§ 18.96

Commercial developments are located in many prominent locations throughout the city and convey a strong visual image. The attention paid to their design reflects a city's pride in itself and its economic vitality. For this reason, the commercial design guidelines are intended to promote high quality development that will:

A.

Lead to quality architecture and design;

B.

Contribute to a positive physical image and identity of the city; and

C.

Complement and preserve the surrounding natural resources.

Commercial development should also strive to provide for both convenient auto access and safe, attractive pedestrian access.

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

18.96.020 - Design objectives.

The design of each commercial project in the city should:

A.

Reinforce or establish a distinct architectural image;

B.

Establish attractive, inviting, imaginative and functional site design;

C.

Facilitate and encourage pedestrian activity and mitigate adverse automotive patterns;

D.

Enhance surrounding neighborhoods, the uptown area and the city as a whole;

E.

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

F.

Minimize excessive or incompatible impacts of noise, light, traffic and visual character.

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

18.96.030 - Site design guidelines.

A.

Grading. Grading should be minimized, where possible, to preserve the natural character of the city. Where grading is unavoidable, consider the following guidelines:

Follow the natural contours as much as possible.

2.

Round and contour slopes 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.

Grading should be performed in such manner as to optimize water retention.

B.

Compatibility. Consideration should be given to the compatibility of proposed uses with existing adjacent uses. A site layout should factor in the surrounding natural and built environment including:

1.

Relate the project to the surrounding built environment in function, scale and character.

2.

Tie the project development proposal into adjacent or nearby unique or historic structures.

3.

Reduce impacts on nearby residential uses by incorporating strategies such as such as appropriate building orientation, intensified landscaping and increased setbacks in project layout.

4.

Link with compatible surrounding uses through vehicular connections and pedestrian paths.

C.

Building Siting.

1.

Entrance Considerations.

a.

All primary building entries should face onto a street or a connecting walkway. The placement and design of structures should facilitate and encourage pedestrian activity and convey a visual link to the street and sidewalks. Entries that do not front directly onto a street should be connected to a street and the surrounding neighborhood via a landscaped connecting walkway.

Pedestrian Connection to Neighborhood

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b.

Streetside entrances to stores with large floor areas (exceeding ten thousand square feet) are often difficult to achieve. Pedestrian access to these stores can be enhanced by:

i.

Providing an entry at or near the street, which may be in addition to an entry relating directly to parking;

ii.

Locating small shops along connecting walkways linking anchor stores to the street;

iii.

Placing outdoor retail areas along the street such as outdoor seating for anchor store delis; or by

iv.

Constructing landscaped connecting walkways through parking lots to provide a direct connection to the street.

c.

A combination of building entries, windows (including display windows) and landscaping are the primary ways that commercial development should front onto streets. Generally, building entries and windows

should front onto the street, with the following exceptions:

i.

Where parking lots and driveways front the street and conform with guidelines contained within "vehicular circulation: access/parking lots"; or,

ii.

Where the use is auto-serving or service commercial and conforms with "auto serving uses."

2.

Street Frontage.

a.

Where a building fronts onto a street, fifty percent of the building's linear streetside frontage should consist of an entrance, window or display window. Streetside buildings with street front parking should not be more than one hundred-feet long without a pedestrian plaza or walkway connecting the parking lot with the street. Auto-serving uses permitted in the commercial zones need not conform to these street frontage requirements.

b.

On corner lots, buildings should mark the corner with added height, major entry, or other notable architectural feature(s). Buildings with angled corners or plazas are encouraged at corner locations.

c.

Where a front or corner side setback is required, buildings that front onto the street should meet one of the following conditions:

i.

The setback should be landscaped with dense, permanently maintained vegetation reaching a height of at least eighteen inches, except where walkways lead to building entries; or

ii.

The setback may be paved with special pavers or scored concrete three feet by (three feet maximum module size) if building entries occur at least every twenty-five feet or a continuous arcade or trellis is provided.

3.

Gateway Facades. Facades visible from the San Gabriel River Freeway, Whittier Boulevard, Beverly Boulevard and Colima Road should be especially attractive. These facades should include a major entry feature and fenestration over at least twenty-five of the facade's surface. In addition, a monolithic appearance should be avoided through application of these design guidelines.

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Major entry features and façade treatments

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Building facade details

4.

Facades Facing Parking Lots. Where buildings face the street with parking behind, the facade facing the parking lot should contain at least three of the following features:

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Preferred building and parking orientation

a.

Upper-story uses with windows overlooking the parking lot;

b.

Secondary entrances to ground-floor or upper-story uses;

c.

Windows (including display windows) occupying at least half of the building's length;

d.

At least a four-foot change in building plane in every fifty linear feet;

e.

A trellis or arcade that is at least five-feet deep (clear, unobstructed); or

f.

A five-foot landscape strip containing trees or other tall vegetation.

5.

Infill within Existing Development.

a.

Within existing projects, new buildings are encouraged to reinforce streets as walkable, civic environments and to establish pleasant and convenient pedestrian paths between streets and existing storefronts.

b.

The architectural style of new buildings should complement the existing center or be the basis for future remodeling for the existing center.

c.

New construction should be similar to existing buildings in height, width and rhythm of openings.

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One story infill

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Two Story infill

d.

Shared plazas or courtyards are encouraged within and across property lines.

6.

Specific Uses to Consider.

a.

Auto-serving uses.

i.

Entries and windows for auto-service uses need not front onto streets. Entries should be linked to the street via a connecting walkway. Avoid facing auto-service bays, loading areas and blank walls toward the street; orient these features to the side or rear while presenting windows, entries and landscaping to the street. Trees or other landscaping should be used to further screen these features when viewed from the street.

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Preferred auto-serving retail building

ii.

When possible, place auto-serving uses near the street, including gas stations, auto service establishments, or other buildings with a floor area under ten thousand square feet or a lot coverage under twenty-five percent (whichever is less). At least twenty-five percent of the linear frontage facing the street should contain windows (excluding clerestory and glassblock) to enhance the street's security and appearance.

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Drive-through orientation

b.

Drive-Through Facilities. Fast food restaurant building entrances should face the street with parking located to the side and rear of the building. Where the size of a parcel may be constraining, one bay of parking may be allowed in front. Design elements, such as trellises, may encroach into the setback when well integrated with the landscape. Landscaped berms and/or low walls shall screen the parking lot and drive-through aisle. Restrooms accessed from outside the structure should not be permitted. Ladders for roof access shall be mounted on the inside of the building, or shall be completely concealed from public view.

i.

The site design should be pedestrian friendly with opportunities for courtyards, plazas, outdoor dining and landscaped pathways that promote safe and convenient pedestrian movement.

ii.

Drive-through restaurants should have a drive-through lane that measures a minimum of one hundred fortyfour feet in length from entry to pick-up window, accommodating six vehicles. The lane should not enter from the street. The lane should have a minimum width of eleven feet on straight section and twelve feet on curved section. Drive-through lanes should be screened through building orientation, landscaping, low screen walls and trellis work.

c.

Hotels and Motels. Hotel and motel facades should include bay windows, balconies, arcades, towers and other projections to avoid a monotonous appearance and an overly horizontal composition. Roofs should be hipped or gabled. Tile roofs are encouraged. Roof dormers are also encouraged and should be coordinated with the rhythm of fenestration and bays. Room entrances directly adjacent to parking lots or exterior walkways are discouraged.

d.

Mixed Use Projects. The architectural style and use of materials should be consistent throughout. Separate site access, parking facilities and entrances should be used. Commercial signage should be restrained.

7.

Encouraged Site Layout. Create more desirable pedestrian environment by better defining the street edge. Internal parking reduces the negative impact from the street.

Typical Site Plans

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Recommended Site Plan

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Source: GERALD A POTTERFIELD

D.

Vehicular Circulation. Parking lots should generally be placed away from the street, preferably behind buildings. In no case should street frontages consist of uninterrupted parking lots.

1.

Adequate areas for maneuvering, loading and emergency vehicle access should be accommodated on site.

2.

Parking areas should be accessed from the street so that circulation to parking areas does not interfere with other site activities.

3.

Parking areas should be arranged to minimize conflicts with loading activities.

4.

Large parking lot areas should be divided into a series of smaller connected lots separated by additional landscaping.

5.

Loading and parking should generally be located to the side and rear of buildings with the exception of handicap and short-term parking lots which may be sited between the street and building entrances. Large

expansive paved areas between the street and the building(s) are to be avoided in favor of smaller lots separated by landscaping and buildings.

6.

Where parking lots occur along streets, a landscaped buffer should be provided to minimize views of parked cars from the street and be permanently maintained:

a.

The landscaped buffer at the street should be at least fifteen feet wide, excluding parkway landscaping, or ten feet wide if bermed.

b.

Within the landscaped buffer, trees should be planted at least thirty feet on-center and within five feet of the front property line.

c.

The landscape buffer should include a screening feature that is thirty-six to forty-two inches in height and consists of a wall, fence, hedge, berm or equivalent. Earth berms should not exceed a 3:1 slope and be rounded and densely landscaped to have a natural appearance.

7.

Parking lots should be separated from buildings by a five foot landscape strip.

E.

Pedestrian Circulation.

1.

Pedestrian access should be provided between transit stops and building entrances.

2.

Minimize pedestrian crossing distances at driveways. Ideally, a raised median should be used to separate ingress and egress lanes and to provide a pedestrian island, especially where there are three or more lanes. Special pavers, scored concrete or an equivalent treatment should mark pedestrian crossings.

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Raised median walkway acts as pedestrian island

3.

Where possible, connecting walkways should follow an alignment that connects building entries and should be at least eight feet wide in these locations.

4.

Where connecting walkways pass through parking lots, they should be at least five feet wide (excluding car overhangs) and should be accompanied by a minimum five foot landscape buffer with trees planted at least every thirty feet on-center.

5.

Walkways should consist of special pavers or scored concrete with modules that should not exceed three feet in width.

6.

Where a walkway is oversized to accommodate occasional emergency vehicles, landscaping, grass-crete, and other features should be used to give the walkway a more appropriate scale. Meandering walkways should follow the natural terrain and incorporate an irregular pattern.

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Connecting walkways

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F.

Loading and Storage Areas.

1.

Loading docks, overhead doors and storage areas should not face streets and freeways, and preferably be located behind or to the side of buildings.

Where oblique views of these features are possible from streets, freeways, connecting walkways or residences, the features should be screened through the use of walls, wood fences, trellises, tall landscaping, or equivalent features. Loading docks and storage areas should not conflict with connecting walkways. If located adjacent to residential areas, the design of overhead doors should minimize noise through devices such as rubber seals and/or other dampening features. Locate fixed hardware for rolling door on the inside of buildings to minimize visual "clutter." Loading and storage areas should maintain basic visual quality requirements contained in "Building Finishes and Detailing."

2.

Loading and delivery areas should not be located in required setbacks.

G.

Plazas, Public Art and Views.

1.

Plazas.

a.

Retail centers over ten thousand square feet should provide at least one square foot of plaza area for every one hundred square feet of gross floor area, and employment uses with more than twenty employees should provide at least ten square feet of outdoor plaza area for each employee. Plazas should provide shade, be at least ten feet wide and have decorative paving. If accompanied by a building entry, plazas may occur within front or corner side setbacks, with trellises and similar structures being allowed to project five feet into the front and street side yard setback areas. The plaza area should be calculated separate from areas devoted to connecting walkways. Outdoor seating, tables and umbrellas, public art, water

features, landscaping, gazebos or other features are encouraged in plazas and should be consistent with the architectural style of the project.

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Retail plaza area

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b.

Plazas are encouraged where high levels of pedestrian activity are expected, such as adjacent to major entrances and food services such as delis, restaurants, coffee shops and bakeries. Building entries and windows should look onto plazas to enhance activity and security.

2.

Public Art. Plazas, entries and gateways should incorporate public art in a manner consistent with the overall architectural theme of the project. Public art should illustrate local history and current events through the appropriate media, such as interpretive landscapes, murals, mosaics, sculptures and artful architectural features integrated into the project design.

3.

Views. Site circulation and plazas can be used to draw attention to distinctive features such as entrances, public art, fountains, plantings or the local hillsides.

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Incorporate view into site design

H.

Fence and Wall Design.

1.

Fences and walls should be built with attractive, durable materials, including, but not limited to, redwood, wrought iron, textured concrete block or formed concrete with reveals. Chainlink fencing, corrugated metal fencing and "tennis windscreens" are not permitted. Fences or walls should be consistent with materials and designs used throughout the project. In the event of a wood fence, a protective coating should be applied.

2.

All fences and walls should have a distinctive cap of different width, material or texture within the top eight inches. Walls should not exceed a height of six feet without being made of textured concrete block, interlocking "diamond" blocks, formed concrete with reveals or similar materials. Wrought iron and dimensional wood should not be used as "zone division" walls that are required adjacent to residential uses for visual and acoustical separation.

Commercial fencing concepts

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3.

At the street, avoid long expanses of uninterrupted fences and walls. Use an opening, planter box, material change, pilaster or post, or a three-foot stagger at least every forty feet. Provide an opening to fences and walls to connect walkways directly to the street and avoid circuitous routes for pedestrians. These pedestrian "gateways" should be announced by pilasters, trellis, special landscaping, public art or other special features.

4.

In order to soften the mass of a fence or wall, use landscaping such as vines, low to medium height shrubs, and trees appropriate to the architectural style or period of the development.

5.

Fences and walls adjacent to residences. Where a side or rear property line of a commercial site adjoins a residential zone, a six-foot solid wall shall be required at the adjoining property line.

6.

Wall design should incorporate graffiti- and vandal-resistant materials that are easily cleaned or painted.

I.

Refuse.

1.

Refuse enclosures and equipment should be easily accessed by service vehicles. Locate refuse enclosures and equipment within a building's facade or within a screened enclosure. Reflect the architectural style of adjacent buildings in the design of enclosures, and use similar, high-quality materials. Landscaping or trelliswork should screen enclosures visible from a street or connecting walkway and shall be permanently maintained.

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Trash enclosures should reflect design of adjacent structures

2.

Trash enclosures should be located away from residential uses to minimize nuisance to adjacent properties.

3.

Cart storage areas should be integrated within the initial building and site design. Large freestanding enclosures or unscreened "cart corrals" are considered unacceptable.

4.

Outdoor storage areas: Locate outdoor storage areas away from the street, behind or to the side of buildings. In addition to locating storage areas away from streets, walls should be used to screen stored materials.

J.

Lighting.

1.

Exterior lighting standards should be located and designed to minimize direct glare beyond the parking lot or service area. Light standards under fifteen feet in height (including lighting bollards) should illuminate all streetside sidewalks and connecting walkways and are encouraged throughout a project. Taller standards, while generally discouraged, may be used only if:

a.

Reflectors direct light only toward the center of parking areas and at least sixty feet from a residential property; and

b.

Trees are planted along streets and property lines at a spacing of not more than thirty feet on-center. All light standards should be consistent with the overall architectural style of the project. At a minimum, all light standards should have an attractive base and top; overhanging "shoebox" standards are discouraged; and, overhanging "cobrahead" standards are not permitted.

2.

Buildings and landscaping can be illuminated indirectly to create a strong positive image. Concealing light features within buildings and landscaping can highlight attractive features and avoid intrusion into neighboring properties. Thoughtful use of attractive pedestrian oriented lighting is especially encouraged at entries, plazas and other areas where evening activity is expected.

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Complementary light fixtures

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Light bollards along walkways

K.

Drainage. Using various control techniques to limit off-site drainage helps to create a healthier watershed. There are many ways to capture water on-site and divert water underground. All commercial development should integrate water run-off best management practices into the site design. For more information on National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (Clean Water Act) guidelines and best management practices consult the city public works department.

L.

Site Accessories.

1.

Site design features, such as recycling bins, bike racks, litter cans, planters, benches and transit shelters, should use materials and have an architectural character consistent with the overall project. Design these features to be graffiti- and vandal-resistant by using materials that are easily cleaned or painted. Avoid interrupting connecting walkways with these features.

2.

Site amenities within a commercial setting should be coordinated in terms of color, materials and design in order to convey a cohesive project appearance and distinctive character.

M.

Auxiliary Structures and Areas. All auxiliary structures should be integrated architecturally with the project through their color, materials and architectural style. The location of auxiliary areas is essential to the success of a business. For example, outdoor dining areas should be placed as close to the front yard or street side yard setback as possible; at the very least, outdoor dining areas should be visible from the street.

1.

Transit Shelters. Where a transit stop is planned adjacent to a project that is at least five acres, the developer should coordinate with the public works department and the transit department to determine a

location for a transit shelter on-site. Transit shelters that are incorporated within the form of a building such as under an awning or arcade are encouraged.

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Transit shelters should be integrated architecturally

2.

Play Places. Play structures associated with commercial uses should be enclosed and integrated within the building design. If the play place is a secondary use, then the size of the play structures and the portion of the building containing the play area should be subordinate to the main use and building.

3.

Outdoor Dining Areas. Outdoor dining areas are encouraged and should provide permanent shade. Small to medium height landscaping and non-view obscuring fences should be utilized to help define outdoor dining areas.

4.

Vending Machines. All vending machines should be located inside the store. Vending machines may be placed outside of a store if they are not visible from the public right of way and their placement is architecturally integrated into the design of the development.

N.

Screening Equipment. All screening equipment should be designed so that these features are graffiti- and vandal-resistant by providing, at minimum, a two foot wide landscape strip at the base of these walls for vines and tall shrubs, and by using materials that are treated accordingly, and easily cleaned or painted.

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Trellis over drive-through

1.

Mechanical Equipment.

a.

The location of mechanical equipment should be integrated into the project's site and building design. Roof-top and ground-mounted equipment should be architecturally screened from view of elevated highways, streets, parking lots, connecting walkways and the freeway.

b.

Mechanical equipment must be screened behind parapets or by recessing equipment into hips, gables, parapets or similar features; exposed boxes are not acceptable. Screening details should incorporate "capping" elements and the same exterior trim details as found elsewhere in the project. The top of screens should be at least as high as the top of the equipment, yet the screen walls should be generally kept as low as possible. If public ways have an elevation that is equal to or above the elevation of equipment, a section should be prepared which shows the relationship of the equipment to the public way and the manner in which this view will be screened.

Mechanical equipment

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2.

Transformers.

a.

Transformers, heating units and other ground-mounted equipment should be adequately screened with architecturally integrated walls and/or landscaping. Additional area for future ground-mounted equipment and screening needs should be considered and set aside. Avoid interrupting connecting walkways with these features.

b.

Transformers should not dominate the streetscape. When transformers are required to be installed adjacent to the street, they should be underground.

Freestanding transformer location

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3.

Downspouts. Downspouts should be concealed on facades that face a street or freeway.

O.

Landscaping. All landscaping should be completed in a timely manner so as to minimize erosion of slopes and off-site drainage. The following landscaping principles should also be considered:

1.

Use a mixture of evergreen and deciduous trees to provide year-round interest.

a.

Use evergreen trees to block winter winds and screen unsightly features.

b.

Provide special landscaping treatment, such as intensifying density (size and/or number) of trees, accent trees, and special paving at all project entries and building entries.

c.

Provide shade/canopy trees within parking areas at a ratio of one shade tree for every five parking stalls.

d.

Use plants to define outdoor spaces such as edges, outdoor plazas, or movement paths between parking and building entrances.

e.

Plant trees to provide a continuity of form across the entire project.

2.

Landscape at Walls.

a.

A five-foot landscape strip (excluding wall footings and car overhangs) should be provided at the base of all solid fences and walls, and at the base of buildings, except where there are entrances or loading areas.

b.

These landscape strips should be planted with trees, hedges, vines or similar treatment and permanently maintained.

3.

Period appropriate landscaping is encouraged. Use landscape specimens appropriate to architectural design theme.

4.

Drought tolerant, native plants should be a priority.

5.

The developer should construct an automatic irrigation system.

P.

Paving.

1.

Decorative paving should be incorporated into parking lot design, driveway entries and pedestrian walkways.

2.

Paving materials should complement the architectural design. The use of stamped concrete, stone, brick, pavers, exposed aggregate, or colored concrete is encouraged.

3.

The following permeable pavements are encouraged, where appropriate to the existing or new building architecture or theme:

a.

Poured in place: pervious concrete and porous asphalt

b.

Unit Pavers: brick, natural stone

c.

Granular materials: gravel, cobbles.

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

(Ord. No. 3121, §§ 23, 24, 8-25-20)

18.96.040 - Architectural design guidelines.

A.

Style.

1.

Construction should render the well chosen style through appropriate detailing, properly applied materials and quality workmanship. A consistent architectural style shall be used for a building and the elements that relate to it, such as trellises, planters or light-standards. Multi-building projects should also use a consistent architectural style. While specific architectural styles are not dictated by the zoning code, several styles predominate in the city and should be emulated to help keep the city's unique "sense of place."

2.

Styles generally respond to the region's climate. For example, a Mediterranean design should incorporate shade windows, outdoor circulation and outdoor courtyard or plazas with deep eaves, recessed window frames, awnings, arcades, loggias, trellises and trees. Other predominant styles include craftsman, victorian, mission, art deco modern and italianate. Alternative styles are permissible, provided they meet the requirements listed throughout these guidelines. Skyscraper like "high tech" styles with unarticulated surfaces and insubstantial materials should be avoided.

3.

The selected architectural style/design should consider compatibility with surrounding character, including harmonious building style, form, size, color, materials and roofline. In developed areas, infill projects should meet or exceed the standards of quality which have been set by surrounding development.

The use of standardized "corporate" architectural styles associated with franchises is discouraged. Corporate architecture should be modified to meet the city's design guidelines with some consideration to maintaining corporate identification.

5.

The designer is expected to employ variations in form, building details and siting in order to create visual interest. In all cases, the selected architectural style should be employed on all building elevations.

B.

Massing. The mass and roof forms of buildings should be varied, especially with larger projects. Different heights may be used to communicate different uses or shops. Bay windows and stepped buildings also create added visual interest and relate directly to the pedestrian environment. An arcade provides another means of connecting varied masses and a more comfortable experience along pedestrian routes. Higher tower elements or similar features are encouraged at focal points, such as plazas, major entrances or where walkways meet streets.

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C.

Entry Design.

1.

Gables, awnings, sign locations or other features should clearly express the location of doorways. Greater attention should be given to materials and detailing adjacent to entries.

Entry design

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2.

"Notch" the street side of buildings to gain access for landscaping and to provide architectural variation.

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Notch

D.

Features.

1.

Arcades and Awnings. Outdoor arcades are encouraged to protect pedestrians from summer heat and winter rain. Where an arcade is not provided, a separate awning or other architectural feature should be used for each business to enhance the individual identity of small shops. Because they can quickly deteriorate, canvas awnings are discouraged and, when used, shall be properly maintained.

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Outdoor arcade

2.

Upper-Story Uses. Upper-story uses with bay windows and balconies are encouraged to provide informal surveillance, and create a pleasant sense of enclosure, especially around plazas and along streets. Lobbies for upper-story uses should clearly be expressed through gables, awnings, special materials, or other architectural treatments. Bay windows and balconies are encouraged and should not appear to be cantilevered for more than six inches without visible blocking, brackets, corbels or posts.

3.

Roof Forms. Roof forms should be simple and reflect the internal organization of buildings. Hipped and gable roofs are encouraged. Flat roof parapets should be accompanied by a cornice or other shadowcreating detail at its "top."

Drive-Up Windows. Construct roofs or trellises over drive-up windows. Posts supporting roofs or trellises should be substantial in appearance. Integrate these features into the overall architecture of the project. The stacking area for drive-up windows should be screened from the street through a combination of berming, low walls and landscaping.

E.

Building Treatment, Finishes and Detailing.

1.

Building Facades.

a.

Buildings should not be monotonous or have a flat, shadowless appearance on any side. No wall should have a blank, uninterrupted length exceeding twenty feet without including one of the following: change in texture, change in plane (two-foot minimum), window (excluding clerestory windows and glass block), public art, lattice, tree or equivalent element. Facades that are visible from adjacent streets or walkways should display even greater visual interest by using architectural elements that break up the massing of large buildings, such as windows, arcades, porticos and other architectural features.

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Top treatment

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Base treatment

b.

All facades should have a recognizable "base" and "top." The base should visually carry the weight of the building. A recommended rule of thumb is approximately one-eighth of a building's height, unless associated with window stem walls where it may be as little as eighteen inches tall. Techniques for establishing a base include, but are not limited to, the following:

i.

Thicker walls;

ii.

Richly textured materials (e.g. tile or masonry treatments);

iii.

Darker colored materials, mullion, and/or panels; and/or

iv.

Enriched landscaping with a mature height of at least eighteen inches and permanently maintained.

c.

Special materials, such as ceramic tile, granite and marble, are encouraged on the base of buildings that face streets or connecting walkways, especially adjacent to major entries.

d.

"Tops" take advantage of the visual prominence of a building's silhouette and should be approximately one-twentieth of a building's height or twelve inches (whichever is more). Techniques for clearly expressing a top include, but are not limited to, the following:

i.

Cornice treatments;

ii.

Roof overhangs with brackets;

iii.

Stepped parapets;

iv.

Richly textured materials (e.g. tile or masonry treatments); and/or

v.

Different colored materials.

e.

Colored "stripes" are not acceptable as the only treatment.

2.

Quality of Construction. Give an attractive appearance to all facades through careful and correct detailing, especially at the base of buildings, along cornices, eaves, parapets or ridgetops, and around entries and windows. Details for these conditions may be requested as part of development review. Appearance may also be enhanced through the correct use of materials, expansion joints and reveals.

3.

Exterior Materials. High quality building materials are encouraged. Recommended materials include brick, stucco, exterior plaster, wood siding, tile or stone. Veneers that are visibly prefabricated are discouraged. Materials and detailing should have a substantial and long-lasting appearance.

4.

Material Changes. To avoid the false appearance of lightweight veneers, material changes should not occur at external corners. Material changes may occur at "reverse" or interior corners or as a "return" at least two feet from external corners.

5.

Windows. To provide a base element and greater safety, window frames should generally be set upon a stem wall or framed panel that is at least eighteen inches high. In addition, window frames should be substantial and should be framed or inset to establish an attractive shadow, flush with the exterior finish. Glazing inset at least two inches from the front face of the exterior finish is encouraged.

6.

Roof Materials. Roofing materials should be durable and display frequent, clearly marked shadow lines. Roofing materials that are generally acceptable include metal standing seam, concrete tile, ceramic tile and slate or slate-like materials. Non-acceptable roofing materials include all combustible or non-fire-rated roofing materials, "roll roofing" and lightweight asphalt shingles.

7.

Colors. For larger building surfaces (excluding trim), colors should be muted and lighter in value. (Muted colors contain a mix of complementary colors that result in off-whites, tans and other "softer colors." Lighter colors have a value equivalent to thirty percent or less on a gray scale.) Accent colors may include brighter and darker colors.

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

Chapter 18.98 - MANUFACTURING DESIGN GUIDELINES