§ 18.92

The design of single-family residential development projects in the city should:

A.

Respect the scale, proportion and character of the surrounding area;

B.

Provide pedestrian-friendly design solutions to adverse traffic patterns;

C.

Establish attractive, inviting, imaginative and functional site design;

D.

Create visual interest and variety;

E.

Maintain a sense of harmony and proportion along street frontages and other portions of the project exposed to public view;

F.

Preserve and incorporate natural amenities unique to the site such as hillside views, topography, and mature trees; and

G.

Preserve and incorporate historically, culturally, or architecturally significant building into the project development proposal.

(Ord. 2786 Exh. A (part), 2001)

A.

Grading. Grading should be minimized where possible to preserve the natural character of the land. When grading is unavoidable, incorporate the following guidelines:

1.

Follow the natural contours as much as possible.

2.

Slopes should be rounded and contoured to blend with the existing terrain.

3.

Emphasize and accentuate scenic vistas.

4.

Avoid large, manufactured slopes in favor of several smaller slopes.

5.

Retain and incorporate significant natural vegetation into the project.

6.

Implement slope-stabilizing landscaping and irrigation on manufactured slopes.

B.

Compatibility. New homes should be built in scale with the existing neighborhood. Therefore, in addition to the minimum code requirements for yards, height, lot coverage and floor area; the predominant setback, yards, size, and height of the existing neighborhood should be considered in determining the overall size and situation of the house.

1.

The arrangement of structures, circulation, and open spaces should recognize the particular characteristics of the site.

Project design should relate to the surrounding built environment in pattern, function, scale, character and materials.

3.

Infill structures and new projects should meet or exceed the standards of quality which have been set by surrounding development.

4.

Structures that are distinctive due to their age, cultural significance, or unique architectural style should be considered for preservation and incorporated in the project proposal.

5.

Residential units should be buffered from incompatible development through increased setbacks, intensified landscaping, and appropriate building orientation.

C.

Building siting.

1.

Primary building:

a.

Front primary buildings to the street;

b.

Front infill buildings in the same direction as the surrounding development;

c.

Vary setbacks of homes and garages.

2.

Garage. The garage and driveway location is the most significant factor in determining the overall site layout for small- to medium-size lots. The configuration that best reflects the existing neighborhood pattern should be selected.

a.

Detached Garage. The garage is a separate structure from the house, usually located at the rear of the property, with alley or street access.

b.

Attached Garage—Rear. The garage is attached to the rear of the house, with side or rear access from the street or alley.

c.

Attached Garage—Side or Front. The garage is attached to the side or front of the house, with street access. Angled or side-entry garages should be used to break up the monotony of garage doors facing the street.

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d.

Interior Lots:

i.

If the garage is attached to the front of the house, the garage door should be perpendicular to the front property line.

ii.

If the garage door faces the street, it should be set back at least two feet from the front wall of the house.

iii.

In no case should a front-facing garage constitute greater than sixty percent of the front façade.

e.

Corner Lots:

i.

If the garage is attached to the front of the house, the garage door should be perpendicular to the front of the house.

ii.

If the garage is attached to the side of the house with the garage door parallel to the front wall of the house, the garage door should be set back at least two feet from the front wall of the house.

iii.

In no case should a front-facing garage constitute greater than sixty percent of the front façade.

f.

Design guidelines for attached and detached garages, as well as accessory structures, are found later in this document.

3.

Other Accessory Structures.

a.

Newly constructed Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) should be sited to the rear of a primary structure unless there is no feasible location on the site that can accommodate the minimum size unit authorized by Chapter 18.10.

b.

Accessory living areas (i.e., guest house, rumpus room, cabana, or pool house) and non-habitable buildings (i.e., garages) should be placed at the side and rear of the primary structure and should be proportionately scaled.

D.

Setback. The structure should be set back from the front property line either the distance required by the zoning code or the average of existing setbacks on the street, whichever is greater. Exceptions can be made at the discretion of the director of community development where inconsistencies in lot patterns exist and create inequities.

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E.

Walls and Fences.

Fences and walls should be built with attractive, durable materials, including, but not limited to, wood, vinyl, wrought iron, textured concrete block, or formed concrete with reveals.

2.

Chain-link fencing, corrugated metal fencing, and/or fiberglass fencing and "tennis windscreens" are not permitted within the front yard or street side, and interior side yard areas.

3.

Fences or walls may not exceed a height of six feet within required yard areas and shall not exceed sixtysix inches within the required front, street side, and interior side yard areas, except as provided in this Title based on the linear feet of a subject property.

4.

At the street, avoid long expanses of uninterrupted fences and walls, including those fences between the side of the house and the interior property line, which are visible from the street. Use an opening, planter box, material change, pilasters, posts, or a three-foot stagger at least every twenty feet. When adjacent to the front corner of the house, the fence or wall shall be set back at least one foot behind the house so that the wall or fence is not in line with the front plane of the house.

5.

Provide an opening to fences and walls to connect walkways to the street—for pedestrians. These pedestrian "gateways" should be announced by pilasters, special landscaping, or other special features.

6.

A protective coating should be applied to all wood and iron fences.

F.

Drainage. Residential development should integrate water runoff best management practices into the site design consistent with National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (Clean Water Act) guidelines.

(Ord. 2839 § 19, 2004: Ord. 2838 § 19, 2004: Ord. 2786 Exh. A (part), 2001)

(Ord. No. 3159, § 3(Exh. A), 11-12-24)

A.

Style. Single-family homes should reflect a style that characterizes or complements the predominant neighborhood style. In neighborhoods defined by a single architectural style, new homes should by built to reflect that style. Some commonly found styles in the city are listed below, along with their defining elements.

Craftsman. Heavy exposed beams and porch columns; full-width front porches; use of natural materials such as river stone and brick for base treatments; low-pitched roofs with wide eve overhangs; wood or stucco siding; darker earthtone exterior colors; double- or single-hung windows.

Craftsman Style

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2.

Mediterranean. Low-pitch, tile or flat roofs with parapet; arched windows and entries, sometimes recessed; trowelled stucco finish; cream or light earthtone color; front porches accented with decorative columns or pilasters; if two-story, upper windows smaller and less ornate than lower windows.

Mediterranean Style

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3.

Queen Anne Victorian. Asymmetrical design with off-set cutaway bay windows, front entry and wraparound porches; irregularly-shaped roofs with dominant front-facing gable; double- or single-hung windows; steeply-pitched roofs; patterned shingle-siding within gables and between stories; lap-siding; decorative spindlework and brackets; bright colors.

Queen Anne Victorian Style

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4.

Tudor. Steeply-pitched, usually side-gabled roof with prominent, front-facing cross-gable; decorative halftimbering; arched entry; tall, narrow windows; large chimneys with decorative chimney pots; variety of siding, including stucco, brick, wood or stone cladding.

5.

Ranch. Low-pitched, hipped roof with wood or wood-look shingles and wide eves; wide windows; variety of siding with base treatment, including stucco, lap, board-and-baton, brick or stone cladding.

B.

Scale and Massing. The scale and massing of the house should reflect the existing neighborhood pattern. At a minimum, the following guidelines should be implemented (note that exceptions to these requirements are permissible if the style of the house dictates otherwise):

1.

The front wall mass should be broken up into two or three planes, with one deep break of at least five feet. No required plane should be less than twenty-five percent of the length of the front wall.

2.

All street-facing wall planes should be proportionately fenestrated, including garage side walls and dormers.

3.

The roof design should follow the wall planes.

4.

The steepness of the roof pitch should follow the existing neighborhood pattern.

5.

Second stories should be set back at least ten feet from the front wall of the first story, and should comprise no more than eighty percent of the combined width of all front-facing walls.

6.

Front- or Side-Attached Garages.

a.

Street-facing garage doors should be no wider than nine feet, and should be separated from adjacent garage doors by a structural column no less than one foot wide.

b.

The third and subsequent street-facing garage doors should be set back an additional five feet each.

C.

Entries. Main front entries should be given prominent treatment, and should be oriented to address first the street, and then the on-site parking space. Main front entries should incorporate the following elements:

Front entry treatment

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1.

A proportionately-sized front porch, but in no case with dimensions less than eight feet by ten feet. At least fifty percent of the front porch should be covered, integrated with the roof design. The porch should be defined by a low wall or railing with balustrades no higher than four feet;

Proportionally sized front porch

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2.

Front door surround treatment, such as decorative trim appropriate to the style, a recess, or sidelights;

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Front door treatments

3.

A decoratively-paved walkway leading to the sidewalk;

4.

A decorative, shaded porch light appropriate to the architectural style.

D.

Architectural Trim and Finish Materials.

The following elements should be incorporated into the design of the house, unless the style dictates otherwise:

1.

All windows, doors and garage doors should be trimmed or otherwise distinctly emphasized. Ways to accomplish this include a wood surround or stucco "pop-out", a recess, or a bay window design. Awnings may also be used, if appropriate to the style. The window trim color should be compatible with the colors used on the house.

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2.

A base treatment of at least four feet in height and incorporating at least a one-inch projection from the wall surface above. The base treatment should be of a darker color and/or material than the wall surface above, as appropriate to the style, and should incorporate a cap course or capping element.

3.

Attic vents should incorporate an integrated, decorative design appropriate to the style.

4.

Chimneys should be sided with natural stone, masonry or stucco, as is visually appropriate to their function.

5.

Pitched roofs should be shingled or tiled as appropriate to the architectural style of the house. Shingles should have a dimensional quality.

6.

Rain gutters and downspouts should be inconspicuously located and painted to match the building color.

7.

Architectural details and trim, including siding, should be applied to all sides of the dwelling.

8.

The wall and trim colors should be appropriate to the architectural style of the unit, as described above.

9.

Natural materials should always be used in place of manufactured materials and veneers.

10.

All finish materials should be of high quality.

Trim and finish materials

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In all cases, outside corner material changes are not permitted. Additionally, foam may not be used for trim or details except on upper stories.

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Corner material changes

E.

Additions and Accessory Buildings. Additions should be constructed as an integral part of the structure to which they are attached. Detached accessory buildings such as garages and guesthouses should reflect the architectural style of the primary building to which they relate by incorporating the following guidelines:

1.

The existing siding should be carried onto the addition or building.

2.

The windows should be of the same style as the main house, including opening mechanisms and trim.

3.

The existing roofline should be carried onto the addition. Shed-roof additions are not permitted, unless integral to the style of the house. For detached structures, the roof style should be the same as that of the main building.

4.

Overall proportion should be maintained.

5.

Alley lighting design should be consistent with the prevailing architectural style of the primary structure.

6.

Trash enclosure design should be consistent with the prevailing architectural style of the primary structure, if visible from public view.

Chapter 18.93 - MULTI-FAMILY AND MIXED-USE OBJECTIVE DESIGN STANDARDS