01/28/2004 P&Z Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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4.3. BUILDING MASSING & PLACEMENT Site Grading Site planning shall minimize grading when locating streets and buildings. When areas with slopes must be graded, "landform" grading techniques shall be used and slopes exceeding 1:3 shall be avoided. Rounded forms that use concave and convex shapes help conceal cuts by presenting a more "natural' look. Varied slopes also disperse drainage flows, reducing the potential for erosion and allowing more percolation. Concentrating drainage in concave swales also enhances on -site stormwater retention and minimizes the need for large detention areas off - site. If required, any retaining walls shall not exceed 5 feet in height Building Height Residences and garages, including residences built over first-floor commercial, shall not exceed 45 feet in height as measured from finished grade. Chimneys, vents, cupolas, ornamental parapets, and other minor projections may exceed these height limits by up to 3 feet. Building Orientation Orientation. The primary entry of every dwelling shall face and be accessible from a street or Publicly- Accessible Commons or open space. Each primary entry shall be recessed no more than 6 feet behind the face of the primary facade. Rear yards shall not face onto streets, open space, or Commons. See additional standards under "Publicly- Accessible Commons." Building Frontage On residential streets that have front doors facing the streets, 70 percent of the block length must have building fronts, parks or plaza within the required setback area. Porches, Stoops, & Other Entry Features All units must have a porch, stoop, or lobby, as described below. Porches. Porches create a transition zone between the private space of the home and the public space of the street. Porch roofs must be supported by columns or posts, rather than being cantilevered. Side porches and wrap- around front /side porches are encouraged at comer lots to help provide interest and variation for the corner side building elevation. Stoops. Stoops are a simpler transition zone than porches. They are typically not covered, but are a set of steps with a wider stair or landing at the top, and typically are made of stone. Attached Product Entrances. Individual entries to ground -level apartments (rather than shared entries) are encouraged, to create greater connections to the street. Units with Individual Entrances This guideline applies to townhouses and other products that have individual, private entrances to each unit. Porches and stoops for such units may extend up to 6 feet into the setback. Attached Products with Individual Entrances. All duplexes, townhouses, and other attached products with individual street -level unit entrances must have a porch or a stoop. Porch Dimensions. All porches must have a minimum depth of 6 feet clear. A porch must make up a minimum of 30 percent of the width of a building's primary front or 10 feet clear, whichever is larger. Stoop Dimensions. Stoops must be proportionate to the scale of the entry.