Chapter 17.49 — SUPPLEMENTAL STANDARDS

Multifamily residential and residential mixed-use development in the RC, EDFX, and MEDFX zones shall be designed and constructed pursuant to the development standards for the applicable density mixed-use zone as found in Table 17.55.010-1 (Development Standards – Mixed-Use Zones) in Division 5.

Additionally, multifamily residential and residential mixed-use development in the RC, EDFX, and MEDFX zones shall be designed and constructed pursuant to PMC Chapter 17.38 (Supplemental Standards for Multifamily Residential Development) and the City of Palmdale Multifamily and Mixed-Use Design Standards [5] (adopted by Ordinance No. 1594). (Ord. 1603 § 4 (Exh. I), 2023)

Within the commercial/office zones, delivery and truck loading/unloading for any use that is located within 300 feet of a residential or mixed-use zone or existing residential development is allowed only between the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily, unless otherwise approved by the Review Authority. See also PMC § 17.87.200 (Loading standards). (Ord. 1603 § 4 (Exh. I), 2023)

Security roll-up/down shutters mounted on the exterior of a new structure shall be allowed subject to review and approval by the Review Authority for the applicable approval process (e.g., minor site plan review, site plan review, etc.). Modifications to approved plans or existing structures may be made through a minor modification pursuant to PMC § 17.26.040 (Minor modifications to approved plans). Internally mounted security shutters shall be allowed if they are designed to ensure that no more than 25 percent of the window area is obstructed and visibility into the building is maintained.

(Ord. 1603 § 4 (Exh. I), 2023)

Private streets serving commercial developments shall have a minimum vehicle access width of 40 feet.

(Ord. 1603 § 4 (Exh. I), 2023)

No balconies, stairways, windows, or other areas where people could look out onto adjacent United States Air Force Plant 42 properties shall be allowed above the first floor on the side of a structure which faces the United States Air Force Plant 42 property. (Ord. 1603 § 4 (Exh. I), 2023)

5. Editor's Note: Said City of Palmdale Multifamily and Mixed Use Design Standards are included as an attachment to this title.

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City of Palmdale, CA

PALMDALE CODE

§ 17.49.060

§ 17.49.060

• (A) Purpose and Applicability. The purpose of this Section is to improve the overall design and appearance of commercial and office development in the City. The following design standards shall apply to new commercial and office development and major modifications to existing commercial and office development. Projects shall be evaluated for the extent to which they meet the design standards as part of the site plan review process. The following standards are minimum requirements. The Review Authority may approve modifications or deviations from the standards of this Section upon finding that the purposes of this Section are achieved and the modification or deviation results in a project of equal or better design quality.

• (B) Building Siting and Orientation.

  • (1) Buildings shall be located and designed to facilitate pedestrian activity through orientation toward the street and sidewalks. Buildings shall create street walls that define the public realm of the street; however, a portion of the building elevation may be set back to allow for outdoor use, such as outdoor patio dining, public art, entry forecourts, or other amenities appropriate to an urban development, provided the street continuity is not unduly interrupted along the majority of the block.

  • (2) Building Entries. Primary building entries shall be oriented to the street and sidewalks. Building entries should read as such, and be integrated with the overall building form. Doors should be designed at human scale. Public entries shall be defined and emphasized through variation in building height, wall plane, roof treatment, window placement, architectural detailing, etc. Variation in material, texture, and/or color is also recommended as a means of identifying building entries.

• (C) Building Modulation and Articulation. Building design shall be used to emphasize individual units within a building, larger units and/or anchor stores within retail projects, and foyers, lobbies, and reception areas within nonretail commercial projects. Building form and articulation shall be used to emphasize public entrances and de-emphasize service areas; and to define and shelter (i.e., give a sense of invitation and enclosure) pedestrian walks and exterior gathering spaces. Ways to articulate buildings and give individual identity to each unit include:

  • (1) Varying building heights within a project;

  • (2) Incorporating vertical and horizontal recesses such as a pattern of recessed grouping of windows, recessed panels, or similar strategies;

  • (3) Incorporating vertical and horizontal projections such as shading and weather protection devices, decorative architectural details, or similar strategies;

  • (4) Varying architectural elements between vertical units/modules (e.g., window color, roof shape, window shape, railing type);

  • (5) Providing screening devices such as lattices, louvers, shading devices, perforated metal screens, or similar strategies; and

  • (6) Varying color or materials of each individual module within a harmonious palette of colors and materials.

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City of Palmdale, CA

ZONING

§ 17.49.060

§ 17.49.060

• (D) Building Facade Elements. The elements of a building should relate logically to each other, as well as to surrounding buildings to enhance the characteristics of a particular building or area. Buildings shall contain the traditional three parts of a building: a base, midsection, and a top. On single-story buildings, the different parts may be expressed through detailing at the building base or eave or cornice line. On taller structures, different treatment of the base, middle, and top stories shall be used to define the three parts. The base shall visually relate to the proportion and scale of the building. Techniques for establishing a base may include richly textured materials (e.g., tile or masonry treatments), darker colored materials, mullion, panels, reveals and/or enriched landscaping. Tops take advantage of the visual prominence of a building's silhouette. Techniques for clearly expressing a top may include cornice treatments, roof overhangs with brackets, richly textured materials (e.g., tile, masonry, or fluted concrete), and/or differently colored materials. Colored "stripes" are not acceptable as the only treatment.

• (E) Corner Buildings. Buildings with angled corners, plazas, or other architectural features are encouraged at corner locations to help anchor the intersection. Building corners may be emphasized by use of elements such as towers, domes, or entries. Vertical architectural elements such as towers should be used as focal points.

• (F) Blank Walls. Blank walls (facades without doors, windows, landscaping treatments, artistic treatments, or facade articulation) shall be less than 30 feet in length along sidewalks, pedestrian/multi-use pathways, or open spaces.

• (G) Roof Forms. Mansard roofs are prohibited on new commercial/office buildings.

• (H) Ground Floor Office Uses.

  • (1) Rhythm and Pattern. Ground floor office uses shall express a vertical rhythm between 40 to 75 feet in width.

  • (2) Transparency. Ground floor retail and commercial uses shall contain clear openings and windows for a minimum of 40 percent of the total area of the first floor facades facing sidewalks, pedestrian walks, or publicly accessible outdoor space areas. Transparent glazing shall have a minimum visible transmittance value of 60.

  • (3) Weather Protection. Primary ground floor entrances shall include weather protection that is a minimum of six feet in width and four feet in depth by recessing the entry, providing an awning/canopy, or using a combination of those methods.

• (I) Ground Floor Retail Shopfronts.

  • (1) Rhythm and Pattern. Ground floor storefront uses shall express a vertical rhythm between 20 to 50 feet in width.

  • (2) Ground Floor Height. Ground floor height shall be a minimum 15 feet interior floorto-floor height.

• (3) Transparency. Ground floor retail and commercial uses shall contain clear openings and windows for a minimum of 60 percent of the total area of the first floor facades facing sidewalks, pedestrian walks, or publicly accessible outdoor space areas. Transparent glazing shall have a minimum visible transmittance value of 60 and be without tint or coloration. Dark tinted, reflective, or opaque glazing is not permitted for any required wall opening along street level retail facades.

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City of Palmdale, CA § 17.49.060

PALMDALE CODE

§ 17.49.060

• (4) Windows and Openings. Windows and openings shall provide clear and transparent view into the ground floor retail uses or shall display merchandise to reinforce a pedestrian scale. Displays or signs that cover more than 25 percent of the window area shall be avoided to allow visibility into the interior of the stores from the street.

• (5) Bulkheads and Solid Base Walls. If provided, bulkheads shall be between 12 to 30 inches in height.

• (6) Weather Protection. Primary ground floor entrances shall include weather protection that is a minimum six feet wide and four feet deep by recessing the entry, providing an awning/canopy, or using a combination of those methods.

• (J) Awnings. Awnings, canopies, and weather protection shall be designed and placed as follows:

  • (1) Awnings/canopies shall provide a minimum of eight feet of vertical clearance over the walkway.

  • (2) The size, scale, and color of the awnings should be designed to be compatible with the rest of the building; awnings shall not be the predominant element of the facade, but shall accent the top edge of ground floor windows and door frames.

  • (3) When transom windows are above display windows, awnings, canopies, and similar weather protection elements shall be installed between transom and display windows. These elements shall allow for light to enter the storefront through the transom windows and allow the weather protection feature to shade the display window.

  • (4) Attachment. Awnings may be fixed or retractable.

  • (5) Awnings, canopies, and other weather protection elements shall not extend across more than 80 percent of the facade. Instead, individual segments shall be divided into sections to reflect the major vertical divisions of the facade, and shall be installed over each storefront entry or set of storefront windows. Awnings shall not extend across wall sections, across multiple sets of windows, or over columns or structural piers/ pilasters.

  • (6) Materials. Awnings shall be constructed of durable, high-quality materials such as canvas, canvas-like material, nylon, metal, wood, and glass. Fabric awnings shall be prohibited.

  • (7) Illumination. Internal illumination of awnings shall be prohibited.

• (K) Architectural Style. The architectural style and use of materials shall be consistent throughout the entire development. Differences in use of architectural details may occur where the intent is to differentiate between the residential and commercial scale and character of the structure(s). Each project shall possess an identifiable architectural theme and be of high-quality design and materials, such as masonry, tile, stone, stucco, architectural grade wood, brick, glass, and finished metal. For remodels or additions, the theme shall be true to the original intent and style of the building.

• (L) Materials, Finishes, and Color.

  • (1) Compatibility. High-quality materials and finishes appropriate to the architectural

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City of Palmdale, CA

ZONING

§ 17.49.060

§ 17.49.060

style, scale, character, and design theme of the building shall be used, such as masonry, tile, stone, stucco, architectural grade wood, brick, glass, and finished metal. Materials, finishes and colors shall unify a structure's appearance and be selected to work harmoniously with each other.

• (2) Durable Materials. Exterior design and building materials shall reflect permanence and quality. Graffiti-resistant materials and paints shall be utilized.

• (3) Secondary Elevations. Buildings shall be treated as a whole and finished appropriately on all sides to appear integral to the building and avoid appearing "tacked on." Backs of buildings shall use similar materials; however, less expensive and utilitarian substituted materials are acceptable, provided they are compatible with the overall design.

• (4) Material Changes at Corners. Material changes shall not occur at corners. The same material shall continue around corners to the next change in the wall plane, which shall be no less than four feet.

• (5) Variation in Materials and Colors. The materials and colors used on the exterior of a building shall enhance visual interest and create harmony; unusual patterns and color schemes and nonharmonious and out-of-character colors shall be avoided. These colors shall be used as follows:

  • (a) Base colors shall be used on the majority of the building surface and should be the lightest;

  • (b) Secondary colors shall be used to accentuate facade elements or upper floors; and

  • (c) Accent colors shall be used sparingly to highlight moldings, trims and/or signage.

  • (d) Up to two additional colors may be used on the base to distinguish between upper and lower floors or as an additional secondary color.

(M) Common Open Space Design.

• (1) A minimum dimension of 20 feet shall be provided in any direction;

• (2) A maximum of 40 percent of the common open space may be covered but cannot be enclosed. Common open space is considered enclosed when the space between a floor, decking, or ground level and a roof structure has sides taller than 50 inches in height on more than two sides;

• (3) Courtyards enclosed on four sides shall have a minimum dimension of 40 feet and have a minimum courtyard width to building height ratio of 1.25:1;

• (4) The open space shall include places to sit and shade structures;

• (5) A minimum of 20 percent of the open space area shall be planted with trees, ground cover, and/or shrubs; and

(6) Slopes shall not exceed five percent.

(Ord. 1603 § 4 (Exh. I), 2023)

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City of Palmdale, CA