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Home My WebLink About1998-06-10 NAC Memorandum to OPH Re Design Guidelines Draft NORTHWEST ASSOCIATED CONSULTANTS INC COMMUNITY PLANNING - DESIGN - MARKET RESEARCH MEMORANDUM , ` w hy TO: Tom Melena FROM: Scott Richards DATE: 10 June 1998 RE: Oak Park Heights - Design Guidelines FILE NO: 798.04 - 98.01 As you are aware, the City staff has been working on design guidelines for the commercial and industrial areas of the community. The guidelines are in a very preliminary draft stage but should be reviewed by the Planning Commission for their comments and direction. Staff will present the draft to the Commission at their 18 June 1998 meeting. It is expected that a more finalized draft will be discussed and a public hearing held later in the Summer on this matter. 5775 WAYZATA BOULEVARD, SUITE 555 ST. LOUIS PARK, MINNESOTA 554 1 6 PHONE 6 1 2- 595 -9636 FAX 6 1 2- 595 -9837 E -MAIL NAC@ WINTERNET.COM 4 • • DESIGN GUIDELINES - OAK PARK HEIGHTS, MN MAY 1998 Purpose The purpose of these guidelines is to coordinate design themes for site planning, architecture, streetscape and signage of commercial, office, and warehouse buildings for the area west of Oakgreen Avenue, and south of Highway 36. This coordinated design of this area will communicate an image of quality and stability. These standards are intended to prevent the use of materials and practices that are unsightly, rapidly deteriorate or contribute to depreciation of property values. It is not the intent of these guidelines to unduly restrict design freedom. Proposed developments which contradict any of the specific guidelines of this document will be reviewed to see if the desired outcome is accomplished. Process Developers must submit plans and drawings to the City in accordance with the Zoning Ordinance no fewer than twenty days prior to the Planning Commission's next meeting in order to appear before the Planning Commission for a public hearing. Submission materials shall include site plan, planting plan, architectural plans and elevations, signage plans, and lighting plans. Perspective sketches are desirable. Site and planting plans should include all existing and proposed site elements. Architectural and sign plans should include elevations of all exposed sides and identification of all materials and colors. Site Design The intent of the site design guidelines is to create efficient, attractive, inviting spaces that complement public ROW as well as adjacent private uses. Spaces that draw the eye and the user deeper into the site are encouraged to avoid shallow "strip" development. 1 06- Ot -98 - ,O :Ut AM; Na sn r ncn Issue Guideline Unifying Design Concept All buildings and parking should be visibly organized by a clear design concept. Harmonious composition of numerous similar or complementary forms encouraged. 1l - 11 Desirable Undesirable Building Placement When possible, buildings should be placed with long dimension perpendicular to highway or street frontage. The end of the building should be placed close to the to the highway or street with minimal parking between. A recommended maximum is 55 feet. This allows for one row of parking, driveway, and landscaping between building and highway. Parking Placement When possible, the long dimension of the primary parking area should be placed perpendicular to the highway or street. Highway Highway F rontage Rood Frontage Rood U H 1 DE ± 1 D// - D Desirable Undesirable 06 01- 98;08:C1AM;Nasn F -incri oic�aioot>t j% • • Architecture The intent of the architectural guidelines is to encourage thoughtful consideration of each individual building use as it relates to its unique site and surrounding sites to create a sense of identity that unique to Oak Park Heights. The Stillwater Area High School is considered a key component of this area and the continuation of the architectural style, colors and materials is desired. Issue Guideline Custom Architecture Buildings shall be designed specifically for the site and to relate to the existing buildings around them and in the area (style, color, materials, etc). No franchise architecture will be permitted such as limited use of logo, no building color wraps, and no neon., etc.. Facade and Roof Articulation Articulation of the facade and roof line is encouraged. 1 Desirable Undesirable Architectural Materials For the purposes of the subsection, materials shall be divided into four grades as follows: Grade I - a) brick b) glass c) natural stone d) masonry stucco e) copper panels u*- u1- C;uo:ulAM;Nasn rincn _co a..c ool i • Grade II - a) concrete block with specialty texture b) architecturally precast textured concrete panels Grade III a) exterior finish installation system b) opaque panels c) ornamental metal Grade IV - a) smooth or scored concrete block b) smooth concrete tip up panels c) ceramic d) glass block e) wood Buildings shall incorporate grades of materials in the following manner. a) Office and commercial building facades must use at least three Grade I materials and must be composed of at least 65% Grade I or Grade II materials; not more than 35% of Grade II or Grade III material and not more than 10% of the building shall be Grade IV materials. b) Industrial and warehouse building facades must use at least two different Grade I or II materials and be composed of at least 65% Grade I or Grade II materials; not more than 35% Grade III or Grade IV materials. Not more than 10% of the building shall be Grade IV materials. c) Multi tenant office /warehouse or showroom /warehouse or other combinations shall be 65% Grade I materials on primary exterior facades. Exterior wall with limited public A O6-01- 98;O6:O1AM;Nasn Fincn ;otcoducool u c 11 • exposure may use combinations of _ Grade II, III, or IV materials. d) Any expansions or additions to buildings must use the same or superior materials as the existing structure. e) Any variations to these guidelines must be approved by the City Council. Composition & Detailing Buildings shall use a combination of at least 3 of the high quality materials. No building should have large areas of blank wall surface, i.e., without articulation of surface or materials, visible from the street. A building more than 20 feet in width should be divided into increments of no more than 20 feet through articulation of the facade. This can be achieved through combinations of the following techniques: • Divisions or breaks in materials (although materials should be drawn from a common palette): • Window Bays; • Separate entrances and entry treatments, porticoes; • Variation in roof lines; • Awnings; • Building setbacks. Desirable Undesirable ob- 01- e;od:olAM;Nasn Flocrl b1 GC3JCbbl R / 11 Color The exterior building color must blend with the architecture in the area (primary reference - Stillwater Area High School). The primary exterior building color shall be soft, warm earth tones - salmon, rose, tan, terra cotta, ochre. Less than 30% may be soft, cool tones - gray, green, blue. Less than 5% may be primary or vivid colors. Screening All roof, wall, and ground mounted mechanical equipment and trash collection areas shall be screened with material comparable and compatible with the exterior building materials. Parking Lot Design The intent of the streetscape guidelines is to create a unifying theme of the functional elements common to all uses. Issues Guideline Lighting Site lighting will be in accordance with the Zoning Ordinance and uniformly spaced, "shoebox" style, dark bronze, metal halide on dark bronze poles to provide an average of 3 foot candles. Parking Lot Islands Curbed islands of no less than 600 square feet are encouraged in parking lots in lieu of several smaller islands. a rr� 1:1 ig Ilk WI .1 . p kN In a 0 fl 1I n11111111111111111111111111111111111411- Ph I I a HD .f9 to IUIIIII11I111411 IIIIIIIIIIIIIllg1t_ Desirable Undesirable vo —yn UZ7 v l r- Vl, va r cJ cam. .. .. .. .. •- _ • • Parking Lot Setback A landscaped buffer strip at least 8 feet _ wide should be provided between all parking areas and the public sidewalk or street The buffer strip shall consist of shade trees at a minimum but also may include, shrubs, decorative fence o masonry wall. A solid or opaque wall, fence or hedge shall not exceed three feet in height. Parking Lot Plantings Low shrub masses of no less than 18 shrubs per mass are encouraged in parking lot islands. H H �! E°J Desirable Undesirable Plant Material Variety A mixture of plant material types is encouraged. Desirable species are (but not limited to): Deciduous trees White Ash /Fraxinus americana Ginkgo /Ginkgo biloba Hackberry/Celtis occidentalis Honeylocust /Gleditisa triacanthos and cultivars Kentucky Coffeetree /Gymnocladus dioicus Linden /Tilia sp. and cultivars Norway Maple /Acer platanoides and cultivars Red Maple /Acer rubrum Sugar Maple /Acer saccharum Pin Oak / Quercus palustris (acid soils) Swamp White Oak /Quercus bicolor 7 Cv • • Coniferous trees: Austrian Pine /Pinus nigra Red Pine /Pinus resinosa Scotch Pine /Pinus sylvestris White Pine /Pinus strobes Black Hills Spruce /Picea glauca densata Colorado Spruce / Pinus pungens Norway Spruce /Picea abies White Spruce /Picea glauca Deciduous shrubs: (Due to large variety of species, only genus is suggested here): Chokeberry, Coralberry Cotoneaster, Currant, Dogwood, Euonymus, Forsythia, Honeysuckle, Lilac, Ninebark, Potentilla, Rose, Snowberry, Spirea, Sumac, Viburnum, Willow, Coniferous shrubs: Juniper, Arborvitae, Yew, Pine Building Entrance Plantings Large sized trees are encouraged near the front and entrance of buildings. Pedestrian scale shrub planter areas within the front walk are encouraged Building Building Entrance = =- Entrance Front Walk' V = Front Wolk = __ Parking � :. ;V� ` 1 • Lot ` ` } )� - if = __ t _=- = Parking = t( Desirable Undesirable Street Trees Street trees should be planted within a landscaped boulevard, spaced a maximum of 50 feet apart. • • Pedestrian /Bike Routes - Pedestrian and Bike Access Convenient access to the site for pedestrians and bicycles shall be included, i.e., walkways, signage, ramps, and bike rack. Bike racks should be in a visible and preferably sheltered location. Sidewalks shall be included on both sides of a major entrance to a commercial use. • � i 1 • ;IP ■■■■■■■ ■ ■■■■■■■ ■■■■■ ■■� Desirable Undesirable Comprehensive Trail Plan The site shall include trails segments and _ _ connections in coordination with the City's Comprehensive Trail Plan Environment Stormwater ponding On -site stormwater ponding shall be included on each site appropriate to the size and runoff characteristics of the site (as determined by an engineer). Side slopes of the on -site ponding shall not be steeper than a 25% slope. All impervious surfaces shall be setback at least 50' from the ordinary high water level of any natural or manmade water bodies. The side slopes and setback area around the ponds shall be planted with appropriate native shrubs and native grass mixtures. • • 11111•11=1. 46111=11111111•11111 Utilities Utilities All utilities shall be placed underground. Signage Glossary Building Frontage: The front facade of a building, typically abutting the sidewalk. Facade: The face of a building, especially the principal face. Fenestration: The arrangement of windows in a building. Franchise Architecture: Building design that is trademarked or identified with a particular chain or corporation and is generic in nature. Impervious: Incapable of being penetrated by stormwater. Native (plant materials): Plant materials indigenous to northern United States and southern Canada. Sign Types: Stormwater. Any water that falls on and drains from a surface of the site, such as snow, rain, irrigation, etc. Streetscape: A public right of way, usually occupied by the street, boulevard, sidewalks, etc. Utilities: Public or semi -public services to private uses including sanitary sewer, water, storm drainage, electricity, cable, telephone, and gas. in C ;zat Design Adelines • Bicycle parking r ■ks \neeb\S -Lz) \cie, All Districts Commercial developments requiring more than 20 parking spaces should provide at least four bicycle parking spaces in a convenient, visible, preferably sheltered location. Bicycle parking facilities shall conform to city standards. Future Sketch /Photo