The MC District occupies the historical center of the Village. It includes properties on Broad Street, Payne Street, Madison Street, Lebanon Street, Utica Street, Eaton Street, and Maple Avenue in the vicinities of the Payne Street/Broad Street/Utica Street/Lebanon Street intersection and the Maple Avenue/Eaton Street/Lebanon Street intersection. The MC District is bordered to the northwest by the ME District, on the east by the MG District, and on the south, west and north by the R District. For the boundaries of the district, see the Village Zoning Map.

The MB District occupies the west side of Broad Street opposite the Village Green, north of Kendrick Avenue, and south of the historical downtown commercial structures. It is bordered on the north by the MC, to the east by the MG, and on the south and west by the R District. For the boundaries of the district, see the Village Zoning Map.

The MG District frames the eastern edge of the Village Green north of Pleasant Street. It includes properties on Payne Street and East Broad Street. The MG District is bordered on the northwest by the MC District and on the south and east by the R District, and on the west by the Green and the MB District. For the boundaries of the district, see the Village Zoning Map.

The ME District includes properties on the west side of Eaton Street and the east side of Utica Street in the vicinity of the Utica Street/Eaton Street intersection. The ME District is bordered by the MC District to the southeast, by the R District to the south, west, and northeast, and the MP District to the north. For the boundaries of the district, see the Village Zoning Map.

The MP District includes the properties on both sides of Utica Street between Eaton and Montgomery/Wylie, the properties on the east side of Eaton between Utica and Montgomery, the properties between Utica and Eaton on Montgomery, as well as some properties on the south side of College Street west of Payne Creek, and the northwest end of Milford Street. In most instances, the MP Districts borders the R District. For the boundaries of the district, see the Village Zoning Map.

The BN District stretches along Route 12B for the northern reaches of the Village. It is bordered by R District to the south, BD to the northwest, and BA to the west. For the boundaries of the district, see the Village Zoning Map.

The BD District is on the eastern and southern sides side of Wings Way. It is bordered to the west by the BA District and to the south by the BN. For the boundaries of the district, see the Village Zoning Map.

The BA District is on the west side of Wings Way and borders the BD and BN Districts to the east as well as the R District to the south. For the boundaries of the district, see the Village Zoning Map.

The BH District is adjacent to the west side of Route 12B. It borders the U2 District to the north and south, the U3 to the west, and the U1 to the east. For the boundaries of the district, see the Village Zoning Map.

The Planning Board, upon referral from the Code Enforcement Officer or upon direct application, shall determine compliance or noncompliance with design standards for renovation projects that alter the exterior of the buildings on facades with street frontage or facades within 50 feet of the Family Residential District.

For new commercial and mixed-use construction, determination of compliance will be part of the site plan review process.

The integration and balance of the multiple provisions of these design standards within individual projects is the responsibility of the Planning Board and will be part of the site plan review process.

Preferred building materials are brick, stone, and wood. Limited use of concrete and concrete block is acceptable if detailed and finished to be compatible with surrounding buildings.

The use of exposed corrugated concrete and "cinder block" is prohibited.

Tile, stucco, and metal wall surfaces are not typical building materials in the Hamilton area, but may be acceptable in limited applications.

Siding.

Where party wall buildings currently exist, or where new ones are constructed, the buildings should generally be connected to form a wall along the street. This wall encloses public space and makes the street space feel like an "outdoor room."

Party wall buildings should be related in height, with storefront windows, doors at street level, and simple roof shapes.

Downtown buildings have traditionally maintained a continuous wall at the building line. Therefore, new buildings and additions to existing buildings should maintain the street wall. The building line is generally the front property line or the line of the sidewalk, and a minimum of 60% of the building's front face should sit on that line.

For party wall construction, a zero-foot side setback is best. Side setbacks of between zero and six feet and over 15 feet are prohibited. Narrow gaps are likely to be dark and dangerous, and do not make good pedestrian spaces. Gaps of more than 15 feet between buildings disrupt the continuity of the street wall and should not be allowed, except to create outdoor public or semipublic spaces or where parking is required and cannot be placed behind the building. Side yards of more than 10 feet should be landscaped, and may be used as driveways, pedestrian pathways, or semipublic spaces such as restaurant patios.

In order to define the edge of public space on the street and encourage mixed-use buildings, all new buildings and major additions must be between two and four stories tall, with a maximum elevation of 45 feet.

Upper-level apartments and offices are encouraged and should be accessible from entries on the sidewalk. Secondary entrances located on rear alleys or parking lots are also acceptable.

Small, separated one-story buildings set back from the street are not permitted.

Facade treatments.

Buildings on corner lots shall follow these guidelines on both street frontages.

Parking lots in front of buildings are not allowed.

Upper floors should be accessible from well-lit entries on the front or side facades. Secondary entrances located on rear alleys or parking lots are also acceptable.

Small, separated one-story buildings set more than 20 feet back from the sidewalk of street frontage incompatible with the character of the ME District.

A substantial exterior renovation constitutes a modification of over 40% of the street facade.

Trademark buildings, which identify the owner or occupant by a trademarked architectural style, must conform to the design standards of this chapter. Franchise operations shall be designed to harmonize with downtown mixed-use areas.

Exterior fire escape construction may not be on the front facade nor within 25 of the property line or sidewalk.

Relation of buildings to street and to each other in the ME Design Overlay 1.

Architectural features of ME Design Overlay 1.

Balconies are not permitted on street facades or on building facades that are direct toward a Family Residential District.

A build-to line is set by the average of the structures (excluding parking lots) on the three properties on either side of the property.

Building faces should be parallel to the street, with major roof ridges either parallel or perpendicular to the street. On narrower lots (60 feet or less), the roof ridge should generally be perpendicular to the street.

An entry is required on the front facade.

Roof overhangs of six inches to 18 inches, exclusive of gutters, are required.

Windows and doors should be balanced in their placement on building facades. Though literal symmetry is not necessary, a general balance is required.

Glass areas per floor should be greater at ground floors than at upper-level floors.

Windows should be vertical within the primary floors of the building.

Shaped windows are acceptable within the triangle created by converging roof planes, at decorative entries, in half stories, and in decorative configurations in all floors.

Windows and doors should include trim of no less than one inch.

No facade may be blank, except for facades of secondary structures within 10 feet of the property line.

A minimum of 1/3 of the building square footage (excluding basements) must be on the second floor.

Trademark buildings, which identify the owner or occupant by a trademarked architectural style or by prominent advertising icon images, shall be adapted to harmonize with the architectural character of the Mixed-Use or Business District.

In the case of convenience store with fuel station, the Planning Board is authorized to require the maximum reasonable compliance with these design standards.

A build-to line is set by the average of the structures (excluding parking lots) on the three properties on either side of the property.

Fences and landscape screens of an appropriate nature (see illustration and § 174-46) are encouraged along front property lines, especially where the continuity of buildings is interrupted by a vacant lot, a parking lot, or a building set back farther than the build-to line. Landscape screens should be set back no less than three feet from the sidewalk to avoid encroachment when the vegetation matures.

Fences, low walls, and hedges define walkways, can give pedestrian scale to the street, and maintain the historic character of the Village. They create a transition between public and private spaces and screen and separate potentially incompatible uses. Chain-link fences and tall walls or hedges create unfriendly barriers and block important public visual or pedestrian access.

Facade treatments.

Where a flat roof is employed, architectural elaborations or parapets are required.

Trademark buildings which identify the owner or occupant by a trademarked architectural style or by prominent advertising icon images shall be adapted to harmonize with the architectural character of the district as specified by these standards.