HomeMy WebLinkAbout2002-12-04 CBD Design Guidelines Draft • •
City of Oak Park Heights
Central Business District
Design Guidelines
Draft for Review and Discussion Purposes
December 4, 2002
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1. Purpose and Scope
The Design Guidelines for the Central Business District have been developed in
order to establish a framework for development within this area. The Design
Guidelines serve to guide applicants wishing to develop property within the
Central Business District, and to assist the City in reviewing development
proposals.
It is not the intent of the Design Guidelines to impose a particular architectural
style or styles upon new construction within the Central Business District, but to
encourage creativity and diversity within a framework that recognizes and
reinforces the City's character and contributes to a sense of place.
It is the intent of the Design Guidelines to promote the City's goals for the area
which include:
• The development of a commercial center to serve the community
• The redevelopment of the auto salvage yard
• The incorporation of a central entry boulevard or gateway into the area
• The preservation of visual access from Highway 36
• Development which plans for a pedestrian friendly development
• The establishment of east/west public street and private roadway connections
Between Norell and Oakgreen Avenues
• The integration of complimentary residential development south of the Xcel
Energy easement.
For project and /or design elements that are not identified within these guidelines,
the City's overall Design Guidelines and /or goveming ordinances of the City of
Oak Park Heights shall apply. Examples of these project and /or design elements
include but may not be limited to:
Building Setback Building Height Facade Transparency
Upper Story Setbacks Ground Level Expression Franchise Architecture
Public/Private Streets Lighting Landscaping
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2. Development Types
Small Box
Buildings should be developed with more than one of the following uses: retail,
office, and service.
Medium Box
Buildings should be developed to provide transitional changes between small box
and big box development. Buildings should be developed with more than one of
the following uses: retail, office, and service.
Large Box
Buildings should be developed in a manner to serve as an anchor for small and
medium box development.
Residential Development
Residential buildings should be townhomes, condominiums, apartments, row -
housing or multi family with underground or tuck -under parking. Residential
development should be located south of the Xcel Energy power line easement.
3. Building Context and Character
Structures should be of pedestrian scale with building styles, materials and colors
should be reflective of the surrounding building context. Pedestrian and public
areas should be incorporated with sidewalks, trails, landscaping and other
streetscape amenities including bicycle parking.
Buildings should related to each other by maintaining similar setbacks and be
modest in building scale and height. This can be achieved through cornice lines,
horizontal lines of windows and openings, architectural styles and details,
building materials and colors.
Buildings should be sited so that they relate to surrounding developments and
provide visual access from Highway 36.
Residential buildings should incorporate pitched roofs and entry porches and /or
balconies to identify the front entry and to create character to the buildings.
Porches could be covered or open in design. Primary entries should face the
public street. Secondary entries could be located on the side or rear of the
building.
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4. Building Design and Materials
A building of more than 24 feet in width should be divided into increments of no
more than 24 feet through the articulation of the facade. The goal is not to make
buildings appear taller but rather to break up the monotonous appearance of
longer facades. This can be achieved through a variety of techniques:
• Divisions or breaks in materials while incorporating materials from
a common palette)
• Window bays
• Separate entrances and entry treatments /porticoes
• Variation in roof lines
• Awnings
• Building setbacks
Buildings should be constructed of authentic materials such as wood, brick,
stone, cast stone, stucco or pour in place concrete. Accent materials may
include metal, glass block, copper flashing, or similar materials. The following
materials are prohibited:
• Jumbo brick
• Plain or painted concrete block
• Pre -fab concrete "tilt -up" construction
• Aluminum, vinyl, or fiberglass siding
• Clear finished wood
• Reflective glass
• Unpainted galvanized metal
5. Roof Design and Rooftop Screening
Within office, commercial and mixed -use developments, flat roofs or hip roof
accents are encouraged and well - detailed parapets should be used on all flat
roofs to define the roofline.
Within residential developments, roofs should generally be pitched, but a
combination of flat and pitched roofs may be considered.
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For all development types, rooftop terraces may be incorporated into the building
design. Arbors and other structures may be exempted from height restrictions if
they meet the following conditions:
• A maximum height of 10 feet above the roof deck
• A setback from all building facades fronting a public street of at least 10 feet
• Enclosed structures shall cover a maximum of 10 percent of the roof area
• Arbors and other open overhead structures shall cover a maximum of 35
percent of the roof area.
All rooftop equipment shall be screened from view. Equipment screens shall be
well designed and detailed. If rooftop equipment is screened by the building
parapet, the parapet should meet building height limits. Rooftop equipment may
also be screened by a smaller accent roof or enclosure. This structure shall be
set back from any primary facade that fronts a public street a distance equal to at
least 1 1 /2 times its height. Screening of rooftop equipment should be exempted
from the height restriction.
6. Pedestrian Sidewalks, Plazas and Trails
Walkways, plazas and trails should be incorporated into all development
proposals and provide for pedestrian connections to all public streets and
neighboring developments where appropriate.
Clear pedestrian connections from parking lots and other site features to
buildings must be maintained. Sidewalks and or trails should be incorporated
into all public streets and private roadway development.
Streetscape elements should be incorporated into all plans that include benches,
planters, litter receptacles and so forth that are compatible with the architectural
design of the surrounding buildings and consistent with these design standards.
7. Parking Structures
If a parking structure is required, the design of the structures should be the same
as that of any other commercial or office building within the Central Business
District, especially if the ground floor facade is abutting any public street. The
ground floor of this structure should be developed for office or commercial use to
echo the uses surrounding the development. Windows and openings should be
provided in a manner consistent with surrounding buildings. Permanent and /or
seasonal landscaping shall be provided to soften the design. Sloped floors
should not dominate the facade of these structures.
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