Article VIII — Specific Plan Area No. 8

Specific plan area No. 8 applies to the area known as the Gettysburg School site located at 12324 Gettysburg Avenue. This area is bound on the south by Imperial Highway on the north by Gettysburg Avenue, on the east by a row of single-family homes fronting on Volunteer Avenue, and on the west by commercial development, fronting on Imperial Highway and Norwalk Boulevard, and residences fronting on Gettysburg, as illustrated on Exhibit "A," Area Map/Specific Plan Area No. 8.

EXHIBIT "A" AREA MAP SPECIFIC PLAN AREA NO. 8

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(Prior code § 27-38.1; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

This specific plan area is an instrument for guiding, coordinating and regulating development as authorized in Article 8 of Chapter 3 of the State Planning and Zoning Law. In the specific plan area zone, no building shall be erected, constructed, reconstructed or structurally altered, nor shall any building or land be used, except as hereinafter specifically provided and allowed by this chapter and by other relevant chapters of the Norwalk Municipal Code. (Prior code § 27-38.2; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

The purpose of the specific plan area is to facilitate the systematic implementation of the general plan and to serve as a basis for review of more detailed plans. It is intended to establish a pattern for the appropriate design, arrangement and relationship of buildings, open space, circulation, land use

and other features as necessary to coordinate development and achieve a functionally and visually integrated development. It is also intended to assure adequate design and controls to mitigate factors such as noise, vibration, dust, odors, and visual features detrimental to the project and its users and tenants or to nearby residents. It is intended to capitalize upon certain special qualities and opportunities of a designated area while permitting a degree of flexibility favorable to unique and imaginative designs. It is further intended to encourage and promote a high quality of design and environment.

(Prior code § 27-38.3; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

Specific plan area No. 8 is of critical importance to the long-term future of the City of Norwalk as a result of its location, size, ownership and potential indicating that a maximum effort to capitalize on these opportunities is essential. The major objectives of this specific plan area are as follows:

• A. To assure the development is substantial with highly desirable characteristics and attributes of excellence of design and execution in order to promote a quality civic image.

• B. To selectively limit the range of permitted uses to those which are mutually supporting and complementary to existing and future uses in the Civic Center area.

• C. To minimize any potential adverse impacts on surrounding residential areas especially as they relate to visual, aesthetic and traffic effects.

• D. To establish a long range and on-going source of revenue to the City in terms of employment opportunities and municipal revenues.

• E. To facilitate the safe and convenient movement of vehicular and other traffic to and from the site and throughout the Civic Center area.

• F. To allow for imaginative and qualitative site planning and architectural design which will contribute to the overall enhancement of the Civic Center environment.

• (Prior code § 27-38.4; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

In order to effectively achieve the foregoing objectives, the following policies shall be applied in designing, managing, and regulating developments and uses within specific plan area No. 8.

• A. Project unity and identity shall be achieved through the careful siting of building and parking areas, the development of an effective internal circulation system, the coordination and control of building design, landscaping, and attention to the details of lighting, signing, and similar features.

• B. Special attention shall be given to the provision for substantial visual and acoustic buffering between the development and adjacent residential areas.

• C. The design and control of pedestrian and vehicular circulation shall be coordinated in order to provide safe and convenient access to the development.

• D. Particularly high standards of development shall be applied to realize the unique potential of the area, to attract office and commercial uses, and to provide a desirable environment for surrounding residents.

• E. The maximum degree of flexibility, consistent with the type of development and protection expressed herein, shall be allowed to encourage imaginative design.

(Prior code § 27-38.5; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

The map, entitled Exhibit "B," "Illustrative Plan, Specific Plan Area No. 8," is adopted as part of this specific plan area. The illustrative plan represents a concept for implementing the objectives, policies, standards and regulations of this specific plan area and are intended to serve as a highly desirable guide rather than as a set of absolute specifications.

EXHIBIT "B" ILLUSTRATIVE PLAN SPECIFIC PLAN AREA NO. 8

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(Prior code § 27-38.6; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

No use shall be established in specific plan area No. 8, other than the uses listed in Sections 17.09.1070 and 17.09.1080 ; except, as provided by the procedures and requirements specified in Section 17.02.270.

(Prior code § 27-38.7; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

The following, subject to the issuance, existence and validity of a conditional use permit as provided by Section 17.02.210 of this title, and full compliance with each and every condition thereof:

• A. Alcoholic beverage sales in conjunction with a bona fide restaurant;

• B. Dancing, if more than 10 square feet of dance floor area provided;

• C. Entertainment, exclusive of solo musicians, clowns or similar individual acts that will not attract a large audience;

• D. Game arcade in conjunction with a bona fide restaurant;

• E. Smoke shops, approved in accordance with the procedures in Section 17.04.197 . (Prior code § 27-38.8; Ord. 15-1668 § 8; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

In the specific plan area No. 8 zone, the following uses are permitted:

Accountant office; Antiques (genuine), retail sales; Appliances (new only), retail sales; Art objects, gallery, supplies, retail sales;

Automobile parts and accessories (new only), retail sales;

Bakery, retail; Bank; Barbershop; Beauty shop; Beauty supply store; Bicycle shop, retail sales; Books (new), retail sales; Brokerage, stocks and bonds; Candy store, retail; Clinic, dental and/or medical; Clothing, retail sales; Collection agency; Computers, TV's and similar electronic products, retail sales; Curio shop; Delicatessen; Department store; Detective agency; Doughnut shop; Drug store, retail;

Dry cleaning, plant off-premises; Dry goods store; Duplication, mailing and stenographic services; Employment agency, private; Fabrics and sewing machine (new) stores; Fabrics and sewing shop; Financial institution; Flooring store, retail; Florist; Food products, retail; Frozen yogurt shop; Furniture (new), retail sales including trade-in; Furrier, retail; Gift shop; Hardware store, retail; Health food store; Ice cream parlor; Interior decorator, retail; Jewelry store; Law office or clinic; Leather products, retail sales; Lighting and lamp store; Liquor store, retail, off-sale; Manicure parlor; Market, retail; Mattresses, retail sales (no fabrication); Meat market, retail; Millinery shop; Music store; Nutrition/health center; Office supply store; Paint store, retail; Pastry shop; Pet supply shop (no sale of pets); Photographer; Photographic equipment (new), retail sales; Photo processing store; Post office, private; Professional office; Public utility office; Radio and television retail sales; Radio broadcast studio; Real estate sales office;

Research services; Record shop; Restaurant; Sandwich shop; Shoe store, retail; Silver, retail sales; Specialty retail stores; Sporting goods store; Stationery, retail sales; Tailor shop; Ticket broker; Tile, retail sales; Travel agency; Video store; Watch repair shop. (Prior code § 27-38.9; Ord. 15-1668 § 7; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

All uses are prohibited unless provided for and authorized under this specific plan area. Under no circumstances shall the following uses or activities be permitted either as a principal or accessory use.

• A. Residential dwellings, including trailer and mobilehome parks;

• B. Churches, synagogues, temples and other buildings primarily devoted to religious worship;

• C. Educational institutions;

• D. Drive-in, carry-out, fast food restaurants;

• E. Bars and cocktail lounges which are not part of a bona fide eating place;

• F. Billboards;

• G. Adult-oriented businesses including book stores, drive-in theaters, indoor theaters, and massage parlors;

• H. Hospitals, sanitariums, child care centers, homes for the aged and other similar uses allowed by Chapter 17.04 , Article XVIII;

• I. Bail bonds office;

• J. Industrial and manufacturing uses;

• K. Game arcade; except as provided by Section 17.06.080(D) . (Prior code § 27-38.10; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

Within specific plan area No. 8, the following site development standards shall apply. In addition to the standards specified herein, in conjunction with the review of a precise development plan,

conditions establishing additional site development standards may be applied if deemed necessary to assure the attainment of objectives and policies expressed within this chapter.

• A. Site Design.

  1. Main and secondary structures shall be designed to facilitate internal circulation and to minimize visual impacts on adjacent single story residential uses.

  2. Buildings, including but not limited to the primary entrances to buildings, shall be oriented away from existing residential uses with more passive uses being located nearer to those residential uses.

• B. Setback.

  1. Adjacent to Imperial Highway the building setback shall be a minimum of 10 feet.

  2. Adjacent to Gettysburg Avenue the building setback shall be a minimum of 50 feet.

  3. Buildings less than 10 feet from a residential property line shall not utilize a parapet wall above the bottom edge of the roof line on any portion of the roof or building within 10 feet of such property line but shall provide a two-hour fire rated wall and noncombustible roof materials and framing for all portions of the building within such 10 foot yard area.

• C. Building Height. The minimum building height shall be two stories; except, as provided by Section 17.03.230 ; and except that any building less than 20 feet from a residential zone shall not exceed 18 feet in height within such 20 feet.

• D. Architecture.

  1. General Requirements. Architectural designs shall contribute to the harmonious blending of building masses, materials, offsets, colors and textures, roofs and signs within the site to achieve an overall integrated appearance. Design components shall be applied to all building elevations rather than on the front elevation only.

  2. Motif. While no specific architectural motif is required, the use of similar architectural features and design elements is encouraged.

  3. Materials. Building materials used shall contribute to the unity of the overall development and the use of natural materials such as wood, brick and stone should be encouraged.

  4. Colors. Preference shall be given to the use of softer, earth tone colors although brighter, primary colors are acceptable for accents.

  5. Roofs. Special attention shall be given to the use of common roof styles and materials especially for any clustered buildings. Roof treatment shall be provided for all building elevations. Also, see subsection (B)(3) of this section regarding roof (and wall) treatment for buildings less than 10 feet from residential zoned property.

  6. Signs. All signs shall be designed to contribute to rather than detract from the overall architectural approach.

  7. Landscaping. The landscaping materials used shall be complementary to building architecture.

8. Exterior Equipment. Air conditioners, duct work and similar equipment may be mounted on the roof of a building only if effectively screened from public view. Screening materials shall contribute to the architectural design.

• E. Landscaping.

  1. Special consideration shall be given to the use of a simple landscaping treatment generally including a pattern of berms with lawn or groundcover, and groupings of trees, shrubs, and

decorative rocks.

2. A substantial proportion of quality plan materials of larger than one gallon size shrubs and larger than 15 gallon size trees shall be used and the entire landscape design shall be subject to review and approval by the Director.

3. No minimum percentage of landscaping within parking areas is specified, however, provision shall be made for landscaping using trees and generally locating planters at the ends of parking rows, along aisleways and where otherwise deemed necessary to create a pleasing environment.

4. Adequate landscaping shall be provided around all buildings.

• F. Signs.

  1. A master sign plan as provided by Chapter 17.03 , Article III establishing conditions, standards and regulations for all signs within the development shall be submitted for review and approval prior to the establishment of any signs, including temporary signs, within the entire development.

  2. All signs shall be designed to enhance the architectural quality of the development through use of similar materials, colors, motifs and design elements used in the buildings and shall be coordinated throughout the site.

  3. Signs shall generally be low-profile with monument signs being encouraged. Roof signs and pole signs may be prohibited.

• G. Utilities. All utilities shall be underground. All transformer pads and similar facilities shall be shown on plans and be effectively screened.

• H. Trash Storage. Provision shall be made for suitable facilities for trash storage. All such areas shall be fully enclosed with view-obscuring gates, conveniently located for service vehicles, placed adjacent to or within buildings and architecturally coordinated with the remainder of the development.

• I. Walls and Fences.

  1. No walls and/or fences shall be established without prior approval by the Director.

  2. A minimum eight-foot high (measured from finished grade on the development's side) solid, decorative masonry wall shall be provided along Gettysburg and adjacent to all singlefamily dwellings, unless otherwise waived by precise development plan review.

• J. Parking. Parking shall be as provided for in Chapter 17.03 , Article III. (Prior code § 27-38.11; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)