I. Building Considerations
Intent/Purpose: Provide for a cohesive development pattern along the Main Street Corridor. Build-to lines shall define an urban development character. Setbacks may define open space or pedestrian areas.
A. Any new structure shall be built with the facade covering at least 70% of the primary street frontage.
B. A maximum of a ten foot setback from the property line will be allowed if a project promotes sidewalk activities. These include but are not limited to outdoor eating areas, primary building entrances, sidewalk retail and the extension of the pedestrian space.
C. Circulation: The maximum number of driveways shall be as follows:
1. One for up to 150 feet of frontage
2. Two for 150 feet up to 500 feet of frontage
3. Three for 500 feet or greater;
II. Building Design
Intent/Purpose: In their design, all new buildings shall maintain and reinforce street level pedestrian activity regardless of size or use.
A. All buildings shall maintain a continuous, transparent, highly permeable and active street wall. The use of spandrel, reflective and mirrored glass is prohibited.
B. Buildings with large blank walls that are unavoidable, as determined by the Main Street Special Review District Committee, shall be required to provide a design feature to increase pedestrian comfort and interest. Some possible methods for treating blank walls include:
1. Installing vertical trellis in front of the wall with climbing vines or plant materials. Plans for installing a vertical trellis are subject to approval by the Main Street Special Review District Committee and shall follow the landscaping guidelines;
2. Providing art, as approved by the Main Street Special Review District Committee, over a substantial portion of the blank wall surface;
3. Active display windows.
C. Drive through facilities shall be limited as an accessory use to banks, savings and loan associations and other chartered financial institutions. Street access to drive throughs shall consist of a one-way, single lane curb cut not to exceed 15 feet in width and will be limited to one point of access on Main Street and one point of access on a cross street;
D. All surface parking lots, large courtyards and plazas areas shall be located behind or alongside buildings.
E. Primary building entrances shall face and be directly accessible from the public street, rather than oriented towards side or rear parking areas. For corner lots in mixed use areas, building entrances are encouraged on both streets or at the corner of the building.
F. Mechanical equipment shall be screened from street right-of-way in such a way that they are not visible from the right of way (wood fences are not a permitted screening element). Mechanical equipment on the roofs of buildings shall be screened or enclosed so as not to be visible from the pedestrian line of sight. Building materials shall be consistent with materials used on the building.
III. Building Materials
Intent/Purpose: To establish and reinforce the design of the traditional masonry storefront building along Main Street, while promoting the use of quality, long-lasting materials to encourage quality construction and the sustainability of the area.
A. Architectural materials shall complement the character of the existing built environment through use of high quality, durable materials. Suggested materials include brick, wood, metal, glass, concrete, stone, stucco, cast stone, terracotta, tile and masonry. High quality sustainable architectural materials are also encouraged.
B. Compatible massing, scale and materiality are encouraged. Elements that create a false sense of historic development, including faux architectural elements or materials, shall be avoided.
C. Preservation or restoration of original facade materials is desired in existing structures. Applied ‘faux’ facades or other inappropriate materials shall not be used and should be removed when renovations occur.
D. Design of buildings shall convey sensitivity to edge and boundary conditions, and shall present the view of finished edges to adjacent uses. This involves the screening of mechanical equipment, loading docks and trash receptacles.
E. Waste dumpsters and recycling receptacles shall be screened on all sides, with a gate or door for access. The recommended enclosure should be complementary with the building facade materials and landscaped for additional screening. Shared waste dumpsters and recycling areas are encouraged. Whenever possible, these enclosures shall be located in the rear of the building with access from an alley or cross street.
F. Building sides that are visible from any street shall be finished with similar architectural materials that are used on the primary street facade of the building.
G. Accessory buildings to the primary structure on the lot and the screening of items listed in Section III.D. shall use building materials that are complimentary to the primary structure on the lot.
H. No outdoor storage of any materials or items shall be permitted.
IV: Site Considerations
Intent/Purpose: To create a distinct buffer from the concrete side walk to the edge of the parking lot pavement as well as to mitigate storm water runoff
A. Perimeter Improvements
1. Landscaping and Screening Considerations. All parking lots
adjacent to public street right of way shall provide the following
perimeter improvements to parking lots:
a. A minimum of 3’ wide landscaped strip between the right of way line and the edge of the pavement of the parking lot
b. A three foot high decorative fence made of wrought iron or other metal picket. The fence shall be located within the three foot strip
c. The landscaped strip shall contain turf, sod or other planting material, as approved by the SRD. Rock and mulch are not acceptable landscape options.
d. Provide one overstory tree every 30 linear feet of street frontage. If there is less than 30 feet of linear frontage one overstory tree shall be provided
e. Planting areas for trees shall be a minimum of 80 square feet with topsoil provided to a depth of three feet for the entire planting area.
f. Planting areas for other landscaping shall have existing soil replaced with topsoil to a depth of two feet to promote plant survivability and growth.
2. The SRD shall have the authority to approve modifications to the approved perimeter landscaping requirements in extraordinary circumstances.
B. Interior Improvements
1. Landscaping and Screening Considerations
a. One overstory tree shall be provided for every six parking spaces located within the lot
b. Trees shall be located in a planting bed a minimum of the depth of one parking space and a minimum of six feet wide
c. A curb or wheel stop shall be provided for all parking spaces adjacent to planting areas to prevent parked vehicles from overhanging those areas.
d. Planting islands which are parallel to parking spaces shall be wide enough to allow car doors to swing open without hitting the trunks of the trees.
e. The SRD shall have the authority to approve modifications to the approved perimeter landscaping requirements if a hardship to the requirements is provided
C. Landscaping Specifications
a. Tree Specifications
i. All trees planted within the Main Street Special Review District shall be a minimum of two inches diameter as measured one foot from the base of the trunk.
ii. The following is a listing of tree species which are acceptable for use within the Main Street Special Review District:
1. Columnar Norway Maple Acer platinoides “Columnaris”
2. Princeton Sentry Ginkgo Ginkgo biloba ‘Princeton Sentry’ (Male Only)
3. Skyline Honeylocust Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis ‘Skyline’ (30th Street to Linwood Boulevard)
iii. Variations from the list will be considered with the consent of the Special Review District Committee and the City Forester. This is specifically noted to take advantage of new cultivars that may be more tolerant to urban conditions as they are introduced.
b. Plant Specifications
i The following is a listing of plant species that is acceptable for use within the Main Street Special Review District:
1. Dwarf Winged Euonymus (Winged Burning Bush)
2. Borer Forsythia (Golden Bell)
3. Pfitzer Juniper
4. Wards Yew
ii. Variations from the list will be considered with the consent of the Special Review District Committee.
D. The design review committee is authorized to enter into cooperative agreements with individual property owners and/or businesses to aid in achieving code compliance and in furthering the goals of the district. The agreement may provide that the committee will notify and work with the property owner and/or business regarding code compliance issues before the committee seeks City enforcement. All landscaping and screening materials shall be maintained in good condition at all times and shall be kept free of any weeds. Unhealthy or dead vegetation shall be replaced with healthy plantings no later than the end of the next applicable growing season. Fences and walls shall be kept free from peeling paint, rust, spalling, and broken, cracked or missing elements. Fences and walls shall also be kept plumb, with no more than a 2 inch deflection from a vertical position.
V. Signage
Intent/Purpose: The purpose of the district’s sign guidelines are to promote an attractive environment along Main Street to reinforce its distinctive historic character, to promote retail/street activity and an enhanced pedestrian experience, as well as to encourage creative graphic design solutions and the use of high-quality materials.
A. Basic Building Signs: A sign attached to the primary facade of a building which identifies or directs attention to an object, product, place, activity, business, person or persons, service or interest situated on the same premises as such sign.
1. General Guidelines
a. Signs shall be made of durable materials and be complementary to materials used in the building.
b. The location of signage shall not obscure important architectural features.
c. The total signage allowed on any facade wall shall be limited to a maximum gross area of 5% of the total square foot area of that building wall. In multiple-story buildings, the total height of the wall shall not exceed twenty (20) feet for computation purposes.
d. No attached sign shall extend higher than the roofline or parapet of any building or structure.
e. In no case shall the maximum gross area of signage on the facade or any side of a building exceed 70 square feet.
f. The Applicant shall be subject to these and all of the other applicable City sign regulations.
2. Permitted Wall Signs (Include Sign Graphic Examples)
a. Pin-Mounted Channel Letter Sign: A wall sign mounted directly on the face ofa building wall as individual letters, numbers, or symbols without a raceway or background other than a background provided by the building to which the sign is affixed. Pin-mounted letters must be illuminated by indirect lighting, halo lighting, or silhouette lighting.
b. Raceway-Mounted Channel Letter Sign: A wall sign mounted on a raceway as individual letters, numbers, or symbols. Also includes channel letter signs mounted on a background other than the building wall. In order to qualify as a raceway-mounted channel letter sign, the raceway must be painted or otherwise designed to match or blend in with the color of the wall to which it is attached.
c. Permitted wall signs may be approved by Director of the Main Street Corridor Development Corporation and the Chairperson of the Main Street Special Review District Committee through the expedited review process.
B. Enhanced Building Signs:
1. General Guidelines: Enhanced Building Signs as defined below are differentiated from Basic Business Signs in that they are intended to possess characteristics that build on the area’s character.
2. Permitted Signs
a. Projecting Sign: This signage may be animated (flash, blink, or fluctuate) as long as all text on the sign is static and is limited to use of neon, incandescent bulbs (with or without incandescent bulbs) or chasers. Digital message boards are not allowed in this district. The following relate to the standards of projecting signs:
i. The maximum size of a projecting sign is 20 square feet if perpendicular to a building; 40 square feet if installed radially on a building corner.
ii. The maximum thickness of projecting signs is 50% of its projecting distance
iii. Projecting signs may not project more than 4’ from the building wall. For signs installed radially on building corners, the maximum projection is 5’.
iv. Projecting signs may not project more than 3’ above the parapet of a building.
v. The minimum clearance required for a projecting sign is 8’.
vi. The design of enhanced signs must be approved by the Main Street Special Review District Committee.
3. Enhanced Material Sign: Are constructed of the following materials and methods:
a. Ceramic Tile – painted or sandblasted
b. Wood or High Density Urathane (HDU) – carved or sandblasted
c. Metal – formed, etched, cast, or engraved
d. Brick or Stone with recessed or raised lettering.
e. For a wall mounted sign, the total signage allowed on any facade wall shall be limited to a maximum gross area of 10% of the total square foot area of that building wall. In multiple-story buildings, the total height of the wall shall not exceed twenty (20) feet for computation purposes.
f. For a projecting sign, the maximum size is 25 square feet if perpendicular to a building and 50 square feet if installed radially on a building corner.
g. Shall use only indirect lighting and do not include a raceway or visible electrical housing
h. Does not include a raceway or visible electrical housing.
4. Banner Signs – Banner signs are temporary in nature and are generally constructed of cloth, vinyl, canvas, or other lightweight material that may or may not be enclosed in a rigid frame. These signs are used to advertise special events, such as a grand opening. The following the guidelines relating to banners within the Main Street Special Review District:
a. Advertising Pennants and Flags are not allowed in the Main Street Special Review District.
b. Banner signs may be approved by the Director of the Main Street Corridor Development Corporation and the Chairperson of the Main Street Special Review District Committee through the expedited review process.
c. Banner signs must be designed, constructed or mounted so as to be reasonably stable under all weather conditions.
d. Banner signs for each business will be permitted to be displayed a maximum of 30 days per year per calendar year – 2 times per year.
e. Banners must advertise a commercial enterprise or event that is conducted on a building lot.
f. The size of banners must be no greater than 40 square feet.
g. Applicants that are successful in receiving approval of a temporary commercial banner by the Main Street Special Review District Committee may be required to enter into an agreement with the Main Street Corridor Development Corporation in which they will consent to remove the commercial banner at the time permit expires. (Note: Commercial banners are not interim signs under Section 88-445-08-I of the City Development Ordinance)
5. Monument Signs – Freestanding signs that are constructed upon a solid base where the width of the base is a minimum of 75% of the width of the longest part of the sign.
a. Monument signs typically are recommended in suburban development settings where buildings are significantly setback from the property lines and are developed on arterial streets
b. Monument signs are prohibited, unless at least one of the following criteria applies:
i. The building was legally constructed prior to January 1, 2010
ii. The development site in question is more than 1.5 acres
iii. Any principle structure is setback at least 30 feet from the property line adjacent to main street
iv. The developer submits a comprehensive signage plan approved by the City Council
6. Awnings
a. No words or logos may be placed on awnings.
b. Awnings shall be of fabric or natural materials consistent with building materials. They shall not serve as the primary store sign. A single building shall have the identical pattern and color on all awnings on the building
c. If a building color is generally unified (such as a single color brick pattern), then either a single or multiple colored (or striped) awning shall be used. If several building colors (such as a multi-colored brick pattern) are used, then a single color awning shall be used. In either case, the awning color shall be complementary to the overall color scheme used for the entire building facade. Awnings with patterns or colors that are not complementary to the building facade shall not be allowed.
d. Applicants that are successful in receiving approval of an awning by the Main Street Special Review District Committee may be required to enter into an agreement with the Main Street Corridor Development Corporation in which they will consent to maintain the awning, replacing it when it shows evidence of damage or fading.
e. Awnings may be approved by the Director of the Main Street Corridor Development Corporation and the Chairperson of the Main Street Special Review District Committee through the expedited review process.
Note: Applicants that are installing signs that extend into the public right of way often will need to obtain an encroachment permit from the City Planning Department. Please refer to “Requirements for the Encroachment Permit Application Information Bulletin No. 106” for a listing of procedures and requirements related to an encroachment permit.
Note: It will be the responsibility of the Applicant that in addition to receiving approval by the Main Street Special Review District, to receive all permits that are not covered within the SRD district guidelines or are necessary in conjunction with approvals herein.
