Marblehead City Zoning Code
ARTICLE XI
Design Review
[Added 5-2-2005 ATM by Art. 17]
§ 200-45 Design review.
A.
Purpose. It is the intent of this section to provide detailed review of exterior alterations made to nonresidential structures to enhance the natural and aesthetic qualities of the B-1 District to conserve the value of land and buildings, and to protect the district and its surrounding neighborhoods.
B.
Design Review Board. For the purposes of this section, the Design Review Board shall be appointed by the Planning Board and the Select Board to consist of five Town residents as follows:
(1)
A member of the Planning Board or designee for a three-year term.
(2)
Two persons appointed by the Planning Board qualified by training and experience design each for a two-year term.
[Amended 5-4-2015 ATM by Art. 35]
(3)
A person appointed by the Planning Board qualified by training and experience in design for a one-year term.
(4)
A person appointed by the Select Board who owns a property in the district or serves on a downtown business organization for a three-year term.
C.
Applicability. The Design Review Board shall review requests for sign permits, new construction, or any other exterior alterations or modifications to a nonresidential building within the Business One District. It shall evaluate such requests based on the design criteria of this section. All requests must be submitted to the Design Review Board prior to applications to a special permit granting authority or building permit.
D.
Submission requirements.
(1)
Five copies of a certified plot plan at a minimum scale of one inch equals 40 feet and a maximum scale of one inch equals 20 feet. The site plan shall contain:
E.
Process. A written determination must be made within 30 days after the filing of the application or such further time as the applicant may in writing allow. Its findings, along with any restrictions and/or conditions, shall be submitted in writing to the special permit granting authority or Building Commissioner. These comments may also be incorporated in the recommendations of the Planning Board to the special permit granting authority. All decisions and reports of the Design Review Board shall be advisory only.
F.
Design criteria. The Design Review Board shall consider the following standards:
(1)
The general purpose and intent of this Bylaw;
(2)
The technical requirements of this section; and
(3)
The extent to which:
(a)
The architectural and design features are in harmony with the prevailing character and scale of buildings in the neighborhood and Town (such as but not limited to: building materials, screening, breaks in roof and wall lines, roof pitch, adequate light, air, circulation and spacing between buildings, details, massing).
(b)
The character of the site is preserved (such as but not limited to: protection of historical and natural resources and existing terrain, minimization of grade changes, tree and soil removal).
(c)
Vehicular and pedestrian movement within the site are convenient and safe (such as but not limited to: traffic patterns, circulation, and location of driveway openings, parking, loading, access by emergency vehicles, and visibility of and identity of street address numbers).
(d)
External emissions from the site are minimized or eliminated (such as but not limited to: erosion, surface water runoff, pollution, sewage, disposal of refuse.)
(e)
Signs are appropriate in scale material and location (size, location, design, color, texture, lighting, and materials of signs).
G.
Design review guidelines. The Planning Board shall publish and make available to the public on request a booklet of guidelines based on the specific design criteria cited in Subsection F to effectuate the purposes of this section.