ARTICLE 11

ARTICLE 11

SITE PLAN REVIEW

Intent: The City of El Dorado recognizes that the very nature of land development creates potential for traffic congestion, overcrowding, adverse visual environmental impacts, and health problems. Also, the City strives to achieve the goal of promoting growth in El Dorado, while stabilizing the established residential patterns of the area. The City seeks to ensure that any location that must accommodate intense urban uses, shall be subject to Site Plan Review by the Zoning Administrator. The Planning Commission shall serve as an appeals body from review by the Zoning Administrator. Site Plan Reviews shall help ensure that the meaning and intent of the Zoning Regulations, and all portions thereof, are fully compiled with.

The Site Plan Review regulates the development of structures and sites in a manner which considers the following concerns:

The balancing of landowners’ rights to use their land, with the corresponding rights of abutting and neighboring landowners to live without undue disturbances (e.g., noise, smoke, fumes, dust, odor, glare, stormwater runoff, etc.);
The convenience and safety of vehicular and pedestrian movement within the site, and in relation to adjacent areas or roads;
The adequacy of waste disposal methods and protection from pollution of surface or groundwater;
The protection of historic and natural environmental features on the site under review, and in adjacent areas; and
The stability of the built environment--particularly residential neighborhoods--by promoting urban development which is compatible with clearly identified natural resources.

Applicability: The Zoning Administrator shall require that all applications for building permits for developments in the multiple-family, commercial and industrial zoning districts shall be subject to Site Plan Review in accordance with these regulations with the exception of development that does not increase the size of the original structure by more than 50 percent in the case of a renovation or alteration. Further, any development that requires a plat and is proposed to locate in any portion of any "Redevelopment Overlay District" shall submit an expanded Preliminary Plat which indicates the information called for on a Site Plan. Developments shall be encouraged to implement the objectives of the Future Land Use Plan in preserving natural resources and grid-pattern streets to secure a coherent urban design and foster compatibility among land uses in the City of El Dorado. Site Plan Reviews shall be performed by the Zoning Administrator.

In addition, all Site Plans shall be submitted to the El Dorado Police Department for an advisory review and comment regarding the development in relation to the Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design principles. Likewise, Site Plans for development in the El Dorado Main Street District as identified on the Future Land Use Map of the Comprehensive Plan shall be submitted to El Dorado Main Street for an advisory review and comment regarding the development in relation to the El Dorado Main Street Guidelines. Applicants are encouraged to meet with the advisory bodies prior to plan development.

The applicant may appeal a site plan review determination to the Planning Commission for approval in the event that an applicant alleges that there is an error in any order, requirement, decision or determination made by the Zoning Administrator in the enforcement of Site Plan Review. The request for review by the Planning Commission shall be accompanied by a complete description of the error(s) alleged. The Planning Commission shall perform their review at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Planning Commission and shall adjourn and reconvene as is determined necessary. The applicant may appeal the decision of the Planning Commission to the City Commission.

Authority: Building permits shall not be issued for any use of land or proposed construction on a lot in the zoning districts in which Site Plan Review is applicable, unless Site Plan Review approval has been granted by the Zoning Administrator.

Submission Requirements: The Site Plan or expanded Preliminary Plat shall include the following data, details, and supporting plans which are found relevant to the proposal. The number of pages submitted will depend on the proposal’s size and complexity. The applicant shall make notations explaining the reasons for any omissions.

Site Plans shall be prepared by a registered professional engineer, architect, or landscape architect at a scale of 1 inch equals 20 feet, on standard 24" x 36" sheets. Items required for submission include:

Name of the project, address, boundaries, date, north arrow and scale of the plan.
Name and address of the owner of record, developer, and seal of the engineer, architect or landscape architect.
Name and address of all owners of record of abutting parcels.
All existing lot lines, easements, and rights-of-way. Include area in acres or square feet, abutting land uses and structures.
The location and use of all existing and proposed structures within the development. Include all dimensions of height and floor area, and show all exterior entrances and all anticipated future additions and alterations. For developments in the Central Business District (CBD), indicate design details to make new construction compatible with existing structures.
The location of all present and proposed public and private ways, parking areas, driveways, sidewalks, ramps, curbs and fences. Location, type, and screening details for all waste disposal containers shall also be shown.
The Zoning Administrator may require location, height, intensity, and bulb type (e.g., fluorescent, sodium incandescent) of all external lighting fixtures. The direction of illumination and methods to eliminate glare onto adjoining properties must also be shown.
The location, height, size, materials, and design of all proposed signage.
The Zoning Administrator may require a landscape plan showing all existing open space, trees, forest cover and water sources, and all proposed changes to these features including size and type of plant material. Water sources will include ponds, lakes, brooks, streams, wetlands, flood plains, and drainage retention areas.
The location of all present and proposed utility systems including:

sewerage system;
water supply system;
telephone, cable and electrical systems; and
storm drainage system including existing and proposed drain lines, culverts, catch basins, headwalls, endwalls, hydrants, manholes, and drainage swells.

Plans to prevent the pollution of surface or groundwater, erosion of soil both during and after construction, excessive run-off, excessive raising or lowering of the water table, and flooding of other properties, as applicable.
Existing and proposed topography shown at not more than two-foot contour intervals. All elevations shall refer to the United States Geodetic Survey (USGS) datum. If any portion of the parcel is within the 100-year flood plain, the area shall be shown, with base flood elevations; and the developer shall present plans for meeting Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) requirements.
Zoning district boundaries adjacent to the site’s perimeter shall be drawn and identified on the plan.
Traffic flow patterns within the site, entrances and exits, loading and unloading areas, curb cuts on the site and within 100 feet of the site.

The City Engineer may require a detailed traffic study for mixed use and multi-tenant developments, or for developments in heavy traffic areas to include:

The projected number of motor vehicle trips to enter or leave the site, estimated for daily and peak hour traffic levels;
The projected traffic flow pattern including vehicular movements at all major intersections likely to be affected by the proposed use of the site; and
The impact of this traffic upon existing abutting public and private ways in relation to existing road capacities. Existing and proposed daily and peak hour traffic levels, as well as road capacity levels, shall also be given.

For new construction or alterations to any existing structure, a table containing the following information must be included:

Area of structure to be used for a particular use, such as retail operation, office, storage, etc.;

Maximum number of employees;

Maximum seating capacity, where applicable;

Number of parking spaces existing and required for the intended use; and

A landscape plan for improving large areas of paved parking with appropriate landscaping may be required.

Standard of Review: The recommendations of the Zoning Administrator shall be based on the following standards:

The extent to which the proposal conforms to the previous sections of these regulations.
The extent to which the development would be compatible with the surrounding area.
The extent to which the proposal conforms to the provisions of the City’s Subdivision Regulations.
The extent to which the proposal conforms to customary engineering standards used in the City.
The extent to which the location of streets, paths, walkways, and driveways are located so as to enhance safety and minimize any adverse traffic impact on the surrounding area.

Development Standards, "Redevelopment Overlay District": The Site Plan shall demonstrate the extent to which the structures, walkways, roads, driveways, open space (if any), and parking lots in the "Redevelopment Overlay Districts" have been located to achieve the following objectives:

Conserve natural resources and amenities available on the site;
Implement a neo-traditional urban design, such as grid-pattern streets, as described in the comprehensive plan;
Ensure that proposed structures are located on suitable soils;
Minimize any adverse environmental impact; and
Minimize any present or future cost to the municipality and private providers of utilities in order to adequately provide public utility services to the site.

Strip Commercial Design Guidelines:

The commercial strip centers serve as districts for commercial activity and focal points. These guidelines are intended to accomplish the following:

Provide for the proper sizing and location of new retail zoning requests and developments;

Improve on- and off-site vehicular and pedestrian circulation and safety;

Allow commercial strip centers to develop on arterial streets while at the same time preserving the capacity of the arterial street to carry city-wide traffic; and

Improve the visual character and identity of retail centers, strip centers, and major transportation corridors.

These guidelines are intended to supplement the City of El Dorado’s regulatory review process. Each of the nine design elements or sections includes a statement of purpose and a listing of key issues. The applicant will be expected to address these issues by: a) complying with the guidelines for each section; or b) proposing alternative solutions that specifically address the identified issues.

The guidelines should be officially coordinated with adopted zoning and subdivision regulation amendments; however, the process is intended to remain flexible. The applicant is encouraged to propose innovative alternatives that accomplish the stated purpose of the guidelines.

The guidelines will be used by staff in its initial discussions with the applicant as he prepares his submission. Upon receipt of a zoning case, concept plan, or site plan, the staff will evaluate the request based on its compliance with guidelines or upon how effectively it addresses the intent of each section through alternative solutions. The applicant shall clearly show how he addressed the key issue(s) with supportive information and data.

When an applicable zoning case, circulation plan, land use plan, preliminary site plan, or site plan is presented to the Regional Planning Commission and/or Governing Body the staff’s recommended action will be included. Staff’s recommendation will be based on its determination of the proposal’s conformance to the guidelines and/or its effectiveness in meeting the purposes and issues of the various design elements.

Site Appropriateness--Retail Strip Centers.

Purpose: In order for the retail centers to best serve as corner neighborhood shopping centers, certain parameters need to be addressed. These include:

appropriate site location;

efficient site shape and size; and

site accessibility.

Guidelines:

Retail centers should typically be located at the corner of two major thoroughfares.
Sites for neighborhood commercial centers should be generally 6 to 10 acres to accommodate 30,000 - 100,000 SF of retail space including serving a one (1) mile radius for 1 or 2 "anchor" stores. Community centers should be planned for a larger site.
Sites should generally be accessible from major thoroughfares at median breaks and located along at-grade intersections.
Sites should be accessed from local streets that are segregated from the street system of residentially zoned land.
Topography and drainage should be addressed with regard to corner shopping locations.

Building Arrangement

Purpose: Proper arrangement of buildings on a site provides for efficient and viable long term use. Key issues include:

storefront visibility and accessibility;
relationship of buildings to each other;
orientation to thoroughfares;
compatibility with surrounding land uses; and
re-use of buildings and adaptability for new tenants.

Guidelines:

Storefronts should generally be visible from main circulation aisles unless a "mall" or courtyard approach is used.

Pad sites, generally defined as freestanding structures of less than 5000 SF of floor area, should be limited to one per 5 acres of land area.

Buildings should be arranged to reduce visibility of service areas from streets, customer parking areas and adjacent properties.

Bay depth of buildings should be sized to accommodate a variety of potential uses.

Two-story buildings should generally not be placed adjacent to single- or two-family residential districts, nor between the main building(s) of a center and streets.

Buildings should be grouped along one side lot line, with one end at the front yard building setback, and with the front setback landscaped, providing a 10’ setback for all paved off-street parking.

Access

Purpose: Safe and efficient access to the corner shopping center or commercial strip minimizes potential vehicular and pedestrian conflicts. The key issues include:

location of median breaks along major thoroughfares;
number and location of entry drives;
design of entry drives; and
traffic visibility.

Guidelines:

Driveways should typically be spaced with a minimum of 125 feet from the intersections of major thoroughfares unless a one-way traffic flow is used. All other driveway and median openings should adhere to a Driveway Access Standard.
The ingress side of the main entrance drive should be the largest radius allowed by ordinance for better access into the site, particularly at major centers, such as clustered near the 35^th Street and U.S. Highway 169 interchange.
Driveways should maintain an appropriate sight distance triangle at all perimeter entrances.
Main entrance drives should generally be located at median breaks providing left turn access to and from the site. Continuation left-turn lanes should be broken with medians at major intersections.
Main entrance drives should connect to a "straightaway" aisle that does not dead end or require an immediate turn to approach the main building.
Aisles intersecting with entrance drives should be spaced a minimum of 20 feet from the entrance line to provide for smooth turning movements.

Circulation and Parking

Purpose: Proper circulation and parking systems minimize confusion and facilitate safe and easy pedestrian and vehicular movement within the corner shopping center. The key issues include:

traffic aisle alignment;
traffic speed and safety;
parking location and layout;
service area parking and circulation;
customer pick-up areas;
drive-thru building circulation; and
pedestrian circulation and safety.

Guidelines:

Provide a 10’ setback from street-side property lines for all off-street parking drives and spaces.
Main drive aisles should generally be free of parking when adjacent to large anchor tenants of 30,000 SF of floor area or more.
The direction of traffic flow should be identified.
Long circulation aisles (generally in excess of 500’) should be offset (typically 45 degrees or more) to prevent excessive speed.
Lanes should be provided for drive-thru facilities, including stacking space, that are physically separated from other circulation and parking aisles.
Parking aisles should be oriented toward anchor stores to minimize the number of parking lanes crossed by pedestrians.
Typically provide right angle intersections (80 to 100 degrees) with no more than 2 traffic lanes crossing at any interior intersection.
Parking should be arranged to provide readily accessible spaces for each establishment.
The parking layout should maximize the amount of parking in front of the building and minimize the amount behind.
Separate service vehicle circulation from customer circulation routes.
Allow for all tenants to be accessed from within the development through cross-access agreements.
Customer pick-up areas should be provided at "anchor" stores.
Pad sites shall be required to obtain mutual access and parking agreements within the remaining retail center. This shall be required in order to enhance safe on-site circulation and provide access to left-turn lanes.

Building Elements

Purpose: In order to create a positive overall development character, all structures (including separate pad site structures) at shopping centers should have an attractive and uniform architectural treatment. The key issues include:

consistency of design between structures;
materials standards; and
rear facade treatment.

Guidelines:

Facade design plan of entire project should be submitted with site plan review.
Facades and rooflines facing streets or main parking areas should be consistent throughout the development in design, color and materials.
Rooflines, overhangs, and the front fascia should be extended to the rear of the building(s).
High quality, low maintenance building materials are recommended.
Signage located on the buildings should be consistent in size, location and material throughout the project.
Rear facades should be of finished quality and should be of color and materials that blend with the remainder of the building(s).

Service Facilities

Purpose: Service areas should be appropriately located and designed to efficiently and inconspicuously serve the corner shopping center development without disrupting on-site circulation or adjacent land uses while maintaining visibility for security purposes. The key issues include:

location of service areas;
visibility of service areas; and
treatment of pad site service areas
location of trash containers.

Guidelines:

Service facilities should generally be located in a central area to be used by several retail establishments.
Service and docking facilities should be separate from main circulation and parking functions.
Trash containers should be located in appropriately screened central service areas, and not visible from the public street.
All dumpsters should be screened on all sides exposed to street view. All dumpsters should be shown on the approved site plan and whenever possible shall be clustered.
Service areas should be easily accessible by service vehicles.
Pad site service areas should be screened from the remainder of the development and physically separated from the circulation aisles and parking areas serving the remainder of the site.
Pad site service areas should typically be screened by an extension of the building.
Service facilities should be screened from the remainder of the project, adjacent land uses and major thoroughfares. Extended wing walls from the building may be used to screen service areas. When used, these walls may be of solid construction if lighted on both sides, or a minimum of 30% of open construction if lighted on only one side. A combination of landscaping and screening walls may also be used.

Utilities/Mechanical/Outdoor Storage

Purpose: The location and treatment of utilities, mechanical functions and outdoor storage areas should be managed and coordinated to achieve physical and visual order within the shopping center development. The key issues include:

location of facilities; and

visual impact of utilities.

Guidelines:

Typically, utilities should be underground from right-of-way to building to reduce visual clutter.
Locate utility metering within a designated service area.
Locate mechanical equipment in the designated service area and screen from the project and adjacent land uses.
Limited outdoor storage will only be permitted in designated service areas that are screened from the remainder of the project, adjacent land uses and streets.
Utility conduit and boxes should be painted to match building color.
Roof mounted mechanical units shall be screened from view with a parapet wall, mansard roof, or other architectural extension, equal in height to the unit(s) except when that distance exceeds five feet. In this case, an additional setback will be required at a ratio of two feet horizontal for each additional foot of vertical height above five feet.

Buffers and Screens

Purposes: Proper use of buffers and screens will lessen the differences between land uses and diminish the visual impact of undesirable elements. The key issues include:

unified character;
high quality construction;
longevity of system;
disparity between land uses; and
visibility of undesirable elements.

Guidelines:

Architectural screens should be an extension of the development’s architectural treatment and consistent in color and design. The development of an office business park where there is high interstate visibility, affords a chance to create an attractive "front door" appearance.
Screening walls should be constructed of low maintenance, high quality materials that are consistent with the building facade material.
Screening walls should conform to the City of El Dorado’s zoning and subdivision ordinances.
Painted or coated screening walls should be avoided.
Landscape screens (typically 18" to 36" in height) should be provided between all parking areas and streets.
Landscape screens may include a combination of plant massing, earth berming and walls.
A 10-foot to 15-foot wide landscape buffer should be provided to separate the retail use from residential land uses. A masonry wall or combination wall and landscaping may be substituted for this buffer.

Landscaping

Purpose: The location and design of landscaped areas, entrances and edges should effectively reinforce development’s character and quality, identify its entry points and break the massiveness of a center’s parking area. The key issues include:

unified development image and character;
parkway treatment;
identifiable entrances;
visual dominance of parking area; and
existing mature trees.

Guidelines:

Landscaped planting plan of the entire project should be submitted with site plan review.
Approximately 15% of the area between the main building face and the front property lines should be of a permeable landscaped surface. (Secondary buildings located between the main building and the front property line should not be included in the area calculation.)
Landscape areas should generally consist of a combination of trees, shrubs and ground cover.
Use landscape areas for transition and integration between pad sites and surrounding land uses.
Minimum 4" caliper trees are recommended.
Artificial plants are prohibited.
Preserve existing mature trees where possible.
Special landscape treatment should be employed to highlight and identify entrances.
Landscape areas should be regularly spaced in parking lots to break up massiveness of pavement.
Mechanical irrigation systems are typically required to ensure maintenance of plant materials.
Landscaping should be used in conjunction with screening walls when multi-story buildings abut an adjacent property where topography lessens the effect of a wall alone. Where a building exceeds 15 feet in height, 4" caliper trees shall be required, spaced every 30 feet along the wall or spaced every 50 feet apart if an irrigation system is provided.

Downtown Design Guidelines:

In the Downtown, "C-2" Business - Central District, no building shall be erected that does not meet the following minimum standards:

Careful consideration of durable materials, proportions, and shapes, emphasizing the importance of roofs as integral and embracing elements of the over-all design, is particularly important. Building roof tops shall have at least two of the following features:

Parapets concealing flat roofs and roof top equipment;
Overhanging eaves;

Roof mounted equipment, including ventilators and satellite dishes shall be screened from view (100% opacity) or isolated so as not to be visible from ground level of any adjacent public thoroughfare or residentially-zoned area, up to a maximum of three hundred feet (300’) away. The appearance of roof screens shall be coordinated with the building to maintain a unified appearance.
All electrical and mechanical equipment located adjacent to the building and visible from any adjacent public thoroughfare or a residentially-zoned area shall be screened from view (100% opacity), up to a maximum of three hundred feed (300’) away. Such screens and enclosures shall be treated as integral elements of the building’s appearance.
All telephone and cable television lines, electrical services and distribution lines shall be placed underground, except that this provision shall not include meters, electric and telephone service pedestals, transformers, three-phase feeder lines, subtransmission and transmission lines (34.5kv and above), electrical substations and such other facilities as the utility may deem necessary to install utilizing "overhead" type construction.
The form and proportion of new buildings or redevelopment shall be consistent or compatible with the scale, form and proportion of existing development in the downtown.
Pedestrian Access: Pedestrian access shall be an integral part of the overall design of each commercial development. The pedestrian access should provide not only safe and convenient access to and from off-street parking areas but should also connect with abutting properties and developments so as to create an alternative means of transportation for residents of the downtown:

Sidewalks at least 5 feet in width shall be provided along all sides of a lot that abut a dedicated public or private street. A continuous internal pedestrian sidewalk shall be provided from the perimeter public sidewalk to the principal customer entrance(s). This internal sidewalk shall feature landscaping, benches, and other such materials and facilities for no less than 50 percent of its length.
Sidewalks shall be provided along the full length of the building along any facade featuring a customer entrance and along any facade abutting public parking areas. Such sidewalks shall be located at the building facade to provide continuous edges; and shall incorporate planting areas for landscaping along the street.
Internal pedestrian sidewalks shall be distinguished from driving surfaces through the use of special pavers, bricks, or scored concrete to enhance pedestrian safety and the attractiveness of the sidewalks.

Architectural design should create visual interest through the use of different textures, complementary colors, shadow lines and contrasting shapes indigenous to the downtown. The use of walls in a single color, with little detailing or completely blank, is strongly discouraged.
Monotony of design in single or multiple building projects shall be avoided. Variation of detail, form, and siting shall be used to provide visual interest.
Loading docks, trash enclosures, outdoor storage and similar facilities and functions shall be incorporated into the overall design of the building and the landscaping so that the visual and acoustic impacts of these functions are reduced to as great an extent as possible and are out of view from adjacent properties and public streets.
Building facades that are 100 feet or greater in length shall incorporate recesses and projections along at least 20 percent of the length of the building facade, reflecting the archetype of the downtown. Windows, awnings, and arcades must total at least 60 percent of the facade length abutting any public street.
When a building facade 100 feet or greater in length abuts a residential district, an earth berm of at least six feet in height shall be installed between the building facade and the abutting residential district. The earth berm shall be landscaped with evergreen trees at intervals of at least 20 feet on center, or in clusters.
Minimum Exterior Building Material Standards: A minimum of 50% of each exterior wall shall consist of one or more of the following materials:

Masonry: Masonry construction shall include all masonry construction which is composed of solid cavity faced or veneered-wall construction, or similar materials.

Stone material used for masonry construction may consist of granite, sandstone, slate, limestone, marble, or other hard and durable all-weather stone. "Ashlar", cut stone, and dimensioned stone construction techniques are acceptable.

Brick material used for masonry construction shall be composed of hard fired (kiln fired) all-weather common brick or other all-weather facing brick.
Stucco or approved gypsum concrete/plaster materials.

Glass Walls: Glass walls shall include glass curtain walls or glass block construction. A glass curtain wall shall be defined as an exterior wall that carries no floor or roof loads and which may consist of a combination of metal, glass, and other surfacing material supported in a metal framework.
Wood other than exposed plywood paneling.

Multifamily Standards:

Multifamily development shall be subject to the following design guidelines and standards:

Natural Features and Environment: Each site should be designed to preserve natural features and environmental resources, such as:

Flood plains and drainage ways.
Bodies of water.
Prominent ridges and rock ledges.
Existing tree cover including tree masses, windrows and significant individual trees.

Pedestrian Circulation: Pedestrian circulation systems (sidewalks, walkways, and paths) shall be located and designed to provide physical separation from vehicles along all public and private streets and within any parking area.
Building Separation: All buildings shall be separated by a minimum distance of 15 feet.
Lot Coverage: Each site plan should be designed to reflect unique site characteristics and strong neighborhood environments without overcrowding the site.
Access: All multifamily residential developments must have direct vehicular access to collector, arterial or higher classification streets. Multifamily residential development shall not take access to local streets.
Open Space: Open space should be provided to meet active and passive use requirements of the neighborhood.

At least ten (10) percent of the total site area shall be set aside as common open space. The common open space shall be suitable for active or passive recreational use. Common open space areas should be centrally placed within the neighborhood. Common open space may include pools, tennis courts, and tot lots. Common open space may not be counted toward nor located in required zoning district setbacks.
A minimum of 60 square feet of private open space shall be provided for each ground-level dwelling unit and each dwelling unit that is accessible from a walk out basement. Private areas should allow only limited access and be enclosed to ensure privacy. Private areas typically include yards, balconies and patios.

Building Clustering: Unusable and unassigned open space surrounding buildings should be reduced by clustering buildings. Buildings should be clustered around a central common area, and not have the primary orientation directed toward the parking area.

Building Orientation

Individual Buildings: Individual buildings should be oriented in a way that established neighborhoods and sub-neighborhoods.
Reduction of Unusable Open Space: Unusable open space should be reduced through building orientation, the use of low walls, fencing, landscaping and entry design.

Vehicular Circulation and Parking

Street Layout: The layout of streets should provide for safe operation of vehicles within the neighborhood. Excessively straight and wide streets encourage high-speed traffic and should be avoided. Curvilinear designs, reduced street widths and cul-de-sacs create stronger neighborhood environments.
Parking Area Layout: Double loaded parking areas along private streets or drives are generally not acceptable. Parking areas should be clustered and separated from the street.
Parking Enclosures: Parking enclosures should be designed and sited so as to compliment the primary structures and to provide visual relief from extensive pavement area.

Pedestrian Circulation

Pedestrian Linkages: Pedestrian access should be designed to provide reasonable linkages of dwelling units to neighborhood facilities such as recreation, services, mail and parking.

Landscaping Details: Pedestrian systems should incorporate landscaping details to increase the visual interest and character of the neighborhood.

Landscaping: Landscaping should be designed in sufficient form, quantity and location to reduce, to the greatest extent possible, negative impacts affecting the site and adjacent properties and to increase the sense of neighborhood scale, character and identify.

Architectural Design: The architecture of multifamily housing is a key element in determining the character of a neighborhood. The architecture should create a strong feeling of identity through design principles of scale, harmony, rhythm and balance.

Elongated sites with rectangular, double-loaded building footprints should be avoided. These design typically lack interest and fail to create a strong sense of neighborhood.

The architectural design of each unit or building should impart a feeling of neighborhood scale. Units should be designed with vertical and horizontal offsets to break up rooflines, define private outdoor areas, allow greater views, and admit light and air to unit interiors. Large, blank wall surfaces should be avoided. Windows and projecting wall surfaces should be used to break up larger wall surfaces and establish visual interest.

The same level of architectural design and quality of materials should be applied to all sides of the building. The side and rear elevations, garages, carports, and all accessory structures should maintain the same level of design, aesthetic quality, and architectural compatibility.

Screening from the street of all outdoor refuse areas, ground mounted mechanical equipment, utilities, and banks of meters shall be provided. The screening of these items is to be architecturally compatible with the major building components and may include landscaping.

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