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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPN_Urban_Design_Standards_Narrative_20170421_v1  4-3-100 URBAN DESIGN REGULATIONS: The following development guidelines are for District D - mixed use buildings with attached dwelling units in a Commercial Office (CO) Zone BUILDING LOCATION AND ORIENTATION Intent: To ensure visibility of businesses and to establish active, lively uses along sidewalks and pedestrian pathways. To organize buildings for pedestrian use and so that natural light is available to other structures and open space. To ensure an appropriate transition between buildings, parking areas, and other land uses; and increase privacy for residential uses Guidelines: Developments shall enhance the mutual relationship of buildings with each other, as well as with the roads, open space, and pedestrian amenities while working to create a pedestrian oriented environment. Lots shall be configured to encourage variety and so that natural light is available to buildings and open space. The privacy of individuals in residential uses shall be provided for. All of the following are required: 1. The availability of natural light (both direct and reflected) and direct sun exposure to nearby buildings and open space (except parking areas) shall be considered when siting structures. 2. Buildings shall be oriented to the street with clear connections to the sidewalk. 3. The front entry of a building shall be oriented to the street or a landscaped pedestrian-only courtyard. 4. Buildings with residential uses located at the street level shall be: a. Set back from the sidewalk a minimum of ten feet (10') and feature substantial landscaping between the sidewalk and the building (illustration below); or b. Have the ground floor residential uses raised above street level for residents’ privacy. 5. Residential and mixed-use buildings containing street-level residential uses and single-purpose residential buildings shall be: a. Set back from the sidewalk a minimum of ten feet (10') and feature substantial landscaping between the sidewalk and the building (illustration below); or b. Have the ground floor residential uses raised above street level for residents’ privacy. Proposed Building / Applicant Response: The proposed building is located on the southeast side of the existing evergreen office building, with minimal overlap or facing facades. The entry of the evergreen office building will maintain summer morning sun exposure, as well as south and west solar orientation. It is also near the proposed Pedestrian Corridor to Grady Way and the South Renton Transit Station. The proposed building maintains good solar orientation to the east, south and the majority of the west. The first floor (North elevation) of the eight story residential building is set back approximately 12’ from the main access drive. The residential building’s main lobby and ground floor residential amenity spaces front onto a sidewalk that connects pedestrians to other buildings in the vicinity. The main residential entry fronts on to a recessed pedestrian entrance court directly adjacent to the sidewalk. The pathways connecting the entries to the sidewalk will be defined by landscaping and landscape wall.   BUILDING ENTRIES Intent: To make building entrances convenient to locate and easy to access, and ensure that building entries further the pedestrian nature of the fronting sidewalk and the urban character of the district. Guidelines: Primary entries shall face the street, serve as a focal point, and allow space for social interaction. All entries shall include features that make them easily identifiable while reflecting the architectural character of the building. The primary entry shall be the most visually prominent entry. Pedestrian access to the building from the sidewalk, parking lots, and/or other areas shall be provided and shall enhance the overall quality of the pedestrian experience on the site. Standards: All of the following are required: 1. The primary entrance of each building shall be: a. Located on the facade facing a street, shall be prominent, visible from the street, connected by a walkway to the public sidewalk, and include human-scale elements; and b. Made visibly prominent by incorporating architectural features such as a facade overhang, trellis, large entry doors, and/or ornamental lighting (illustration below). 2. Building entries from a street shall be clearly marked with canopies, architectural elements, ornamental lighting, or landscaping and include weather protection at least four and one-half feet (4-1/2') wide (illustration below). Buildings that are taller than thirty feet (30') in height shall also ensure that the weather protection is proportional to the distance above ground level. 3. Building entries from a parking lot shall be subordinate to those related to the street. 4. Features such as entries, lobbies, and display windows shall be oriented to a street or pedestrian-oriented space; otherwise, screening or decorative features should be incorporated. 5. Multiple buildings on the same site shall direct views to building entries by providing a continuous network of pedestrian paths and open spaces that incorporate landscaping. 6. Ground floor residential units that are directly accessible from the street shall include: a. Entries from front yards to provide transition space from the street; or b. Entries from an open space such as a courtyard or garden that is accessible from the street. Proposed Building / Applicant Response: The residential building’s main entry and ground floor commercial spaces are defined by overhead canopies, accent wall lights and large store front windows. The residential entry is located off an outdoor plaza area which provides a comfortable transition to the main entrance. The main residential entry fronts on to the Entry Plaza which will include an art or other vertical feature, seat walls and benches, and large planted pots. The pathways connecting the entries to the sidewalk will be defined by street trees, lush landscape planes and vertical plantings in patterns related to the building columns and storefront façade.   The residential amenity spaces and lobby provide tall storefronts and a 20 foot tall façade with excellent pedestrian orientation and interest. The main building entrance will be identified via unique facade design, custom doors, enhanced canopy and thematic signage. Perforated metal awnings will be used over the landscape areas to allow rainwater into the beds. TRANSITION TO SURROUNDING DEVELOPMENT Intent: To shape redevelopment projects so that the character and value of Renton’s long-established, existing neighborhoods are preserved. Guidelines: Careful siting and design treatment shall be used to achieve a compatible transition where new buildings differ from surrounding development in terms of building height, bulk and scale. Standards: At least one of the following design elements shall be used to promote a transition to surrounding uses: 1. Building proportions, including step-backs on upper levels in accordance with the surrounding planned and existing land use forms; or 2. Building articulation to divide a larger architectural element into smaller increments; or 3. Roof lines, roof pitches, and roof shapes designed to reduce apparent bulk and transition with existing development. Additionally, the Administrator may require increased setbacks at the side or rear of a building in order to reduce the bulk and scale of larger buildings and/or so that sunlight reaches adjacent and/or abutting yards. Proposed Building / Applicant Response: The residential building’s ground floor exterior is defined by a two story brick façade with large storefront windows. This façade will be linear with a modern bay rhythm which relates to the façade design of the evergreen building. The upper floors will have a combination of step back’s and cantilevered overhangs which supports the overall massing. The S shape of the building massing reduces the apparent bulk of the building by shortening the visible facades, and effectively breaking the building into parts. SERVICE ELEMENT LOCATION AND DESIGN Intent: To reduce the potential negative impacts of service elements (i.e., waste receptacles, loading docks) by locating service and loading areas away from pedestrian areas, and screening them from view in high visibility areas. Guidelines: Service elements shall be concentrated and located so that impacts to pedestrians and other abutting uses are minimized. The impacts of service elements shall be mitigated with landscaping and an enclosure with fencing that is made of quality materials. Service areas not adjacent to streets, pathways, or   pedestrian-oriented spaces are encouraged to implement vegetative screening in addition to or as part of service enclosures. Standards: 1. In addition to standard enclosure requirements, garbage, recycling collection, and ut ility areas shall be enclosed on all sides, include a roof and be screened around their perimeter by a wall or fence and have self-closing doors (illustration below). 2. Service enclosures shall be made of masonry, ornamental metal or wood, or some combination of the three (3). 3. If the service area is adjacent to a street, pathway, or pedestrian-oriented space, a landscaped planting strip, minimum three feet (3') wide, shall be located on three (3) sides of such facility. Proposed Building / Applicant Response: The garbage and recycling will be maintained with in the building’s first floor structure. Trucks will have access to these areas through doors located at the rear of the building. All utility requirements will be also maintained within the buildings first floor structure with access via exterior doors at the southeast building corner. Any additional minor electrical or mechanical requirements, if required to be exterior located, will be sufficiently screened by landscaping or other decorative screens. PARKING AND VEHICULAR ACCESS: Intent: To provide safe, convenient access; incorporate various modes of transportation, including public transit, in order to reduce traffic volumes and other impacts from vehicles; ensure sufficient parking is provided, while encouraging creativity in reducing the impacts of parking areas; allow an active pedestrian environment by maintaining contiguous street frontages, without parking lot siting along sidewalks and building facades; minimize the visual impact of parking lots; and use access streets and parking to maintain an urban edge to the district. SURFACE PARKING Intent: To maintain active pedestrian environments along streets by placing parking lots primarily in back of buildings. Guidelines: Surface parking shall be located and designed so as to reduce the visual impact of the parking area and associated vehicles. Large areas of surface parking shall also be designed to accommodate future infill development. Both of the following are required: 1. Parking shall be located so that no surface parking is located between: a. A building and the front property line; and/or b. A building and the side property line (when on a corner lot).   2. Parking shall be located so that it is screened from surrounding streets by buildings, landscaping, and/or gateway features as dictated by location. Proposed Building / Applicant Response: The proposed building is located more or less on the footprint of the existing cinema building. This allows for the proposed building to front directly on the private drive. Adequate parking is provided primarily within the base of the building’s two story parking structure. Additional surface parking is provided at the rear of the building in the existing surface parking lot. A minor amount of overflow parking will be provided to the north of the building in the existing surface parking area. This large existing surface parking area is under the existing electrical utilities easement, and therefore will be maintained for the use of existing and future developments. STRUCTURED PARKING GARAGES Intent: To promote more efficient use of land needed for vehicle parking; encourage the use of structured parking; physically and visually integrate parking garages with other uses; and reduce the overall impact of parking garages. Guidelines: Parking garages shall not dominate the streetscape; they shall be designed to be complementary with adjacent and abutting buildings. They shall be sited to complement, not subordinate, pedestrian entries. Similar forms, materials, and/or details to the primary building(s) should be used to enhance garages. Parking structures shall provide space for ground floor commercial uses along street frontages at a minimum of seventy five percent (75%) of the building frontage width (illustration below). The entire public facing facade shall be pedestrian-oriented. The Administrator may approve parking structures that do not feature a pedestrian orientation in limited circumstances. If allowed, the structure shall be set back at least six feet (6') from the sidewalk and feature substantial landscaping. This landscaping shall include a combination of evergreen and deciduous trees, shrubs, and ground cover. This setback shall be increased to ten feet (10') when abutting a primary arterial and/or minor arterial. Public facing facades shall be articulated by arches, lintels, masonry trim, or other architectural elements and/or materials (illustration below). 1. The entry to the parking garage shall be located away from the primary street, to either the side or rear of the building. 2. Parking garages at grade shall include screening or be enclosed from view with treatment such as walls, decorative grilles, trellis with landscaping, or a combination of treatments. Proposed Building / Applicant Response: The building’s first two floors will consist of parking as well as residential amenity and lobby. A 30’ deep residential amenity space spanning the length of the building’s first floor North elevation will hide the parking structure from the primary drive. The other building elevations will provide architectural grills   that effectively screen the parking structure as well as provide parking security. The two story building base will feature large masonry pilasters providing a façade bay rhythm which relates to the upper story modulation. To provide additional screening and interest on the south elevation, the landscape plans anticipate using curbed or raised planters for fastigate trees and flowering vines on the south elevation, to provide visual interest and to protect plants from damage by resident dogs. VEHICULAR ACCESS Intent: To maintain a contiguous and uninterrupted sidewalk by minimizing, consolidating, and/or eliminating vehicular access off streets. Guidelines: Vehicular access to parking garages and parking lots shall not impede or interrupt pedestrian mobility. The impacts of curb cuts to pedestrian access on sidewalks shall be minimized. The following is required: 1. Access to parking lots and garages shall be from alleys, when available. If not available, access shall occur at side streets. 2. The number of driveways and curb cuts shall be minimized for vehicular access purposes, so that pedestrian circulation along the sidewalk is minimally impeded. Proposed Building / Applicant Response: Vehicular site access maintains the two existing site access points, one from the south parking lot of the Evergreen building, and one from the North drive that connects to Lake Ave South and South Grady Way and S. Renton Village Pl. which connects to Renton Village and Triton Towers. The existing sidewalk pedestrian connection to the Evergreen Building is maintained and widened with additional landscape planter, and remains uninterrupted by vehicular access. The two parking structure access doors are located at the rear of the building. An interior ramp connects the first floor parking to the second floor parking. Pedestrian Environment: Intent: To enhance the urban character of development by creating pedestrian networks and by providing strong links from streets and drives to building entrances; make the pedestrian environment safe, convenient, comfortable, and pleasant to walk between businesses, on sidewalks, to and from access points, and through parking lots; and promote the use of multi-modal and public transportation systems in order to reduce other vehicular traffic. PEDESTRIAN CIRCULATION Intent: To create a network of linkages for pedestrians, that is safe and convenient, enhances the pedestrian environment, and provides a way for pedestrians to walk from one location to another without having to drive their vehicle. Guidelines: The pedestrian environment shall be given priority and importance in the design of   projects. Sidewalks and/or pathways shall be provided and shall provide safe access to buildings from parking areas. Providing pedestrian connections to abutting properties is an important aspect of connectivity and encourages pedestrian activity and shall be considered. Pathways shall be easily identifiable to pedestrians and drivers. Standards: All of the following are required: 1. A pedestrian circulation system of pathways that are clearly delineated and connect buildings, open space, and parking areas with the sidewalk system and abutting properties shall be provided. a. Pathways shall be located so that there are clear sight lines, to increase safety. b. Pathways shall be an all-weather or appropriate permeable walking surface material, unless the applicant can demonstrate that the proposed surface is appropriate for the anticipated number of users and complementary to the design of the development. 2. Pathways within parking areas shall be provided and differentiated by material or texture (i.e., raised walkway, stamped concrete, or pavers) from abutting paving materials (illustration below). Permeable materials are encouraged. The pathways shall be perpendicular to the applicable building facade and no greater than one hundred fifty feet (150') apart. 3. Sidewalks and pathways along the facades of buildings shall be of sufficient width to accommodate anticipated numbers of users. Specifically a. Sidewalks and pathways along the facades of mixed use and retail buildings one hundred (100) or more feet in width (measured along the facade) shall provide sidewalks at least twelve feet (12') in width. The pathway shall include an eight-foot (8') minimum unobstructed walking surface. b. Interior pathways shall be provided and shall vary in width to establish a hierarchy. The widths shall be based on the intended number of users; to be no smaller than five feet (5') and no greater than twelve feet (12'). 4. Mid-block connections between buildings shall be provided. 5. Permeable pavement pedestrian circulation features shall be used where feasible, consistent with the Surface Water Design Manual. Proposed Building / Applicant Response: The existing network of sidewalks connects the neighboring Evergreen Building with the proposed on site plazas and main building entry. The existing offsite street network with sidewalks and landscaping will be maintained which provides excellent pedestrian circulation and separation from automobiles. The on-site proposed sidewalk width adjacent to the north drive (Lake Ave South) will vary from 8’ to 12’ in width. Pedestrian paths around the building perimeter will vary between 5’ to 8’ which interconnect the various entrance/exit points and adjacent offsite properties. The north and northeast building frontages will provide canopies for pedestrian weather protection. All pedestrian routes will be well lighted. An offsite pedestrian corridor is proposed to the north to connect the main building entrance to S. Grady Way to the existing park-and-ride and future South Renton Transit Center. This proposed pedestrian route includes some offsite improvements on properties between the project site and S. Grady Way.   These improvements include accent pedestrian paving, clearly marked crosswalks, a pedestrian route through the north parking area with contrasting accent paving, new trees and planting areas to provide protection and interest, and lighting, new ramp(s) and a sidewalk improvement along the east side of Lake Avenue south to the intersection, to complete the pedestrian connection. PEDESTRIAN AMENITIES Intent: To create attractive spaces that unify the building and street environments and are inviting and comfortable for pedestrians; and provide publicly accessible areas that function for a variety of year-round activities, under typical seasonal weather conditions. Guidelines: The pedestrian environment shall be given priority and importance in the design of All of the following are required: 1. Pedestrian-scale lighting shall be provided at primary and secondary building entrances. Examples include sconces on building facades, awnings with down- lighting and decorative street lighting. 2. Accent lighting shall also be provided on building facades (such as sconces) and/or to illuminate other key elements of the site such as gateways, specimen trees, other significant landscaping, water features, and/or artwork. 3. Downlighting shall be used in all cases to assure safe pedestrian and vehicular movement, unless alternative pedestrian-scale lighting has been approved administratively or is specifically listed as exempt from provisions located in RMC 4-4-075, Lighting, Exterior On-Site (i.e., signage, governmental flags, temporary holiday or decorative lighting, right-of-way lighting, etc.).projects. Amenities that encourage pedestrian use and enhance the pedestrian experience shall be included. Standards: All of the following are required: 1. Architectural elements that incorporate plants, particularly at building entrances, in publicly accessible spaces and at facades along streets, shall be provided. 2. Amenities such as outdoor group seating, benches, transit shelters, fountains, and public art shall be provided. a. Site furniture shall be made of durable, vandal- and weather-resistant materials that do not retain rainwater and can be reasonably maintained over an extended period of time. b. Site furniture and amenities shall not impede or block pedestrian access to public spaces or building entrances. 3. Pedestrian overhead weather protection in the form of awnings, marquees, canopies, or building overhangs shall be provided. These elements shall be a minimum of four and one-half feet (4-1/2') wide along at least seventy five percent (75%) of the length of the building facade facing the street, a maximum height of fifteen feet (15') above the ground elevation, and no lower than eight feet (8') above ground level. Proposed Building / Applicant Response:   Plans to the entry plaza and on-grade open space will include architectural elements, large planters, pubic art or other vertical features. Seating in plazas and next to landscape areas will include seat walls, and high quality benches and moveable chairs and tables in gathering areas. Building wall mounted lighting and some bollard lights will be used to provide safe walking areas around the project. Additional landscape focal lighting is proposed to highlight the art, water feature and other special landscape features along pedestrian walkways and building entries. The team is also considering using decorative LED holiday light strings on select trees to provide additional seasonal lighting. Architectural canopies will provide weather protection at building entries and help bring the human scale elements to the building façade. Note: Continuous canopies are not practical in some areas due to conflicts with street trees and overhead power lines and easements. RECREATION AREAS AND COMMON OPEN SPACE Intent: To ensure that areas for both passive and active recreation are available to residents, workers, and visitors and that these areas are of sufficient size for the intended activity and in convenient locations. To create usable and inviting open space that is accessible to the public; and to promote pedestrian activity on streets particularly at street corners. Guidelines: Developments located at street intersections should provide pedestrian-oriented space at the street corner to emphasize pedestrian activity (illustration below). Recreation and common open space areas are integral aspects of quality development that encourage pedestrians and users. These areas shall be provided in an amount that is adequate to be functional and usable; they shall also be landscaped and located so that they are appealing to users and pedestrians. Standards: All of the following are required: 1. All mixed use residential and attached housing developments of ten (10) or more dwelling units shall provide common open space and/or recreation areas. a. At minimum, fifty (50) square feet per unit shall be provided. b. The location, layout, and proposed type of common space or recreation area shall be subject to approval by the Administrator. c. Open space or recreation areas shall be located to provide sun and light exposure to the area and located so that they are aggregated to provide usable area(s) for residents. d. For projects with more than one hundred (100) dwelling units, vegetated low impact development facilities may be used in required or provided open space where feasible and designed consistent with the Surface Water Design Manual. Such facilities shall be counted towards no more than fifty percent (50%) of the required open space. e. At least one of the following shall be provided in each open space and/or recreation area (the Administrator may require more than one of the following elements for developments having more than one hundred (100) units): i. Courtyards, plazas, pea-patches, or multi-purpose open spaces; ii. Upper level common decks, patios, terraces, or roof gardens. Such spaces above the street level must feature views or amenities that are unique to the site and are provided as an asset to the development; iii. Pedestrian corridors dedicated to passive recreation and separate from the public street   system; iv. Recreation facilities including, but not limited to, tennis/sports courts, swimming pools, exercise areas, game rooms, or other similar facilities; or v. Children’s play spaces that are centrally located near a majority of dwelling units and visible from surrounding units. They shall also be located away from hazardous areas such as garbage dumpsters, drainage facilities, and parking areas. The following shall not be counted toward the common open space or recreation area requirement: i. Required landscaping, driveways, parking, or other vehicular use areas. ii. Required yard setback areas. Except for areas that are developed as private or semi-private (from abutting or adjacent properties) courtyards, plazas or passive use areas containing landscaping and fencing sufficient to create a fully usable area accessible to all residents of the development (illustration below) iii. Private decks, balconies, and private ground floor open space. iv. Other required landscaping and sensitive area buffers without common access links, such as pedestrian trails. 2. All buildings and developments with over thirty thousand (30,000) square feet of nonresidential uses (excludes parking garage floorplate areas) shall provide pedestrian-oriented space. a. The pedestrian-oriented sp ace shall be provided according to the following formula: 1% of the site area + 1% of the gross building area, at minimum. b. The pedestrian-oriented space shall include all of the following: i. Visual and pedestrian access (including barrier-free access) to the abutting structures from the public right-of-way or a nonvehicular courtyard; and ii. Paved walking surfaces of either concrete or approved unit paving; and iii. On-site or building-mounted lighting providing at least four (4) foot-candles (average) on the ground; and iv. At least three (3) lineal feet of seating area (bench, ledge, etc.) or one individual seat per sixty (60) square feet of plaza area or open space. c. The following areas shall not count as pedestrian-oriented space: i. The minimum required walkway. However, where walkways are widened or enhanced beyond minimum requirements, the area may count as pedestrian-oriented space if the Administrator determines such space meets the definition of pedestrian- oriented space. ii. Areas that abut landscaped parking lots, chain link fences, blank walls, and/or dumpsters or service areas. d. Outdoor storage (shopping carts, potting soil bags, firewood, etc.) is prohibited within pedestrian-oriented space. Proposed Building / Applicant Response: The project provides about 3550 SF of pedestrian oriented space, which will meet standards for barrier-free access, paving and lighting. Seating will be provided through seat walls, benches, and moveable chairs to exceed the minimum requirements. Total open space on grade, on site equals 27,876 SF, which includes 7,127 SF in active recreation area and 19,956 of stream buffer area. In addition, there will be approximately 6,361 SF of common open space at the third floor   roof decks and 5,586 SF of common space at the eighth floor roof deck. The roof terraces will include paved patios and furnishings for socializing, active recreation/games, barbeque and planting areas. There will be a 2,308 SF interior amenity space at the eighth floor. BUILDING CHARACTER AND MASSING Intent: To ensure that buildings are not bland and so that they appear to be at a human scale, as well as to ensure that all sides of a building which can be seen by the public are visually interesting. Guidelines: Building facades shall be modulated and/or articulated to reduce the apparent size of buildings, break up long blank walls, add visual interest, and enhance the character of the neighborhood. Articulation, modulation, and their intervals should create a sense of scale important to residential buildings. Standards: Both of the following are required: 1. All building facades shall include modulation or articulation at intervals of no more than forty feet (40'). 2. Modulations shall be a minimum of two feet (2') deep, sixteen feet (16') in height, and eight feet (8') in width. 3. Buildings greater than one hundred sixty feet (160') in length shall provide a variety of modulations and articulations to reduce the apparent bulk and scale of the facade or provide an additional special feature such as a clock tower, courtyard, fountain, or public gathering area. Proposed Building / Applicant Response: The building composition is broken into a tripartite expression by clearly identifying the base, middle, and top. This expression is supported by steps in massing, and material changes. In order to provide additional design interest, the top building expression varies between one and two stories to support various facade designs. In addition, an orderly rhythm of decks, modulating wall planes and step backs help provide visual interest. The upper floor roof line steps down at the easterly mass to identify the exterior roof top amenity area and clubhouse. Upper wall modulation width varies between 12 feet and 48 feet. The upper wall modulation varies between 2 feet and 8 feet. The applicant believes this variation in modulation is important to the design composition in order to avoid redundancy and a predictable (prescribed) design. GROUND LEVEL DETAILS Intent: To ensure that buildings are visually interesting and reinforce the intended human-scale character of the pedestrian environment; and ensure that all sides of a building within near or distant public view have visual interest. Standards: All of the following are required: 1. Human-scaled elements such as a lighting fixture, trellis, or other landscape feature shall be provided along the facade’s ground floor.   2. Any facade visible to the public shall be comprised of at least fifty percent (50%) transparent windows and/or doors for at least the portion of the ground floor facade that is between four feet (4') and eight feet (8') above ground (as measured on the true elevation). 3. Upper portions of building facades shall have clear windows with visibility into and out of the building. However, screening may be applied to provide shade and energy efficiency. The minimum amount of light transmittance for windows shall be fifty percent (50%). 4. Display windows shall be designed for frequent change of merchandise, rather than permanent displays. 5. Where windows or storefronts occur, they must principally contain clear glazing. A wall (including building facades and retaining walls) is considered a blank wall if: i. It is a ground floor wall or portion of a ground floor wall over six feet (6') in height, has a horizontal length greater than fifteen feet (15'), and does not include a window, door, building modulation or other architectural detailing; or ii. Any portion of a ground floor wall has a surface area of four hundred (400) square feet or greater and does not include a window, door, building modulation or other architectural detailing. If blank walls are required or unavoidable, they shall be treated. The treatment shall be proportional to the wall and use one or more of the following (illustration below): i. A planting bed at least five feet (5') in width abutting the blank wall that contains trees, shrubs, evergreen ground cover, or vines; ii. Trellis or other vine supports with evergreen climbing vines; ii. Architectural detailing such as reveals, contrasting materials, or other special detailing that meets the intent of this standard; iii. Artwork, such as bas-relief sculpture, mural, or similar; or iv. Seating area with special paving and seasonal planting Proposed Building / Applicant Response: Canopies located along all of the first floor amenity areas provide human scale. The urban character at the ground level is emphasized by using brick columns to separate large storefronts. These windows create a sense of transparency between pedestrians and the interior spaces. Upper building facade will consist of generous residential windows with clear glazing and balconies. Planting bed will be at least five feet wide that abut blank wall. They will contain trees, shrubs and evergreen ground cover. BUILDING ROOF LINES Intent: To ensure that roof forms provide distinctive profiles and interest consistent with an urban project and contribute to the visual continuity of the district. Guidelines: Building roof lines shall be varied and include architectural elements to add visual interest to the building. Standards: The following is required:   At least one of the following elements shall be used to create varied and interesting roof profiles (illustration below): 1. Extended parapets; 2. Feature elements projecting above parapets; 3. Projected cornices; 4. Pitched or sloped roofs. 5. Roof mounted mechanical equipment shall not be visible to pedestrians. 6. Buildings containing predominantly residential uses shall have pitched roofs with a minimum slope of one to four (1:4) and shall have dormers or interesting roof forms that break up the massiveness of an uninterrupted sloping roof. Proposed Building / Applicant Response: The upper floors have a variety of decks and modulating walls with step backs that reduce the building’s bulk. The roof lines are varied by modulating the parapet heights and the height of the top story expression. The building massing is reduced at the top floor where the rooftop amenity space steps back. Top mechanical will be screened from view. BUILDING MATERIALS Intent: To ensure high standards of quality and effective maintenance over time and encourage the use of materials that reduce the visual bulk of large buildings, as well as to encourage the use of materials that add visual interest to the neighborhood. Guidelines: Building materials are an important and integral part of the architectural design of a building that is attractive and of high quality. Material variation shall be used to create visual appeal and eliminate monotony of facades. This shall occur on all facades in a consistent manner. High quality materials shall be used. If materials like concrete or block walls are used they shall be enhanced to create variation and enhance their visual appeal. Standards: The following is required: All buildings shall use material variations such as colors, brick or metal banding, patterns, or textural changes. 1. All sides of buildings visible from a street, pathway, parking area, or open space shall be finished with the same building materials, detailing, and color scheme. A different treatment may be used if the materials are of the same quality. 2. All buildings shall use material variations such as colors, brick or metal banding, patterns or textural changes. Materials, individually or in combination, shall have texture, pattern, and be detailed on all visible facades. 3. Materials shall be durable, high quality, and consistent with more traditional urban development, such as brick, integrally colored concrete masonry, pre-finished metal, stone, steel, glass and cast-in-place concrete. 4. If concrete is used, walls shall be enhanced by techniques such as texturing, reveals, and/or coloring with a concrete coating or admixture.   If concrete block walls are used, they shall be enhanced with integral color, textured blocks and colored mortar, decorative bond pattern and/or shall incorporate other masonry materials. Proposed Building / Applicant Response: The residential building proposes many durable materials. At the ground floor, the building proposes brick and integral color concrete block. The store front windows will have mullion patterns that break up the large glass panels. The upper floors facades provide a variety of wall expressions by using a mixture of colored cementitious panels and siding, with accents of metal panels. A variety of metal decks and julliet balconies will provide visual texture to the building’s elevations. LIGHTING Intent: To ensure safety and security; provide adequate lighting levels in pedestrian areas such as plazas, pedestrian walkways, parking areas, building entries, and other public places; and increase the visual attractiveness of the area at all times of the day and night. Guidelines: Lighting that improves pedestrian safety and also that creates visual interest in the building and site during the evening hours shall be provided. Standards: All of the following are required: 1. Pedestrian-scale lighting shall be provided at primary and secondary building entrances. Examples include sconces on building facades, awnings with down- lighting and decorative street lighting. 2. Accent lighting shall also be provided on building facades (such as sconces) and/or to illuminate other key elements of the site such as gateways, specimen trees, other significant landscaping, water features, and/or artwork. Proposed Building / Applicant Response: The residential building’s main entry and ground floor commercial spaces are defined by overhead canopies, accent wall lights and large store front windows. Light fixtures will be added to the outdoor plazas and Landscape areas to define seating areas. Pedestrian lighting will be provided by wall sconces located along the building’s perimeter. Lighting will highlight special landscape features, such as exterior art or vertical features, the water feature, and special seat walls or focal plantings. Bollards and step lights will be used to light grade transitions, in addition to wall mounted fixtures, to provide safe walking areas around the project.