Sun Prairie, WI Design Standards for Large Commercial Developments

Type: Municipal Code

Status: Adopted via ordinance

Source File: http://www.municode.com/resources/gateway.asp?pid=13968&sid=49 (Title 17, Chapter 17.36)

Text:

17.36.220 Design standards and conditional use permit requirement for large developments in the suburban commercial (SC) and urban commercial (UC) zoning districts.

A. Applicability. The following design standards and conditional use permit requirement for large developments shall apply to all new buildings and uses in the city that are located within the suburban commercial (SC) and urban commercial (UC) zoning districts and the building footprint are in excess of twenty-five thousand (25,000) gross square feet. The design standards and conditional use permit requirement for large developments in the suburban commercial (SC) and urban commercial (UC) zoning districts arerequired in addition to the general performance standards of Chapter 17.36 of the zoning ordinance. In the event of conflicting provisions, the more restrictive shall control. The design standards and conditional use permit requirement for large developments in the suburban commercial (SC) and urban commercial (UC) zoning districts shall also be applied to all building additions to an existing building within the suburban commercial (SC) or urban commercial (UC) zoning district which brings the total building footprint size to over twenty-five thousand (25,000) gross square feet. This twenty-five thousand (25,000) square foot building footprint limit shall apply to individual free-standing buildings including any future additions or buildings and to group developments including any future additions to buildings or future buildings in which the combined total of the footprints of all structures within a development (regardless of diverse lotting, use or tenancy) combine to more than twenty-five thousand (25,000) square feet. The words "within a development" shall mean single building or multi-building projects including any buildings additions or future buildings that share a common theme, share common ingress and egress, share common parking areas and/or other aspects that bind them together as a unified project.

B. Definition. "Large development" means individual free-standing buildings including any future additions or buildings and group developments including any future additions to buildings or future buildings in which the combined total of the footprint area of all structures within a development (regardless of diverse lotting, use or tenancy) combine to more than twenty-five thousand (25,000) square feet.

C. Purpose. These standards and the conditional use permit requirement are intended to ensure that all large development is compatible with the surrounding area and contributes to the unique character of Sun Prairie.

D. Development Standards.

1. Aesthetic Character.

a. Facades and Exterior Walls.

i. Facades (all sides of building) greater than one hundred (100) feet in length, measured horizontally, shall incorporate wall plane projections or recesses having a depth of at least three percent (3%) of the length of the facade and extending at least twenty percent (20%) of the length of the facade. No uninterrupted length of any facade shall exceed one hundred (100) horizontal feet (see Figure 1 at the end of this section).

ii. Ground floor facades that face public streets shall have arcades, display windows, entry areas, awnings or other such features along no less than sixty percent (60%) of their horizontal length (see Figure 1).

b. Small Retail Stores. Where principal buildings contain additional, separately owned stores that occupy footprint areas of less than twenty-five thousand (25,000) square feet, with separate, exterior customer entrances, the street level facade of such stores shall be transparent (e.g. windows) between the height of three feet and eight feet above the walkway grade for no less than sixty percent (60%) of the horizontal length of the building facade of such additional stores.

c. Detail Features. Building facades must include:

i. A repeating pattern that includes no less than three of the following elements:

(A) Color change;

(B) Texture change;

(C) Material module change;

(D) An expression of architectural or structural bays through a change in plane no less than twelve (12) inches in width, such as an offset, reveal, or projecting rib (see Figure 2 at the end of this section).

Note: At least one of elements (A), (B) or (C) above shall repeat horizontally. All elements shall repeat at intervals of no more than thirty (30) feet, either horizontally or vertically.

d. Roofs. Roofs shall have no less than two of the following features with the exception that subsection (D)(1)(d)(i) of this section shall be required for all structures:

i. Parapets concealing flat roofs and rooftop equipment such as HVAC units from public view. The average height of such parapets shall not exceed fifteen percent (15%) of the height of the supporting wall and such parapets shall not at any point exceed one-third of the height of the supporting wall. Such parapets shall feature three dimensional cornice treatment (see Figure 3 at the end of this section);

ii. Overhanging eaves, extending no less than three feet past the supporting walls (see Figure 3);

iii. Sloping roofs that do not exceed the average height of the supporting walls, with an average slope greater than or equal to one foot of vertical rise for every three feet of horizontal run and less than or equal to one foot of vertical rise for every one foot of horizontal run;

iv. Three or more roof slope planes.

e. Materials and Colors.

i. Predominant exterior building materials shall be high quality materials, including but not limited to, brick, stone, and tinted/textured concrete masonry units.

ii. Facade colors shall be low reflectance, subtle, neutral or earth tone colors. The use of high intensity colors, metallic colors, black or fluorescent colors shall be prohibited.

iii. Building trim and accent areas may feature brighter colors, including primary colors, but neon tubing shall not be an acceptable feature for building trim or accent areas.

iv. Exterior building materials shall not include smooth faced concrete block, tilt-up concrete panels, or prefabricated steel panels.

2. Entryways.

a. Each principal building on a site shall have clearly defined, highly visible customer entrances featuring no less than three of the following:

i. Canopies or porticos;

ii. Overhangs;

iii. Recesses/projections;

iv. Arcades;

v. Raised corniced parapets over the door;

vi. Peaked roof forms;

vii. Arches;

viii. Outdoor patios;

ix. Display windows;

x. Architectural details such as tile work and moldings which are integrated into the building structure and design;

xi. Integral planters or wing walls that incorporate landscaped areas and/or places for sitting.

b. Where additional stores will be located in the principal building, each such store shall have at least one exterior customer entrance, which shall conform to the above requirements.

3. Site Design and Relationship to Surrounding Community.

a. Entrances. All sides of a principal building that directly face an abutting public street shall feature at least one customer entrance. Where a principal building directly faces more than two abutting streets, this requirement shall apply only to two sides of the building, including the side of the building facing the primary street, and another side of the building facing a second street.

b. Parking Lot Location. No more than fifty percent (50%) of the off street parking area for the lot, tract, or area of land devoted to the large retail establishment shall be located between the front facade of the principal building(s) and the abutting streets.

c. Back Sides of Buildings. The minimum setback for any building facade shall be thirty-five (35) feet from the nearest property line. Where the facade faces adjacent residential uses, an earthen berm, no less than six feet in height, containing at a minimum evergreen trees planted at intervals of twenty (20) feet on center, or in clusters or clumps shall be provided.

d. Connectivity. The site design must provide direct connections and safe street crossings to adjacent land uses.

4. Pedestrian Circulation.

a. Sidewalks at least eight feet wide in width shall be provided along all sides of the lot that abuts a public street.

b. Continuous internal pedestrian walkways, no less than eight feet in width, shall be provided from the public sidewalk or right-of-way to the principal customer entrance of all principal buildings on the site. At a minimum, walkways shall connect focal points of pedestrian activity such as, but not limited to, transit stops, street crossings, building and store entry points, and shall feature adjoining landscaped areas that include trees, shrubs, benches, flower beds, ground covers, or other such materials for no less than fifty percent (50%) of the length of the walkway.

c. Sidewalks, no less than eight feet in width, shall be provided along the full length of the building along any facade featuring a customer entrance, and along any facade abutting public parking areas. Such sidewalks shall be located at least six feet from the facade of the building to provide planting beds for foundation landscaping, except where features such as arcades or entryways are part of the facade.

d. Internal pedestrian walkways provided in conformance with subsection (D)(4)(b) of this section shall provide weather protection features such as awnings or arcades within thirty (30) feet of all customer entrances.

e. All internal pedestrian walkways shall be distinguished from driving surfaces through the use of durable, low maintenance surface materials such as pavers, bricks, or scored concrete to enhance pedestrian safety and comfort, as well as the attractiveness of the walkways.

5. Delivery/Loading Operations. No delivery, loading, trash removal or compaction, or other such operations shall be permitted between the hours of ten p.m. and seven a.m. unless the applicant submits evidence that sound barriers between all areas for such operations effectively reduce noise emissions to a level of forty-five (45) decibels, as measured at the lot line of any adjoining property.

6. Central Features and Community Space. Each large development subject to these standards shall contribute to the establishment or enhancement of community and public spaces by providing at least two of the following: patio seating area, pedestrian plaza with benches, transportation/transit center, window shopping walkway, outdoor playground area, kiosk area, water feature, clock tower, or other such deliberately shaped area and/or a focal feature or amenity that, in the judgment of the city council, adequately enhances such community and public spaces. Any such areas shall have direct access to the public sidewalk network and such features shall not be constructed of materials that are inferior to the principal materials of the building and landscape.

7. Landscaping Standards. Note: In addition to the landscaping and bufferyard standards described in Chapter 17.32, Sections 17.32.010 through 17.32.030 and 17.32.070 through 17.32.130 of the city of Sun Prairie zoning ordinance, the following landscaping standards shall apply to all large developments in the suburban commercial (SC) and urban commercial (UC) zoning districts. In the event of conflicting provisions, the more restrictive shall control.

a. One two and one-half inch to three inch caliper canopy shade tree shall be required for every twelve (12) parking spaces. In addition, one two and one-half inch to three inch caliper canopy shade tree shall be required for the first eleven (11) parking spaces. To calculate the number of trees required, divide the number of parking stalls by twelve (12) and add one.

b. In parking lots containing fifty (50) spaces or more with two drive aisles or more, or two or more parking bays, at least fifty percent (50%) of the required canopy shade trees shall be planted in interior landscape islands, each having a minimum area of eighty (80) square feet of ground area per tree.

c. At least ten percent (10%) of the interior space of all parking lots shall be landscaped areas.

d. Each landscaped island shall include one or more canopy shade trees. Each landscaped island shall be of length greater than eight feet in its smallest dimension. All landscaped islands shall have raised concrete curbs.

e. The required trees contribute no points toward the required landscape plan total of six landscaping points for every parking space. The required six landscaping points per parking space shall be accumulated on the basis of the following landscaping point values for individual landscape elements: (refer to source file to view chart)

Note: required trees (as described in (D)(7)(a) of this section) are not included in the six landscape points per parking stall point count.

f. Street Frontages and Side Lot Lines. Canopy shade trees shall be provided at a ratio of one tree per twenty lineal feet along a public street and one tree per forty (40) lineal feet along a side lot line parking setback area. Perimeter landscaping along a street may be located in and should be integrated with the streetscape in the street right-of-way. Trees required along street frontages shall not contribute to the point total of six points per parking stall.

g. Parking Lot Screening. All parking lots shall be screened from adjacent uses and from the street through the use of decorative fences or walls, earthen berms, dense hedges, or a combination thereof. Where street screening is required, plans submitted for city review shall include a graphic depiction of the parking lot screening as seen from the street. Plant materials used for screening shall achieve effective visual screening of the parking areas during all seasons of the year.

h. Driveway and Drive Aisle Screening. Driveways through or to parking lots shall have one canopy shade tree per forty (40) lineal feet of and along each side of such driveway or drive aisle, in landscape areas within five feet of such driveway or drive aisle.

i. Screening of Visually Intrusive Site Elements. Landscape and building elements shall be used to screen areas of low visual interest or visually intrusive site elements (such as trash collection, open storage, service areas, loading docks, and blank walls) from off-site view. Such screening shall be established on all sides of such elements except where an opening is required for access. If access is possible only on a side that is visible from a public street, a removable or operable screen shall be required.

j. Screening Materials. Required screening shall be provided in the form of new or existing plantings, decorative walls and fences, topographic changes, buildings or a combination of these techniques.

k. Building Foundation Screening. Exposed sections of building walls that are in high use or high visibility areas of the building exterior shall have planting beds at least five feet wide placed directly along at least fifty percent (50%) of such walls.

Note: See Figures 1, 2 and 3.

E. Conditional Use Permit Requirement for Large Developments. Large developments within the suburban commercial (SC), and urban commercial (UC) zoning districts are only allowed if a conditional use permit is granted to the applicant for such large development by the city. (Refer to Section 17.44.050 for conditional use permit review and approval requirements.)