10.725 Large Retail Structures, Special Development Standards

10.725 Large Retail Structures, Special Development Standards.

(a) Architectural Projections or Recesses. With the exception of building facades less than one hundred seventy-five (175) feet long with off-street truck loading facilities, abutting building facades separated by a service drive, and facades abutting service drives and not visible from any public or private street, building facades greater than one hundred (100) feet in length measured horizontally shall include architectural projections or recesses having a depth of at least three percent (3%) of the length of the facade and extending for at least twenty percent (20%) of the length of the facade. Such architectural features shall be incorporated into building facade design at least every one-hundred (100) horizontal feet. (See Figure 10.725-1)

(b) Animating Features. With the exception of building facades with off-street truck loading facilities and abutting building facades separated by a service drive, building facades visible from planned or existing streets, plazas or parking shall have covered walkways, transparent windows, entrances, awnings, or other such features along at least sixty percent (60%) of their horizontal length. (See Figure 10.725-2.) The design of building facades visible from planned or existing streets, plazas or parking, and those with public entrances, shall contain at least one (1) feature from a minimum of three (3) of the following groups:

Group 1.	a.	Canopies, awnings, or porticos
	b.	Overhangs
Group 2.	a.	Recesses, projections
	b.	Architectural details, such as tile and moldings that are integrated into the building structure and design
	c.	Transparent windows, display windows
Group 3.	a.	Covered walkways
	b.	Arches
Group 4.	a.	Raised corniced parapets over public entrances
	b.	Peaked roofs

(c) Windows. When large retail structures contain one (1) or more businesses of less than 50,000 square feet of gross ground floor area with separate exterior public entrances, each such business shall have transparent windows along at least fifty percent (50%) of the horizontal length of its storefront. The bottom of the windows shall be no more than four (4) feet above the adjacent exterior grade.

(d) Repeating Elements. All building facades shall include a repeating element that includes at least three (3) of the following elements, one of which shall repeat horizontally:

(i) Color change

(ii) Texture change

(iii) Material change

(iv) Architectural or structural bays provided through a change in plane of at least twelve (12) inches in width, such as an offset, reveal or projecting rib. (See Figure 10.725-3.)

Figure 10.725-3. Architectural or Structural Bay

(i) At least seventy-five percent (75%) of exterior building materials shall include brick, cedar shakes or shingles, beveled or shiplap siding, or other narrow-course horizontal boards or siding, vertical board and batten siding, durable stucco, rock, stone, or tinted and textured concrete masonry units. Other materials may be permitted if authorized by the approving authority.

(ii) Exterior building materials shall not include: smooth-faced concrete masonry units (except for limited accent purposes); smooth-faced tilt-up concrete panels; or unarticulated board siding (e.g., T1-11 siding, plain plywood, sheet pressboard).

(f) Entrances. Each large retail structure shall have at least one (1) clearly visible and architecturally prominent public entrance.

(2) Roof Features. Roofs shall have no less than two (2) of the following features:

(a) Parapets;

(b) Overhanging eaves or cornices, extending at least three (3) feet past the supporting walls;

(a) Buffering. Where a lot(s) containing a large retail structure or a large retail structure complex abuts land zoned for residential uses and no public street separates the residential zoned land from the lot(s), a Type B bufferyard, as described in Section 10.790(5), shall be installed between the lot(s) and residential zoned land.

(b) Pedestrian Walkways. In addition to the standards of Sections 10.773, Pedestrian Walkway Connections and Routing and 10.775, Pedestrian Walkway Design Standards, the following shall apply:

(i) Continuous pedestrian walkways shall be provided from the public sidewalk or right-of-way to the principal public entrance(s) of all large retail structures. With the exception of walkways located within structures, these pedestrian walkways shall feature abutting landscaped areas that include trees, shrubs, benches, planting beds, live ground covers, or other such plantings or features for no less than fifty percent (50%) of the length of the walkway.

(ii) Continuous pedestrian walkways shall be provided along the full length of any building facade featuring a public entrance, and along any building facade abutting public parking areas. Such walkways shall be located at least six (6) feet from the building façade, with planting beds for foundation landscaping included between the building façade and the walkway, except where features such as covered entrances are part of the building facade.

(iii) Pedestrian walkways provided in conformance with (ii) above shall include weather protection features such as awnings within thirty (30) feet of all customer entrances.

(iv) Pedestrian walkways crossing driving surfaces shall be distinguished from driving surfaces through the use of durable, low maintenance surface materials such as pavers, bricks or stamped concrete.

(i) Each large retail structure shall provide a public plaza, as defined in Section 10.012 Definitions, Specific. The public plaza is intended to attract tenants and to provide the community with a pleasant, comfortable place to rest and interact.

(ii) In addition to the requirements for public plazas in Section 10.012, Definitions, Specific, public plazas provided by large retail structures shall comply with the following provisions:

(A) Seating areas shall be provided in the public plaza and shall be shaded with trees, cloth canopies, or structures over fifty percent (50%) of their area.

(B) A minimum of twenty percent (20%) of the public plaza shall be landscaped with live plantings subject to the landscape and irrigation requirements in Section 10.780, General Landscape and Irrigation Requirements.

(iii) Each public plaza shall have focal points and/or other amenities. The focal points and other amenities shall be constructed of materials that are equal or superior to the principal materials of the building and landscaping. Focal points and/or amenities may include the following:

(A) An outdoor playground with safe play structures for children;

(B) A water feature, clock tower, or similar focal feature;

(D) Art works; and

(E) Space for small or temporary food vendors or temporary mobile food vendors.