Agenda Item #2

Non-Residential Architectural StandardsOrdinance Amendment

Background

• NRA = Non-Residential Architectural Standards

• Standards implemented in 2003 & 2004 as an economic development effort.

• NRA also includes supplemental parking, landscaping, bicycle, and pedestrian standards.

Background

• Organizational Review in 2013 confirmed the need to make revisions to the NRA.

• P&Z Plan of Work identified the need to review the standards to provide more design flexibility.

Amendment Process

• Summer 2014 – P&Z Workshops provided an overview of existing standards and defined scope of revisions and amendment process.

• Fall 2014 – Main public input received at stakeholder meetings in October P&Z Workshop and at November AIA lunch meeting.

• April 2015 – Public comment period for initial draft.

• May 2015 – Consideration of proposed amendment.

Effect of the Revisions

• Provides emphasis on more prominent areas and image corridors of the City and reduces or eliminates requirements for other areas.

• Simplifies the organization, language, and general requirements of the standards.

Effect of the Revisions

• Increases the flexibility in the use of architectural features, building materials and colors.

• Modifies standards to remove unintended application of some standards.

• Creates an Alternative Compliance review path to the Design Review Board.

Other Sample Changes

• Exempts unenclosed, freestanding structures from all but color requirements.

• Revises minimum brick/stone requirement to be based on the type of street the building fronts instead of the size of the building plot.

• Consolidates architectural sections, removes requirement for elements on façades not visible.

• Separates standards to allow architectural reviews to occur independent of site plan reviews.

Changes Made Since Public Comment Draft

• Side or rear façades over 400 feet away from right-of-way or public way will not be considered visible, thus not requiring architectural relief elements.

• Minimum depth of pilasters reduced from 8 inches to 4 inches.

Changes Made Since Public Comment Draft

• Added roof-line articulation and cornices as qualifying elements when they are not already required.

• Revised Alternative Compliance path language to state ‘innovative or visually interesting design’ instead of ‘innovative or majestic.’

• Provided review authority in Article 2 for staff and the Design Review Board.

• Recommended approval of the bicycle and pedestrian revisions at their May 4th meeting with the following changes:– Provide a reference to Alternative

Parking Plans.

– Retain the requirement for pedestrian plaza areas for sites or building plots in excess of 10 acres, with removing the allowance for seating in the parking landscape areas to qualify as one of the three minimum plaza elements.

Bicycle, Pedestrian and Greenways Advisory Board

Ordinance Amendment Schedule

• BPG Advisory Board – Recommended approval with revisions at their May 4th meeting.

• Planning & Zoning Commission – Recommended approval at their May 7th meeting with the changes recommended by the BPG Advisory Board.

• City Council – Public hearing and consideration of proposed ordinance at May 28th meeting.

Uses Permitted inCI Commercial-Industrial

ZoningPublic, Civic and Institutional• Educational Facilities• Governmental Facilities• Hospitals• Medical Clinics

Commercial, Office and Retail• Animal Care Facilities• Commercial Amusement• Conference Center• Country Club• Dry Cleaners• Funeral Home• Offices

• Retail Sales and Service• Shooting Range• Self Service Storage• Vehicle Sales/Service/Repair• Wholesale/Services

Industrial and Manufacturing• Micro-Industrial• Light Industrial• Recycling Facility• Outdoor Storage• Scientific Testing/Research• Warehouse/Distribution

Property Zoned CI Commercial Industrial

CI Zoning Options

• Adopt new standards as currently proposed.

• Exempt some uses on CI zoned property from parts of the architectural standards.

• Exempt some uses on CI zoned property from all of the architectural standards.

• Exempt all CI zoned properties from all architectural standards.