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Home My WebLink AboutITEM III-A * CITY OF . . , ~ * URN Memorandum WASHINGTON To: Downtown Redevelopment Committee From: Elizabeth Chamberlain, AICP, Principal Planner Date: September 18, 2009 Re: Downtown Urban Center (DUC) Design Standards Discussion at the Tuesday, September 22, 2009 Downtown Redevelopment Committee will on three areas of the DUC design standards and what is the intent of those regulations and provide policy direction to staff. Those sections of the DUC design standards are attached to this memo and described as follows: 1. Compact parking in surFace lots - currently not permitted within new surface lots in the Downtown. Should compact spaces at a certain ratio be allowed? 2. Monument signage is permitted within the downtown but not on designated pedestrian streets such as Main Street. What was the reasoning for not allowing monument signage and should that be revised? What if the signage is more wayfinding in nature? 3. Currently internally lit signage is not permitted unless on Auburn Way South and part of an electronic sign. Would the Committee consider internally lit signage if it is backlighting (LED lights) the sign and not a plastic cabinet sign? For example backlighting (LED lights) a glass panel. Page 1 of 1 AUBURN *MORE 7HAN YOU IMAGtNED GurDEtiNFS ApPcrcAeLE ro AL! DEVELOPMENT inr oowwNrowrv Sile lae.vi lwr ~ GUIDELINES APPLICABLE TO SITE DESIGN 1. PARKING LOTS AND GARAGES Intent: Reduce the visual impact of surface parking lots and garages A*~ A. General 1. Parking shall be located over, under, behind, or to the side of buildings. Parking structures are strongly encouraged. 2. All parking lots shall meet the design and construction standards of ACC 18.52 unless modified herein. . Parking stall standards for 90 degree stalls in structured parking facilities shall be 18 feet in length and 9 feet in width. All other dimensions shall meet ACC 18.52. 3. No compact parking stalls shall be allowed in surface parking lots. ! . B. Screening and Landscapmg Y'~-~-~- 1. Surface parking lots consisting of ten or more stalls shall feature M+~^ vn wn landscaped planter beds at a ratio of one to every six (6) stalls. Each planter bed shall include at least one tree, a minimum caliper of two (2) inches at the time of planting. 2. The minimum planter size shall be 100 square feet. Planters shall be protected by concrete curbs and shall also feature shrubs and/or groundcover. 3. Surface parking lots located adjacent to any street (excluding alleys) shall be screened by one or a combination of the following: a. Low walls made of decorative concrete, masonry, or other similar material, not exceeding a maximum height of 30 inches. b. Raised planter walls planted with a minimum of 80°/o evergreen shrubs, not exceeding a total height of 30 inches c. Landscape plantings consisting of trees (of which at least 80% are deciduous) and shrubs and groundcover materials (ofwhich at least 80% are ever9reen)• d. All piant material used for parking lot screening shall provide X,- L -clear views between 30 inches and eight (8) feet above the ground . :w ~ surtace, for visibility and safety. e. Planting areas shall be a minimum of five (5) feet in width and . shall be irrigated. Design Standards 3 Downtown Urban Center Zone June 16, 2009 of devices shall be approved by the City. Any cabling and/or power shall be secured so the facilities are not damaged by other activity on the roof. D. The applicant shall install an outdoor speaker system and AM receiver, to receive the City's Main Street radio signal, on any new commercial structure within the Downtown Urban Center zone. The property owner and/or building owner shall be responsible for the outdoor speaker system and any repairs or maintenance. GuroEurvFS asPLrcAaLE To ALL DEVELC3PMENT trV DowNrowN S igtt Design ~ 1. LANDMARK SIGNS w" T 10!~* Intent: preserve the unique character of the downtown A. Retain existing historic signs (as determined by the City) that feature the character of the area, wherever possible. ~ "x ,i.. 011~ 2. INTEGRATION WITH ARCHITECTURE Intent: ensure that signage is a part of the overall design of a project and not additive or an afterthought A. The design plans for buildings and sites shall identify locations ~ and sizes for future signs. As tenants install signs, such signs shall , be in conformance with an overall sign program that allows for advertising which fits with the architectural character, proportions, and details of the development. The sign program shall indicate location, size, and general design. B. New signs should not project above the roof, parapet or exterior ' wall unless part of an integral architectural feature. Signs mounted on a roof are not allowed. Design Standards Downtown Urban Center Zone June 16, 2009 GUIL7ELtNES APPUCABL€ TO ALL Df I/,ELOPMENT iN DOwNTDWN sl.1ll D[".1tg/t ~ 3. CREATIVITY „ r Intent: encourage interesting, creative and unique approaches to the design of signage Lt . 4 t,~+ . . . A. Signs should be highly graphic in form, expressive and individualized. Signs should convey the product or service offered by the business in a bold, graphic form B. If a ProJ"ectin9 sign is designed by a graphic design professional and includes a non-verbal, three- dimensional symbol that succinctly conveys the nature of the business and constitutes a dominant proportion of the overall design, the sign may be allowed to exceed the maximum area otherwise allowed by 50%. . 4. GROUND SIGNS Intent: ensure that signs are not principally oriented to automobile traffic 4 A. All freestanding signs shall be ground (monument) signs no higher than five (5) feet. B. The area around the base of any ground sign shall be planted with shrubs and seasonal flowers. C. Internally-lit signs are prohibited except when located ~ adjacent and oriented to Aubum Way North/Auburn Way South street frontages and only with electronic message center signs in accordance with Auburn City Code Chapter 18.56 Signs. If an internally lit sign is utilized, the sign shall also conform to all other applicable standards for changing message center signs as described in this same chapter. Design Standards 11 Downtown Urban Center Zone June 16, 2009 ADQ/7lONAl GU/DELINES FOR DEVELE?FMENT SI TES ADJACENT TO PEflFSTRiAN STREETS Sign De.)fgn - 1. PEDESTRIAN ORIENTATION Intent: provide signs that activate and strengthen the pedestrian realm A. Signs shall be primarily oriented to pedestrians, rather than people in vehicles. The following are types of signs are encouraged along Pedestrian Streets: 1) Blade signs (projecting over sidewalk) 2) Window signs (painted on glass or hung behind glass) 3) Logo signs (symbols, shapes) 4) Wall signs over entrance. B. Pole signs and monument or ground signs are not ~ permitted on Pedestrian Streets. C. Signs shall be evaluated with respect to size, scale, iijur relationship to other signs, function, location and other factors. ~ i. ;m M ~ ~ I I I~IY" ~~II I ~ Design Standards 15 Downtown Urban Center Zone June 16, 2009 Pedestrian Streets ° Pkl11[ a ~ . ~ ; . < „ . ..iY . . . . R ' r u b l > ~r ' g• 3 e t. 4 p ~L`1##I~L ! ~ , ~ ~ ~ C' R ' t . 6 x v^ . " ~ A ~ .~er a ■ ~ ■ , a } scrLE: 3 DOWNTOWN UR~AN CIE NTE F~." ZONE Design Standards 16 Downtown Urban Center Zone June 16, 2009