perceived scale of the parking fields. Parking fields shall be separated from buildings as follows:

A. Parking lots with 11 to 20 spaces shall be separated at least by five feet from buildings to make room for a sidewalk, landscaping, and/or other planting between the building and the parking area;

B. Parking lots with more than 20 spaces shall be separated by at least 12 feet from buildings to make room for a sidewalk, landscaping, and other planting between the building and the parking area; and

C. The required separation may be eliminated to the rear of buildings in areas designed for unloading and loading of materials.

Landscaping. The following standards apply to new driveways and new parking areas in all zones when the new parking area is at least 4,500 square feet in total area. The site must include:

A. Tree Canopy. Tree canopy must shade at least 40 percent of the parking area. The amount of shade is determined by the diameter of the mature crown spread stated for the species of the tree.

B. Perimeter Landscaping. Landscaped setback of six feet from property line, including stormwater retention.

C. Interior Landscaping. Thirty square feet of interior landscaped area for each parking space containing landscaping consisting of ground cover, low shrubs or pervious material. Interior landscaping must be arranged in linear strips at least three feet wide between rows of parking stalls.

D. Permeable Pavement. Perimeter and interior landscaping requirements may be reduced by 75 percent with the provision of pervious paving material for the entire parking area.[Figure]

E. Solar Panels. Perimeter and interior landscaping requirements may be reduced by up to 75 percent with the provision of equal coverage of solar panels.

5. Snow Storage. Each unenclosed parking area, including circulation drives and aisles, shall provide a snow storage area(s) equal to one-quarter of the total gross parking and driveway area.

A. The size and configuration of snow storage area(s) allow ramping or other removal and storage methods which reduce the amount of area necessary to store snow in comparison to normal snow removal and storage operations; or

B. A long-term snow hauling plan is adopted as part of the project and the snow hauling plan demonstrates the property owner and/or snow removal contractor has sufficient rights to an off-site storage area(s) to store excess snow from the property with an acceptable method to transport the snow from the property to the off-site storage area(s); or

C. An acceptable method to remove and store snow from the property has been adopted as part of the project and the method(s) clearly demonstrate that the amount of snow storage area(s) required by this section is not necessary.

A. Shall be located near the sides or rear of parking areas, away from the primary street frontage;

B. Shall be located to maximize solar exposure to the greatest extent feasible. Areas shaded by structures or vegetation shall be avoided;

C. Shall be located so that snow moving equipment is not required to enter the public streets to move snow to the storage area;

D. Shall be located in areas that are substantially free and clear of obstructions (e.g., propane tanks, trees, large boulders, trash enclosures, utility pedestals);

E. May be located within parking areas but each parking space shall be considered one-half of a parking space needed toward meeting parking requirements for the use; and

F. May be located within required landscaping areas but the areas shall be planted with landscaping tolerant of snow storage;

G. Snow storage areas shall be designed to provide adequate drainage to prevent ponding and the formation of ice, especially within pedestrian areas and driveways;

H. Drainage from snow storage areas shall be directed towards drainage retention/treatment facilities;

I. Minimum Dimensions. The minimum dimension of a snow storage area shall be 10 feet in any direction;

J. Neither the building nor any accessory structure shall be designed to allow snow to shed onto adjacent properties, on-site parking or entry areas.

6. Scenic Resources and Vistas. The scenic beauty of Mt. Shasta is recognized by the National Park Service as integral to the Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway All-American Road network. Protecting this nationally valued resource is reinforced by the Mt. Shasta General Plan Open Space and Conservation Element Goal OC-7: Protect the scenic resources of the Mt. Shasta area. Scenic resources are addressed by Policies OC-7.1 and OC-7.2 and all projects under review by this chapter shall comply. Additionally, in terms of (1) scenic resource, protection of the scenic resource itself, and (2) scenic vista, development shall be regulated as follows:

Scenic Vistas. The intent of these standards is to implement General Plan Open Space and Conservation Element Policy OC-7.1 by locating development outside of a scenic vista. For the purposes of this regulation, “scenic vista” is defined (Part II, subsection (B)(11)) as any public right-of-way or publicly owned land.

A. Reduced Bulk Zone. To protect scenic vistas, a reduced bulk zone is established to restrict building footprint and height along any parcel line abutting a publicly owned parcel.[Figure]

B. Upper-Level Step-Back. In addition to the required setback for the zoning district, upper-level floors shall step back on any street-facing facade, to not conflict with a 45-degree daylight plane from the right-of-way line at a point 10 feet above the ground plane.[Figure]