08-23-1995 Council Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

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Pros: Signs in a commercial corridor can dominate the view of the area, so sign regulation can assure consistent visibility to businesses and public spaces. In addition, sign regulation eliminates visual clutter in the corridor. Cons: Sign regulations do not address architectural or landscape issues, and changing sign codes create nonconformities for signs constructed under previous regulations. 2. Building Materials Standards. Building materials standards are commonly employed to eliminate certain materials as possible options, rather than as guides for architectural style. In Little Canada's commercial districts, metal sided buildings are prohibited, and certain materials are restricted in the amount of building area they can cover. Communities also regulate certain other building characteristics such as foundation type and roof slope. Pros: Building materials standards are easy to administer, and are among the most objective criteria used in architectural regulation. Cons: Materials standards do not address architectural style, and do little to advance particular architectural schemes. 3. Appearance Codes /Design Standards. Several communities have adopted design standards which are incorporated into commercial zoning district performance standards. The purpose of such standards is to ensure a high level of design quality which respects the desired pattern of buildings and open space This is as opposed to architectural controls which require specific design elements. Design standards commonly regulate landscaping, building height, bulk, massing, roof profile, and other general architectural elements. Little Canada's current ordinance establishes such standards for height, setbacks, and landscaping. Pros: Design Standards conform the buildings in a district to a standard relationship between the building and the street. These standards recognize the pattern of buildings in the district, but do not regulate more specific architectural elements. Cons: Where communities have certain architectural themes in mind, design standards may not be detailed enough to effect those themes. Design standards can be more difficult to establish than building materials standards, since precise objectives for architectural controls can often be difficult for community members to agree upon. 4. Architectural Design Review. Even more than design standards, Architectural Design Review requires a clear consensus of the community's range of acceptable architectural style. However, architectural review is a more proactive tool than are design standards. When the City knows what it wants architecturally, architectural review allows the City to achieve much more detailed objectives. The key is to have a comprehensive set of Page 83