17.69.030 Downtown building design.
A. Applicability. This section shall apply to eligible residential projects (described in Section 17.69.010) within the Downtown Commercial (C-D) zone. In addition to this section, mixed-use projects shall also comply with Section 17.70.130(D) and (F) through (H) (Mixed-use development).
B. Building Details. Residential projects shall comply with the following building detail standards:
1. Buildings located within the Downtown (C-D zone) shall use exterior materials chosen from the list below.
a. Smooth or sand finished stucco;
b. Cut stone;
c. Rusticated block (cast stone);
d. Precast concrete;
e. Face-brick;
f. Ceramic or porcelain tiles;
g. Fiber cement board planks, panels, siding, board and bat, etc. (e.g., Hardi plank, Hardi panel);
h. Wood plastic composite siding (e.g., Resysta products);
i. Wood siding;
j. Metal paneling;
k. Corten steel paneling.
2. The following exterior finish materials and architectural elements are prohibited:
a. Mirrored glass and heavily tinted glass;
b. Windows with false divisions (i.e., a window where the glass continues uninterrupted behind a surface-mounted mullion, interior mounted mullions (enclosed in glass), etc.);
c. Vinyl and aluminum siding;
d. Rough “Spanish lace” stucco finish;
e. Plywood siding (T 1-11);
f. Corrugated sheet metal;
g. Corrugated fiberglass;
h. Split face concrete block;
i. Exposed concrete block without integral color;
j. Exposed, untreated precision block walls;
k. False fronts;
l. Loading bays facing a street;
m. Exposed roof drains and downspouts.
3. New buildings shall use the same colors, materials, and detailing throughout all elevations. Street facing and the most visible elevations may use more detailed elevations, but colors and materials shall be the same on all elevations.
4. Veneers shall turn corners and terminate into the inside corner of the building or be finished and not expose edges so that finish materials appear “thin” or artificial, as in the example of “brick” veneer applied to a single building face so that it is obviously only one-half-inch thick when viewed from the side.
5. Trim surrounds shall be provided at all exterior window and door openings. In lieu of exterior window trim, windows can be recessed from wall plane by a minimum of two inches.
6. Barrel-shaped awnings shall be used over arched windows or doorways and square or rectangular awnings shall be used on square or rectangular windows and doorways.
7. Awnings shall not be internally illuminated, shall be at least four feet wide, and awnings on a single building face shall use the same awning design and color on each building floor.
8. Permanent, fixed security grates or grilles in front of windows are prohibited. Any necessary security grilles shall be placed inside, behind the window display area.
9. Storefronts shall be framed by support piers and lintels.
10. Storefronts shall be primarily made of eighty percent or more of clear glass.
11. Doorways shall be recessed.
12. Storefront windows shall sit above a base, commonly called a “bulkhead,” of eighteen to thirty-six inches in height. Bulkheads shall be designed as prominent and visible elements of the building facade and shall include the use of one or more of the following materials: ornamental glazed tile in deep rich hues, either plain or with patterns; dark or light marble panels; or pre-cast concrete.
13. Service access to the building for loading and maintenance functions shall not exceed twenty percent of the project frontage on any facing street.
14. Where windows are proposed within ten feet of another building, the windows shall be offset horizontally at least twelve inches (edge to edge) or use clearstory windows, glass block or non-operable opaque windows so as not to have a direct line of sight into adjacent units.
C. Roof Designs. Residential projects shall comply with the following roof design standards:
1. Roof lines shall be varied to break up the mass of the building. A building with a roofline longer than fifty feet shall incorporate changes in roof heights of at least one vertical elevation change of at least two feet.
2. Overhanging eaves shall extend twelve inches or more past the supporting walls. This does not apply to gable faces.
3. Steeply pitched (forty-five degrees or more) mansard roofs are prohibited.
4. Roof-mounted equipment shall not be visible from the public right-of-way and integrated within the architecture of the building.
5. The termination of a parapet shall not be visible from the public right-of-way or adjacent property. The parapet shall wrap around the entire roof, return at least eight feet around corners, or die into an adjacent, taller wall.
6. Cornices and parapets shall:
a. Be utilized to conceal flat roofs and screen any roof-mounted mechanical equipment from the public right-of-way and adjacent properties.
b. Match the building’s primary façade exterior colors and materials.
7. Rooflines shall be vertically articulated at least every fifty feet along the street frontage, using two of the following architectural elements: parapets, varying cornices, reveals, clerestory windows, or varying roof height and/or form.
D. Massing and Articulation. Residential projects shall comply with the following massing and articulation standards:
1. Buildings shall be designed to reduce apparent mass by dividing façades into a series of smaller components. Components shall be distinguished from one another through two or more of the following:
a. Variations in the geometry or massing of the roof or variations in roof height of two feet or more.
b. Changes in wall plane of one foot or more.
c. Changes in texture, material, or surface colors.
d. Provide a minimum two-foot eave on the front elevation.
2. Buildings shall have massing breaks (offsets, recesses, or projections) at least every fifty feet along street frontage through the use of varying setbacks, building entries and recesses, or structural bays. Offsets, recesses, or projections shall vary in depth and/or direction of at least twelve inches and a minimum width of four feet.
3. The first floor of a mixed-use project within fifty feet of the street frontage shall be taller than the floors above, with a minimum plate height of ten feet.
4. Buildings shall include horizontal lines that match established horizontal lines of adjacent buildings.
5. Buildings in the downtown shall provide eighty percent of the building facade located at the back of the sidewalk unless space between the building and sidewalk is a part of a pedestrian feature such as plazas, courtyards, or outdoor eating areas. (Ord. 1703 § 4, 2021)