2018-024 Design Guidelines DiscussionDate: March 2, 2018 Report No. 2018-024
INFORMAL STAFF REPORT
TO MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
SUBJECT: Discussion on Denton Courthouse Square Design Standards
DISCUSSION:
Twenty-eight business and property owners, and other downtown stakeholders, gathered at Agua
Dulce restaurant for a meeting with City staff from Development Services and Economic Development. Director of Development Services, Scott McDonald, provided an overview and
clarified the need for the establishment of design standards for the Denton Courthouse Square.
This meeting was designed as the first step in receiving public input from those which would be
most affected and have a vested interest in preserving the character of the Square. The business
and property owners provided initial feedback on the concept and provided staff direction.
City staff clarified the concept being considered for the Square is not a form-based code. The
standards are not intended to be prescriptive, but is instead intended as a basic set of standards
designed to ensure new buildings or major changes to existing buildings would be compatible with
the overall character of the Square. The boundary of what constituted the “Courthouse Square District” is open for discussion, but it was suggested to extend to the façades of the buildings one
block back from the Square. Attendees were provided with sample copies of two documents which
illustrate what design standard guidelines for the Courthouse Square might look like.
Attendees then expressed their thoughts, questions, and concerns with staff responding as needed. Multiple attendees expressed a desire for flexibility in the design standards, for a number of
reasons, including not making redevelopment on the Square prohibitively expensive. Desire was
expressed for multiple levels of oversight on the standards beyond staff. It was explained that
design standards would be enforced through a Certificate of Appropriateness application process
for new buildings or major modifications to existing buildings. Concern was expressed about how the application approval, denial or variance requests would be handled, and what body would
handle those requests. Staff suggested oversight of the standards and staff determinations could go
before the Health and Building Standards Commission, ZBA or a design standards board could be
introduced.
Multiple owners inquired about the City investing in downtown infrastructure, including on the
“Mews” streets, or those streets surrounding the Square. Staff explained several projects and
concepts are being discussed to improve the Square and potential improvements to the “Mews”
streets. Further discussion covered a range of topics beyond design standards, including the city’s
interest in working with owners to acquire fire suppression technology for buildings on the Square. Scott McDonald addressed attendees’ concerns about past experiences with Development Services, noting the ongoing effort to simplify and improve the customer experience with
Development Services.
The meeting concluded with attendees expressing unanimous support for the concept of design standards for the Square. The group supported the idea of Development Services staff moving
Date: March 2, 2018 Report No. 2018-024
forward in advancing design standards, with the understanding that attendees would be given
opportunities to review and comment throughout the process.
CONCLUSION/RECOMMENDATION Based on the initial feedback and interest in preserving the character of the Square, staff will proceed with a full-range community engagement plan. This is designed to capture stakeholder
input for design standards and draft ordinance for discussion and consideration.
ATTACHMENT: 1. DRAFT – Conceptual Square Design Standards; Building Edge & Architecture
2. MAP – Conceptual Map Outlining Proposed Design Standard Boundaries
STAFF CONTACT: Scott A. McDonald, CBO
Director, Department of Development Services
940-349-8539
scott.mcdonald@cityofdenton.com
BUILDING EDGE AND ARCHITECTURE
BUILDING EDGE AND ARCHITECTURE
Intent
To ensure the form and scale of buildings, and thereby create a viable urban streetscape.
To ensure high quality, sustainable development that adapts to changing
conditions over time.
Principles
Design all sites and buildings to promote pedestrian activity and provide an active, continuous, pedestrian-oriented street edge along public sidewalks.
Particular attention should be paid to lower floors.
Design sites and buildings to provide visual variety and enhance Downtown’s overall sense of place.
Ensure that the scale of buildings enhances the public realm, and complements the scale of neighboring structures, particularly adjacent
historic buildings.
Regulate building heights and orientation to protect and enhance views to and from established landmarks, natural features, and skylines.
Choose durable exterior building materials to ensure visual attractiveness and protect the interior space of a building. Exterior materials and glazing
choices should consider existing and future noise issues common to mixed-use communities.
Ensure that building façades visible from public spaces contribute to an
attractive streetscape and skyline.
Locate surface parking, individual garages, and large parking garages to
reduce visual impact.
Building corners should be celebrated, create visual interest and provide continuity across streets and around street corners.
Buildings should relate to each other in scale, creating a consistent building
edge that frames and activates the public realm.
Design buildings and locate parking to reduce the visual impact. In this
example, the parking is hidden within building’s inner core.
BUILDING EDGE AND ARCHITECTURE
Building Location, Orientation, and Setback Standards
Buildings shall face the street or other public spaces.
Buildings shall have a setback of no more than five (5) feet from the back of the sidewalk.
The consistent orientation and setback of the buildings along West Hickory
Street help to create a frame for the public space that is the Denton Square.
BUILDING EDGE AND ARCHITECTURE
Façade Standards
The ground floor of buildings shall include architectural relief at least every
30 feet. This relief may include, but is not limited to, the following:
Doors
Change in depth
Columns or posts
Windows
Changes in materials
Changes to existing building façades shall be consistent with existing
architecture, architectural features, and floor plans.
The ground level shall be designed to allow conversion to retail or other active uses if not feasible initially.
All new buildings shall differentiate between the first and second floor.
Façade Guideline
Long façades and blank walls should be broken up with articulation or other
architectural treatments.
Variation and sensitive detailing, related to the public realm, is imperative
when creating a quality pedestrian experience. Clear visual division between
street level and upper floors is important. Design elements such as entries,
windows, balconies, awnings, and bays all provide visual interest.
The Victoria Station Apartments on S Bell Avenue use articulation, change
of materials, changes in depth, and design elements -- balconies and
awnings -- to differentiate between floors and break up a long façade.
BUILDING EDGE AND ARCHITECTURE
Fenestration and Glazing Standards
Fenestration and glazing shall be provided. Overly tinted, reflective, or
opaque glass is not allowed on the ground floor of buildings.
Street-facing façades shall have windows.
Windows, floors, stoops, and porches shall open out to the street.
Primary building entrances shall be clearly articulated using the following:
Awnings
Canopies
Recessed entry
Incorporated as an arcade in the architecture
Other similar treatments may be considered on a case-by-case
basis by the Historic Preservation Officer and HLC.
Fenestration Guidelines
Corner entrances are encouraged for strong visibility at intersections.
Where office, retail, and entertainment spaces coexist, consider placing the
retail entrances and prime exposure at the corners and the office entrances at mid-block locations.
Operable windows are strongly encouraged for all buildings.
Fencing Standards
Walled-off or fenced-off developments are not allowed.
Private patio, yard, or sidewalk dining area shall be bordered by open
railing measuring maximum four (4) feet from ground level.
Bringing restaurant and retail activities out to the sidewalk is strongly
encouraged, where unobstructed pedestrian walking is maintained. Railings for outdoor dining shall not extend into the pedestrian way.
Chain-link fences are prohibited.
Outdoor seating is a great way to enhance pedestrian engagement.
Building architecture should include elements such as corner entrances, and
consider the interaction at the street level.
BUILDING EDGE AND ARCHITECTURE
Exterior Lighting Standards
Lighting shall be designed in a manner to avoid disturbances and glare onto
adjacent properties.
Exception:
If an applicant can demonstrate that lighting will not contribute to light pollution and glare, they may be granted approval by the DDRB.
Exterior Lighting Guideline
Building-mounted lighting on façades, or other accent lighting on architectural features is encouraged.
Exterior lighting on a façade provides additional illumination within the
environment and has potential for creating design effects.
These exterior lights are compatible with these buildings in terms of design,
material, use, size, scale, color, and brightness.
Properly scaled awnings and wall lighting of appropriate size and brightness
combine to create a welcoming environment for pedestrians.
BUILDING EDGE AND ARCHITECTURE
Material Standards
New building façades facing public areas shall conform to the following material
standards. Creative design is encouraged, and projects that incorporate unlisted materials may be submitted for review. Building material selection and exterior
wall design should consider the noise potential inherent in mixed use districts.
Primary materials shall consist of the following:
Brick
Stone, or stone veneer with cavity wall construction
Stucco
Glass curtain wall system
Metal panels – individual or curtain wall systems
Concrete – finish should be to an architectural level
Wood
Cement composite board
Tile – terra cotta, porcelain, or ceramic
The following material may be used as accents and trim:
All primary materials listed above
Metal – galvanized, painted, or ornamental
Pre-cast masonry (trim and cornice only)
EIFS (exterior insulation and finish system) above the first floor
Concrete fiber simulated wood siding
Inappropriate materials
Applied stone without cavity wall construction
Vinyl or aluminum siding
Mirrored glass
EIFS below the first floor
Roof Standards
Roof shape and roofing materials shall be harmonious with
existing buildings and overall building design.
Parapets shall be high enough to screen all roof-mounted equipment
from the view of pedestrians.
Wind and solar energy devices visible from the public right of way require Director of Development Services’ approval.
Material choice is important for establishing context and extends above the
roof when choices are made for screening mechanical equipment.
A unique, visually
interesting
building can be
created using
primary and
accent materials
that fit the overall
design character
of downtown
BUILDING EDGE AND ARCHITECTURE
Building Equipment and Service Area Standards
Building equipment and service areas include, but are not limited, to the
following:
Rooftop equipment
Mechanical and electrical equipment and conduit
Ducts
Piping
Fire equipment
Water backflow devices
Trash facilities
Recycling facilities
Utilities
Satellite dishes
Solar collectors
Antennas
Loading and unloading areas
Drainage facilities
Building equipment and service areas shall be designed and located so that they are not the primary building feature or interfere with pedestrian and/or
vehicular circulation.
Equipment and service areas shall be incorporated into the design of the building and combined when possible.
Dumpsters shall be located at the rear of the property and/or out of sight
from any street and screened from public view.
Rooftop equipment shall not be visible from the street or neighboring
properties at the same level or below.
Visible equipment shall be constructed of non-reflective material and screened to the greatest extent possible.
Screening materials shall complement the architectural style of the building.
Macrocell phone antennas shall be screened by the parapet or mounted to
the parapet flush with the top of the parapet and be painted to match. Microcell phone antennas shall be mounted in an inconspicuous location
and painted to match.
Rooftops of buildings
could include
landscaped decks or
terraces designed in
such a way that
mechanical
equipment, elevator
overruns, and stair
towers are housed
within structures that
are part of the
composition of the
building.
Screening of
mechanical,
electronic, and
communication
equipment on the
roof should be
organized,
proportioned,
detailed, and
colored to be an
integral element of
the building as seen
from points of high
elevation, streets,
and adjacent
residences.
BUILDING EDGE AND ARCHITECTURE
Historic Preservation
The goal of historic preservation is to preserve and adaptively reuse remaining historic and architectural resources, and to make sure that new construction
complements the adjacent historic and architecturally significant buildings. The character of historically and architecturally significant structures without local,
state, or national designation should also be respected. Property owners planning exterior changes to these buildings should take into consideration their
unique character.
The Denton Square and the surrounding Downtown is home to many
identified historic buildings. The preservation and adaptive reuse of historic buildings has been a focal point of the rebirth of Downtown Denton. The
Square owes its unique character and authentic feel to the comfortable mix of the old with the new.
Even with existing successful projects, there are still many more historic
resources that are not yet rehabilitated. Every effort should be made to restore historic buildings in a manner consistent with the character of their original
state. Rehabilitation is the process of returning a property to a condition that makes contemporary use possible, while still preserving features of its historic,
architectural, and cultural significance.
Former industrial shops on Industrial Street have been transformed by
adaptive reuse into a music venue and a restaurant.
The Fine Arts Theater presents an opportunity for preservation and
rehabilitation
The Denton Opera House (1901) was rehabilitated as a mixed-use
building, with a used bookstore on the ground floor, apartments
above, and parking hidden behind and below the main building.
BUILDING EDGE AND ARCHITECTURE
Temporary Construction Facility Standards
Temporary construction offices, storage sheds, trailers, barricades, and fences
will be allowed as necessary during the construction of a permanent building.
Such facilities shall be placed as inconspicuously as possible to the
general public and/or neighboring property owners.
Temporary construction facilities are approved by staff.
Construction Trailer Location Standards
Trailers must be located within the designated limits of construction.
Under certain circumstances, approval may be given to locate
construction trailers at another location. Approval shall be limited to cases where site characteristics make it difficult or impractical to locate
a trailer on the construction site.
Construction Trailer Location Guidelines
Temporary screening materials along the fenced construction area are allowed,
to minimize the visual impact of the construction areas and fencing.
Screening designs should have elements or references to the
associated building under construction, with the exception of art projects on the construction fence. It is not permitted to advertise for any off-site or non- property related entity (e.g., general contractor,
financial institution).
Artistic/creative designs on the construction fence are encouraged, where appropriate.
Designs should be complementary to the existing permanent signs on site.
Appropriate temporary construction fences are necessary to limit public access
to hazardous areas during the construction phase and to ensure the safety of
both pedestrians and motorists. In addition, construction fences provide an
opportunity to showcase projects or provide temporary art displays.
Discussion about District Area BoundariesThe City of Denton has prepared maps for departmental use. These are not official maps of the City of Denton and should not be used for legal, engineering or surveying purposes but rather for reference purposes. These maps are the property of the City of Denton and have been made available to the public based on the Public InformationAct. The City of Denton makes every effort to produce and publish the most current and accurate information possible. No warranties, expressed or implied, are provided for the data herein, its use, or its interpretation. Utilization of this map indicates understanding and acceptance of this statement.W MULBERRY STW SYCAMORE STE HICKORY STS LOCUST STE MULBERRY STS AUSTIN STS CEDAR STS ELM STN ELM STW PECAN STE WALNUT STE PARKWAY STKENT STBANNERSTE SYCAMORE STBARBERSTE OAK STROSE STS CARROLLBLVDWAINWRIGHTSTFRAME STS OAKLAND STS BELLAVEINDUSTRIAL STW HICKORY STN AUSTIN STN CEDAR STPINER STW OAK STW MCKINNEY STOAKLANDSTN CARROLL BLVDN BELL AVEW PARKWAY STMINGO RDULAND STE OAK STBOLIVAR STN LOCUST STE MCKINNEY STOAKLAND STBELL PLRAILROAD AVES EXPOSITION STμDTIP BoundaryLevel 1Level 2Level 3015030075FeetDate: 2/23/2018