Columbia Design standards and guidelines ordinance (§ 29-4.6)

(a) Intent. The intent of this section is to:

(1)

Allow full development of properties consistent with the dimensional standards established in Article 2 of Chapter 29 and Section 29-4.1 while establishing baseline requirements for building and site features that will create stable residential neighborhoods, mixed use, commercial, and industrial areas;

(2) Enhance the public realm;

(3) Reduce conflicts between existing and new structures;

(4) Encourage effective development of street frontages and other public elements that enable new projects to add value to existing communities;

(5) Encourage creative and sustainable design responses to contemporary opportunities; and

(6) Improve the overall design quality of the city through the use of objective standards that can be administered by the Community Development Department without the need for individualized design review of projects.

(b) Applicability.

(1) The standards of this section shall apply to all new development in any district except:

(i) Development or redevelopment in the M-DT District (Section 29-4.2).

(ii) Structures in which the principal use is one of the following use categories or subcategories as shown in Permitted Use Table 29-3.1.

(A) One-family Detached residential;

(B) One-family Attached residential;

(C) Two-family residential;

(D) Park or Playground;

(E) Utilities;

(F) Parking Lot or Structure (primary use);

(G) Urban Agriculture;

(H) Farmer's Market; or

(I) Industrial (except Artisan Industry).

(iii) A change in the principal use of an existing structure that does not alter the exterior of the structure, or only affects the signage on the exterior of the structure.

(2) In the case of a conflict between the design standards in this section and design standards applicable to a particular project because of its location in an overlay district listed in section 29-2.3 (Overlay Zoning Districts), or because of a use-specific standard in section 29-3.3 (Use-Specific Standards), the provisions of the overlay district or use-specific standard shall govern.

(c) Design standards and guidelines.

(1) Entries. Each principal building shall have one or more operating entry doors facing and visible from an adjacent public street. The location of the entry on the building façade shall be emphasized by the use of different materials, wall articulation around the entry, or foundation plantings around the

entry.

(2) Transparency.

(i) When the primary use of the ground floor frontage of a structure categorized as food and beverage service, office, personal services, or retail in Table 29-3.1, a minimum of twenty (20) percent of each façade area that faces a public street shall be composed of transparent materials.

(ii) At least one-half (½) of this amount shall be provided so that the lowest edge of the transparent materials is no higher than four (4) feet above the street level.

(iii) If the director determines that transparent materials are not practical for security reasons or based on the nature of the permitted ground floor use, an alternative treatment providing equivalent or better visual interest may be approved.

(3) Wall plane articulation. When the primary use of the building is not categorized as industrial in Table 29-3.1, each façade greater than one hundred (100) feet in length abutting a public street shall incorporate architectural features such as wall plane projections, recesses, or other building material treatments and textures that visually interrupt the wall plane. No uninterrupted length of any façade shall exceed one hundred (100) horizontal feet.

(4) Roof shape.

(i) When the primary use of the building is not categorized as industrial in Table 29-3.1, and the building has a sloping roof, at least one projecting gable, hip feature, or other break in the horizontal line of the roof ridgeline shall be incorporated for each one hundred (100) lineal feet of roof.

(ii) When the primary use of the building is not categorized as industrial in Table 29-3.1 and the building has a flat roof, the design or height of the parapet shall include at least one change in setback or height of at least three feet along each one hundred (100) lineal feet of façade.

(5) Canopies and awnings. All canopies and awnings shall be mounted with a minimum vertical clearance of seven (7) feet between sidewalk grade and the bottom edge of the canopy or awning.

(6) Loading dock and delivery areas. Loading dock doors and delivery areas shall be located at the rear of buildings to separate customer and employee traffic from loading and service vehicles. The director may permit alternative locations when:

(i) Such location would result in docks or delivery areas being adjacent to R-1, R-2, or R-MF zoned lands;

(ii) Such location would result in excessive or unnecessary impervious surface on the development site;

(iii) Evidence can be shown that the alternative location will not impact public safety or site circulation; and (iv)

Alternative loading dock/delivery area are recessed from the building façade such that all loading/unloading activity occurs outside any adjacent public right-of-way.