12.14.200 Exterior building design – Multiple-family residential

12.14.200 Exterior building design – Multiple-family residential.

A. Multiple-family residential building design shall promote public interaction and a sense of community within each development by incorporating one or more of the following features:

1. Balconies;

2. Porches;

3. Rooftop terraces;

4. At-grade patios;

5. Courtyards;

6. Formal or informal gardens.

B. Where a building containing residential dwelling units would be located in close proximity to a public right-of-way, the design shall create a transition between the public realm of the street and the private realm of the residences by incorporating one or more of the following:

1. Screening and buffering with trees, shrubs, fences and/or walls to create a physical separation between pedestrians and the windows of residential units;

2. Construction of the first story of units so that they are above the level of the sidewalk a sufficient height to prevent a direct view into the dwelling units;

3. Partially enclosed porches and other outdoor living areas which front onto the street;

4. Courtyards fronting on the street and defined by landscaping and/or fences.

Examples of how these regulations apply are illustrated in Figure 12.14-13.

C. Building Facade Modulation. Modulation is a measured and proportioned inflexion or setback in a building’s face. Multifamily residential buildings shall provide modulation on facades as follows:

1. The maximum wall length without modulation shall be 40 feet;

2. The sum of the modulation depth and modulation width shall be no less than eight feet. The modulation depth shall be not less than two feet and the modulation width shall be not less than six feet.

An example of how these regulations apply is illustrated in Figure 12.14-14.

D. Roofline Variation. Multifamily residential buildings shall provide roofline variation as follows:

1. The maximum roof length without variation shall be 40 feet;

2. The minimum horizontal or vertical offset shall be three feet;

3. The minimum variation length shall be six feet;

4. Roofline variation shall be achieved using one or more of the following methods:

a. Vertical offset in ridge line;

b. Horizontal offset in ridge line;

c. Variations of roof pitch;

d. Gables;

e. Any other technique approved by the community development director which avoids the appearance of a continuous unrelieved monolithic roofline.

An example of how these regulations apply is illustrated in Figure 12.14-15.

(Ord. 1815 § 1, 2000; Ord. 1798 § 1, 2000; Ord. 1629 § 1, 1996. Formerly 12.14.210).